Dietitian & Nutrition Services in Edmonton
Personalized Nutrition for Your Health, Lifestyle & Everyday Life
Good nutrition isn't about following the “perfect” diet. It is about finding an approach to eating that supports your health while also being realistic, enjoyable, and sustainable for your life.
At Strathcona Physical Therapy, our Registered Dietitian provides individualized nutrition care for adults looking to improve their eating habits, manage a health condition, better understand their nutritional needs, or make meaningful changes to support their long-term health.
Our dietitian provides nutrition support for concerns including diabetes and blood sugar management, cardiovascular health, kidney disease, digestive and gut health, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and general adult nutrition.
Rather than relying on restrictive diets or one-size-fits-all meal plans, nutrition recommendations are developed around your health needs, lifestyle, food preferences, routines, culture, and personal goals.
Whether you are managing a medical condition or simply want to feel more confident about the way you eat, our goal is to help you develop a healthier relationship with nutrition and make changes that you can realistically maintain over time.
How Can a Registered Dietitian Help?
Nutrition can play an important role in managing health conditions, supporting energy and well-being, and building eating habits that work for your everyday life.
At Strathcona Physical Therapy, our Registered Dietitian can provide individualized nutrition support for:
Diabetes & Blood Sugar Management
Nutrition strategies to help manage blood sugar, understand carbohydrates, plan balanced meals, and develop sustainable eating habits for diabetes and prediabetes.
Heart & Cardiovascular Health
Nutrition support for concerns such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular health, with recommendations tailored to your health needs and lifestyle.
Kidney Health
Individualized nutrition guidance for people with kidney-related conditions, taking into consideration nutrients such as sodium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, and fluid when clinically appropriate.
Digestive & Gut Health
Nutrition support for digestive concerns and gastrointestinal conditions, including strategies tailored to your symptoms, nutritional needs, and medical history.
Celiac Disease & Food-Related Concerns
Guidance for managing celiac disease and other medically indicated dietary changes while helping you maintain balanced and enjoyable nutrition.
Healthy Eating & Everyday Nutrition
Practical guidance for people who want to improve their eating habits, understand nutrition better, plan balanced meals, or feel more confident making everyday food choices.
Weight & Metabolic Health
A personalized approach to nutrition that considers your overall health, eating patterns, lifestyle, and goals rather than relying on restrictive or one-size-fits-all diets.
Sustainable Lifestyle Change
Support with turning nutrition recommendations into realistic habits that fit your schedule, preferences, culture, family life, and long-term health goals.
Nutrition care is personalized to you, because healthy eating should work with your life, not against it.
Meet Our Registered Dietitian
Min Chen, PhD, RD
Registered Dietitian
Clinical Interests: Diabetes & Blood Sugar Management • Cardiovascular Health • Kidney Health • Digestive & Gut Health • Celiac Disease • Adult Nutrition • Sustainable Nutrition & Lifestyle Change
Min is a Registered Dietitian with more than 20 years of experience in nutrition and over 15 years of clinical practice in Edmonton. She holds a PhD in Nutrition and Metabolism from the University of Alberta and brings extensive clinical knowledge and experience to her work with adults managing a wide range of nutrition and health concerns.
Min provides individualized nutrition care for people managing diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, kidney-related concerns, digestive and gastrointestinal conditions, celiac disease, and other nutrition-related health needs. She also works with individuals who simply want to improve their eating habits and develop a better understanding of nutrition.
Her approach is practical, collaborative, and tailored to each person. Rather than relying on restrictive diets or one-size-fits-all recommendations, Min considers your health, lifestyle, food preferences, culture, routines, and personal goals when developing nutrition strategies.
Min believes that healthy eating should be realistic, enjoyable, and sustainable. Her goal is to help clients understand their nutritional needs, feel more confident making food choices, and develop habits that can support their health over the long term.
What to Expect at Your First Dietitian Appointment
Your first appointment is an opportunity to look at the bigger picture of your nutrition, health, lifestyle, and goals.
Your Registered Dietitian will take time to understand what brings you in, what you are currently eating, any health concerns you are managing, and the challenges you may be experiencing with food or nutrition.
