Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Benefits of Working with a Kelowna Dietitian
- Benefits of working with a Counsellor in Kelowna
- How Disease states affect ones quality of life and mental health at home
- how it affects them socially
- Existential fears/angst
- Medical Nutrition Therapy Strategies for Specific Disease States – Focusing on What You Can Eat
- Mental Health Strategies for Coping with Chronic Illness
- Practical Tips for Implementing Medical Nutrition Therapy and counselling
- Frequently Asked Questions
- If You Are Looking For A Kelowna Counsellor Or Dietitian In Kelowna To Help With disease states and medical nutrition therapy, Here Is Where To Find Us (this is where we can link to each others blogs
- Conclusion
- References
Introduction
Living with chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or inflammatory disorders challenges both physical and mental health. In Kelowna, medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and mental health support create a powerful combination to manage these conditions, enhancing client outcomes and quality of life. MNT, guided by registered dietitians, tailors dietary strategies to specific diseases.
Counsellors, using Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), address emotional challenges and barriers that often arise during changes in ones health. Drawing from research on nutrition, mental health, and athletic performance, this blog explores how this collaboration supports individuals in Kelowna, improving well-being at home, socially, and existentially.
Benefits of Working with a Kelowna Dietitian
Kelowna dietitians provide personalized MNT to prevent and manage chronic conditions, optimizing nutrient intake to reduce symptoms and enhance overall health. For example, personalized carbohydrate intake to stabilize blood sugar for those living with diabetes, while omega-3 and fibre-rich diets reduce inflammation in heart disease.
Dietary approaches to disease management improves energy and cognitive function, supporting optimal executive functions (EFs) like decision-making, crucial for daily tasks. Kelowna Dietitians educate on nutrient-dense foods, countering misinformation and empowering individuals to make confident dietary choices that fit into their life. Doing so provides the body and mind with the building blocks it needs which provides the best chance at better disease management.
Benefits of Working with a Counsellor in Kelowna
Counsellors in Kelowna, using REBT, help individuals manage the emotional toll of chronic conditions. They address irrational beliefs (e.g., “I’m a failure because of my illness”) that fuel anxiety or depression, fostering rational beliefs like “I can manage my condition and thrive.”
This strengthens EFs, such as inhibition to resist negative thoughts, improving emotional resilience. Counselling reduces stress, enhances coping skills, and boosts confidence, enabling individuals to navigate disease-related challenges with a productive and self-helping mindset, both at home and in social settings.
How Disease States Affect Quality of Life and Mental Health at Home
Chronic conditions disrupt daily routines, reducing quality of life and mental health. Fatigue from diabetes or limited mobility from heart disease impairs EFs, making tasks like meal planning or household management difficult. Poor nutrition, such as high-fat diets, worsens inflammation and mood, amplifying anxiety and depression, which further hinder home life.
Role of Kelowna Dietitians in Managing Disease States
Dietitians in Kelowna play important roles in supporting individuals with chronic conditions that disrupt quality of life and mental health at home.
Here are five key roles as informed by Dietitians of Canada (2006) Kelowna dietitians undertake within primary health care mental health programs to address these challenges:
Nutritional Assessment and Intervention:
Dietitians assess family history, lab work, and usual food intake to identify nutritional risks linked to chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease. They develop personalized nutrition plans to manage fatigue, inflammation, and mood issues, addressing dietary factors such as high-fat diets that exacerbate anxiety and depression, thus supporting better home functioning.
Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration:
Working within Kelowna’s primary care teams, dietitians collaborate with physicians, nurses, and mental health professionals to create holistic care plans. They address co-morbid conditions impacting executive functions (EFs), like meal planning difficulties, ensuring coordinated interventions that improve daily home management.
Health Promotion and Education:
Dietitians deliver community-based education, including workshops on meal planning and healthy eating tailored to chronic disease management. They partner with local Kelowna agencies to promote anti-inflammatory diets and food security, reducing the mental health burden and enhancing home life.
