All Access Internships

Amanda's Career Goals and Reflection over 1st half of DI

2011-12-19T14:12:00.000-05:00

Half Way There!

It is amazing for me to think that one year ago at this time I was putting my dietetic internship application packets together, not even sure which internships I was going to apply to. Now I am five months into my internship, with only five months to go until I am eligible to sit for the RD exam. The internship so far has challenged me and prepared me for a career as a dietitian in ways far beyond what I learned in the classroom.

One of the best things I have learned thus far is that I am certain that pursuing a career in school food service is the path I want to take. The rising need for dietitians in schools and the regulatory changes facing school nutrition programs are two reasons why this career path appeals to me. Here are a few of the benefits that working as a dietitian in a school nutrition program offers:

You get to work with kids! There were so many people in my college classes who were interested in pursuing a career as a pediatric dietitian. Rather than working with kids who are already sick, school dietitians can work with kids proactively by promoting nutrition education and nutrition integrity in the meals offered in school.

The variety of positions available to dietitians. As a dietitian you can get a job as a nutrition educator, a manager of school kitchen, an area supervisor for a district or the director of food service for an entire school district. No two school districts are alike so you can also have a variety of options in the type of school food service program you would like to work in.

Opportunities for career advancement. Depending on where your strengths and career goals lie, school nutrition programs can offer many opportunities for professional growth. This is especially true if you are interested in nutrition management and business.

Great work schedule. Depending on the position, school dietitians may get the summer months off and for sure the holidays as wells as most weekends (nutrition conferences may take up a weekend day or two).

If you are interested in a career as a school dietitian or would like to know more about why I think it is such an exciting career path, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have! I hope finals are wrapping up well and that the holiday break brings some much needed time for rejuvenation and relaxation.

Tips for Giving Presentations

2011-12-15T00:31:00.000-05:00

Presenting my first case study

My second week of my nutrition education was one of the busiest yet! I enjoyed teaching nutrition education classes to kids in kindergarten and first and second graders. I also conducted a needs assessment for all the grades at the elementary school where I will be holding a nutrition campaign in January.

On top of my regular rotation assignments I had my first case study presentation to give this week. Usually the interns can choose which case study they want to present, but I have only written one case study, a cardiology case study, thus far so that was the subject of my presentation. Here are a few tips that I use when preparing for and giving presentations:

Tailor the presentation to your audience. For this week’s presentation, my audience was mainly dietetic interns and dietitians at my internship. When you are presenting to an audience of people who work in your field of study you are free to use more technical dialect. If I were presenting to an audience of the general population I would make sure to use less technical terms such as “the body’s iron stores” instead of “hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.”

Dress to impress. Not only does dressing professionally increase your credibility with your audience but it can also increase your confidence in yourself. I recommend investing in a nice classic suit and to not wear distracting accessories (no feathered headbands, chunky necklaces etc.).

Make handouts. At the very least just make copies of your presentation slides in notes format so your audience has something to jot their thoughts onto. If you have a critique sheet, staple it to the back of your handout. Having a handout will really show them that you thought ahead and are prepared for your presentation.

Keep track of time. Keeping within the allotted time can be a challenge, especially if you tend to talk fast when nervous. I like to estimate approximately one minute per slide of my presentation. I also prepare slides that I can elaborate on if I need to extend my presentation time. Be careful not to go over time as well. Speeding through the last, and often most important slides of the presentation does not leave a good final impression on your audience.

Smile and speak confidently. Most people experience some level of nervousness before a big presentation. Even if you are nervous, if you speak with confidence and smile, your audience will never know!

By: Amanda Bot

Looking back on my first semester of graduate school...

2011-12-12T23:00:00.002-05:00

Wow, this semester flew by! My first semester with graduate school has definitely been an overall positive experience, and I am very excited for next semester as well!

Here are some things to recap about my semester:

Moving to a completely new place, thousands of miles from home was emotionally challenging. Socially, it always takes some time to make friends; however being in a master’s program, I found that many people in the department were in the same situation as I was in. Additionally, most people in my department are very similar as we share common interests and passions for nutrition and health; friendships formed quickly.

The first month was academically challenging, as any semester can be, to get to know my professors and let them get to know me. I had to put myself out there and network with teachers and the department as I had no connections like I did in undergraduate.

Although I became acquainted with classes and the school, I was challenged mentally throughout the entirety of the semester. I feel as if my first semester of graduate school nearly doubled everything that I learned in my entire 4 years of undergraduate! The pace of learning was fast, but efficient. I feel very satisfied with my decision to go to graduate school. I wouldn't have wanted to enter the workforce without the knowledge that I have now.

Please leave a comment if you have any more questions about my graduate school experience. Now it’s back to studying for me; finals week is just a few days away! And as I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, grad school requires studying non-stop …

By: Lindsey Pfau

Touching the Lives of Children through Nutrition Education

2011-12-07T11:08:00.001-05:00

1^st Week of Nutrition Education

One of the best parts of this rotation is being able to touch the lives of children through classroom lessons. I had the opportunity this past week to work with kids in 2^nd grade and kindergarten at a couple different schools throughout the district. Reaching kids through nutrition education is one of the reasons I am so interested in a career in school food service. It is at this age that nutrition education can make a critical impact in inspiring kids to live a healthy lifestyle and eat a nutritious diet. Here are a couple activities that we held with the children:

With the second grade class we held a “tasting party.” This was the third lesson with the nutrition educator that they have had this year. Foods that each child was given to sample included cucumbers, yellow squash, broccoli, grapes and a whole grain cracker. The kids were given a survey to document how much they liked each food they tried which they could then bring home to their parents. Most of the kids liked all the fresh foods that they tried and many of them said they had eaten something that they never had tried before!

We focused on MyPlate and the food groups with the kindergarten class. This group was so enthusiastic to learn and answer questions. After discussing all the food groups the kids were given paper plates and crayons so they could draw their own healthy plate. Here is a picture of the finished plates that were hung in the windows outside the school cafeteria for everyone to see:

This coming week will also be filled with nutrition education lessons. I will also be busy devising a proposal for the school wide nutrition campaign that will take place in January. It will be a busy week!

Alternative jobs for graduates without their RD credential

2011-12-05T15:00:00.001-05:00

The semester is finally starting to wind down for me. Fortunately, this also means that I graduate soon. I decided not to do the January match for dietetic internships because the ones that I am interested in applying to only have the April match. I already have a job as a dietary aide at a hospital, but I will soon be over-qualified for this position. I’m hoping I can get a little more work experience under my belt before the internship would start (if I got one), but what sort of jobs can I get with a B.S. in Dietetics but without the RD credential?????

I’ve been searching and asking around and here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

· WIC Nutritionist

· Foodservice Manager

· Diet Tech

· Nonprofit Organizations

· Food Industry

· Weight Loss Clinic

That’s about all I’ve been able to find in my area. Have any other suggestions for how to gain work experience? Share your ideas!

Getting Ready to Begin my Nutrition Education Rotation

2011-11-30T10:08:00.000-05:00

I had this past week off from my internship because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Of course my break flew by, but it left me rejuvenated and excited to get back to my internship. There are just three weeks left before my two week Christmas break, most of which I will be spending in cold, snowy Minnesota. Until then I will be completing the first half of my nutrition education rotation.

I have been looking forward to this rotation for many reasons:

I will be teaching nutrition lessons to first and second graders. This age is so fun to work with and they love learning about how to eat healthy.
I have the opportunity to develop and teach my own lesson plan based on a needs assessment that I will complete.
I will be able to use my creativity to design a nutrition campaign that will be carried out in an elementary school to encourage healthy eating.
I will be responsible for creating an info page to be used as a “menu back” and sent out to all the families in the district serving as a nutrition education tool.

This rotation will really allow me to expand upon the experiences that this internship offers me because of the wide variety of objectives such as those listed above. In a rotation such as this, what you put in is what you will get out. I plan on diving head first into this rotation to learn as much as I can about nutrition education in the classroom, and the tools I can use in my future career to educate people of all ages about the benefits of nutrition.

By: Amanda Bot

Q and A with Lindsey: What area of dietetics are you the most passionate about?

2011-11-28T11:16:00.000-05:00

Q: What area of dietetics do you want to get a job in when you become an RD? What actions/events helped form this goal during your undergraduate years?

A: I am currently getting my master’s degree specifically in Sports Nutrition, and my internship has a sports nutrition emphasis.

Although I have always loved sports, and participated in them my entire life, I was not always sure that I wanted a career in sports. In fact, I majored in nutrition because I did not want to be a coach or athletic trainer. Although I loved the connection between nutrition and fitness, I used my undergraduate career to broaden my horizons. I consistently volunteered at a local food bank; I did laboratory research under one of my professors, as well as community research and nutrition education under another professor. I fully enjoyed all areas of nutrition.

My true passion was still revolving around the connection between exercise and nutrition. As a personal trainer, I wanted to always promote exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. I decided to specialize in sports nutrition mainly because specializing does not limit me; instead, it gives me more opportunities. My master’s degree in sports nutrition is the same as a normal Masters of Science in nutrition, except it includes extra courses in exercise. Additionally, my internship rotation still gets the same amount of hours in food service, community, and clinical, and I get extra hours in sports.

When I graduate with a masters and become an RD, I don’t have to get a job in sports nutrition only. I can do anything that a normal RD could, but now I have more options because I can also do sports nutrition.

Take home message:

If you have the slightest inclination that you like one specific area of nutrition, look for an internship or masters program with that specific emphasis. If you find you don’t like it as much as you thought, you don’t have continue your career in it, as you will get all the necessary experience in the other areas of nutrition as well. And if you do love it, then you will be glad you took the opportunity to specialize!

Staying Focused Through the Holidays

2011-11-23T18:01:00.005-05:00

It’s that time of year. Thanksgiving break, followed by just a few short weeks of school, powering through finals, then time to relax and enjoy winter break!

It’s also time to crack down on DI or graduate school applications. Most applications are due in February, but some can be due as early as December or as late as June. Even if you have until June for a graduate school application, I don’t suggest you wait until then to do them. Senior year picks up really fast; you want to enjoy your time with friends, and focus on getting those final grades in. So even though you should enjoy your holiday breaks, I recommend taking the time when you are in a calm and relaxed environment to work on your applications and avoid stressing during spring semester.