Depending on your individual needs, your appointment may include a review of:
Your current eating patterns and food preferences
Medical history and relevant health conditions
Medications and supplements, when relevant to nutrition care
Recent bloodwork or other relevant health information, if available
Digestive symptoms or food-related concerns
Daily routines, work, sleep, and activity
Cultural and family food practices
Previous diets or nutrition strategies you have tried
Your short- and long-term health goals
A Plan Designed for Your Life
Together, you and your dietitian will identify priorities and develop practical nutrition strategies that fit your health needs and everyday life.
Depending on your goals, this may include education about specific nutrients or health conditions, meal and snack ideas, strategies for grocery shopping or eating out, changes to eating patterns, or other individualized recommendations.
You don't need to eat perfectly, track everything you consume, or completely change your diet overnight. The goal is to identify realistic changes that you understand, feel comfortable with, and can maintain over time.
Follow-up appointments can then be used to review your progress, answer questions, work through challenges, and adjust your nutrition plan as your needs change.
Our Dietitian & Nutrition Services
Nutrition care at Strathcona Physical Therapy is personalized to your health, lifestyle, preferences, and goals. Whether you are managing a medical condition or simply want to improve the way you eat, your Registered Dietitian will work with you to develop practical strategies that fit your everyday life.
Medical Nutrition Therapy
Individualized nutrition care for people managing health conditions where food and nutrition are an important part of treatment. Recommendations are based on your medical history, nutritional needs, lifestyle, and goals.
Diabetes & Prediabetes Nutrition
Support with understanding carbohydrates, balanced meals, eating patterns, and other nutrition strategies to help manage blood sugar and support long-term health.
Heart & Cardiovascular Nutrition
Nutrition guidance for concerns such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular health, with an emphasis on practical and sustainable dietary changes.
Kidney & Renal Nutrition
Individualized nutrition support for people with kidney-related conditions, including guidance around nutrients such as sodium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, and fluids when appropriate to your medical needs.
Digestive & Gut Health Nutrition
Nutrition support for digestive symptoms and gastrointestinal conditions, with recommendations tailored to your symptoms, medical history, food tolerance, and nutritional needs.
Celiac Disease & Specialized Nutrition
Guidance for people who require medically indicated dietary changes, including support with maintaining a nutritionally balanced gluten-free diet for celiac disease.
Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Nutrition
Practical nutrition guidance for people who want to improve their eating habits, plan more balanced meals, understand nutrition better, or make sustainable changes to support their overall health.
Weight & Metabolic Health
An individualized approach that considers health, eating patterns, lifestyle, metabolic factors, and personal goals, without relying on restrictive or one-size-fits-all dieting.
You don't need to know which nutrition service you need before booking. Your dietitian will help identify the areas most relevant to your health and goals during your assessment.
Diabetes & Blood Sugar Management
Managing diabetes or prediabetes can sometimes make eating feel complicated. You may be wondering which foods affect your blood sugar, how many carbohydrates you should eat, what to choose at meals, or whether you need to give up foods you enjoy.
Working with a Registered Dietitian can help you better understand how food and eating patterns affect blood sugar while developing an approach that fits your health needs and everyday life.
Nutrition support may include:
Understanding carbohydrates and their effect on blood sugar
Building balanced meals and snacks
Meal timing and eating patterns
Increasing fibre and choosing nutrient-dense foods
Reading and understanding food labels
Planning meals at home, work, or when eating out
Making nutrition changes that support cardiovascular health
Developing realistic strategies for long-term eating habits
Adapting recommendations to your culture, preferences, and family meals
Nutrition That Works With Your Life
Diabetes nutrition does not have to mean eliminating carbohydrates or following an overly restrictive diet. Recommendations are individualized based on your health history, blood sugar management, medications when relevant, lifestyle, food preferences, and personal goals.
Min works with you to identify changes that are both clinically appropriate and realistic to maintain.
Whether you are newly diagnosed, living with diabetes, managing prediabetes, or simply trying to better understand your blood sugar and nutrition, the goal is to help you feel more informed and confident making everyday food choices.
Heart & Cardiovascular Nutrition
What you eat can play an important role in supporting heart health, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and overall cardiovascular health.
But heart-healthy eating is not about removing every food you enjoy. A Registered Dietitian can help you understand which nutrition changes are most relevant to your health and how to make them realistic within your everyday life.