Advocacy for Accessible Nutrition Services:
Dietitians advocate for policies and funding to improve access to nutrition services in Kelowna, addressing barriers like limited resources. This ensures individuals with chronic conditions, particularly those with mobility or mental health challenges, receive counseling to support home-based care.
Support for Special Populations:
Dietitians focus on vulnerable groups in Kelowna, such as those with limited mobility or marginalized individuals, providing targeted interventions like simplified meal plans. These efforts help mitigate the impact of chronic conditions on daily routines and mental health at home.
Role of Kelowna Counsellors in Managing Disease States
Counsellors use REBT to challenge irrational beliefs (e.g., “I can’t manage my life with this illness”), fostering rational ones like “I can adapt to my condition.” This strengthens EFs, such as updating for problem-solving, reducing anxiety and helping individuals maintain a positive or neutral outlook while managing household tasks as opposed to a negative and self-defeating one. (Myers et al. (2018) outline several ways in which a counsellor can be productively involved in a clients life who is managing a health condition.
Screening for Mental Health Risks:
Counsellors in Kelowna can screen patients with chronic illnesses, such as heart disease or diabetes, for depression and hazardous substance use using tools like questionnaires or through dialogue. This identifies unmet mental health needs, establish baselines to work off of as the sessions go on to measure progress, and enables timely support for home-based management.
Delivering Tailored Counselling to the Client:
Counsellors can provide brief (1–3 sessions) mental health counselling in Kelowna, or more sessions, depending on the needs and wants of the client. Additionally, sessions can be performed virtually if mobility is a challenge to the client. Counselling has been shown to help patients manage stress and negative emotions that exacerbate chronic illness, enhancing coping and quality of life at home.
Collaborating in Primary Care Teams:
Counsellors can work with nurses, physicians, and other healthcare providers in Kelowna’s primary care settings to integrate mental health support into chronic disease care, addressing psychological barriers to treatment adherence for better home-based outcomes.
Facilitating Adaptive Coping Strategies:
Counsellors use various counseling theories such as REBT, motivational interviewing, and problem-solving therapy to help patients accept and learn to live with their chronic illness and reduce negative thinking, improving medication and rehabilitation adherence and daily functioning at home and abroad.
Enhancing Access to Care:
Counsellors can ensure accessible counselling in Kelowna through flexible scheduling (e.g., weekends and evenings) to accommodate employed or mobility-limited patients, fostering trust and reducing stigma to support chronic illness management at home.
How It Affects Individuals Socially
Chronic conditions limit social engagement due to fatigue or dietary restrictions, fostering isolation. Social eating is a core part of human experience, influencing culture, daily habits, and personal identity. People express themselves and find joy through food and drink, shaping their sense of self via social interactions and group roles.
Social stigma, like misconceptions about dietary needs, exacerbates feelings of being misunderstood or left out. Anxiety about symptom flare-ups impairs EFs, such as shifting to adapt to social settings, which can lead to withdrawal and diminished mental health in Kelowna. As per Dornan, Semple & Moorhead (2024), clients experiencing chronic diseases that alter their “normal” diet, often experience one or more of the following self-defeating thoughts:
Fear: of having to tell others about their condition, treatment, or what they need changed.
Embarrassment: about having to modify foods
Burdensome: about having to ask others to make different or modified foods
Worry: there will not be suitable food available
Frustrated: not being able to eat the same enjoyable foods as others
Self-conscious: of how their eating/dietary choice will appear to others
Isolated: because other people will not understand your circumstance and why your needs have changed
Role of Kelowna Dietitians in Social Implications of Disease States
Dietitians help clients navigate social eating by making flexible meal plans with nutrient-dense, portable options to sustain energy for social events. They teach how to manage social dining, reducing stress, and fostering confidence. This helps people build better social connections and improves mental health.
Tailored Nutritional Education:
Dietitians assess the client’s chronic condition (e.g., diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease) and explain how specific foods impact their health, ensuring informed choices in social settings.
