Getting to Know Heather Bray, Registered Dietitian!
Heather Bray, RD, is one of the newest members of our team! We sat down with her to understand more about her practice, her philosophy, and her experiences as both a human and a mind-body practitioner. Heather provides support around intuitive eating, nutrition planning, the intersection of nutrition and mental health, and more.
1) Why did you become a Registered Dietitian?
I became a Registered Dietitian for 3 reasons:
Because of my interest and love of science (specifically human biology),
My passion for helping people, and
Because I LOVE food.
Originally, I thought I wanted to become a sociologist or go into kinesiology. It wasn't until my first year of undergrad at Laurier University that I learned what a dietitian was. Once I heard about this profession and looked into what a Registered Dietitian actually does I said "yep that's for me!". I then left Laurier to pursue a BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics from an accredited Canadian University.
I loved the fact that dietitians can work in many different settings such as in hospitals, in the food science industry, in public health and 1:1 with patients like I do now. I felt that the profession aligned with my interests and skills and I still feel that way today!
2) What does it mean to be a non-diet dietitian?
Unfortunately, because of diet culture, the word "diet" often has a negative connotation. When people hear the word diet, they think of fad diets or extremely restrictive patterns of eating such as Keto, Atkins, Paleo, Carnivore etc. If you look up the definition of diet you'll see descriptions of restrictive diets and eating in a way to attempt to change/shrink one's body.
The true definition of diet is simply a pattern of eating. Dietitians are meant to help people with their pattern of eating and recognize that there is no one-size-fits all when it comes to food and nutrition.
So to call myself a non-diet dietitian is to reject fad diets in the socially normalized sense and to help people find a pattern of eating that fits them best.
3) What does healthy mean to you?
This is a topic I often discuss with clients. When I think of the word health, I think of many different pillars that make up health. The first image that comes to mind is the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) which outlines the complex and multifaceted nature of "health".
Because of the rise of "wellness culture" (which has many similarities to that of toxic diet culture), when people think of health they often think of a specific body size or certain way of eating. What we know is that 1. Health doesn't have a size 2. Healthy eating can have many definitions.
Here are some things I have client's consider when we're talking about crafting a new definition of health: genetics, mental health, physical fitness (e.g. strength, mobility, endurance), bowel movements, sleep, energy levels, lab values (e.g. blood work), access food from a financial and geographical sense.
In summary, "healthy" in my mind encompases both body and mind. Regarding nutrition specifically, it includes a pattern of eating that has variety, meets cultural and financial needs and involves one's relationship with food.
4) What's a recommendation you wish more people knew about?
That good nutrition is not one-size-fits-all, a healthy diet has many definitions and goes far beyond just the food we eat.
5) What's something you want clients to know about you?
That I am a weight-inclusive, HAES informed Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor along with being a Registered Dietitian. I spend a lot of time not only talking about nutrition but about body image and relationships with food.
Bonus facts about me:
I was an athlete growing up (gymnastics, soccer and volleyball)
I still LOVE to exercise (e.g. weight lifting, running, cycling, hiking)
I love to bake, read and be outside
I'm a millennial
I'm an aspiring veggie gardener
I have done a lot of work on my mental health and continue to struggle with it daily. I am a strong believer in the power of therapy and how nutrition and exercise can be complimentary in the treatment of mental health conditions
I struggled with body image throughout most of my life until I truly understood the concept of body neutrality and Intuitive Eating.
Heather provides online support for clients across Ontario around issues of intuitive eating, nutrition counselling, perinatal nutrition, mental health and nutrition, body image, disordered eating and more. If you’d like to schedule a free consultation to learn more about her practice she’s available now, and you can also reach out to the office directly if you have additional questions. We look forward to supporting you in your nutritional journey!