Tips for Holiday Break:

Prioritize: Make sure you know which applications are due the earliest so you can be sure to start on those first. Even just getting one completed will take a huge load off your shoulders when you return to school.

Keep in touch with your teachers: Make sure you have email addresses and open communication with your professors and mentors in case you need their help with the application. A whole month without communication with your teachers can really set you back on your application.

Take advantage of the people at home: Have your parents or siblings edit your essays and applications; they often have great advice that you haven’t been able to take advantage of while at school.

Work around the holidays, not against them. If you dread spending the time to do the applications then your holiday break will be filled with resentment toward your future. Instead, make plans; set aside just a few days out of the weeks that you will be home to focus and concentrate on completing applications; or if you work better slow and steady, work on them for a certain amount of time each day. Either way, commit to a schedule that works around your holiday schedule so that you are not stressing about applications on Thanksgiving Day, or New Years Eve!

Recipe Development Assignment: 50 servings of baked spaghetti

2011-11-21T17:24:00.002-05:00

I spent this past week in the food and nutrition office learning everything a department must do when being audited. Because of the current economic situation, the school district is currently undergoing a financial audit, which analyzes how efficiently taxpayers’ dollars are being spent in the school district. The food and nutrition services department is extremely efficient and keeps a tight handle on the budget so we did not have much to worry about. But it was great experience to witness how a school nutrition program reacts when put under the microscope.

On Friday I spent the day at an elementary school making and giving out 50 servings of baked spaghetti for a recipe development assignment. Trying to devise an original recipe that matched the cost, nutrition and acceptability requirements was extremely tricky, but this internship is meant to push and challenge me, and challenge me it did. The spaghetti bake went extremely well with the kids that I gave samples to! Many of the comments on the surveys were very positive including “tastes like heaven” and “I would like this on the school menu.” My favorite comment of all was “It tastes like candy”! I am not sure my spaghetti bake tasted like candy but if I can get kids to eat whole grain spaghetti noodles in a healthy recipe and like it, everybody wins! I am excited for this recipe to be placed on the menu for the school district. I have the week off for the Thanksgiving holiday but look forward to starting a 5 week nutrition education rotation the week I get back.

By: Amanda Bot

Studying, Interning, AND Working? Lindsey gives us advice on balancing these.

2011-11-18T14:13:00.001-05:00

Another factor to consider before applying to graduate school or dietetic internships: Do you need to work for a source of income?

Most people will tell you it is ‘nearly impossible’ or ‘very difficult’ to work while doing your internship. I have not yet started mine, so when I do, I will update you. However, during graduate courses, it is completely feasible.

I have been working as a personal trainer at a gym for 3 months now. I finally have enough clients that I am working 20 hours a week. Scheduling is not always easy; however most dietetic students are used to being busy and multitasking. I am at the point where I do not want my grades to suffer, nor my leisure activities; therefore I do not want to exceed 20 hours. Most people consider 20 hours to be a standard part-time job, though. If you feel that you need a job and are uncertain if you can handle it with graduate school, I am willing to bet you can. More than 20 hours a week is also possible, however that will be at the expense of other things such as personal time, hobbies, or social events!

From my current understanding, internship rotation hours vary, but most of them are around 40 hours per week. In this case, continuing work may be very difficult. So be sure not to engage in a job that is binding, that you do not have the flexibility to change hours, take a leave of absence, or maybe even quit if you have to!

Part time jobs are a great way to make money; however remember the big picture: when you complete your degree and RD, you will have a salary paid job. So focus on your grades and rotations first; work second!

Tapping into my Creative Side in my Rotation at the All Faiths Food Bank

2011-11-16T15:50:00.000-05:00

Food banks are located across the county and provide much needed nutrition to families, and especially children in need. In my rotation this past week, I shadowed a dietitian who works at one of these food banks. The dietitian at All Faiths Food Bank is incredibly energetic and truly gets joy from doing her job, and what a job she has! She has found funding for and implemented a variety of nutrition education programs for both children and adults. In addition, she serves as the dietitian for a local senior center. This past week she spoke about brain health at a health fair being held for the public at the senior center. Here are some highlights from this past week:

Growing Healthy Kids: This program is taught to preschool aged children and this month’s lesson was based on the vegetable food group. I helped teach the class by reading a vegetable soup book, talking about the food groups, playing a mystery vegetable game and preparing a fresh vegetable taste test. I was happy to see many of the children trying vegetables they had never eaten before and liking them!

Cooking Matters: This is a class taught twice a week to a group of 15 kids ages 8-10. We conducted whole grain nutrition lessons, cooked healthy recipes and did a grocery store tour. The kids were so enthusiastic to help cook and to learn how to keep their bodies healthy through good nutrition.

Bowls of Hope: This is an annual fundraiser held by the food bank. Businesses and restaurants from around the area make a soup and serve bowls to the people attending the event. It was great to participate in a community event that brought so many people together for a wonderful cause.

My rotation at All Faiths Food Bank was jammed packed with activities each day, and provided many opportunities to practice my public speaking skills by teaching a variety of nutrition classes. I also tapped into my creativity by planning a Kids Café menu with the food available at the food bank and designing my own Dairy Food Group lesson plan. The only change I would make about this rotation would be to extend the rotation to two weeks!

By: Amanda Bot

Dealing with the Stress of Internship Applications

2011-11-14T13:52:00.001-05:00

While the application portal, DICAS, hasn’t opened yet, it’s not too early to start thinking about some of your characteristics that you want to highlight.

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably finding yourself in the middle of the semester juggling school, work, volunteering, and about a hundred other things in your life. Unfortunately, I don’t really have any tips for you on how to deal with that stress (hopefully you know what works best for you). However, what I am trying to do right now is take about ten minutes a day and just STOP. Stop doing homework, stop trying to prioritize, stop trying to manage my time. I stop doing and start reflecting. I reflect on myself, my actions and my feelings. I think about how I manage this stress, organize myself, and get everything done. I ask myself questions like these:

· How exactly am I handling this?

· Am I freaking out?

· Am I calm and collected?

· Do I enjoy being busy?

· Do I need life to slow down?

· Am I thriving under the pressure or am I sinking?

My purpose in doing this is to understand myself a little more so I can truly write about myself and play up the characteristics that help define who I am in my application, as well as note those that honestly need work. You will need to know both for not only DI applications, but also interviews. If you start thinking about these things now, you’ll be able to get your personal statement done in no time!

By: Allison Richards

Do Research on Your Professors!

2011-11-09T13:19:00.002-05:00

A lot of universities that offer dietetics as a major are research institutions. This means that beyond teaching their students, professors must, in addition, continually practice conducting and reviewing current, innovative research. Their job as a teacher actually relies heavily on their grants, funding and progress in their research.

I applied to Florida State University in part because I had heard about the College of Human Science through news headlines of a particular professor. The Nutrition Food and Exercise Science Department Head, Dr. Arjmandi, was publishing breakthrough research on the benefits of dried plums and reversing the effects of osteoporosis. (http://fsu.edu/indexTOFStory.html?lead.plums )

Once looking further into the school, I found out that the Nutrition degree was in the same department as Exercise Science (as stated above: Nutrition Food and Exercise Science Department) and I was quite impressed at the amount of faculty that were involved in both subjects. One of my current professors, Dr. Ormsbee, is the epitome of the pioneering partnership between nutrition and exercise. In addition to his teaching and research, he has his own business (http://mikeormsbee.com/aboutmike). He does exactly what I want to do.

My dietetic internship director, Dr. Spicer, as well as multiple other professors in the nutrition, exercise science, health psychology, and food science department were a determining factor for my choice in applying to Florida State University. As I researched their work and interest areas, I found that this was a perfect fit for me. I am proud to say that I am learning directly from the people who are discovering new science in the field every day.

Do your research on the professors before applying to a school merely for location, price, or the name. Having professors that are making current advances in the career will put YOU in the top of the field as well. Additionally, having professors whose interests are similar to yours will inspire passion into your studies and provide firsthand experience with what you are interested in.

By: Lindsey Pfau

Amanda's Cardiology Rotation

2011-11-07T11:32:00.004-05:00

I had a great past couple weeks in my cardiology rotation. I had the opportunity to meet and work alongside an inspirational RD who is not just a clinical dietitian but also an outstanding community leader who holds leadership roles in numerous organizations including the local dietetic association. Of course I also learned how to plan and educate patients about heart healthy diets, make notes in the charts of patients, and do nutrition assessments on patients with CHF.

One of the main things I have learned is that nutrition care is hardly one-dimensional. Although a patient may come into a hospital with the initial diagnosis of chest pain and shortness of breath, they may also have diabetes, renal failure, cognitive impairment, trouble chewing/swallowing; the list goes on. When assessing a patient, it is important to look at the “big picture” and not just the diagnosis that the patient was admitted with. This is especially important when completing a case study.

Case studies are some of the best opportunities to learn during clinical rotations. They give you the opportunity to apply all the information you learned in your MNT classes to a real-life scenario. Scanning charts and comparing lab values made me feel like a detective; it was up to me to figure out where the patient was nutritionally deficient and what nutrition interventions were needed to restore their health.

One tool that was especially helpful was my MNT book from college. This book is filled with so much detailed information that was helpful when completing my cardiac case study. If you are planning on completing an internship I would definitely recommend resisting the urge to sell your MNT book at the end of the year and hold onto it as it will prove to be a valuable tool during your internship.

Question (to other past/present dietetic interns): What other resources have you found to be helpful during your dietetic internship rotations?

Volunteering Is SO Important --Lindsey Tells Us Why

2011-11-04T22:42:00.002-04:00

Last week I had a wonderful opportunity to volunteer at Food Day in Tallahassee. Upon arrival to Florida, I have been getting acquainted with the city and getting adjusted to the school. However, it has been difficult to truly get involved since the networks I had built up during my undergraduate career are 2,000 miles away!

Finally a few classmates and I were able to volunteer at Food Day. We got out into the community on a Sunday afternoon and educated locals on exercise and nutrition. We created posters and games and gave away educational handouts.

It reminded me of all the volunteer work I did in undergrad. All the little things truly do add up. Every bit counts on the DICAS applications and graduate school applications. Once you get accepted, though, the volunteer work shouldn’t stop there!