Pre-Event Planning:
They advise clients to review restaurant menus in advance, contact venues to discuss dietary needs, or eat a small, condition-appropriate snack before events to avoid overindulgence.
Portion Control and Food Balance:
Dietitians emphasize portion management and balancing macronutrients (e.g., pairing carbs with protein or fiber) to stabilize symptoms. They often suggest visual cues, like the plate model (half vegetables, one-quarter protein, one-quarter carbs), to stick to your dietary goals without making it obvious.
Substitution Strategies:
They provide practical swaps, such as choosing grilled over fried foods or water over sugary drinks. Kelowna dietitians also recommend specific alternatives to ensure clients can participate in social dining without symptom flare-ups.
Ongoing Support and Follow-Up:
Dietitians schedule follow-up sessions to review social dining experiences, troubleshoot challenges, and adjust dietary plans. They use real-world examples from clients’ events to refine strategies, ensuring long-term adherence tailored to the lifestyle of the client.
Role of Kelowna Counsellors in Social Implications of Disease States
Counsellors address social anxiety through REBT, countering beliefs like “I’ll be judged for my diet” with rational ones like “I can enjoy social events while managing my health.” This strengthens EFs, like inhibition to resist negative thoughts, encouraging social engagement and reducing isolation.
Emotional and Practical Education:
Counsellors in Kelowna assess the emotional and physical impacts of a client’s chronic condition (e.g., IBS, diabetes, or chronic pain). They use approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to educate clients on managing self-defeating thoughts like anxiety around food choices in social settings.
Pre-Planning for Confidence:
Counsellors guide clients to prepare for social events by researching menus, contacting restaurants, or bringing safe dishes to potlucks. Methods like this can help clients feel empowered and reduce stress in social dining scenarios.
Mindful Eating and Emotional Regulation:
Using mindfulness techniques (bringing awareness to the present moment) Kelowna Counsellors help teach clients to become ever-more aware of internal cues and emotional triggers. Overtime, these approaches help clients manage stress or guilt when eating with others.
Assertive Communication and Social Resilience:
Counsellors work with clients to communicate dietary needs confidently using role-playing and rational emotive imagery to practice phrases that address social pressures or judgment like, “I prefer to stick to certain foods for my health.”
Continuous Support:
Counsellors schedule follow-up sessions to review social dining experiences, troubleshoot challenges, and adjust coping mechanisms and behavioural strategies. They use real-world examples from clients’ events during therapeutic dialogue to refine these strategies, ensuring long-term adherence tailored to the lifestyle of the client.
Existential Fears/Angst
Chronic illnesses often trigger existential fears, like loss of identity or mortality, prompting questions about purpose. These fears fuel irrational beliefs (e.g., “My life is meaningless with this illness”), increasing anxiety and depression, which impair EFs like updating for problem-solving or adapting to a new diet. Poor nutrition, such as low omega-3 intake, worsens cognitive and emotional distress, intensifying angst.
Role of Kelowna Dietitians:
Kelowna Dietitians often prescribe (and rightfully so) that food is medicine. While some chronic diseases may not be reversible, certain diets can significantly help with slowing down the progression of an illness. In addition, if a client is having an existential crisis or anxiety over their mortality, being undernourished would amplify these types of thoughts and reduce one’s ability to think clearly, and hinder mood stabilization.
Hormones play a significant role in their ability to regulate mood, and the precursor to optimal hormonal balance is a healthy diet. One such diet, an anti-inflammatory diet, can reduce cognitive decline and support mood stability, mitigating existential distress. Clients may also feel a lack of control over their life, which may be true (a hard truth) in some respects. By focusing on empowering food choices, they help individuals feel in control, with enhanced mental clarity and purpose as both intentional, and spillover effects.
