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Get to know one of our BC Dietitians
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Meet Olivier Yergeau – a new addition to our team at HealthStand  

headshot of olivier yergeau

In my career as a Registered Dietitian and during my schooling in nutrition, I have had the opportunity to work in many areas of the profession and in many parts of the country and beyond. This variety has allowed me to work with many cultures and age groups to adapt my practice accordingly.

 

 

I studied in New Brunswick where I was immersed into the Acadian Culture. It was for me the first experience living outside the province of Québec and the first time trying “Grated Poutine”!

 

By the end of my university studies, I had the opportunity to participate in a research project studying the nutrition status of a teen group in Senegal, Africa. While I really enjoyed my time there, I realized that rather than research which involved lots of computer data analysis, my passion was working to education people one on one.

 

olivier in senegal

 

Looking for personal and professional challenges, I moved to the Yukon where I had the pleasure of owning my own private practice in nutrition. Working out of a fitness facility gave me the opportunity to help people with meal planning, assistance to help them move towards their personal best weight and to increase their sports performance.

 

I was the only Dietitian in the territory in private practice, as there were only 3 other Dietitians who worked in a hospital setting. I provided nutrition counseling for a variety of health concerns such as diabetes, heart disease and much more. I also had the opportunity to collaborate with different not-for-profit and government organization such as the anti-poverty coalition, child care organizations and First Nation bands.

 

Wanting to be closer to a bigger center for personal and career opportunities, I left the Yukon in 2019. I now work for a government health organization in a hospital setting and a long-term care facility in Fort St. John, northern British Columbia.

 

In my current position, I have seen and dealt with many different health conditions such as unintentional weight loss/low weight, digestive issues and stomas, tube feeding and TPN, cancer, liver and kidney diseases, dysphagia and dementia. I also completed a certificate from the Monash University on the low FODMAP diet which enables me to support people living with IBS.

 

I am very happy to join the Health Stand Nutrition team as an Online Dietitian in BC. Living in a small city, having the opportunity to support people outside of a hospital facility is limited. I am glad to be able to share my knowledge with people throughout the country.

 

 

Q&A With Olivier Yergeau

 

 

My favourite part about being a Dietitian is:

 

Supporting and improving someone’s quality of life.

 

At my job in long term care, I love to ensure my residents have a good time at the dining room, receive their soulful food (with some nutritious tweaks) and stay healthy.

 

In my job with Health Stand Nutrition, as one of the BC Dietitians on the team, I love to help my clients solve challenges and bring them peace of mind. Whether it is struggles with body image, digestive health symptoms/IBS, kidney disease or stress around meal prep, I enjoy troubleshooting.

 

Food is much more then bringing nutrients to the body and I see my role as a Dietitian to help people balance healthful eating with also enough fun and flexibility to live a good life.

 

One myth that I want to clear up about Dietitians is:

 

“You’re a Dietitian, so you must be vegetarian?”

 

Yes, but no it’s not related!

 

Almost all the vegetarians I know are not Dietitians and most of the Dietitians I know love their meat.

 

Yes I am vegetarian, but, for me, it has nothing to do with health. I am vegetarian since 2011 since I never liked meat. As a kid the texture of meat never sat well with me and was very hard to get down. I also have a soft spot for animals in general. I have family members that love meat and because of this I have lots of experience figuring out ways to navigate family meals that serve both vegetarians and meat-atarians.

 

Favorite nerdy nutritious food chosen for health:

 

There are so many food items I could list here, but my go to is definitely hemp seeds.

 

I love hemp seeds as they add a nice texture to food, and can be added everywhere. Literally everywhere!

 

Being vegetarian for many years now, I had to find a way to ensure I get all the essential nutrients. Hemp seeds help me get protein and omega 3 fats into my diet. I add them to soup, yogurt, breakfast cereal or on a salad.

 

Every day, I sprinkle hemp hearts into my partners smoothie… and it has never been noticed (but this is our secret)!

 

Favorite soulful food chosen for taste, enjoyment and social fun:

 

 

Ice cream!

 

The love of ice cream runs in the family. I don’t know anybody on my paternal side of the family who is not crazy about ice cream.

