Has COVID19 made you rethink your career in dietetics? Learn how one dietitian made the leap from a steady, high-paying government job to an exciting entrepreneurial career in consulting.

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Speaker: Lisa Andrews is the owner of Sound Bites Nutrition where she shares her nutrition knowledge through individual counseling, cooking demos, teaching, and freelance writing. She is the current president of the Ohio Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and has served on the Ohio board and Greater Cincinnati Dietetic Association as the chair of professional issues and media chair. In 2002, Lisa won the Ohio Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award and in 2017, received the Ohio Recognized Dietitian of the Year Award. Lisa designed Lettuce Beet Hunger, a line of food pun swag that donates a portion of proceeds to those suffering food insecurity. She most recently authored the Healing Gout Cookbook.

Clients are using and asking about cannabis and related products with greater frequency, especially as medical marijuana has been legalized by an increasing number of states. This talk will provide a historical perspective on cannabis use, an overview of the endocannabinoid system, and research on the potential medical benefits of cannabis and CBD. Practice guidelines on the use of cannabis for a variety of conditions, administration methods, dosing, potential drug interactions, and legal issues will be discussed. This session will also address how to discuss cannabis use with clients and the rest of the medical team.

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Speaker: Janice Newell Bissex is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, cookbook author, and Holistic Cannabis Practitioner. After her dad found relief from his pain using medical cannabis it became Janice’s mission to help others suffering from chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, autoimmune diseases, IBD/IBS, and other debilitating conditions find relief with cannabis/CBD.  She completed training at the Holistic Cannabis Academy, and now advises clients on access, proper cannabinoid ratios, dosing, best consumption methods, and cooking with cannabis at Jannabis Wellness. She partnered with a Colorado manufacturer of organically-grown medicinal grade hemp to provide phytocannabinoid-rich hemp CBD products for her clients under her Jannabis Wellness label.

In this era of metagenomics, and with the internet fanning unprecedented consumer interest in digestive health and probiotics, RDNs must pay close attention to which microbiome-based therapies are evidence-based for practice and which are not. This talk will provide an update on the rapidly evolving field of microbiome-based strategies for managing GI conditions, including probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplants.

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Speaker: Patsy Catsos is in private practice at Nutrition Works, in Portland. She sees 10-15 patients a week, most with GI complaints such as IBS, IBD, GERD, diverticular disease, gastroparesis, or gluten-related disorders. She is an internationally recognized expert on the practical aspects of implementing low-FODMAP diets. In addition to being a frequent invited speaker at professional events in the U.S. and elsewhere, Patsy has authored numerous books, papers, and training materials for consumers and healthcare professionals. She completed her studies at Cornell University and Boston University; she interned at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital.  Patsy is a professional member of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of American, and an Associate Member of the American College of Gastroenterology, where she serves on the expert panel of the Functional GI Health & Nutrition Circle. She is a member of the Academy’s Medical Nutrition Practice Group, where she is participates in the functional gastrointestinal disorders workgroup. And here at home, Patsy is past president of MAND, and is an active member of MAND’s public policy panel.

Speakers: Stefanie Heath is a food and nutrition manager for Forward Food, a program of The Humane Society of the United States. With the demand of sustainable and healthy menu options on the rise, Stefanie helps food service operators create a more diverse menu to include delicious plant-based dishes. She has partnered with Cornell University, Montefiore Healthcare system and several K12 schools in creating an effective program tailored to meet the needs of the partnering institution. She’s partnered with the United States Army to support high standards of health and sustainability for soldiers and military community. Stefanie lives in New York with her husband, son and beloved rescue dog named Rocky.

Lauren Pitts, MA, RD/LD is the Food Outreach Coordinator for the Humane Society of the United States. Lauren has successfully worked with several schools, hospitals, universities, and other institutions to implement healthier, more sustainable plant based meals. In these mutually-beneficial partnerships, Lauren introduces these institutions to plant-based foods through recipe planning, chef trainings, and marketing support. She recently held her first Culinary Nutrition Workshop for several dietitians at Northwell Health, the second largest health system in the country. Prior to working with HSUS, Lauren focused on individual nutrition counseling and corporate wellness. Lauren is a part of the Public Policy Council for the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (CAND) and the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group.

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Description: Plant-based eating is on the rise and picking up momentum with individuals along with the foodservice industry. As nutrition professionals, dietitians understand the importance of incorporating more plant foods into everyone’s diets; however, the science supporting the concept of meat reduction isn’t always accurately –or adequately --communicated to the general public. In this session, attendees will break down the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ updated position paper on vegetarian diets and investigate easy to implement strategies to communicate and empower clients from all areas of practice to embrace more plants and less meat on their plate. The session will conclude by offering easy to prepare plant-based meals.

Social, economic and environmental demands, including dietary practices are impacting planetary sustainability. Farmers and fishermen must use natural resources to meet the demands of a growing population, coupled with well documented evidence of climate change. Eaters are increasingly confused and conflicted as they attempt to make sense of the dietary guidelines surrounding diet and climate. This session will explore established and emergent indicators of a food system under stress. Credible sources of research in this arena will be identified, with a special focus on implications and resources for nutrition professionals.

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Speaker: Joanne Burke is a Clinical Professor at the University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Food Systems. She teaches in the Nutrition Program & is the director of the UNH Master of Sciences in Nutritional Sciences combined with the Dietetic Internship.  She is a member of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, and the Dual Major in Sustainability advisory teams. She serves on the UNH Food Security Task Force.  As a Senior Faculty Fellow at the UNH Sustainability Institute, she was a founding member of its Food Solutions New England (FSNE) network and has been a member of the FSNE 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge since its inception in 2014. She is engaged in advancing racial equity, food justice, and democratic engagement in emergent food systems at the local, regional and national level.