DC National Conference 2016

A Students Perspective
Andrea Braun
Stronger Together was the aptly titled theme of the 2016 DC National Conference in Winnipeg,
MB this June. As a first time attendee and enthusiastic new graduate dietitian, my excitement
was matched by the dynamic presenters and other attendees.
My conference experience started with a tour of Manitoba Harvest, a Manitoba-based hemp
company. Seeing and understanding the entire process, from field to shelf, and the history and
values of this company was both eye-opening and motivating. Their attention to quality, safety
and testing gave me confidence to recommend their products; and the samples were
awesome! Look for their new Hemp Heart Bites to hit shelves this year. These are high protein,
high omega snacks that dietitians can feel confident recommending to their clients.
The networking began in earnest at the Welcome Reception in the beautiful Metropolitan
Entertainment Centre. It was a reunion for many, but a chance to put faces to names of people
I had heard about or read publications from through DC.
The public lecture at a local bookstore was a fantastic way to engage the public in a discussion
that dietitians have been having for some time (Talking to children about weight concerns),
while letting the public know that dietitians care and are passionate about helping people of all
ages.
While the conference was brimming with evidence-based nutrition information, there was a
definite theme throughout regarding clarifying and defining the role and public perception of
dietitians. We all know we are not food police or cooks, but succinctly promoting our varied
roles, knowledge, and expertise has proven difficult. Looking at public perception, the
competing pseudo-nutrition experts on social media and our varied roles, branding has become
a priority for DC. As such, a working group is collaborating with a branding expert to push us into
the spotlight for the right reasons. We were challenged to be an exciting and powerful
presence on social media as the nutrition experts. To support and encourage us there was a
photo shoot for professional images (to use on social media), an advanced session on media
interviews, another session on unleashing the power of social media, and one entitled Secrets

of success: building your brand. We want to world to know what we do and what we stand for in one sentence.
The DOC Network sponsored two sessions; Weighing in on the latest CVD and diabetes
science, and Celebrate 2016 International year of the pulses. The Pulses presentation had
two speakers, Christopher P. F. Marinangeli PhD, RD and Christine Farkas, Red Seal Chef, ADCO.
Dr. Marianageli presented statistics which showed that over one quarter of all deaths in Canada
in 2011 were related to CVD and that as a country it costs us more than 20 billion dollars per
year. However, consuming 130 grams of pulses per day can reduce LDL levels by approximately
5%, which translates into a 5-6% reduced risk of CVD. Although the mechanisms of action are still
being investigated, the health benefits of consuming pulses are mounting and include reducing
HgA1c, reducing systolic blood pressure and increasing satiety, which may lead to weight loss.
Pulses, which are harvested solely for the dry grain (lentils, chickpeas, peas, beans), are a low
glycemic index food and they have prominent spots in the Mediterranean, Latino, and African
diet pyramids.
After the benefits of pulses were proven, the chef, Ms. Farkas presented ways to incorporate
pulses in our diets. She was passionate about making food taste good and wanted us to eat
them because we love the taste; not just because of the health benefits. Pulses can be used as
a gluten free soup thickener, and can help to reduce our food budgets. One half pound of
meat in a recipe can be substituted with two cups of pulses. They can also be used to reduce
some of the fat in recipes. For example, one half cup of white bean puree and replace one half
cup of butter. Another novel use is to ground the pulses into flour (bean, lentil or chickpea flour).
Pulses are also easy to incorporate into current diet trends as they are gluten free,
vegetarian/vegan, and leave a low carbon footprint. It seems food manufacturers have
already discovered this as there are now products such as cereals, crackers, pasta and granola
bars made with pulses. They are a source of fibre and protein, and more environmentally
sustainable than animal protein. There is a global initiative to increase pulse consumption; and
now we understand why.
To conclude I want to encourage all dietitians to promote our role in chronic disease prevention
and health promotion, as discussed during the conference. Push for private health insurance
dietitian coverage in your health plans and the health plans of family members and friends.
When employers choose to add us to their benefit plan, we have the ability to decrease the
need for other health services. We are the nutrition experts and our voices need to be heard
above the noise of celebrities and wanna-be health experts.
A special thank-you to the DOC Network for recognizing me with their scholarship to the
conference. I cannot think of a better way to start my dietetic career!

With Thanks,
Andrea Braun, GD