My classmates posing by our booth (having some fun with the food models)

Me posing with a local sustainable farmer at Food Day

Graduate school and intern preceptors want to know that they have chosen a person who will contribute to their program; somebody who will enrich their program, their community, or their school. The volunteer work doesn’t stop upon acceptance. So while participating in your undergraduate, don’t volunteer solely for the purpose of writing it on your application; do it to gain experience and knowledge that you can bring with you in the future. By Food Day 2011, I had no problems whipping together a poster board of fun facts, and I felt totally comfortable socializing and educating the public.

Launching Your Dietetics Career Book Review by Amanda Bot

2011-11-02T15:55:00.003-04:00

This past week I finished up the first week of a two week cardiology rotation. It has been a nice change of pace being back in the hospital but I will wait to tell you more about it until next week. This week I am writing a review of the book Launching Your Dietetics Career by Kyle W. Shadix, MS, RD and D. Milton Stokes, MPH, RD.

If you are in high school and thinking about a career in nutrition, already in college enrolled in a DPD program or a dietetic intern who may be just months away from the RD exam, this book is for you. The authors break down each step in the process of becoming a registered dietitian with explicit detail. The authors provide insight and advice that will not only answer your questions but also direct you towards the next steps you should be taking in your journey towards becoming a RD. I wish that a resource like this book had been available to me when I decided I wanted to become a registered dietitian my freshman year of college and especially when I was preparing my dietetic internship applications!

I was fascinated by the amount and variety of outside contribution provided by registered dietitians practicing in various areas of dietetics. The book featured advice from internship directors, interviews with recent dietetic interns, suggestions about how to excel in the area of dietetics you are interested in and more. The inspiring stories and bios provided by registered dietitians ignite excitement and enthusiasm for the wonderful opportunities available to young dietitians looking to make their mark in the expanding nutrition field.

The wealth of knowledge gathered and laid out in this 222 page book makes it a valuable tool for anyone looking to become a dietitian. Launching Your Dietetics Career expands beyond what you can learn from a college professor or a DPD program director. This book will serve as your personal pocket guide towards career success as a registered dietitian no matter where you are in the process, or what area of nutrition you are looking to build a career.

It's Not Just Meat and Potatoes: The Diversity of the Dietetics Profession

2011-10-31T16:56:00.002-04:00

By: Jill Merrigan

I am constantly asked, “What do you want to do when you finish school, and complete a dietetic internship?” For me I am asked this weekly but find that I have a monthly response. One of the most exciting pieces of my return to school is the inspiration I have as I continue to learn about all the possible career opportunities I’ll have as a registered dietitian.

The career field for a registered dietitian offers a colorful plate, it not just meat and potatoes. From clinical dietitians, foodservice managers, research dietitians, educators, outpatient nutrition counselors, consultants. It is encouraging and motivating to remember that all my hard work in the classroom will expose me to a broad path of experiences within the dietetic profession. When I was in the process of leaving my job in ad-sales and transitioning into my new life in Boston at Simmons College I took the time to meet with many registered dietitians, educators, and professors. One of the most important observations I took away was that in the dietetic profession we are not limited to one career path. Many times an RD will choose a position that meets their specific needs and in time branch into another position that suits them, and continue to make changes as it feels appropriate with time. Some of the unique careers I have discovered that RDs are pursing include a RD – Food stylist, RD – Psychotherapist, RD – Medical Doctor, and RD – Farmer.

The nutrition and dietetic field is versatile, allowing diverse ways to educate and help people eat right. If you are considering a career change into nutrition and dietetics but now sure where the path will lead you then be sure to take some time, learn about the many opportunities that are available, and compare them to your own personal goals, strengths and interests and begin to see yourself living your career dream.

What Textbooks are Best to Keep from Undergrad? Lindsey Tells us her Opinion!

2011-10-28T15:19:00.002-04:00

I know textbooks are expensive, and unfortunately, when you get to grad school you will only have to spend more money to buy even more books. But I do find that having a reliable source of information close by is extremely helpful to look up quick facts, or use as a reference when writing papers.

Introductory Books: I kept two basic introductory nutrition books, and I must say, that was probably not necessary since the level of reading is so basic. However, I think it’s a great idea to have at least one basic level nutrition book on hand for quick DRI references or definitions.

Anatomy and Physiology: This has helped me since the typical dietetics student usually takes only one anatomy and physiology course, and yet, our entire major is based around what happens inside the human body! This book has helped me a lot to get a better understanding of the exact location and function of our organs, bones, muscles, and systems.

Medical Nutrition Therapy: I will not be taking Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy until next fall, along with my clinical rotations; however I had been given advice from previous interns to keep my MNT book. I know that when taking Advanced MNT, I will be required to buy a different book; but there is always a chance that the book you have is sufficient enough! This book is the most in-depth source I have regarding nutrition and specific diseases and conditions. I have used it multiple times as a reference.

Special Topics: I have also kept books that were of personal interest to me; such as an applied approach to sports nutrition. If you know that you are going to enter into food service management, it would be beneficial to keep a food service management book; if you want to enter into childhood nutrition, you may want to keep a book on nutrition across the lifespan. I also kept books that I truly felt had great information or were a pleasant read. I can’t say I use them all the time, but I enjoy having them since I know they have valuable information. It is easier to reference a source you already know and trust than trying to find a reliable source from the internet.

Quick References: Over my 4 undergraduate years I acquired multiple reference booklets that are a great way to brush up on knowledge: I have a flip book on food and medicine interactions, a pocket guide to nutrition and diet therapy, an exchange list for diabetes, as well as the Penguin Handbook from freshman year (this has helped with citations, references, and grammar when writing papers).

Notes: I kept my notebooks from nearly all my courses; however I only brought a few of them with me to graduate school. I brought notebooks from courses that were jam-packed with information, or that were of special interest to my field, sports nutrition. This included by MNT notebook, Nutritional Problems in the US, and Energy Metabolism.

If you are tight on money, remember: you are studying so that you can eventually get a job and make money. A $200 book seems pricey, but it’s hardly anything in the grand scheme of things!

The Key to Career Success: Networking!

2011-10-26T10:54:00.001-04:00

As a freshman I did not think a whole lot about networking because it did not seem all that important at the time. By my senior year I realized what I wish I had known as a freshman; that networking is not only important, but also key to career success. The sooner you understand the power of networking, the sooner you can reap the benefits. This past weekend I attended a regional school nutrition conference where I had the chance to network with school nutrition professionals. It is always important to put your best foot forward and make the best impression you can! Here are some effective networking tips:

§ Dress the part. You never know when you have the chance to network but for the occasions that you can prepare for, make sure you are wearing professional attire. You want to look “put together” but aim for a more classic look rather than something trendy.

§ Smile! You may think this tip is just common sense, but it is so extremely important. Communication between two people is much more than just an exchange of words. Be conscious that your body language is sending the same message that your words are.

§ Make a business card. Being able to exchange business cards with the people you are networking with will show that you are prepared and professional. There are many online sites where you can order unique business cards. The site that I have used is www.zazzle.com. There are many templates to choose from and for under $20 you will get 100 cards.

§ Follow up. This may mean shooting a quick thank you e-mail, getting together to discuss professional opportunities over coffee, or sending them more information about something you discussed during your conversation. Whichever way you choose to do it, make sure to follow up and continue correspondence to build and enhance your professional network.

Me with a fellow intern, Heather, at a conference we attended. The theme of the conference was "Saddle up with Nutrition".

Beginning the Application Process for DI's

2011-10-24T13:26:00.003-04:00

I know it seems like it's a little early to start your DI application via DICAS, but it’s never too early to start thinking about it and planning for it. The portal opens on December 1^st so I’m trying to get everything in order to make this process as easy as possible. I’ve been talking with people who are either in their internship right now or have been through this process recently. Here are some tips that they’ve told me:

Get transcript requests sent right away. It may take a while for some schools to send them, and if you’re a transfer student like me, you’ll have to make requests for multiple transcripts. Not only does DICAS need them, but you also have to input all the courses you’ve taken so that they can calculate various GPAs. You might want to do this part first since it’s the most tedious.

Ask people to write your recommendation letters as soon as possible. Hopefully they’ll all say that they’d love to write them for you, but you may come across some problems—they might be too busy, etc. Also ask them what they need to write the letter. You may need to send them your personal statement, past homework assignments or you may need to sit and talk with them about what your goals are.

If you are applying to more than one internship, make sure you know what each internship’s focus is. You are going to have to write a different personal statement for each one you apply to. I believe that this is going to be the most time consuming part for me—even more so than deciding which internships I am going to apply to. Once they are written, have everyone you know read them! The more eyes that see them, the more feedback you can get before you submit your application.

Contact the program directors. Either talk with them in person or over the phone. If there is an open house for the internship you’re interested in, GO!!! Meet the people you could be working with! When they get your application they’ll be able to put a face to the name.

Most importantly, be yourself. Be genuine about what your goals and interests are.

This whole application process can be so daunting. Make it easy for yourself and DO NOT procrastinate!

By: Allison Richards

Studying All the Time for Graduate School

2011-10-19T22:27:00.001-04:00

Time spent studying = ALL THE TIME

Thanks for the question/comment Christina.

I am spending a lot more time studying in graduate school than I ever did for my undergraduate courses. The difference, however, is that in undergrad I studied for exams or quizzes, or spent time doing homework. In graduate school I am spending my time, reading, researching, writing, reading…(did I mention reading?) and I might not even have an exam coming up! But it is completely unacceptable to arrive to class unprepared or uneducated on the material. When I have an exam, they are ten times harder than undergraduate exams. They tests have mostly essay questions. It is difficult to be in the top of the class when everybody is exceptionally smart.

Sometimes I think that graduate school is easier in the sense that I spend less time in class and have less homework due every day. For example, I am only taking 14 credits and only have class 4 days a week, which is much less than undergrad! However the level of knowledge that is expected out of graduate students is MUCH higher than what is expected from undergraduate students; and for that reason, I am studying constantly. When I eat my lunch, I read a chapter of a school book; when I’m driving with my roommate, we quiz each other on lecture material; when I exercise on an elliptical or on a stationary bike, I read over my notes in front of me… these are the times that I study in addition to my normal study habits at my desk or in the library. It is never ending. However, with that said, it doesn’t always feel like studying. This is my life. Nutrition is my career. I am surrounded by it 24/7 and I engage myself in it.

