About Rachel Hilts, R.D.

Rachel Hilts, Registered Dietitian (she/her)

I am passionate about helping you have a healthy relationship with food and your body, while building sustainable habits to achieve your health goals. I’ve combined my passion for prenatal nutrition and women’s health with additional trainings in eating disorders and intuitive eating. My goal is to support people with their goals of balancing hormones, improving fertility, increasing energy, or supporting a healthy pregnancy, all while providing a safe and nonjudgemental space, without any food shame or guilt.

A little about my education:

I completed my Bachelor of Science in Applied Human Nutrition with a Dietetics major from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, NS. I then also completed an intensive clinical internship program at Nova Scotia Health Authority and the North End Community Health Centre. Through my education I realized the huge impact that food and nutrition can have to improve our health and change our lives, especially when we make stages at the preconception or pregnancy stage.

Since completing my degree, I have taken additional coursework in breastfeeding management, pregnancy, fertility, and eating disorders. I practice from a Health at Every Size ® approach, and focus on intuitive and mindful eating practices.

When not talking about food (which is rare), I am happy spending time with a good book, my two cats (Biggie Smalls and Raekwon) and my partner, or spending time by the water.

I am licensed with the Nova Scotia College of Dietitians and Nutritionists # 1585.

What is a Dietitian?

You may see Registered Dietitian or Professional Dietitian - these two terms can be used interchangeably, depending on what province you reside in.

Dietitians are experts in human nutrition and regulation of the diet. Nutrition counselling with a Dietitian focuses on dietary intake, medical nutrition therapy, and lifestyle management. Dietitians are regulated healthcare professionals that are licensed to assess and treat nutrition diagnosis’ with high quality, evidence-based nutrition interventions. Dietitians work with you to help you feel empowered by your food choices, and to understand not just the specifics of what to eat, but also why and how we eat. Their advice and information provided is client-centered and tailored to your personal needs.

What makes a Professional or Registered Dietitian different from holistic nutritionists?

In Nova Scotia, the term Nutritionist is also protected by the NSCDN and means the same as Dietitian, however in many other parts of the country this is not the case. When Nutritionist is not a protected term, it is often referring to someone who has not undergone the same rigorous training and licensing as a Dietitian, and they are typically not regulated health professionals. To be sure you are accessing the most qualified nutrition professional, look for the initials RD or PDt (DtP in French) after the health professional's name.

When you seek nutrition support, you should look for a regulated health professional such as a Professional or Registered Dietitian for the following reasons:

Education. A Registered Dietitian has at least 5 years of nutrition education including an accredited  bachelor of science/applied science specializing in Dietetics and completion of an accredited 1-year comprehensive internship to gain competencies in order to practice in Canada. Dietitians are able to provide general nutrition advice as well as medical nutrition therapy for specific medical conditions.

Accountability & Reliability. Dietitians are health care professionals and are regulated by a governing provincial body to ensure ethical and safe care is provided. Dietitians, just like engineers and medical doctors, are accountable to these provincial regulatory bodies for the highest standards of education and ethics. The provincial regulatory bodies are in place to protect the public, and they also serve as a point of contact for consumer complaints and malpractice.

Care. Dietitians provide holistic care focused on the whole person in order to provide comprehensive, individualized care. Dietitians factor many aspects into their care plans, including health, history, lifestyle, and food security.