What is it like to be a West Los Angeles Dietitian?
The field of dietetics is changing rapidly. I have done a lot of reflection on this lately. Much of the information I was taught in school needs to be updated. Much of it was never true in the first place. I am proud of the work we have done as Dietitians for Professional Integrity, attempting to make an impact on the corrupt nature of corporate sponsorship within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. While we have not made much of an effect on the national level, we have made a splash at the local level, particularly in the Los Angeles District (LAD). As a West Los Angeles Dietitian and proud member of LAD, I have made a few short informational videos worth watching. The first is about Corporate Sponsorship , and the second is about Food Industry Front Groups.
Staying on the Cutting Edge
Thinking about my journey over the last several years, I am grateful for my Master’s training at California State University, Northridge. My experience doing a Thesis has positioned me to be a critical evaluator of the latest research in nutrition, neuroscience, endocrinology, microbiome, addictions, eating disorders, and more! My first genuine interest was in the concept of Food Addiction, and then I became obsessed with hormones. In 2014, I released an intense article called Hormones and Addiction and recorded a webinar on this fascinating topic. 2015 I presented a webinar called Nutrition Therapy for the Addicted Brain through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. This presentation has been given in several different settings and is the basis of our work at Nutrition in Recovery.
Excellent Teamwork
Being a training site for RDNs and DTRs has been critical to the company’s growth. Kristie Moore was David Wiss’ first dietetic intern, and the magic has continued since that collaboration many years ago. Kristie and David even conducted research at Breathe Life Healing Centers for Kristie’s Thesis. This concept of Hands-on Nutrition for addiction recovery is something we plan to develop more in this upcoming year. Dave Cannon was also an intern with Nutrition in Recovery. He has since joined the team, offering his expertise in group facilitation, personal training, in-home cooking instructions, and much more. Dave Cannon has brought incredible value to the NIR team. Currently, we have several other students rotating soon, and two more Master’s Thesis’ on the way. Stay tuned!
Keeping a Strong Presence
This work that we do truly is an uphill battle. It is very difficult to revamp food service systems in addiction treatment centers. There is resistance from the clients and resistance from the staff. It takes persistence and belief in our message. And we have that! So David Wiss gets his name out there in cyberspace to spread the word about the Nutrition in Recovery movement. Mr. Wiss believes that the future of treatment will address addictions and eating disorders concurrently and simultaneously. This concept of integrated treatment is very important at Nutrition in Recovery.
West Los Angeles
West LA is the hub of many addiction treatment centers. We have helped so many programs integrate nutrition counseling. There are so many more that need our help! Contact us today and see how we can be improve the quality of your recovery!
