All Dietitians

Linguine with Garlic and Shrimp by Cesiah from Florida

Fresh and zesty, this recipe for Linguine with Garlic and Shrimp makes your home cooking better than takeout any day. Cesiah from Florida created it with fresh ingredients and made it easy to prepare.

Cesiah first learned about careers in dietetics while waiting at the high school advisors’ office. “I was browsing through brochures and suddenly knew I wanted to be a dietitian. It was love at first sight. From there I went on to study at the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras and interned at the University Hospital.”

“I started out as a study dietitian for the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study.  I never thought about becoming a renal dietitian because it seemed to me that renal diets were too hard to follow,” states Cesiah. “However,” she continues, “after working with individuals on 20 grams of protein or less my opinion changed. Today I find many challenges in dialysis, but one of the most challenging areas is working with gastrointestinal complications of diabetes. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is to see a patient thrive and improve nutritional parameters after prolonged illness and hospitalization.”

Cesiah says, “My approach with patients is to understand what happens when their lab numbers are not in range and to see how we can do better. I try not to be judgmental; it is very hard for patients to always be on track.” She offers this advice to people on the renal diet, “I think the single most important thing a patient can do is just try one thing, over and over, until it’s routine.”

Educating patients about the renal diet sometimes takes creativity. Cesiah reports, “After 16 years in the renal field, I’ve found that contests, recipes and new educational materials all work to enhance concepts and compliance.” 

In addition to enjoying helping her patients, Cesiah enjoys working with her teammates at DaVita. “I’ve been with DaVita for only a short period, but I see new opportunity for professional growth. My center is an inner-city dialysis unit, affiliated as a teaching hospital with the University of Miami. My teammates come from different countries, and each person brings cultural wonders to the rest, especially when it comes to food. My teammates are from the Philippines, Romania, Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Honduras and other countries. I’m very fortunate to have a great group of teammates.”

Cesiah’s Linguine with Garlic and Shrimp is a delectable treat from ethnically- diverse Miami. Once you see how easy it is to make and taste how delicious it is, you’ll add it to your let’s-eat-this-more-often list.

Recipe

• Linguine with Garlic and Shrimp