We are thrilled to welcome our newest member of the Diabetes Education Services faculty and blog team. Winner of the 2023 Impact on Diabetes Award, Christine Craig, MS, RD, CDCES is a leader in the field of nutrition, technology, and diabetes care. Her years of expertise combined with her person-centered approach and work ethic, make her a perfect fit for our company. In addition to writing a monthly blog and question of the week, Christine will also be providing nutrition lectures as part of Diabetes Fundamentals and Boot Camp. We are excited to integrate her fresh perspective and breadth of knowledge into our courses and blog offerings.

On a personal note, Christine loves to adventure. Travel, hiking, and snow skiing are her favorite pastimes. For Christine, having a moment to take in the landscape and beauty around us can re-energize and fuel a busy life.

Learn more about Christine’s approach to diabetes and nutrition education in this brief interview and you can read more about Christine here. Welcome, Christine!

 

Interview Christine Craig, MS, RDN, CDCES

What advances in nutrition therapy are you excited to explore? 

Nutrition is a constantly evolving field that is both a science and an art; we know there is no one-size-fits-all approach. In the science of nutrition, I am excited by the emerging field of precision nutrition, which may give us better insight into an individual’s needs. Precision nutrition uses the complexity of genetics, metabolic profiles, individual microbiomes, wearables, lifestyle, and environmental exposures to better predict an individual’s nutrition needs. This science is still in the very early stages, but the ability to integrate precision nutrition with the art of nutrition has the potential to transform our approach to medical nutrition therapy.

How do you integrate social determinants of health when developing a diabetes management plan?

Developing a diabetes management plan involves finding out about the individual, asking questions, and not making assumptions that you know what is best for the person living with diabetes at that time. Life is complex and managing health can be complex. As a healthcare provider, we can’t always solve structural obstacles, which can feel overwhelming at times. We can, however, through shared decision-making, constant learning, and linking to community resources, develop a collaborative self-care plan that considers the individual’s social determinants of health.

What communication strategies do you find most effective when providing nutrition therapy?

As a dietitian and diabetes educator, I have worked across modalities of care including in-person visits, telehealth, chat-based message communication, and group classes. Like nutrition therapy, there is no one-size-fits-all approach; each person can respond differently to different style types. For me, what has always been effective is using non-judgmental language and open-ended questions. People want to feel heard; this opens the doors to trust and developing an effective nutrition plan.

What do you love most about being a diabetes nutrition specialist?

I love that diabetes care supports health throughout the lifespan, we care for individuals with diabetes over time and at different transition points in their lives.  I love that we can walk into work each day and present a breadth of options to support the person living with diabetes or our care teams. I love that I can talk diabetes tech in one moment, nutrition meal planning in the next, and then end my day reviewing coping strategies. This profession is never boring and I love bringing the latest research into my daily practice.

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Accreditation: Diabetes Education Services is an approved provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider 12640, and our CPEU courses have received Prior Approval* from the Commission of Dietetic Registration (CDR), Provider DI002. Since our CPEU courses received Prior approval* from the CDR, these CPEU courses satisfy the CE requirements for the CDCES /BC-ADM regardless of your profession! 

The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the certification exam. CBDCE and ADCES do not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES or BC-ADM exams, except for those published by CBDCE & ADCES.