Nutrition support may be helpful for people managing:
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Elevated triglycerides
Cardiovascular disease
Multiple cardiovascular risk factors
Diabetes alongside cardiovascular concerns
A family history of cardiovascular disease
General concerns about supporting long-term heart health
Building a Heart-Healthy Eating Pattern
Depending on your individual health needs, nutrition counselling may explore areas such as:
Types and sources of dietary fats
Fibre-rich foods
Sodium intake
Fruits and vegetables
Whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds
Protein choices
Meal planning and portion balance
Reading and understanding nutrition labels
Eating away from home
Developing sustainable eating habits
Recommendations are personalized based on your medical history, current eating patterns, lifestyle, food preferences, culture, and health goals.
Rather than focusing on a single food or nutrient, Min helps you look at your overall eating pattern and identify practical changes that can support cardiovascular health over the long term.
The goal is not a perfect diet, it is an approach to eating that supports your health and is realistic enough to become part of your life.
Kidney Health & Renal Nutrition
Nutrition can be an important part of managing kidney health, but knowing what to eat can become confusing. Advice about sodium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, and fluids can vary depending on your individual condition and stage of kidney disease.
There is no single diet that is appropriate for everyone with kidney concerns. A Registered Dietitian can help you understand which nutrition changes are actually relevant to you while supporting adequate and enjoyable nutrition.
How Can a Dietitian Help With Kidney Health?
Depending on your medical needs, nutrition support may include:
Understanding sodium and managing salt intake
Individualized guidance around potassium and phosphorus when required
Determining appropriate protein intake
Fluid considerations when clinically indicated
Reading food labels and identifying relevant ingredients
Planning balanced meals and snacks
Managing kidney health alongside diabetes or cardiovascular concerns
Maintaining adequate nutrition when dietary restrictions are required
Finding practical alternatives that fit your food preferences and culture
Individualized Nutrition Matters
Kidney nutrition recommendations can depend on factors such as kidney function, laboratory results, medications, other medical conditions, and the stage or type of kidney disease.
For this reason, Min tailors nutrition recommendations to the individual rather than automatically restricting foods simply because someone has a kidney-related diagnosis.
When relevant, bringing recent bloodwork, a medication list, and information from your physician or healthcare team can help your dietitian better understand your nutritional needs.
The goal is to help you make appropriate, practical food choices while maintaining nutritional adequacy, variety, and quality of life.
Digestive & Gut Health Nutrition
Digestive symptoms can affect your comfort, confidence with food, social activities, and everyday quality of life. When symptoms persist, it can also become difficult to know what to eat, especially when different foods seem to trigger different reactions.
A Registered Dietitian can help you better understand the relationship between your symptoms, eating patterns, nutritional needs, and medical condition, while helping you avoid unnecessary food restrictions.
Nutrition support may be helpful for people experiencing or managing:
Bloating, gas, or abdominal discomfort
Changes in bowel habits
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Celiac disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Food intolerances or suspected food-related symptoms
Digestive concerns affecting food intake
Difficulty maintaining balanced nutrition because of gastrointestinal symptoms
Finding What Works for You
Digestive nutrition is highly individualized. Depending on your symptoms, diagnosis, and medical history, Min may help you explore:
Eating patterns and meal timing
Fibre intake and different sources of fibre
Hydration
Identifying potential food triggers
Maintaining adequate nutrition when foods are restricted
Gluten-free nutrition for medically diagnosed celiac disease
Meal planning during periods of increased digestive symptoms
Gradually expanding food variety when appropriate
Developing practical strategies for eating at home, work, or away from home
For some digestive conditions, specific dietary approaches may be appropriate, but more restriction is not always better. Eliminating multiple foods without a clear reason can make it harder to meet nutritional needs and may unnecessarily complicate eating.
Min works with you to develop an approach that considers your symptoms, medical history, food preferences, culture, lifestyle, and nutritional needs.
The goal is to help you manage symptoms while maintaining as much variety, nutritional adequacy, and enjoyment of food as possible.
Healthy Eating, Weight & Sustainable Nutrition
You don't need to have a medical condition to work with a Registered Dietitian. You may simply want to eat better, improve your health, manage your weight, have more energy, or feel more confident about your food choices.