Role of Kelowna Counsellors:
Counsellors use REBT to challenge existential fears (e.g., “My illness will define me for the rest of my life, I am no good anymore”) with rational beliefs like “I can find meaning despite my condition.” This strengthens EFs, like shifting to adapt perspectives, fostering resilience and reducing angst, helping individuals engage in meaningful activities with intent and acceptance for their new way of living.
While counsellors are often unable to “cure” various diseases, there is something to be said about a clients mental state and their will to live a good life, despite diagnosis’. One is often better off pursuing meaning, despite illness, than to succumb to existential dread and spend significant portions of their day ruminating on what they have lost and no longer able to do, rather than focusing on what they can still do.
This is easier said than done, but through therapeutic dialogue and honest conversation, clients can face the responsibility of disease management with integrity and compassion for themselves.
Medical Nutrition Therapy Strategies for Specific Disease States: Focusing on What You Can Eat
A diagnosis is not a definitive death to one’s preferred palate. MNT emphasizes nutrient-rich foods to manage chronic conditions. With today’s modern selection of food items, one does not necessarily have to give up all of their favourite foods in light of a diagnosis. Below are some examples of common chronic conditions, and the ways in which a Kelowna dietitian can help a client continue to receive proper nutrition, and enjoy the foods they eat while doing so:
Diabetes:
Dietitians recommend including complex carbohydrates with each meal, prioritizing low-glycemic foods like whole grains and vegetables and portion sizes to stabilize blood sugar. Substituting white breads and pastas for whole wheat versions, including whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, barley, or opting for lettuce or portobello mushroom buns.
Artificial sweeteners can also be used in moderation when deciding on desserts or sweet drinks to help satisfy one’s sweet tooth.
Heart Disease: Omega-3-rich foods (e.g., salmon, walnuts) and 20–30 g/day fibre can help reduce inflammation and cholesterol, supporting heart health and mood stability. The same foods one enjoys fried can also often be grilled, reducing over all saturated fat intake.
Those that enjoy salty foods can also get their fix by incorporating foods with sharp mouth feel like garlic, mustards, acids like vinegar or lemon juices, and various herbs and spices to bring out the taste of foods. The lack of enjoyment from salty foods is also something that can be more pronounced early on, but tastebuds adapt over time, normally 6-8 weeks (Weinandy, 2022).
Inflammatory Disorders: Whether your living with arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, or one of the other many inflammatory conditions, anti-inflammatory diets with fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats (e.g., olive, and fish oils) reduce inflammation.
Substituting red meat for chicken and fish is also another strategy, with the option to still enjoy a burger now and then. These strategies, tailored by Kelowna dietitians, focus on what individuals can eat, fostering empowerment and reducing dietary stress, which supports EFs for better decision-making.
Mental Health Strategies for Coping with Chronic Illness
Counsellors employ REBT to challenge irrational beliefs, replacing them with rational ones (e.g., “I can live well despite my condition”) to reduce anxiety and depression. Cognitive-behavioural techniques strengthen EFs, like inhibition to manage negative thoughts or shifting to adapt to new routines.
Mindfulness practices enhance emotional understanding and regulation, and existential therapy helps cleints discover meaning and purpose, in spite of a diagnosis. These strategies build resilience, helping individuals in Kelowna maintain a positive outlook and cope with disease-related challenges.
REBT – ABCDEF Method
A – Activating Event: The client is invited to a social dinner at a restaurant in Kelowna with friends but is worried about managing their Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) symptoms, as certain foods (e.g., processed or high-sodium foods) can trigger inflammation and joint pain.
B – Belief: The client holds an irrational belief: “I must eat whatever is served to avoid seeming rude or different, and if I can’t eat everything, people will judge me or think I’m weak because of my RA.”
C – Consequence: The client feels anxious and overwhelmed (emotional consequence) and considers declining the invitation or eating foods that could worsen their symptoms to avoid conflict (behavioral consequence).
