One of the many benefits coeliac sufferers can enjoy by engaging with Glutafin is the expert advice and guidance of our in-house dietitian, Katie Kennedy. Katie is one of the editors on these blogs, and she sat down with us to discuss her role.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I’m a busy mother of three, and I’ve been a dietitian for over 20 years. I studied a 4 year degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Nottingham before starting my career with the NHS.

I’ve been working with Glutafin for over ten years. Using the skills I developed within the NHS to support and educate individuals to make positive changes to their diet. I also help Glutafin by providing input into the food manufacturing and marketing process. To make sure our company is offering good quality food that’s safe and convenient for our consumers.

What drew you to specialise in being a dietitian?

I really enjoyed studying science at school, and knew I wanted a career where I could help people. I’d originally planned to be a teacher, but a careers advisor encouraged me to think more holistically about the things I enjoyed outside of school too.

Growing up, my mum was an excellent cook and cooking, baking and eating were central to our family routine and a real source of enjoyment. It made sense to combine my academic and my personal interests and so I started to research a career in dietetics.

What experience did you bring to Glutafin?

My first job was a community dietitian role for the NHS in Cambridgeshire, covering GP clinics, care homes and health promotion projects in the local area. I later moved to Nottingham and worked across 2 large NHS hospital sites, covering everything from child health to complex post-surgical nutrition support. I’ve covered most areas of nutritional medicine in my professional career and this has given me vital patient insight and experience, which I’m now able to share with my colleagues and customers at Glutafin.

How does this experience shape your current role?

The experience and skills I developed in my NHS roles have allowed me to make a real difference as a dietitian working within the food industry. It means I can educate my colleagues about the conditions that our products are used to treat.

For people with coeliac disease, gluten-free food is their medicine. It’s essential that everyone who works for our company understands the challenges that our consumers face. I want our consumers to feel that they can trust us to understand their needs and support them throughout their coeliac journey.

What drew you to work for Glutafin?

I loved that Glutafin was, and still is, part of a family-owned company – Dr Schär. I was also encouraged by the fact that Dr Schär employs dietitians in all of the countries they operate in, and that they actively ask for, and listen to, the advice and insight that we have to offer. As a registered healthcare professional, it’s really important to only align yourself with a company that you trust and one that shares your core beliefs and professional outlook.

Dr Schär invests large amounts of money in medical research to help improve the lives of people with coeliac disease and other gluten-related disorders. They’re also at the forefront of food innovation, continually testing out new ingredients and baking techniques to ensure that the quality of gluten-free food is always improving.

Why does a company like Glutafin need a dietitian on staff?

I’m a firm believer that all food companies should employ dietitians! Having a dietitian within the business gives any food manufacturer a unique insight into the lives of their consumers. It gives them the opportunity to develop products and services that will really make a positive difference. Of course, in a company like Glutafin, dietitians are even more valuable.

How does your work with Glutafin help coeliac patients?

My role within Glutafin touches many areas of the business, from the development of new products – where I might suggest which ingredients or nutrients to add or avoid – to supporting my marketing colleagues to prepare a new advert, a social media campaign – or even blogs like this one!

I’m ‘on hand’ to offer advice directly to our coeliac customers via phone or email and I have developed lots of free learning resources and materials for my colleagues in the NHS. These help to  grow and develop their own knowledge of coeliac disease, which they can then use in their consultations with patients.

What advice would you give to someone who thinks they may have coeliac disease or who is suffering from coeliac symptoms?

I would always advise anyone who is experiencing coeliac symptoms to visit their GP before making any changes to their diet. There are lots of conditions that produce symptoms that are similar to coeliac disease, and it’s really important that these are fully investigated.

Remember, even if you’re suffering coeliac disease symptoms. You must not remove gluten from your diet before being tested for coeliac disease. This could lead to a false negative result, so it’s important to wait for all tests and investigations to be completed first.

What advice would you give to someone who has recently been diagnosed with coeliac disease?

Having your coeliac symptoms confirmed as coeliac disease can be a real shock for some people. However, for many, it can also be a relief to hear that they are not suffering from less treatable conditions.

To start with, it’s important to take some time to read up on your condition and what’s involved in its management. Glutafin have some excellent advice on their website, and Coeliac UK (the UK’s dedicated patient charity for coeliac disease) will also be able to offer support and advice. You may be eligible to receive gluten free foods on prescription (use Glutafin’s postcode checker to confirm this). Be sure to ask your GP to refer you to a registered NHS dietitian for personalised support and advice.

One final question: Is there anything new that you are working on for Glutafin, where do you see current research leading and what would you like to see in the future for coeliac patients?

New research is constantly underway into coeliac symptoms and treatment. That’s what’s so exciting about this field. But that would take a whole other blog to discuss!

…and in the New Year we will do just that, talking to Glutafin dietitian, Katie Kennedy about what the future might hold for coeliac disease. Meanwhile, if you’re suffering from coeliac symptoms, or have been diagnosed with coeliac disease, visit the Glutafin website today for loads of free, friendly advice and support from Katie and her team.

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