If any one else has a question about graduate school, leave it in a comment and we'll answer it!

By: Lindsey Pfau

Cafeteria Manager to Be!

2011-10-17T14:42:00.002-04:00

I am completely finished with my five-week cafeteria management rotation! This rotation was extremely important to me because it is one of the top reasons I applied to the Sarasota District Schools internship program. Five weeks seems like a long time but I learned that managing a food service operation is not an easy task! Here are a few of the top things that I learned during this rotation:

· As a manager you have to choose your battles. A manager who picks out all the bad will start to bring the morale in the kitchen down. Employees may not be perfect all the time and they do make mistakes. As a manager it is important to remember what strengths each employee brings to the table, for it is these strengths that make the food service operations possible.

· Do not let your paperwork get behind, even by one day. As a manager you can sometimes feel like you are swimming in paperwork. If you put the paperwork off you will feel like you are drowning in paperwork. Do whatever you can to make sure that production sheets get filled out, orders get received, and reports get printed. This will keep you less stressed and up to date!

· Come to work with a smile everyday. Whatever is bothering you in your personal life needs to be left at the door the second you walk into the kitchen. The manager’s mood sets the tone in the entire kitchen and if the manager is having a bad day it seems to have a domino effect. The manager interacts with parents, teachers, and children on a daily basis so it is important that the manager presents a positive image of the food service staff at all times.

I learned so much more than these three things that I hope to use in my future career. After completing this rotation I am confident that I want to pursue a career as a food service dietitian and that means that this time next year I may be managing my own school cafeteria. Such an exciting thought!

By: Amanda Bot

Graduate School Q&A

2011-10-14T16:32:00.000-04:00

Hey everybody!

I’ve been writing about my graduate school experience for almost two months now. Hopefully I’ve provided you with some insight as to what graduate school entails and some direction in your decision process to continue education or not.

I am hoping to get some feedback from you! If you are even the slightest bit inclined to apply to graduate school, or if you are 100% convinced that you are going, I’d like to know what you are thinking and what questions you have. Questions can range from how to apply, what to expect, how much I study, or how much I get to relax! I am here to help you, so please ask!

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this quick graduate school update: I am studying more than I ever have in my whole life. My head hurts; but I am still smiling!

Need Help Deciding Which DI's to Apply for? Read These Tips from Amanda Bot!

2011-10-12T16:25:00.003-04:00

With over 200 internships in the country, choosing which internships you want to apply to can be very overwhelming. Here are a few strategies that I, or people I know, used when deciding which internships to apply to:

Make a PowerPoint document with slides featuring each program you are interested in. On each slide list the internship’s location, emphasis, unique qualities, cost/stipend and any other information that you deem important in your decision-making. List all the pros and cons of each internship. This provides an easy way to compare one internship to another.

Talk to the people whose opinions you value. Talking with someone about the decision you are trying to make helps to sort out your thoughts and focus your priorities much better than if you keep your thoughts inside your head. I talked to my classmates who were also applying to internships and to my RD mentor.

Do not let your self become stressed about your decision. Find a way to relieve your stress, especially if you are feeling the weight of the decisions you have to make. I have found that setting aside a little bit of time each day for an activity I enjoy such as exercising or reading de-stresses me and clears my mind so that I am able to make decisions with a calm mindset.

Most important: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. Procrastinating on your decision of where to apply to a dietetic internship can set the entire process into a tailspin. Start your research early and be prepared so you have plenty of time to write your personal statements and contact the internships that you feel are your perfect fit.

By: Amanda Bot

Meet Jill and Read Her Inspiring Story

2011-10-10T11:01:00.002-04:00

In 2009, I graduated from St. Lawrence University with a degree in English. Having focused my undergraduate studies in writing by the time I had graduated I had completed several editorial internships at a handful of publishing houses in New York and London. After graduation, I immediately joined the marketing department at Lilly Pulizer as an intern and eventually started to work at Parents Magazine in ad sales. If someone were to have asked me at the time where I saw myself in five years…the answer was definitely not studying nutrition and dietetics to become a registered dietitian. However, secretly when I wasn’t at work I was searching the web to learn about careers in nutrition, and schools with dietetic programs. I learned about careers for registered dietitians and absorbed the various possible paths I could take to get involved in the nutrition field. I knew that if I wanted to go back to school, complete the required coursework for the dietetic internship and become a registered dietitian, it was not going to be easy. I also knew that I needed to make a career change, and when I asked myself where I wanted to see myself in five years I wanted the answer to be an expert in dietetics and practicing clinical nutrition.

In January 2011, I started as a full-time nutrition and dietetics student at Simmons College in Boston, MA. Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Biology, and Introduction to Nutrition….is the start to a long list of pre-requisite courses required for the Didactic Program in Dietetics. Having focused my undergraduate studies as an English major with a concentration in writing the only science class I took in undergrad was environmental science! Yikes, what was I getting myself into! Could I really go back to school and take undergrad classes all over again? I don’t let these intimidating courses trap me and limit me from making the one of the most important decisions I have made in my twenty-four years. As someone who once was a writer and has overcome creative blocks when faced with a blank sheet of lined paper, I have taken on the same approach to the extensive list of prerequisite courses I need in order to become a dietitian and expert in nutrition.

As I continue to travel down a road that will lead me to my passions I hope to share some advice to those who are contemplating a career change too. I think it’s a great idea to make a list of why you need a change, and then make a second list of all your passions and skills. Meanwhile, make sure to explore all the career ideas that you see possible; don’t let time prevent you from pursuing your career and passion. Eventually, make a clear path by realizing that it is possible for you to do whatever you like. Look at where you are now, and look at where you want to see yourself…and build a possible path by working backwards.

As I begin to blog for All Access Internships and share tips about the career changes in the nutrition and dietetic fields I hope to highlight many of my exciting experiences and motivations during my second round of school.

-Jill

Tips for Taking the GRE

2011-10-07T19:00:00.001-04:00

It is officially Fall and that means it’s time to take the GRE (Graduate Record Exam)!

Some of you may have already taken it, which is wonderful! But for those of you who haven’t yet, this is the time when you should definitely sign up and at least have a test date scheduled.

Most dietetic internships do not require that you take the GRE, but graduate schools do. If you are still unsure which path you want to take, I suggest taking the GRE to keep your options open.

It can be very difficult to study for the GRE while in the middle of your semester. School can be challenging enough with midterms, papers, projects, and having a social life. But my main advice is: persevere. You have to do this. You will get through it. It will be worth it to keep your options open and give you the opportunity to go to graduate school.

My next advice: study. I will be the first to admit that I did not study enough for the GRE. I felt I was too busy. I assumed that since I was college educated I would be able to handle the obstacles of the test. For the most part this was true; however as a dietetic student who spent the last 4 years concentrating solely on science, the verbal portion of the GRE resulted in hair pulling and teeth grinding.

Buy or borrow a study book. Make a schedule for yourself such as: study for 3 hours every Sunday and 2 hours cumulatively throughout the week for 6 weeks leading up to your test. You could also make a schedule determined by the sections of the study book: such as getting through two chapters every week. Another option would be to accomplish daily tasks such as learning 2 new words per day, and practicing 15 math and 15 verbal problems every day. Whatever your schedule is, be sure to cover all areas of the exam and finish it in a timely manner before you take the exam.

Visit the GRE website. Read through the instructions before taking the test. Read the tips that they provide. I found that this actually prepared me the most for the test because it gave helpful advice as to how to understand the questions, how to choose an answer even if you don’t know the answer, and how to manage your time while taking the exam. Additionally the website has daily practice problems that you can do.

If you take the GRE and you did not get the score you wanted; do not stress. Learn from your mistakes. What was the hardest part of the exam? Was it the problems? Was it the pressure of time? Was it understanding the questions? Identify what your biggest problem with the test was and work on that first. Schools do not mind if you have to take the exam more than once. Only your best score matters. If they see you didn’t do so well the first time, the best thing you can do for yourself is to try again and improve!

Good luck!

By: Lindsey Pfau

Managing an Elementary School Cafeteria

2011-10-05T14:44:00.000-04:00

I only have one more week before I take over as manager in an elementary school cafeteria. I will be focusing on getting comfortable filling out production sheets on my own, understanding reports and submitting grocery orders. Before this rotation, I had no idea what managing a food service operation demanded. I have learned that managing is not just about discipline and managing your employees. It is about helping your employees to do their jobs the best that they can by making sure they have all the necessary tools to perform their job duties.

One thing that college gave me was a consistent schedule each semester. It may have taken a couple weeks for me to adjust to my new class schedule but by week three I had it pretty much figured out. My internship has thrown me for a bit of a loop because my schedule is constantly changing and as soon as I develop a routine in one rotation, another one begins. Up until a couple weeks ago I was treating my internship as more of a job where I would focus on my internship for 8 hours a day, five days a week. I have set aside at least one evening a week now, more if needed, to work on internship assignments, homework and research. Having a schedule and time set aside to do various tasks has helped me to get my focus back where it needs to be. It is more difficult now that I do not have the routine of college life but I am glad I am able to apply some of the time management skills I learned during my undergrad to my life during my internship.

By: Amanda Bot

Navigating through the EAL and Our First Case Study

2011-10-03T14:22:00.001-04:00

The first week of exams has flown by. It really helps to look through the syllabus and mark down all the important days for the week and month. Like most dietetic students, I wish I had been able to go to San Diego for the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE). I was able to attend last year’s expo that was in Boston, and I would recommend that all dietetic students to participate in the Expo at least once in their undergraduate career. When I went last year, I was able to see how competitive the dietetic internship process really is.

One of my favorite classes this semester is Medical Nutrition Therapy and last week we finally finished our first case study. I learned how to apply the Nutrition Care Process and how to use the evidence analysis library. One thing that I found difficult was the EAL library because if you close a window it would be hard to find that page again. I ended up saving every page that I opened so that it would be easier to find what I needed. Now that we are done with the first case study I am very excited to start a new one next week and hopefully get better with applying the nutrition care process as the semester goes on.

