Meet Registered Dietitian, Nazeeia Sayed

Chat 1 Comment July 4, 2018 nutritionadsa

We chatted to registered dietitian Nazeeia Sayed, who is the Branch Liaison on the current ADSA Executive committee, acting as the communication link between ADSA branch chairpersons and the national Executive Committee to ensure consistency in operations. She also manages the mentorship programme. We wanted to find out why she became a registered dietitian, what she loves about her work and what the challenges are:

Why did you become a Registered Dietitian?

I love food and cooking and was all set to study Consumer Sciences – but I stumbled into Dietetics at UKZN when I received a bursary. 

What do you enjoy most about the work you do? What are the most satisfying moments?

I most enjoy the variety in the work that I do: teaching dietetic students, supporting new mums on breastfeeding, or technical R&D support to food companies.  Every day is different!  I also enjoy the flexibility my work as a consultant dietitian allows me so I have time for other things I enjoy and value.  The most satisfying moments are being able to see the positive impact I can make and the feedback I receive from the people I interact with.

What has been your career highlight?

I have been a dietitian for over 20 years now with lots of exciting times.  My career highlight would undoubtedly have to be working on my own the last 3 years as a consultant dietitian.  It has been tremendously challenging and rewarding.

What are the most challenging aspects of your career?

Trying to stay abreast of all the nutrition research and information!  I have embraced the fact that I cannot be a Jack of all trades but I need to focus and build my expertise in a few areas of nutrition.  This also allows me to market myself to potential clients more strongly.  

How do you cope after a day of nutrition disaster and bad eating choices?

A hot cup of tea can resolve most things!  There will be periods when we all find it difficult to have a healthy eating day – I don’t focus on that – I move on and make better decisions the next day!  If I do overindulge then I make the extra effort to have lighter meals the next day.

What are the three things that you think people should stop saying when they meet a dietitian?

“I didn’t know dietitians ate cake.”

“Do you have a diet sheet for me about xyz?”

“But I was not breastfed and I turned out ok.”

What should clients look out for when deciding which dietitian to work with?

All dietitians are equally qualified but their special interests and experiences vary.  A client (individual or company) can ask the dietitian about his/her experience, and ask him/her for a brief proposal. 

What is your favourite dish and your favourite treat food?

Lamb biryani with cucumber raita is my favourite! I am easy to please – chocolate would be my favourite treat!

 

To find a dietitian in your area visit: http://www.adsa.org.za/Public/FindARegisteredDietitian.aspx

Nutrition at the centre of sustainable corporate wellness

Chat Leave a comment July 2, 2018 nutritionadsa

We live in an era when many of us, not just aspire to, but have an expectation that living well for longer is a real possibility. Increased awareness of the impact of lifestyle on health has made it clear we can’t just rely on medical industries to reach this goal – we play the most important part. It is a part that is played not at all in sweeps of grandeur, but in the small details of our daily choices – What will we eat? When we will exercise? How will we get sufficient rest and sleep? What do we need to do to actively manage our stress today?

Corporate Wellness Week, from 2 to 6 July, emphasises the need to properly consider our time spent at work when we answer these questions. We’re the master of our own universe at home – we are able to muster up great salads and fresh food inspired dishes; take yoga classes, mountain bike, meditate and walk the dog along the beach in our free time. But what happens when we go to work?

If you are a corporate employee, chances are that you eat nearly half of your daily meals and snacks at work, and your physical activity is low. Typically, home is the haven of well-deserved respite, relaxation and free choice; while the workplace, driven by the demand for efficiencies, is stressful, demanding and limiting. This is why we like weekends.

But two days a week of healthy living is not enough. We need workplaces that also support our wellness, simply because that is where we spend most of our time. This is not just an agenda from the employee perspective. As ADSA spokesperson and Registered Dietitian, Lerato Radebe points out: “Wellness in the workplace is not only a means to keep employees happy, but has tremendous effects on absenteeism, presenteeism and productivity.”

Lerato explains that wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices towards a healthy and fulfilling life. “Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth. WHO, the World Health Organisation, describes it as: “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Nathalie Mat, another Registered Dietitian and ADSA spokesperson, weighs in: “Nutrition is one of the easiest modifiable factors that controls a person’s energy levels and productivity. A company’s culture can perpetuate or inhibit healthy eating. I have experience of many companies where health is still not prioritized, leading to poor nutrition and health overall.”

So, what can South African business do to promote a sustainable culture of wellness in the workplace?

With nutrition at the centre of wellness, ADSA experts offer these guidelines:

• Create and maintain higher levels of wellness awareness through ongoing advocacy, engaging a Registered Dietitian and other wellness professionals through a dedicated wellness programme;
• Make wellness exciting by avoiding tick-box exercises or initiatives that are punitive in spirit. Wellness programmes need to be dynamic and up to date with latest trends that are interesting, value-added and that inspire employees to make lifestyle changes;
• Combat rising healthcare costs by rewarding employees’ participation in your corporate wellness programme through rebates on health insurance;
• Make healthy eating the workplace norm with healthy meeting snacks, healthy options in the canteen, water as the primary drink and bowls of fresh fruit;
• Have a dietitian available on site and facilitate dietitian-led support groups as a great way to foster healthy eating without forcing programmes on employees.

 

To find a Registered Dietitian in your area visit http://www.adsa.org.za/Public/