With so much conflicting nutrition information available, it can be difficult to know what actually matters. Diets, food rules, supplements, and nutrition trends can make healthy eating feel much more complicated than it needs to be.
A Registered Dietitian can help you separate reliable nutrition information from misinformation and develop an approach that works for your health, preferences, culture, schedule, and everyday life.
Practical Nutrition for Everyday Life
Depending on your goals, nutrition counselling may help with:
Building balanced and satisfying meals
Meal and snack planning
Grocery shopping and reading food labels
Increasing fruits, vegetables, fibre, and other nutrient-rich foods
Developing more consistent eating patterns
Making healthier choices when eating away from home
Managing portions without overly restrictive food rules
Supporting weight and metabolic health
Understanding nutrition information and common diet trends
Creating habits that are realistic for work, family, travel, and social life
A Sustainable Approach to Weight & Health
If weight management is one of your goals, Min takes an individualized and realistic approach that considers the bigger picture of your health rather than focusing on the number on the scale alone.
Nutrition care may consider your eating patterns, medical history, metabolic health, activity, sleep, medications, lifestyle, relationship with food, and personal goals when determining appropriate strategies.
There is no requirement to follow a highly restrictive diet or eliminate entire food groups simply to pursue better health. Instead, the focus is on identifying changes that are nutritionally appropriate, achievable, and sustainable over time.
The goal is not to eat perfectly. It is to build an approach to nutrition that supports your health and that you can realistically continue living with.
Nutrition as Part of Your Overall Health
Nutrition is one part of a much bigger picture. Your health can also be influenced by movement, sleep, stress, mental health, medical conditions, medications, daily routines, and the environment you live and work in.
At Strathcona Physical Therapy, dietitian services are available as a standalone service or, when appropriate, as part of a broader approach to your health and well-being.
Collaborative Care When It Benefits You
Our clinic brings together services including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, massage therapy, and dietitian care.
For some people, having access to different healthcare professionals can be helpful when several factors are affecting their health at the same time. For example, nutrition care may complement:
Physiotherapy and rehabilitation when nutrition is relevant to overall health and recovery
Psychology when stress, mental health, or behavioural factors are influencing eating patterns
Occupational therapy when routines, planning, energy, or everyday functioning affect nutrition and meal preparation
Other medical care when nutrition is part of managing conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, or gastrointestinal conditions
When collaboration is appropriate, it is based on your individual needs and with your involvement in your care.
You do not need to be receiving any other service at Strathcona Physical Therapy to see our Registered Dietitian. Anyone looking for individualized nutrition support can book an appointment with Min.
Insurance & Direct Billing
Services provided by a Registered Dietitian (RD) may be covered through extended health benefits, depending on your individual insurance plan.
Extended Health Benefits
Many benefit plans include coverage for dietitian or nutrition counselling services. However, coverage amounts, annual limits, referral requirements, and other conditions can vary between plans.
We recommend checking your individual benefits before your appointment to confirm whether Registered Dietitian services are included and whether a physician's referral is required.
Direct Billing
Direct billing may be available for eligible insurance plans. This may allow us to submit your claim directly to your insurance provider on your behalf.
Direct billing and reimbursement depend on your individual plan and insurer. Any portion not covered by your benefits remains the patient's responsibility.
Questions About Your Coverage?
If you are unsure whether your plan covers Registered Dietitian services or whether direct billing is available, contact our clinic before your appointment.
Our administrative team will be happy to help you understand your billing options so you know what to expect before your visit.
Why Choose Strathcona Physical Therapy for Dietitian & Nutrition Services?
Nutrition advice is everywhere, but good nutrition care should consider your health, your life, and the individual behind the recommendations.
At Strathcona Physical Therapy, our dietitian services combine clinical nutrition expertise with practical, personalized strategies designed to work in everyday life.
Extensive Clinical Experience
Dr. Min brings more than 20 years of experience in nutrition and over 15 years of clinical practice in Edmonton, working with adults across a wide range of nutrition and health concerns.
Advanced Education in Nutrition
Min holds a PhD in Nutrition and Metabolism from the University of Alberta, along with her professional training and registration as a Registered Dietitian.
Individualized Nutrition Care
Recommendations are developed around your medical history, nutritional needs, eating patterns, lifestyle, culture, food preferences, and personal goals rather than applying the same diet to everyone.
