Who am I?
Christine Everest
BSc (Human Nutrition), PGDipDiet, BPhEd - University of Otago
New Zealand Registered Dietitian
I love food! I have a passion for food and love the amazing tastes that various countries, ethnicities and cultures have to offer. I grew up spending a lot of my time in my parents' restaurants over the years. I was immersed in all the hustle and bustle and was even spoilt with delicious seafood at a young age, swinging my little legs in my high chair with glee! However, it was not just about my love of food that led me to become a dietitian. It was my family's health and my own health that drove me to gain a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be healthy.
I empathise with all those that feel bamboozled by all the mixed health messages out there. That's why I have made it my mission to help people understand their own health by breaking it all down into bite size portions, so they can conquer their own health one bite at a time...
BSc (Human Nutrition), PGDipDiet, BPhEd - University of Otago
New Zealand Registered Dietitian
I love food! I have a passion for food and love the amazing tastes that various countries, ethnicities and cultures have to offer. I grew up spending a lot of my time in my parents' restaurants over the years. I was immersed in all the hustle and bustle and was even spoilt with delicious seafood at a young age, swinging my little legs in my high chair with glee! However, it was not just about my love of food that led me to become a dietitian. It was my family's health and my own health that drove me to gain a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be healthy.
I empathise with all those that feel bamboozled by all the mixed health messages out there. That's why I have made it my mission to help people understand their own health by breaking it all down into bite size portions, so they can conquer their own health one bite at a time...
Where has my dietetic career taken me?
My main career started as a public health dietitian working alongside GP practice nurses and community health workers. I developed resources, cooking demonstrations and workshop training sessions in a train-the-trainer approach. This is so that those working directly with the community could collaborate to make a positive change. I was blessed to be so welcomed by various communities, marae, and practice nurses in the Western Bay of Plenty region. I have since returned to Auckland, where I have always called home.
Over the years as a dietitian, I have come across people from all walks of life and all sorts of health challenges... from those needing basic nutrition advice to lose a bit of weight, to those where their life is dependent on it. Being a dietitian enables me to work at the coalface alongside other clinicians such as nurses, GPs, consultants and other registered health professionals. Let me know what you need, and I will let you know how I can help. The most rewarding part of my career is seeing the potential for change and making it happen with a client!
Over the years as a dietitian, I have come across people from all walks of life and all sorts of health challenges... from those needing basic nutrition advice to lose a bit of weight, to those where their life is dependent on it. Being a dietitian enables me to work at the coalface alongside other clinicians such as nurses, GPs, consultants and other registered health professionals. Let me know what you need, and I will let you know how I can help. The most rewarding part of my career is seeing the potential for change and making it happen with a client!
What is my area of interest?
This is a challenging one to answer, as I have several!
Due to a family history of diabetes and cancer... these two areas of health remain close to me. This includes all the cardiovascular factors that come into play. However, I have always had a fascination with the gut! The digestive system is impacted by a myriad of factors that goes on in our every day lives. This includes what we eat, what we do, and how we feel. I always say to my clients, we have our "brain" brain and we have our "gut" brain. They talk to one another and that's why when we're nervous, there is a the term "butterflies in my stomach". Also, when we're stressed, thanks to our ancestors, we either had to "fight" or "flight" from an animal.... hence digestion is not a priority at that point in time, and blood diverts away from the gut. In this day and age, it is ironic that with an increase in technology to make things more convenient, the less time we seem to have. The less time we feel we have, the more stressed we get. The more stressed we get, the more our digestive system and our overall immune system, gets compromised. Whether we're sleeping, standing, walking, running... whatever it may be, if we are stressed, our gut goes into the fight or flight mode. So be careful!
There are many aspects of gut health that interest me... and I have worked with a range of clients from irritable bowel syndrome, to Coeliac disease, to bowel cancer.
Due to a family history of diabetes and cancer... these two areas of health remain close to me. This includes all the cardiovascular factors that come into play. However, I have always had a fascination with the gut! The digestive system is impacted by a myriad of factors that goes on in our every day lives. This includes what we eat, what we do, and how we feel. I always say to my clients, we have our "brain" brain and we have our "gut" brain. They talk to one another and that's why when we're nervous, there is a the term "butterflies in my stomach". Also, when we're stressed, thanks to our ancestors, we either had to "fight" or "flight" from an animal.... hence digestion is not a priority at that point in time, and blood diverts away from the gut. In this day and age, it is ironic that with an increase in technology to make things more convenient, the less time we seem to have. The less time we feel we have, the more stressed we get. The more stressed we get, the more our digestive system and our overall immune system, gets compromised. Whether we're sleeping, standing, walking, running... whatever it may be, if we are stressed, our gut goes into the fight or flight mode. So be careful!
There are many aspects of gut health that interest me... and I have worked with a range of clients from irritable bowel syndrome, to Coeliac disease, to bowel cancer.
What is my nutrition philosophy?
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My nutrition philosophy is that there is certainly no one size fits all! Everyone is different, not just in age and gender, but also their culture, lifestyle, socio-economic status, health status and what works for one, may not work for another. There are so many various "diets" out there... some that are harmful and some that have great health messages and key points that myself as a dietitian, couldn't agree more on. Hence, I love to have my "antenna ears" on to keep an eye out for what is talked about in the media. This keeps me open to learning any new discoveries that come my way so that I can better apply it to my clients (and myself!).
Eating well and being healthy is a journey... different life stages and routines also change the way we eat, what we eat and how we metabolise it. What use to work may also not work any more. If you have a nutrition struggle, let me see if I can help. Contact me. |
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