On March 18, the third Wednesday of the month, we celebrate National Dietitians’ Day and underscore their remarkable and growing contributions to our health and wellness system.
OPSEU is extremely proud to be the bargaining agent for a number of these dedicated professionals. Most work in a hospital setting, performing nutrition assessments on patients based on their particular care needs. They carry out nutrition planning based on patients’ diagnosis. They also evaluate patients’ nutrition outcomes, determine further action and provide guidance to patients and their families.
Nutrition is a rapidly expanding field that most of us are paying more attention to these days. We’re much more conscious of the key role nutrition plays in our overall well-being and preventing illness. But with sometimes contradictory scientific evidence and producers’ eagerness to market their goods, it’s not always easy to make the best choices.
That’s why we need sound advice from people who’ve devoted their lives to nutrition: dietitians. They are trained to help us make the right food choices and help us enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
As Canadians become ever more conscious of the importance of prevention and lifestyle in avoiding illness, they will increasingly turn to dietitians. Their advice will not only improve well-being and save lives, but it will also save our strained health care system untold millions of dollars.
That’s why, today, we salute a growing group of health care professionals who are working hard to help us make the right choices – the kinds of choices that will lead to longer, healthier, happier lives.
In solidarity,
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of OPSEU
Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida, OPSEU First Vice-President/Treasurer