Support for Complex Health Needs
Dr. Min has particular experience supporting people managing diabetes, cardiovascular health concerns, kidney-related conditions, digestive and gastrointestinal concerns, celiac disease, and other adult nutrition needs.
Practical, Sustainable Strategies
Nutrition recommendations need to work outside the clinic. The focus is on helping you turn nutrition knowledge into realistic meals, food choices, routines, and habits that you can maintain over time.
Care Within a Multidisciplinary Clinic
When appropriate, dietitian care can complement physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, massage therapy, and other healthcare services available at Strathcona.
No One-Size-Fits-All Diet
You don't need to eat perfectly or follow every nutrition trend. Min's approach focuses on helping you understand what is relevant to your health and develop an approach to eating that is realistic, enjoyable, and sustainable.
Our goal is to help you feel informed and confident about your nutrition while making changes that support your health and fit your life.
Dietitian & Nutrition FAQs
What is the difference between a Registered Dietitian and a nutritionist?
A Registered Dietitian (RD) is a regulated healthcare professional who has completed recognized education and supervised practical training and must meet professional standards to maintain registration. The use and regulation of nutrition-related titles can vary, so it is important to consider a provider’s education, credentials, and professional registration when seeking nutrition care.
Do I need a referral to see a Registered Dietitian?
In many cases, you can book directly with a Registered Dietitian without a physician’s referral. However, some insurance plans or funding sources may require a referral for reimbursement. We recommend checking the requirements of your individual benefit plan.
What should I bring to my first dietitian appointment?
If available and relevant to your concerns, it can be helpful to bring a current medication and supplement list, recent bloodwork or test results, and information about any medical conditions or dietary recommendations you have received. You do not need to prepare a perfect food diary before attending.
Will I receive a meal plan?
Not everyone needs a structured meal plan. Depending on your goals, your dietitian may provide meal and snack ideas, guidance around portions and food choices, or more structured planning when appropriate. Recommendations are tailored to your health needs, preferences, culture, routines, and lifestyle.
Can a dietitian help with diabetes or prediabetes?
Yes. A Registered Dietitian can help you understand how food and eating patterns affect blood sugar and provide individualized guidance around carbohydrates, balanced meals, meal timing, fibre, and other nutrition considerations relevant to diabetes or prediabetes.
Can a dietitian help with high cholesterol or blood pressure?
Yes. Nutrition can be an important part of managing cardiovascular health. Your dietitian can help you understand dietary factors related to cholesterol and blood pressure and develop practical changes based on your health needs and current eating habits.
Can a dietitian help with kidney disease?
Yes. Nutrition recommendations for kidney disease can vary considerably depending on kidney function, bloodwork, medications, and other health conditions. A Registered Dietitian can provide individualized guidance regarding nutrients such as sodium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, and fluids when clinically appropriate.
Can a dietitian help with digestive problems?
Yes. Dietitian care may be helpful for digestive concerns such as IBS, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, bloating, changes in bowel habits, food intolerances, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Recommendations depend on your symptoms, medical history, and nutritional needs.
Can a dietitian help with weight management?
Yes. Nutrition counselling can support weight and metabolic health while considering your overall health, eating patterns, lifestyle, food preferences, and goals. The focus is on realistic and sustainable changes rather than highly restrictive or one-size-fits-all diets.
Is dietitian care covered by insurance?
Registered Dietitian services may be covered through extended health benefits. Coverage amounts, annual limits, and referral requirements vary between plans, so we recommend checking your individual benefits.
Do you offer direct billing for dietitian appointments?
Direct billing may be available for eligible insurance plans. Please contact our clinic if you would like to confirm whether direct billing is available through your specific plan.
How many dietitian appointments will I need?
There is no set number that is appropriate for everyone. Some people may need only a few appointments for education and guidance, while others may benefit from ongoing follow-up when managing a health condition or making longer-term nutrition changes. Min can discuss an appropriate follow-up plan with you based on your needs and goals.
Do I need to be a physiotherapy patient to see the dietitian?
No. Anyone can book an appointment with our Registered Dietitian. You do not need to be receiving physiotherapy or any other service at Strathcona Physical Therapy.