Also FNCE is a great way to meet new people and network. If you missed out on this year’s FNCE you can always go to the one in Philadelphia next year. It would be a good idea to organize a group trip with all the dietetic students in your school’s nutrition department and invite professors to go with you. Plan ahead so you have a chance to be apart of next year’s FNCE!

By: Mavis Ren

Making Friends & Future Co-workers

2011-09-30T23:08:00.002-04:00

One bonus to graduate school is that I am still in an environment that supports building social networks. All of my classes are small, with around 15 people, and we all share a common interest and common backgrounds: nutrition, food and health! So with time, I have met all the people in my classes.

Last night I went to dinner with my roommate and two people from my department. We talked about many things ranging from how our weekends were, to our experiences thus far in the Tallahassee area, to, of course, nutrition, food and health. The majority of friends that I’ve made here have been from within my department and I find it helpful that we can all feed off each other (no pun intended). When we are in the classroom, we help each other out with studying, homework, and even just understanding the material. When we are outside of the classroom, we still help each other out with learning.

I feel that I am learning twice as fast here as I was in my undergraduate school. Part of it is because I am simply doing more work than I was in undergraduate. However, surrounding myself with peers that are just as passionate and enthused about nutrition as I am makes it very easy to spend all day learning about nutrition. Additionally, I know that it is beneficial to my career to establish relationships with people who will be in my field. Some day they may help you get a job, or you may help them!

Having not worked in the field yet or started internship rotations, I can’t say that this ‘community of nutrition enthusiasts’ is necessarily unique to graduate school. However, I will say that I am very happy that I continued with academia because this setting of students learning and helping one another is helping me gain more knowledge as allowing me to have fun!

Who knows, all these friends that I’m having fun with may some day be my co-workers!

By: Lindsey Pfau

Ask a Question about DICAS to be Entered into a Drawing to Win a Free E-book!

2011-09-29T21:22:00.004-04:00

AAI Announcement: We are having a giveaway!

Hi AAI blog readers! Hope you all are having a great semester.
We want to thank you for participating in the AAI Blog by giving away a copy of Jenny Westerkamp's E-book, Getting Matched: A Guide for Dietetics Students. This E-book provides you with the tools needed for increasing your chances of getting into a dietetic internship.

To be entered into the drawing you will need to:

   1.) Leave a comment on this post asking any question you have about DICAS.

    2.) Become a fan of AAI on facebook, if you are not already.

   3.) Follow AAI on twitter!

Also, leave your e-mail address on your comment, so we’ll know how to contact you if you win. You will have a full week to leave comments. So, the winner of the contest will be informed before 8:30 EST on Thursday, October 6th.

-Stephanie Allen
AAI Blog Manager

Week 2 of Food Service Management

2011-09-28T20:32:00.000-04:00

The second week of my food service management was just as fast paced as the first week. The manager at the school where I am located handles all the catering for the school district in addition to her regular duties as cafeteria manager. This week there were three events to be catered for so on top of all the regular duties we had catering food to prepare, transport and serve. It gave me a great opportunity to see how a manager handles several priorities at once. I also saw how good direction to your staff and delegation of tasks can go much farther than trying to do everything yourself.

I really am enjoying food service management because it is fast paced and never boring. There are different challenges every day and each day is different. Learning how to complete production sheets and the weekly grocery order has definitely been a challenge, but it is rewarding once everything starts to make sense. One challenging task that I have been assigned is to devise a new entrée recipe to be placed on the menu throughout the entire school district later this year. The recipe needs to include the required meat/meat alternate and grain components as well as fit within the 41 cent per serving budget. On top of that the recipe needs to fit the sodium, saturated fat and calorie guidelines being implemented for school meals. I have a few ideas that I will be pricing out and completing nutrient analysis on to see if they fit within the criteria. Nutrition and cost aside I think one of the most important criteria for this recipe is child acceptance. I do not want to spend time and energy creating a recipe that kids do not want to eat. So in the midst of learning how to be a cafeteria manager I will be putting my culinary skills to the test as well!

By: Amanda Bot

FNCE: Start Planning and Saving for Next Year

2011-09-26T10:47:00.004-04:00

Like many dietetic students, I really wish I was able to go to the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) this year. There are not only many exciting exhibits, speakers, and educational tools to ogle; there is also information about getting internships. You can meet with many different internship directors and ask them questions and get to know what they and their internships are all about. Of course there are tons of networking opportunities!

I know that there are some scholarships available to students so that they can afford the trip, but I really wish that there were more. These scholarships are often tied to the Dietetic Practice Groups, and you must submit some kind of work, such as a research paper, to be considered for the scholarship. Offering students the opportunity to attend a professional meeting like this is a great way to get them involved in the field and see what being a dietetic professional is really like.

I am currently trying to get a Student Dietetic Association started at my university. I am going to try to institute some kind of fund raising for the members so that in the future, they can take a trip out to the conference. Most of my professors already go to FNCE most years, so why not give the students a chance to tag along? It would be worth the educational experience alone, let alone the chance for networking.

If you are currently an undergraduate student in a dietetic program and are considering attending the expo next year, do yourself a favor and just DO IT. Start saving for the trip now! Plan in advance for next year.

By: Allison Richards

Something to Consider: Location!

2011-09-25T19:14:00.002-04:00

I recently traveled home to Massachusetts for my sister's wedding. It was such an amazing weekend, for many reasons--one of them being that I had the opportunity to go home and see my entire family.

This time last year, I was open to traveling somewhere new by myself. I was willing to sacrifice my current location for the opportunity of the perfect program, no matter where it was. Thus, when researching programs, I looked primarily at the program itself and disregarded location. However, location itself is a very important factor to consider when deciding on an internship or a master's degree.

Personally, after many discussions with my family, I knew I had the support at home and the financial stability to plunge just about anywhere across the U.S. However it is not without a hassle. Extra expenses to consider include out of state tuition, cost of transportation while at your new place (i.e. buying a new car or a metro pass), and the cost of flights or gas money when visiting home. Additionally, if you are not staying local, you will have to invest in renting/buying an apartment or house, and on top of that, buying furniture for it!

I think that the biggest benefit to staying local is in-state tuition! Other benefits are the possibility of living at home, maintaining your current residency, and keeping personal belongings. Less money is spent on traveling, and, of course, the non-financial benefits would be staying close to family and friends and having the comfort of a known area.

I am currently very happy with my decision to move as I have found what I believe is the perfect program for my academic and career goals. This is the ultimate reason why I am here, and I do not regret my decision. I do however know many dietetic students that I graduated with that felt differently. They wanted to stay home to cut down on living expenses, they had professional connections in the area that would advance their career, or because they had a close family member or fiance that they could not leave.

Consider location when researching programs for your future. First ask yourself:

"Would I be happy in another place further from home?" and then follow that question with:

"Do I have the resources to move away from home right now?"

If you answer "Yes" then this might be the perfect opportunity to explore another area and/or culture of the country. However if you answered "no" to those questions, then take the next couple of years to spend time in a place that you know you will be happy, comfortable, and financially stable in.

If in the unfortunate circumstance that you find yourself in a location that is not your favorite for whatever reason, it is assuring to know that most dietetic internships are 1 year, and most masters programs are two years. All things will come to an end, and you can move again, whether somewhere else or back home, in just a couple short years!

By: Lindsey Pfau

Week 1 of My Food Service Management Rotation

2011-09-20T11:45:00.001-04:00

Although the early start (6 am) is a bit challenging for me, I really enjoyed the first week of my food service management rotation. I arrived on Monday morning ready to dive right in and I sure got my chance! An employee was off on a personal day and the kitchen where I am working was down a staff member so they were two workers short. I was amazed at how many responsibilities the cafeteria manager has to handle in one day. Before we were even finished unlocking the coolers and turning on the ovens we had to deal with the arrival of the milk delivery. Right after that we had a food delivery come in which pretty much put us at a pause to what we were doing. Checking the order is extremely important to make sure nothing was missed in the delivery. Finding out your cheese was not delivered the day before nacho day could lead to an extremely stressful situation, and one that could have been avoided if the order had just been checked.

Organization is key to running a food service operation. Aside from checking in orders as they come, the manager needs to keep daily production records, complete the bank deposit, make sure the food preparation for the next day is complete, submit weekly grocery orders, and so much more. If they are not organized then it could be very easy to miss something, which would throw the whole meal service off. I spent a lot of time this past week working the different positions in the kitchens and this week I will start to learn more about how the manager does her job. Learning this challenging yet rewarding job will keep me on my toes!

By: Amanda Bot

Field Trip to the Farmer's Market

2011-09-19T08:11:00.002-04:00

The third week of classes has flown by and I gave my first introductory speech in my public speaking class! I should have taken this class my sophomore year but I was never able to fit it into my schedule and now I am finally taking it as a senior. Public speaking can be pretty nerve-wracking but practice makes perfect! My speech was about my goals and what aspires me to become a dietitian. Many people were surprised to have nutrition major in a public speaking class because majority of the people who enroll in this class are business majors.

This past week, for my nutrition food and culture class, we had another field trip and this time it was to the farmers market. Luckily it was located on the Syracuse University quad so we did not have to find transportation in order to get there. As I browsed through each table I noticed that each table had completely different products. I went back to the first table and began to ask questions about whether they used synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides or other chemicals, where does all the food come from, for livestock, do they use antibiotics, steroids or growth hormones, and whether or not they take steps to reduce soil erosion. By the end of the visit I discovered that the majority of the local farmers in central New York are not organic certified. Mainly because most of them are small family run businesses and they explained that they cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars each year for the organic label seal. However, they do follow the same procedures for organic farming and sell locally to restaurants and farmers markets.

In addition to the farmers market this week my group began writing our lab report following the nutrition care process guidelines. Since it was our first time writing our lab report, it actually took us a very long time to make sure everything was correct. However, our professors told us that by the end of the semester we will become really good at it and when we do get the dietetic internships we will probably be able to do up to seven per day. I really looking forward for that day to come!

By: Mavis Ren

Seize Opportunities and Get Involved!

