My Qualifications

• Registered Dietitian (RD) in the province of Ontario

• Bachelor of Science (Foods and Nutrition - Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics), Western University (Brescia University College)

• Master of Science (Foods and Nutrition), Western University

Other continuing education courses/certificates (outside of my university education) I have taken include:

• Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) (2021)

• Functional Training Specialist (2023)

• Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics Certificate (2022)

• Physiology for Sports Nutrition Mini Course (2020)

• Functional Nutrition Gut Health Certificate (2019)

• Motivational Interviewing (2017)

• Weight Bias in Clinical Care (2017)

• DC Herbal Supplements Achievement Certificate (2016)

• DC Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Achievement Certificate (2016)

Did you know?

Dietitians are uniquely trained and qualified to educate and prescribe nutrition plans to promote health.

They’re the only regulated nutrition profession.

I created Taste of Nutrition because I feel there is a disconnect. We have one group of people who adamantly say that their way is the best and then we have another group saying their way is the best, yet both are completely opposite.

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the fighting. I’m tired of hearing that one person’s version of healthy is “right” while another person’s is “wrong”. Like most things, it’s all about context. It’s about the individual’s personal needs and remembering that we’re not all the same cookie cutter human.

So what works for one person might not for another and that’s okay.

My goal is to provide you with the current evidence about a nutrition, fitness, or wellness topic. I give you insights into the pros and cons and ultimately let YOU decide if it’s right for you.

I do love doing product and trend reviews, but I’m never going to promote a product that I don’t think is worth your hard-earned money. And let’s be real, I’d say the majority of products out there aren’t worth your time, energy, or money. That’s why it’s pretty rare that I do sponsored content. And if and when I do? You can be reassured that I genuinely use and/or like the product.

I’ll be honest and tell you that I’m not sure how I exactly see Taste of Nutrition going in the future. So, for now, my goal is to continue providing accessible and understandable nutrition, fitness, and wellness education here on my website, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram (all @tasteofnutrition)

Why did you become a dietitian and certified personal trainer?

I wish I could tell you some magical story about how I was inspired to pursue a career in nutrition and fitness, but the truth is, I’ve always had a passion for it - even since I was a little kid.

My parents were always interested in health and taught us at a very young age the value of good nutrition. I was also an avid athlete, playing 5 sports throughout the year (imagine having that time now!), so I knew how important fueling for performance was.

For me, I’ve always been interested in prevention, not treatment. I knew that the foods we eat play a key role in how we operate, so it was a natural move for me to pursue a career in nutrition. This led me to completing a four year undergrad (Bachelor of Science in Foods and Nutrition) and two year Master’s degree (Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition).

After this, I decided to pursue my personal training certification because I had a hard time just talking about nutrition. I had taken kinesiology courses in the past and loved them. I also have played sports my entire life and love exercising. And I truly believe that nutrition and fitness go hand-in-hand. Not only that, but I like to use myself as a personal guinea pig. I try different workouts, I try different ways of eating, I try different supplements and products. So, I wanted to make sure I knew what I was talking about when it came to fitness, not only to help others but to also help myself.

Because I like to test different fitness and nutrition trends on myself, I actually have first-hand insight into how it feels. I also have learned that it can be really overwhelming to try something new, whether that’s an eating style or new workout. And this has inspired me to make this journey easier for other people. That’s my ultimate goal.

What areas did you focus on during your training?

In order to become a dietitian, you must complete rotations in a variety of areas. My clinical rotations focused on surgery, nephrology, general medicine, diabetes, and outpatient care. My population health rotation was at a large health unit where I focused primarily on food literacy, education, and disadvantaged populations. My management rotation was at an airport in Jamaica and at a long-term care home. Finally, I chose do to an elective in media.

For a full overview of my academic training and experiences, check out my LinkedIn.

What topics did you study in school?

General chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry

• Physiology, microbiology

• Research methods, statistics, epidemiology

• Clinical nutrition (e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung transplant, bowel disease, nutrigenomics, etc.), population health nutrition, long-term care

• Sports Nutrition and Physical Activity

• Business: Finance, Management, Food service management

• Social sciences (sociology, psychology), communications

• And more!

As a dietitian, it is important to understand the core sciences as well as the social sciences. By understanding the science of the body, we are able to identify issues related to nutrition. By understanding the social sciences of people, we can better serve our clients and patients. And by having a solid background in research and statistics, we can properly interpret current research.

Are you against diets?

Yes and no. Personally, I don’t believe diets can work in the long run. They are usually maintained for a few months, but very few people stick to them for their life. I rather have someone make lifelong changes than try a temporary weight loss diet.

That said, I do understand the desire to try a diet. I believe with the proper education and support, a person can try a diet and enjoy it. Working with a dietitian can help make sure a particular diet or eating style works best for your health status.

Do you do paid sponsorships?

I’m open to them for sure. I think there are a lot of really awesome companies out there that offer great products and programs. I also think there are a lot of stinkers too.

If you’ve ever been on my social media channels, you’ll notice I don’t do many paid sponsorships. It’s solely because I care about the trust I’ve developed with my community and would never tell anyone to take a supplement or try a product/program that I didn’t believe in. It goes against my entire belief system.

If you’re a company and are interested in working with me, the first thing to do is reach out to me at contact@tasteofnutrition.com. I’ll ask to try your product and then if I like it, then we can talk about a collaboration. I will never accept a collaboration without trying the product first hand.

If you’re a visitor and notice I am doing a paid collaboration/sponsorship, you can rest assured that I actually believe in the product and think it might be useful for some people.

Do you take clients?

At this time, no. I wear many hats and have many different jobs. My goal is to educate large groups of people and provide nutrition, fitness, and wellness information in an easy to understand manner. I do this through social media content, writing, and teaching at the university level.