D – Dispute: With guidance from a Kelowna counsellor at Unyielding Health & Wellness, the client disputes the irrational belief:
Counsellor’s Input: Using REBT techniques, a therapist might ask “Where’s the evidence that people will judge you harshly? Could asserting your needs strengthen your relationships by showing self-care?” They use rationale emotive imagery and role-playing to practice communicating dietary restrictions confidently.
E – Effective New Belief: The client adopts a rational belief: “I can politely communicate my dietary needs to manage my RA, and most people will understand or respect my choices. My health is a priority, and I can still enjoy social dining without compromising it.”
F – New Feeling/Behavior: The client feels empowered and less anxious (new emotional consequence). They prepare by reviewing the restaurant menu in advance, contacting the venue for anti-inflammatory options they would enjoy (e.g., grilled fish and vegetables). They attend the dinner, enjoy the social experience, and adhere to their dietary needs without guilt.
Mindfulness technique 5-4-3-2-1:
This mindfulness exercise, helps clients manage anxiety or overwhelm during social dining by anchoring them in the present moment, reducing stress about dietary restrictions or social pressures.
Steps:
5 – Notice Five Things You See: While at the dining table, pause and look around. Identify five things in your environment (e.g., the color of the tablecloth, a friend’s smile, the texture of a glass). This shifts focus away from worries about your chronic illness.
4 – Notice Four Things You Feel: Tune into four physical sensations (e.g., the chair against your back, your feet on the floor, the coolness of a fork in your hand). This grounds you in your body, helping you stay calm.
3 – Notice Three Things You Hear: Listen for three sounds (e.g., clinking glasses, background music, or laughter). This redirects attention from internal stress about food choices.
2 – Notice Two Things You Smell: Identify two scents (e.g., the aroma of fresh herbs or a friend’s perfume). This engages your senses, keeping you present.
1 – Notice One Thing You Taste: Focus on one taste, even if it’s just a sip of water or a small bite of a safe food. Savor it slowly to reinforce mindful eating.
Existential Technique Purposeful Living
This technique helps a client with diabetes reframe daily management as a meaningful expression of agency and purpose, using existential themes to foster resilience and authenticity in general life through therapeutic dialogue.
Define Core Values: The client reflects on values like health or connection that make diabetes management meaningful. A counsellor might ask, “What makes living well despite diabetes important to you?”
Embrace Choice: The client recognizes their freedom to make diabetes-friendly choices (e.g., monitoring blood sugar or choosing balanced meals) as acts of self-determination.
Face Anxiety: The counsellor helps the client view anxiety about diabetes as a prompt for purposeful action, like proactive self-care to support long-term goals.
Find Meaning in Actions: Daily tasks (e.g., eating low-glycemic foods or exercising) are reframed as choices that align with values like resilience, healthy living, or family connection.
Practical Tips for Implementing Medical Nutrition Therapy and Counselling
Here are five practical tips to help you get the most out of your medical nutrition therapy and counselling sessions, based on strategies that make dietary counselling effective.
Share What Motivates You
Talk openly with your dietitian about why you want to make changes to your diet, like feeling more energetic or managing a health condition. Answer questions like “What changes do you want to see?” to help your dietitian understand your goals. For example, if you’re thinking about changing your eating habits but feel unsure, share those feelings so your dietitian can help you find reasons that matter to you.
Choose a Counselling Style That Works for You
Pick a format that fits your life, whether it’s meeting in person, or using video calls. Tell them if you need help learning how to use any technology, so you feel comfortable with the setup.
Stay Connected with Regular Updates
Keep up with regular check-ins, like weekly or every other week, whatever cadence is helping you strive toward your goals. You might get quick feedback on things like your blood sugar levels during sessions or uncover insights that have been waiting to be revealed. Let your dietitian or counsellor know how you’re doing, and celebrate small wins, like eating less sugar, or living life with less self-defeating thoughts to keep moving forward.