2011-09-16T07:36:00.001-04:00

My second week of classes has come and gone; along with my first quiz! My quiz was on glycolysis. During my undergrad years it seemed that every nutrition/kinesiology/physiology/biochemistry class had to review glycolysis each semester! Well, grad school is apparently no different. In my Carbs, Fats, and Proteins class we had a quiz on glycolysis. The very next day, in Nutrition and Exercise class, we covered glycolysis, and the day after that my Basic Exercise Physiology class covered it as well! This FSU department can rest assured that their students know glycolysis like the back of their hands.

This week I felt more comfortable going to classes and knowing my way around the buildings; our department became very small very fast. This level of comfort made me realize just how much graduate school is different (so far). In my undergraduate years, faculty and parents encouraged me to get involved with the school in as many ways as possible. Joining clubs and groups was not only a beneficial way to learn and stand out from others, but it was also a social aspect that helped students experience everything that college life has to offer. I was on an athletic team, I was in the nutrition association, I helped out with the church on campus, I gave nutrition talks to residential dorm buildings, I supported other athletic teams, I went to a few concerts and dance recitals….Needless to say, I was involved with my school. My involvement gave me great opportunities to make friends, experience other people and their talents, help people, further my career, and broaden my interests.

Even though I am still at a huge university with a lot of opportunities offered, I am having a much different experience. I feel more like a part-time student commuting to campus than a full-time student. Four out of my six classes are at night. I live and work off campus. I am not in any clubs or groups on campus, and I don’t have a meal plan on campus. In fact, I’ve only been inside about three buildings on campus! I am enjoying the fact that school is not my whole life right now, but rather it is just a part of it. However I do think I would like to feel a bit more connected to the school in some way-- even if it is just to join an intramural sports team!

I will say that if you are still in your undergrad: GET INVOLVED. College offers a unique opportunity to experience almost anything you can think of, and once you graduate, these opportunities will become sparse. Not only will all of it help you become a well-rounded and versatile person, but these same qualities of being active are what graduate programs and dietetic internships look for. Take advantage of all the opportunities that you are being offered because once your four years are over, it will take much more effort on your part to be active in the community, even if you continue on to graduate school like me!

By: Lindsey Pfau

Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests, Hemoglobin A1C Values and Carbohydrate Counting!

2011-09-14T17:49:00.002-04:00

This past week I said goodbye to school cafeterias and spent my first week of clinical rotations following a dietitian specializing in outpatient diabetes education and counseling. I expected to learn a lot about diabetes during this rotation, but I was surprised at how much I learned about nutrition counseling. I have had an interest in nutrition counseling ever since I took the nutrition education and counseling course in undergrad. Every patient that I observed in a counseling session this past week came in with a different level of acceptance and understanding of their diabetes diagnosis. I was fascinated by how the dietitian adjusted her counseling style and the way she delivered and presented information according to the individual needs of each client. Most people would start the session very uneasy about changing their diets because they assumed the dietitian was going to tell them they could never eat a dessert, pasta or pizza ever again. I was amazed to see the difference that a two-hour counseling session could make in turning their attitude about their diabetes and meal plan around. Almost everyone left with a positive attitude about carbohydrate counting, even the people who at the beginning of the session said that they had no interest in counting their grams of carbohydrates!

I also had the opportunity to do my own counseling session with a friend of mine. We completed a 24 hour food recall, which I then completed a diet analysis on using the exchange system and the excel sheet that the dietitian uses in her own counseling sessions. From the diet analysis I had to fill out a meal plan with carbohydrate, fat and protein allowances for each meal and snack throughout the day.

Next week I am back in the schools and will be starting my five-week cafeteria management rotation. I have already met the manager and staff at the elementary school where I will be completing this rotation and am really looking forward to working with all of them. Bring on the early mornings and fast paced atmosphere of a school cafeteria!

By: Amanda Bot

Save Everything!

2011-09-12T21:23:00.001-04:00

I mentioned in the last post that I studied abroad in Hong Kong last semester. Even though the classes that I took while I was abroad had nothing to do with my major, I thought it was the most rewarding experience I had my entire life. After studying abroad I believe that everyone should take the opportunity while they are in college to go to another country and study for a semester. I went back to the United States much more focused and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life post-graduation. Going abroad puts you in situations that you have never experienced before.

The second week of classes just ended and the content of the classes began to speed up. I am taking eight classes this semester and surprisingly it has not been that hard trying to keep up with everything. I find that reviewing class notes and lectures and also reading the textbooks are two very helpful studying techniques. My favorite class right now is probably Nutrition Food and Culture because we get to go on field trips and learn more about different food cultures. This week we went to an organic farm located in central New York and what my professor wanted us to learn was where our food sources come from and gain firsthand experience of how produce is grown. Also in my senior seminar class we are starting to build our portfolio and generate our resumes and cover letters. One piece of advice that I have for all undergraduates is to keep all your notes and work throughout college. Some of the saved items can actually be used for your portfolio. I thought far in advance enough to save some of my papers, and now I just have to take everything and put it nicely into a binder. I am also beginning to look in greater depth of the different programs and beginning to narrow my options down. Starting the DI application early is really important because things start to get really hectic on top of having to keep up with school work!

By: Mavis Ren

Lindsey's First Week of Classes

2011-09-09T16:26:00.002-04:00

Monday was my first day of graduate school! The night before I had trouble falling asleep as so many thoughts were running through my mind: Did I register correctly? Are the classes going to be too hard? Will the teachers test our knowledge on the first day? Will there be parking on campus?? EVERYTHING was making me nervous. Surprisingly, the first day went very well! Monday morning, I woke up, had a hardy breakfast to give me brain power for the day. I found parking on campus without a problem, and had my first class with an extremely kind and intelligent professor. The rest of the day continued to flow smoothly.

During my classes, the teachers mostly went over the syllabus. A few teachers gave us quick introductory lectures about what the course would entail. I found myself sitting in class with a huge grin on my face.

It will indeed require hard work, but I am so excited to learn! To some people, school and learning are a hassle; it is stressful and difficult, and the day they graduate they never want to go back.

Of course school is challenging for me as well; however, being challenged intellectually motivates me even further to learn. Having the opportunity to learn from professors, doctors, and RDs as educated and achieved as the ones at FSU excites me about my field! Learning makes me happy because I know that I have a unique opportunity to advance in my career and become better in my profession.

The classes and course descriptions (taken from my professors syllabi) I am taking this semester are:

Models of Health Behavior – A course that focuses on the relationship between health behavior and health status as well as psycho-social theories which provide a framework for understanding behavior maintenance.

Nutrition and Exercise – A course providing theoretical and applied background for why nutrition is important in active people and athletes and how nutrient intake can impact health, performance, and many physiological processes.

Biochemistry of Carbs, Fats, and Proteins – An advanced nutrition course understanding the interrelationships of nutrients in digestion, absorption, transport, metabolism and excretion; it focuses on carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins with an emphasis on mechanisms of action and regulation.

Seminar- Other students research and present a topic of their own. As a first semester student I simply sit in to listen and learn; however next semester I will be presenting myself!

Basic Exercise Physiology - This is a pre-requisite for my program that I did not have in my undergraduate. The title is self explanatory.

To be honest, 14 credits doesn’t make my schedule feel overwhelmingly full, like I was expecting graduate school to feel like. However, the homework that must go into these classes will greatly exceed the time spent in class. I am also getting a part time job to support my studies. My free time will fill up very quickly! Especially since this weekend will be dedicated to the first FSU home football game!

Back in Massachusetts, where I am from, football is a sport. In the south, it seems that football is a lifestyle. I will have to get all my reading and studying done before the weekend so I can participate in the festivities and take advantage of the fact that I am still a student and get access to school games!

An Update on Amanda's Rotations

2011-09-07T10:34:00.003-04:00

These past couple weeks have flown by with the start of the school year. I have been spending time in elementary, middle and high schools serving on the lunch lines, helping to prep and clean up the school meals, and cashiering. So far I have had some amazing experiences working with people of all ages from kindergarteners all the way up to the school kitchen managers. This week I will begin my clinical rotation at Sarasota Memorial Hospital where I will be working with patients who have diabetes. I am really looking forward to applying some of the knowledge I gained from my medical nutrition therapy classes to real life situations!

It feels very odd not preparing for the start of a new school year, as it is the beginning of September, which is the time when the University of MN begins each year. This time last year I was making lists of all the things I wanted most out of an internship. It is extremely important that you start sorting out which internships you want to apply to now. This way you will have narrowed down your list by the time applications are due. Narrowing down which internships you want to apply to may seem like an easy task, but it is actually quite time consuming. I spent a lot of time going through each internship considering what each one could offer me. Here are a few things I considered while trying to sort through all of the internships:

The emphasis of the program: This is where you will spend the majority of your rotation time. Make sure that the programs you apply to match up with your career interests!
Graduate school options: Last fall I was interested in applying to a coordinated program where I could get both my internship and master’s degree completed. Although I did not end up applying to a coordinated program, this is definitely an option that requires consideration if you are interested in grad school.
GPA and other requirements: All internships are unique and many have specific requirements that they are looking for in their applicants. Make sure you meet all application criteria before applying to a program.

Remember, if you start on your DI applications early, you will have more than enough time to narrow down your top internships and complete an outstanding application. Have a wonderful start to your school year!

Mavis's First Week of School - Discovering Ways to Be Active on Campus

2011-09-05T10:33:00.000-04:00

This is the first week that I have spent in Syracuse in nine months. I studied abroad in Hong Kong last semester. As a senior in college, I am realizing that there are a lot more responsibilities than there were in the previous semesters. For the past three years, people kept telling me that I did not have to worry so much until I become a senior. Well, that year has finally come!

Entering senior seminar, many of my classmates had similar concerns about dietetic internships. Many did not know where to begin their research on applying to different programs. As a campus representative for AAI, I shared about all the resources that AAI provides. Many came back to me and told me how useful the website was in terms of navigating through the internships that were listed for each state.

This week I also signed up with my nutrition volunteer coordinator to help with Books and Cooks. It is a program where nutrition majors teach children about different cultures’ cuisines and at the end of the session we actually make some of the recipes that we described to them. This is a great way to interact with the Syracuse community, and at the same time, teach children about different food cultures. In addition, I will be a teaching assistant for one of the courses in the hospitality management department in Syracuse University. I am trying to make the best out of my senior year since it is my last year in college!

