The People of Primary Care is a series that introduces physicians, interprofessional health providers, and support staff who make up the Hamilton Family Health Team’s collaborative, team‑based approach to care.
It highlights the people behind primary care, such as doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, registered dietitians, physiotherapists, respiratory educators, and many others, and the shared work they do to support you and healthier communities.
Please introduce yourself.
I am Diana Al-Farraji and I am a registered dietitian.
What is a registered dietitian?
I explain the role of a registered dietitian as a health care provider that translates nutrition science into recommendations, tips and strategies to help people meet their health goals.
I talk about how the session would look like, for example I would review their concern, relevant medical and social history, eating and lifestyle habits, I share evidence-based nutrition information based on the nutrition assessment and I help them in making goals for gradual behavioral change.
What brought you to this profession?
Coming from a family that enjoys food and home-cooked meals and listening to nutrition talks on TV piqued my interest in learning more about food, nutrition science and the important role it plays in our day-to-day lives.
How does working with other Interprofessional Health Care Providers (IHPs) support the work you do?
Working as part of a healthcare team gives IHPs a great opportunity to collaborate on patient’s care and benefit from each other’s expertise and experience in different areas of health.
I’m grateful to work at an organization that supports and celebrates its employees and provides opportunities for IHPs to learn from each other and develop their skills.
What brings you joy in your role?
It’s very rewarding to hear patients’ positive feedback and to see improvements in their health as they are making lifestyle changes.
Where can we find you if you are not in the office?
In the winter, I enjoy skiing with my family on the weekends. It’s a great way to be outdoors and enjoy good exercise for the mind and body. I only learned how to ski 4 years ago, and I fell in love with that sport!
How can we learn more about what registered dietitians offer?
HFHT registered dietitians offer a variety of groups and workshops open to everyone, such as:
- Budget Friendly Cooking
- Healthy You
- Mindful Eating
- and more