March is Nutrition Month

Building on last year’s successful campaign, the Nourish to Flourish nutrition month theme returns in 2026 to highlight the impact of registered dietitians across Canada.

Dietitians play an essential role in supporting the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Dietitians work in various settings. They are located throughout Prairie Mountain Health in community settings, clinics, hospitals, and personal care homes. 

Here are a few of the many ways that dietitians help people flourish:

1. Dietitians provide personal advice that suits your situation and needs.

Eating is a personal experience for each of us. Our nutritional needs and food choices are unique based on many factors such as age, traditions, income, and medical conditions. Food connects us to our communities, our cultures, and ourselves. 

Clinical dietitians work at hospitals and personal care homes in the region. They help patients/residents to meet their nutrition goals through various health challenges. They also plan and approve menus that provide nutritious, balanced meals that meet the needs of each person.

2. Dietitians empower you to make informed, practical choices every day.

Food is more than fuel. Food is connection, comfort, and a pathway to flourishing. Dietitians support people in making informed choices that help them feel their best.

Cancer Care dietitians help patients/residents nutritionally through their cancer journey.

For more information on CancerCare Manitoba dietitians visit  https://www.cancercare.mb.ca/Patient-Family/support-services/nutrition-services

3. Dietitians are health promoters.

Health promotion dietitians give you the tools and support you need to take care of your health and wellbeing.  It’s not just about telling people what to do – it’s about creating environments, communities, and policies that make the healthy choice the easy choice.

Dietitians in Health Promotion work with communities, organizations, and groups, rather than individuals. They promote healthy eating with a special focus on nutrition and food skills education such as meal planning and nutritious cooking.

4. Dietitians provide support through outpatient nutritional counselling and group sessions.

From managing Illness and navigating complex health concerns, to preventing disease and helping families build positive relationships with food, dietitians provide trusted, evidence-based guidance at every stage of life.

Dietitians provide individual nutrition counselling to help you reach your nutrition goals. They answer general nutrition questions such as for children and during pregnancy. They also provide guidance on specific conditions such as celiac disease and food allergies.

Dietitians also work in clinics throughout Prairie Mountain Health to help people learn about healthy lifestyles and skills to manage health conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. 

 Clinics include:

• Chronic Disease Education Program (CDEP)
• My Health Teams
• Renal health clinic
• Prehab osteoarthritis clinic

For upcoming Prairie Mountain Health public classes visit: https://prairiemountainhealth.ca/public-classes/

How to access a Prairie Mountain Health dietitian for individual nutrition counselling

1. Call 1-877-509-7852 yourself to make an appointment
2. Talk with your doctor, nurse practitioner, or other healthcare provider and they can send a referral.

Prairie Mountain Health Dietitian Spotlight

Meet Chantal

Chantal Morais is a community dietitian. She enjoys working with community groups and organizations; a highlight is bringing community folks together to improve the health and wellbeing in their community such as working as part of the Neepawa Eats Healthy grassroots group to improve nutrition in Neepawa. This initiative has brought together many partners in the community and continues.  Chantal has been able to give PMH clients a voice by inviting patient partners to work on projects and committees.

Morais said, “There is so much variety in community dietetics from cooking with prenatal and postnatal parents as part of the Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) and newcomer groups to working on policy, quality improvement, and being active on provincial and national committees and working groups. Each day brings new challenges, different communities and people.”

Manitoba’s Dial – a Dietitian Helpline

Dial-a-Dietitian helps Manitobans of all ages understand how food choices can improve their health and prevent disease. Call Manitoba’s Dial-a-Dietitian helpline at 1-877-830-2892 to receive personal, professional and free nutrition information.