Lindsey's Second Week - Thesis or No Thesis?

2011-09-01T19:04:00.005-04:00

This past week I had New Graduate Student Orientation! I was hoping that all of my questions that I had about the program would be answered; but unfortunately I just became more confused and developed even more questions!

The simplest things such as setting up your new school email address, figuring out parking permits, and getting a U-card made me feel like a freshman all over again! And on top the “newbie confusion”, I have important things to worry about such as registering for classes, setting up internship rotations, and deciding on a thesis!

Speaking of theses, I’d like to explain exactly how this combined program is set up.

The MS in Nutrition is 27 graduate course credits. Since I am specializing in sports nutrition, I have to take more courses. Now I am up to 33 graduate course credits. Next we must do 1 credit hour of supervised teaching and 18 credit hours of internship rotation = A TOTAL OF 52 credits.

That alone is almost 1.5x more than a normal graduate program that is around 30 credits…

So if one wants to complete a thesis, it is an extra 6 credit hours of work that one must commit on top of the 52, which makes a total of 58 hours! Doing a thesis would be a lot of work in a program like this. However there are some great benefits from completing a thesis, including having the opportunity to complete in-depth research in an area of your own interest with the funding and support by the school. One would learn a lot, advance their career, build connections with teachers and researchers, and further the field in scientific research. Additionally if there is any interest or opportunity for obtaining a PhD in the future, then completing a thesis would be highly recommended.

Currently, I am undecided about completing a thesis or not; however I am leading towards not (explained below).

If you are interested in a combined program I wouldn’t worry too much about thesis vs. non-thesis until you get into the program and meet your professors. However, there are a few things that you can think about early on that may influence your decision making in internship choices:

1. Do you have any interest in obtaining a PhD?

- If yes, you should pursue a master’s program and definitely consider completing a thesis.

o If you do this, you may want to consider postponing an internship until after you receive a master’s/PhD. You may not want to complete a combined program but rather obtain your degrees first and then apply them to an internship after, which should be easier to get matched since you would already be so educated!

o OR if you still like the idea of a combined program, you must accept the fact that you may not complete a masters, thesis, and internship in a mere 2 years. You may be in the program for up to 3 years.

- If no, refer to question 2 below:

2. Are your short term goals to be an RD or to publish research?

- A lot of people, including myself, want to get involved in research as much as possible. However my true goal is to be a registered dietitian within the next 2 years. After 6 total years of higher education, I want to receive the degrees and certifications I deserve and move on with my life, get a job, and begin my career! If I chose non-thesis, I could still be involved in research and gain experience and knowledge, but not complete any projects that are fully my own. However, if I stay on track, I will obtain my RD in 2 years.

- If you feel that you want to seize the opportunity to publish your own research, you may be postponing your immediate career opportunities; however, your career may benefit in the long run. Your goal of becoming an RD may be delayed a year or so, however, having published research should most certainly advance your career!

So as you research your future, consider the following questions:

Is higher education a goal of yours? Is it immediate or can it be postponed?
Is becoming an RD an immediate goal or one that can be postponed?
Is obtaining a PhD in your plans at all?

And of course, if none of this is of interest to you, getting a master’s degree may not be for you. You don’t have to have it to become an RD. It is just a plus! J

First Day of School!

2011-08-31T17:50:00.000-04:00

This week is the first week of school for the Sarasota School District. I was up and in the kitchen by seven thirty ready to help wherever I could! At times it seemed like I was more in the way than of any actual help. I ended up helping to prepare one hundred pounds of corn, 13 sheets of breadsticks, 4 pots of marinara sauce and 1.2 oz. cups of raw broccoli. As an intern I have already learned that you need to be able to jump in wherever you are needed and your day never goes quite as you originally planned. I really am enjoying this challenge and it certainly keeps me from getting bored, there is always something happening in food service!

Last week my fellow interns and I were presented with the challenge of creating a fun way to promote the Fuel Up to Play 60 nutrition and physical activity campaign at the back to school meeting. We spent a couple hours of hours creating a fun 10-minute skit, which we then performed in front of over 300 food service employees. It was a great way to be creative and introduce ourselves to everyone we will be working with in our internship this coming year! Over the next week I will be working in a middle school learning everything I can about production sheets, preparing meals, ordering and everything else that comes with running a school foodservice operation. I have so much to learn, and this is just the beginning!

-Amanda

Mavis's Introduction & Helpful Advice

2011-08-29T17:05:00.001-04:00

Hello AAI blog followers! My name is Mavis Ren and I am currently a senior at Syracuse University. I am very excited to be the featured undergraduate for this semester and I hope to share my experience with applying to dietetic internships this year.

I was born and raised in New York City which gave me an opportunity to explore all different parts of the city and experience the various cultures. As I grew older and had more chances to travel the city with my friends, I began to discover different foods in different parts of the city. Once I started high school, I knew I wanted to become a Registered Dietitian because I was so intrigued about food and nutrition. I entered my freshmen year in college and decided to dedicate my college career into becoming a Registered Dietitian.

As I walked through the quad at Syracuse University, I saw so many freshmen, which made me think about my freshmen year and how I tried to be active in the community. I remember my advisor telling me about how difficult it would be getting matched with a Dietetic Internship. It did not stress me out until the summer before my senior year. Here are some suggestions on how to become active on your campus and at the same time get your resume ready for the application process:

Join clubs: In the beginning, it may be difficult to adjust to the new community; however, by joining a club, you will be able to meet people who share the same interests.
READ YOUR EMAILS: One thing I noticed is that a lot of undergraduates do not like to read their emails. Quite frequently, professors send out emails notifying people about internship, volunteer or research opportunities. If you don’t check your email often, you might miss out on a great opportunity!
Join nutrition organizations: I found this to be the most helpful part of my college career because I was able to meet people of the same major. At the same time ask upperclassmen about the DI application process and which classes to take.
Volunteer: Exposing yourself to new environments can help you discover how well you work under different conditions. It also gives you a chance to learn more about yourself and what you like and don’t like to do.

These are some of the things that helped me get involved on campus and meet more people. It is very important to learn more about the community that you will be spending four years in, because college is all about networking and meeting new people!

Lindsey's Introduction -- MS & DI Program

2011-08-23T19:19:00.001-04:00

Hi everybody! My name is Lindsey and I will be starting a combined Masters in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship at Florida State University in just one week!

I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition in May. While there, I was also on the UMass Division 1 Track and Field team. Being an athlete naturally sparked my passion for sports nutrition. Additionally, as an undergraduate, my time and efforts were split between academics and athletics. While making decisions about my future, and the internship specifically, I felt that I wanted to spend more time focusing on academics before entering the profession. Those are just two of the reasons that I decided to enter FSU’s combined Masters in Science in Sports Nutrition and Dietetic Internship program. There are, of course, many more factors and reasons that went into my decision making process, and I hope to tell you all about them as I blog for AAI!
I am very excited to share my experience with the AAI blog followers so that undergraduate students can get another insight to post-graduation career options. During my undergraduate studies, I was under the impression that there were only two options: Go on to be an RD or do not. To be honest, it wasn’t until my senior year when I began searching myself that I realized there is SO much more to this profession. And even now, as I am about to embark on my 2+ year journey to a M.S. and D.I, I have absolutely no idea what I am getting myself into! Through all my researching and networking I have not met one peer who has gone through a combined program. Hopefully by writing this blog I can reach out to those of you who are considering either a master’s degree or a combined program and give you some insight into what it may be like!

Last August was when I did the majority of my research about internships. One year ago it was very difficult and stressful to look at a list of 200+ internships and narrow it down to just a handful. Yet, somehow, here I am today! So for those of you currently going through the internship researching process my advice for you right now is:

Take this time to truly think about yourself and your goals. Ignore everything that anybody around you is saying; your teachers, parents, classmates, the media, and only think about what YOU enjoy doing, what YOU feel you are best at, and what YOU can see yourself doing in the future. Chose the path that makes you smile and get jitters just by talking about it! (Hopefully it involves dietetics, but if it doesn’t then it is better to discover that now then later!)
Next, once you make a decision, stick with it! Have confidence in yourself. With so many options out there, it is easy to second-guess and have doubts about your choice. However, the fact that a conclusion was reached should be reason enough that it is a good choice. Even if in the end it may not have been the right decision, it is not the end of the world; you will have time throughout your career to try something else, go back to school, or get more experiences.

This week I will be going to Graduate School Orientation and obtaining valuable information to share with you about just one of the many opportunities that are available!

Featured Intern: Week Two - School Food Service

2011-08-17T20:13:00.000-04:00

Getting ready for the school year to start is a crazy time for the school food service staff. My internship is based with Sarasota District Schools so this past week I have been learning all the ins and outs to preparing the kitchens and staff for the start of the school year! My fellow interns and I have attended meetings with the managers, area supervisors and food service director. We are also preparing a presentation to give next week at the back to school meeting with all the food service staff in the entire district (around 300 people). One of the top priorities for the director and area supervisors is to make sure that all the schools are fully staffed. Because of this they have been holding interviews and I have gotten to sit in on a couple of interviews. I have never been in an interview where I was not the one being interviewed and I was able to gain some insight about the employment process.

This past week was the last week of summer feeding so I spent much of the day helping prepare the meals, and traveling to different sites to distribute the meals. The summer feeding program’s purpose is to provide healthy meals to children 18 years and younger during the summer months when they are not getting fed in school. Many kids depend on the nutrition they get from the summer feeding program and it was really great to interact with the excited kids. I am also learning so much about federal nutrition programs from working with the summer feeding program. There is so much paperwork to complete, and guidelines to follow in order to make sure the program continues to get the funding it needs to continue.

Just one more week before the start of school when I can really dive in to my food service rotation!

Featured Intern: First Week

2011-08-10T06:00:00.002-04:00

By Amanda Bot

I am happy to say the first full week of my dietetic internship is officially behind me! Not too much to report on because we are not quite into rotations yet. I have been in Florida for about two weeks now and really am starting to feel comfortable in my new apartment. There is just one big adjustment: I don’t know anyone! This is not like freshman year of college where you move into your freshman dorm with lots of people your age, in your exact same situation. It was not until I dropped my parents off at the airport that it hit me how alone I really was, for the first time in my life.