 

As a kid when we were visiting an aunt or uncle, I remember having a dessert, such as a pie accompanied by 6 flavors of ice cream. The dessert on the plate was not even noticeable.

 

slice of pie with a huge scoop of ice cream on top

 

The love of ice cream for me was so intense that I could eat a whole 2L of ice cream in a day. When I got some knowledgeable in nutrition, I realized that the portion was obviously too much. Now, I am able to enjoy a portion that I find reasonable for me (but that people around me find too big still). But it makes my soul happy and I balance this out with lots of healthy foods.

 

 

Something that people may not know about me is:

 

I am an open book. There’s really nothing that people around me don’t know; I share everything with everyone around me.

 

But for people whom I have just met, they might not know some of things about me. Here is a little list…

 

I am outdoorsy. I love to hike, bike, canoe and snowshoe. Despite being born in Quebec a culture that enjoys winter sports, I cannot skate well… my balance is just not good enough.

 

olivier in a canoe

 

I have IBS which means that when I am stressed or I eat some food items, I experience abdominal cramps and discomfort. To manage my stress and symptoms, I usually head outside for fresh air. I also enjoy baking. As a Dietitian that specializes in digestive health, I’ve also learned along the way the best way to manage my symptoms through balanced nutrition

 

Lastly, I love winter, the snow and the cold. My best hikes have happened under a nice blue sky… at -50°C.

 

Looking for BC Dietitians / Online Nutritionists that can help you with personalized nutrition advice?

 

We can help! Contact us.

 

Learn more about our services here: Nutrition Counseling Services

 

Looking for more simple meal planning tips and healthy recipes for a healthier lifestyle? Sign up for our weekly newsletter for a healthy recipe of the week (and nutrition articles and videos with a balanced living philosophy to help encourage healthy habits but still save room for your favorites). Our nutrition newsletter is written by the Online / Calgary Nutritionists on our team who each hold a professional Registered Dietitian license to ensure you are getting credible advice.

 

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Success stories

"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."
Adele Fox, Psychologist
“This is the first time I feel satisfied; my cravings have diminished dramatically and I have a whole new relationship with food. I am eating guilt-free for the first time in my life. My energy has also dramatically increased and I feel great!
Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client
“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. They really are the best in the business.”
Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”
Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“I spent 3 hours when first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I learned more from my Dietitian about food in those 3 hours than I had learned in all the years of my life. I also love the newsletter, there is always something to learn.”
Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I didn’t realize how strong my “diet mentality” was, and all the rules I had in my head about food. I was in a cycle of reward/punish/binge/cringe. I booked with your business very reluctantly, on the repeated advice of my doctor, to get my slowly rising cholesterol levels in check. I thought I knew everything about food, and my behaviour with food, but I was definitely re-schooled. My weight is creeping down, I feel good about my diet, exercise, body image, and lifestyle.”
Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”
Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

Event Planner for Laboratory Diagnostic Imaging Annual Event

I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”
Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

“I am a busy mom, with kids in high level sports, working full-time downtown, and running our home acreage outside the City. I now have the knowledge and tools I need to plan for and manage the chaos of meal planning.”
Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”
Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

Fisher Construction Group, Burlington, WA

I found my Dietitian warm, funny, and skilled at teaching nutrition concepts without the overwhelm. The general approach of each session was to mix science with emotion, which was exceedingly effective in helping me shift my perspective on food from one of anxiety to one of joy and curiosity.”
Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Excellent presentation! What a refreshing change to have a speaker inspire rather than “lecture” about nutrition. Your captivating stories, tips and overall approach to healthy eating uplifts and puts people at ease. It was great to hear we don’t need to strive to be perfect eaters, and that small changes really can make a difference in how we feel and in our health. Thanks to Andrea, we have solutions to our everyday nutrition challenges that can actually work in real life!”
Tina Tamagi, Human Resources

ARC Resources Ltd.

“Had I not joined this course I would have struggled with no focus, low energy, and mindless eating. Excellent teaching and motivation. This is not just a course, it is a nutrition club with mentorship, support, and connections with other people with similar situations.”
Lorri Lawrence, Pursuit of Healthiness online course participant

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