Londoner: Young nutritionist gets a nod

Below is a recent segment in the Londoner featuring the Young Alumni Award of Excellence I was recently awarded by Brescia University College, much to my delight and surprise at UWO Homecoming 2011.
-Jennifer Broxterman, MSc (candidate)
Registered Dietitian & Sports Nutritionist
London, Ontario

Young nutritionist gets a nod

By Shobhita Sharma Londoner

Jennifer Broxterman believes in using her skills to help others. One could say her dedication to her cause coupled with her passion to help others is perhaps what made the vivacious, yet composed dietitian perfect for Brescia University College’s Young Alumnae Award of Merit.

“I was actually so shocked because I thought I was too young to win it,” she said. “I was just so honoured and it really makes me proud to be a Brescia student.”

The young nutritionist embarked on her career believing ‘an ounce of prevention is more than a pound of cure.’

“I realized along my path in university that I really wanted to connect what I knew in science with working with people and helping them preventatively or proactively.”

Having completed a degree in life sciences from Queen’s University in Kingston, Broxterman decided to put her academic knowledge together with her passion for sports and nutrition.

“Nutrition just seem like a really good fit because it is applicable to day-to-day life and it has that coaching-helping relationship to make people really embark positive change in their lives,” she said. “So, that to me was really appealing.”

She moved to London to study at Brescia University College, one of the few schools in the country to offer a degree in food and nutrition. Impressed with “the warm, welcoming small-knit environment” at Brescia, she decided not only to make the move to the Forest City, but to make the city her new home.

“I know I would definitely not be the person I am today had I not gotten that type of environment, that type of learning,” she said.

Having finished her degree, Broxterman set up NutritionRx in May 2011 to provide professional nutritional counselling in the city.

“There is a huge need and desire in London for proactive health counselling,” said the 27-year-old. With a strong focus on sports nutrition, Broxterman said she has worked with a number of professional athletes in the city.

And along with her own practice, Broxterman is also teaching at Brescia and working on her master’s thesis. She is part of Prediabetes Research and Education Promoting Activity and Responsible Eating (PREPARE), a unique program focused on prediabetes patients in London.

“As one of the dietitians with the program, I help oversee and I deliver the presentations,” said Broxterman who teaches research participants about healthy cooking options.

While teaching, juggling and operating a business, and working on a thesis may seem like a lot to some, Broxterman said she is at peace with the pace of her work.

“Because I love what I do, I wouldn’t want to spend my time any other way,” she said. “I am super lucky.”

Broxterman will be keeping busy in the new year with NutritionRx and PREPARE. She is also teaching a course on sports nutrition this semester which, being a hockey player and rower, she said she’s excited about.

Shobhita.sharma@sunmedia.ca