Dec 10 2015 Why being diagnosed with cancer was an incredible gift A dietitian uses her personal experience with cancer to launch a mentorship program and an on-line coaching and support community. Jean LaMantia is a registered dietitian who goes by, “The Cancer Survivor’s Nutrition Voice of Reason.” She combined the experience she gained as a cancer patient and a caregiver with her passion for helping others into an online community, and one-on-one and group mentorship programs. She wrote a best-selling book called, “The Essential Cancer Treatment Nutrition Guide and Cookbook.” You can connect with her through Facebook, follow her Cancer Bites Blog, or join her Thriving After Cancer Coaching and Support Program. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I had no idea it would turn out to be such a gift. That might sound awfully strange to you, but if you read on you’ll understand why I feel this way. I was a new dietitian when I was diagnosed with cancer. I had finished my Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.) at the University of Guelph, my clinical dietetic internship at Toronto Western, and two full-time temporary job contracts. Then, when I was 27 years old, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (stage IIB extensive), a cancer that originates in the white blood cells (lymphocytes) and spreads to the lymph nodes. continue reading
Sep 11 2014 Dare to dream – 25 years as a veg-RD Brenda Davis is a leader in her field and an internationally acclaimed speaker. She is the co-author of nine vegetarian and vegan nutrition classics. She is also a contributing author to a tenth book, The Complete Vegetarian. Brenda has authored numerous professional and lay articles. She is the lead dietitian in a diabetes intervention project in Majuro, Marshall Islands. Brenda is a past chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association. In 2007, she was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame. Contact Brenda at brendadavis@telus.net, or visit one of her websites: becomingvegan.ca, brendadavisrd.com. A few weeks ago a young colleague said something that made me smile, “You are living every dietitian's dream.ˮ Twenty-five years ago, these would have been the last words I would have expected to hear from a fellow dietitian. My transition from omnivore to vegetarian occurred while I was a public health nutritionist and a registered dietitian. It has been quite an adventure. continue reading