Use Tools to Make Nutrition or Counselling Clearer
Ask your dietitian to use simple tools like food models, portion size charts, or apps to explain your plan. Or ask your counsellor if they have work sheets or specific resources you could use outside of therapy. For example, if you have diabetes, they might show you a chart of low-sugar foods or an app to track what you eat. If its helpful to keep things easier to remember, ask them to focus on just one, two or three key tips or topics per session.
Be Open About Your Needs and Feelings
Share how you feel about changes to your dietary or condition, like if meal planning feels overwhelming, or if a previously helpful mental health strategy isn’t working as good so your dietitian or counsellor can support you. Tell them what foods you love or what fits your culture, so they can create a plan that works for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does nutrition affect mental health in chronic conditions?
Nutrient-dense diets reduce inflammation and supports executive functioning, improving mood and cognitive function.
Can counselling help with dietary adherence?
Yes, counselling addresses psychological barriers like anxiety, promoting rational beliefs that encourage consistent nutrition.
What if I can’t afford a dietitian or counsellor?
Look for community resources in Kelowna, like subsidized clinics or online guides from reputable sources. Additionally, if you have extended health care insurance through your work, your provider may cover a significant portion of your service.
How often should I meet with a dietitian or counsellor?
Monthly sessions are ideal, with screenings or check-ins 2–3 times yearly to monitor progress. Everyone is different. Often, at the onset of a diagnosis, when confusion and other negative emotions are highest, and one’s understanding of disease management and emotional regulation is lowest, sessions may happen at a higher frequency (every week or two).
As time, understanding, and emotional regulation progresses, sessions will often taper towards a maintenance regime of once per month, every couple of months, or on an as-needed basis. Sometimes during this maintenance phase people will fully stop all professional support, and while client’s have the agency to make this decision, it can be helpful to have regularly scheduled check-ins every now and then to help ensure progress does not unreasonably regress, and as an added peace of mind that there is always a supportive professional accessible to you.
If You Are Looking for a Kelowna Counsellor or Dietitian in Kelowna to Help with Disease States and Medical Nutrition Therapy, Here Is Where to Find Us
For expert medical nutrition therapy in Kelowna:
https://intuitiondietitianco.ca
For professional counselling in Kelowna:
https://unyieldinghealthwellness.ca
Conclusion
The synergy between medical nutrition therapy and mental health support transforms the lives of those with chronic conditions in Kelowna. Dietitians optimize nutrition to manage symptoms and boost cognitive function, while counsellors enhance emotional resilience, addressing existential fears and social challenges.
By focusing on nutrient-rich diets and REBT, individuals improve quality of life, social connections, and mental well-being. Practical strategies like meal planning and mindfulness empower individuals to thrive, supported by Kelowna’s dedicated professionals at Unyielding Health & Wellness and Intuition Dietitian Corp.
Written by Timothy Lamont C.C.C. & Joelle Davidson RD
References
Barkmeijer, A., te Molder, H., Janssen, M., & Jager-Wittenaar, H. (2022). Towards effective dietary counseling: A scoping review. Patient Education and Counseling, 105(7), 1801–1817. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2021.12.011
Dietitians of Canada. (2006). The role of dietitians in collaborative primary health care mental health programs. Canadian Collaborative Mental Health Initiative. https://shared-care.ca/files/ENDietitiansToolkit.pdf
Dornan, D. M., Semple, C. J., & Moorhead, A. (2024). ‘Eating with Others’: planning, developing and optimising a self-management intervention to promote social eating for patients living with and beyond head and neck cancer. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 33(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-024-09083-0
Myers, B., Joska, J. A., Lund, C., Levitt, N. S., Butler, C. C., Naledi, T., Milligan, P., Stein, D. J., & Sorsdahl, K. (2018). Patient preferences for the integration of mental health counseling and chronic disease care in South Africa. Patient preference and adherence, 12, 1797–1803. https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S176356
Weinandy, L. (2022, October 7). 6 easy steps toward a low-sodium diet. Ohio State Health & Discovery. https://health.osu.edu/wellness/prevention/6-easy-steps-toward-a-low-sodium-diet