As soon to be dietetic interns across the country move to the city where they will be completing their DI I imagine they are experiencing similar feelings. Even if that time may be a year or two away for you it will ease your transition into the dietetic internship if you are prepared and have a plan for adjusting to your new environment. For this reason I decided to put together a list of suggestions on how to meet people and become active in your new community.

· Get a part time job: Your coworkers will be great resources for advice on things to do and places to go in your new environment. The chance of becoming friends with some of them is also extremely high!

· Join a gym that offers group classes: You can also join a gym without group classes but it is much easier to talk to someone taking the same class as you than it is by walking up to someone on a treadmill or weight machine.

· Find a place to volunteer: This one is wide open and can provide a multitude of opportunities to become involved in the community and meet new people. One suggestion I was give was to become a volunteer through Big Brothers Big Sisters.

· Become a member of a local club: Maybe you are into running, or books, or cooking, chances are there might be a local organization of a ready-made group of people with the same interest as you!

· Contact the interns who just finished your internship: This is the most advantageous contact you can make before you even move to your new city! Past interns will have advice on places to live, things to do, and they may even have books or supplies they don’t need anymore that they are willing to give you for free or at a discounted price.

The most important thing is to put yourself out there and step out of your comfort zone. The dietetic internship is your top priority but it does not have to be your whole life while you are interning. If you make an effort to meet new people and try new things you can learn both in and outside of the internship!

Featured Intern: Introducing Amanda Bot

2011-08-03T06:00:00.003-04:00

By Amanda Bot

Hello AAI blog followers! I am excited to be the featured intern this semester for AAI and hope to provide you with valuable insights about my dietetic internship experience. A little about my background: I graduated in May from the University of MN-Twin Cities after completing the DPD requirements with a degree in nutrition. After my freshman year of college I decided that I was not meant to be an engineer so I switched career paths and dedicated myself to becoming a Registered Dietitian. Best decision I ever made! I have lived in Minnesota all my life (except for one semester in Australia where I studied abroad), but moved to Florida to begin a dietetic internship with Sarasota District Schools. I could not be more excited! I officially became a dietetic intern on July 27th with the first couple of days being orientation.

A year ago I was in the process of preparing my dietetic internship application. I understand how overwhelming having an empty application can seem. It is important to work on the application over the entire fall semester (assuming you are applying in the spring). The didactic program at my school had a 1 credit senior capstone class that was developed solely to help senior nutrition students prepare their DI applications. Yes that is right - a SEMESTER LONG class where each week was dedicated to a different aspect of the application. So the application is not meant to be filled out a week before it is due. Star now and come February, you will be much less stressed about the application deadline looming only two weeks away. A few resources, in addition to the capstone class, that I used while completing my DI application includes:

My mentor: an RD who was also my supervisor during an internship. She cave me suggestions and feedback about how to make my resume more organized and direct. My mentor also wrote one of my letters of recommendation and proved to be a valuable source of advice. If you do not have a mentor it is never to late to get one, but the sooner you can the better!

Campus Career Center: I had my general personal statement reviewed three different times by the career center staff and also used the free mock interview services offered. I would strongly encourage anyone applying to an internship to investigate what services their campus career center offers.

All Access Internships: I used AAI's services where I felt my application could be strengthened as well as advice on the interview preparation. I had one of my personal statements reviewed by Jenny, and watched the personal statement webinar because that is where I could sell myself the best on my application.

My next post will be a recap of my first week as a Dietetic Intern. If you have any additional questions about the application process, my experience preparing for the internship, or anything else in particular just post a comment. I hope you are all enjoying a relaxing and productive summer!

- Amanda

Guest Post: The Word on Nutrition

2011-06-27T06:00:00.001-04:00

By Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.

One thing we dietitians love to do is spread the word on nutrition. We enthusiastically share information with our patients and clients and at speaking engagements and whenever we meet someone who then asks “What do you?” The size of our audience varies depending on our setting. Teaching classes and speaking to groups is one way to get your message out to a large group of people, but your largest audience may be for the written word. If you want to share your enthusiasm for the power of good nutrition with the masses, consider writing for magazines and websites. Consumers crave health and fitness information and scour websites and magazines for the latest news and best tips. A lot of that information is wrong or misleading and sometimes even harmful. As a nutrition expert and writer, you can give the consumer accurate, useful information.

Not every nutrition guru, however, is an effective writer. Knowing your subject doesn’t mean you can write about it in a clear, interesting and meaningful way – or in a way that editors want. You need nearly perfect grammar skills (fortunately editors pick up and fix tiny mistakes), writing skills, creativity and organization. If you have some of these but not all of them, find a mentor, take a class at the community college or online and visit the library for books on writing and grammar.

Ask yourself how writing fits into your business plan. Do you want to increase your name recognition in your local area to build your private practice? If so, write for local publications. They may not pay much, but your pay will come in the form of a byline. Writing for dietetics and nutrition trade magazines will help you get your name and expertise out in front of other dietitians. If you want to position yourself as an expert on a grander scale, aim for national consumer magazines and websites. Study them for content, style, length and format before you approach editors. Most editors will ask for writing samples. If you don’t already have clips, contact your local and regional newspapers, parenting magazines, business magazines and other local publications. They are usually easier to break into. Not only will you start to build a portfolio, you will learn something along the way. Pick your publications carefully. There are plenty of online sites that will take your articles for free or for a few dollars, but are these the types of sites that you want to associate your name? Some will be, but others can look very bad to editors of respected publications. Just like with food, quality counts more than quantity.

Bio

Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E speaks, writes and cooks up all things nutrition and diabetes. Her work has appeared in Diabetic Living, Environmental Nutrition, EatingWell, My Weight Loss, Today’s Dietitian and other national publications. For two years, she was Contributing Nutrition Editor for Her Sports + Fitness magazine. Jill is currently working on a weight loss book for people with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association is the publisher. Look for it in Spring 2012. Jill earned both a communication’s degree and a master’s of science degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida. When she’s not writing health articles, creating something in the kitchen, consulting to businesses or counseling patients to make reasonable and sustainable lifestyle changes, she’s out enjoying mountain biking with her family or somewhere relaxing with a teeny tiny bite of chocolate (or two). Find her at www.allthatsnutrition.com and follow her on Twitter: @nutritionjill.

Featured Intern: Done and Done!

2011-06-19T18:22:00.000-04:00

By Amanda Sauceda

I am officially done with my dietetic internship! Time flew by these past nine months
and I am happy to report that I am now a test away from becoming a registered dietitian.
It feels so good to be starting the next chapter of my life. Now that I am done I have to
start looking for jobs and study, study for the exam!

This internship was the best learning experience I have ever had and I have come
away from this internship a stronger person. Being an intern is more than just putting
into practice medical nutrition therapy, it is also about becoming a professional. The
internship places you into a variety of situations and you find out about strengths (and
areas to improve upon) that you never thought you had. I have had some interesting
experiences throughout this year that have all been good teaching moments for me. I
never gave much thought about public speaking or how difficult it can be to put together
a presentation last minute, but I loved it. I have always had my challenges with writing
so having a time limit to write an article and successfully doing so was a personal
accomplishment. Even learning that I love pediatric nutrition was a surprise to me and
I now plan to pursue being a pediatric RD. So come into the internship with an open
mind ready and willing to learn. It isn’t always easy but this is your time to shine and put
your skills to the test.

I hope you all enjoyed reading my posts for the past year. It has been great to share my
experiences with you all. I wish all my fellow RDs to be good luck. Enjoy the summer!

Featured Intern: Another Great Week

2011-05-04T20:59:00.000-04:00

By Amanda Sauceda

This has had to be one of the quickest weeks ever. I felt like one minute I was working on my business plan and the next I was getting ready to go to sessions at the California Dietetic Association’s (CDA) meeting. The start of this week was working in my business rotation and it’s off to a great start. The first day I was able to see a side a different side of dietetics. The RD I am working with is in private practice but also is an exercise physiologist. Combining those two titles she works with a wellness program for firefighters. This program consists of fitness testing as well as nutrition counseling. I was able to observe the fitness testing which is something I had never seen before. But my major project for this rotation is actually getting all those ideas I have running through my head and written into my business plan. I’ll continue to work on that the rest of the week along with a few other assignments then this rotation is complete.

The rest of my week was spent at CDA. I had never been to a state meeting before so it was pretty awesome to be around a lot of great dietitians. The first day I was volunteering and got to help out at the registration desk. Working at the check-in desk I got to meet a lot of people as well as other students/interns who were also helping out that day. The second day I got to wander around the product marketplace and see all the different things. Its kind of corny but one of the niftiest things I saw was a little plastic holder in the shape of the pear. They were giving them out so you can place your pear inside so you don’t have to worry about it getting bruised! After the product marketplace I visited the poster sessions and spoke with the presenters. Overall I think my favorite item of the day was listening to session about using games with nutrition education. Loved the presenter and the topic was so new and interesting! On top of it all I got to spend time with my fabulous intern class and make a few more memories before the internship is over.

Hot Topics: Low Fat Dairy

2011-05-03T19:25:00.000-04:00

By Kara Pifer

Many clients come to see nutritional experts to learn easy ways to eat healthier and lose weight. When asked, most of these clients can already name at least a couple of ways that they could change their current eating habits to become a bit healthier. One of the most common suggestions (at least that I’ve heard) is to start replacing your full-fat dairy with low-fat or fat-free dairy. Unfortunately, new research seems to disprove this common suggestion, at least for our country’s youth. Have you given this suggestion to clients or even practice this suggestion yourself? I do not enjoy the taste of milk, but the milk I use for cereal and coffee has almost always been skim milk or at the most, 1%. The yogurt I consume is almost always light or fat-free, but when it comes to cheese, I go for the real deal. I do not necessarily consume these low-fat or fat-free dairy products to lose weight, but for the health benefits of a lower fat consumption in my diet. According to this recent study, I probably make up the ‘saved’ calories in other choices throughout my day (possibly with the ½ cup of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream that I just ate!)

The aforementioned study included 145 child participants ranging in age from 4-13 years old who were assigned into one of two groups. The first group was given no dietary limitations, which means they were able to eat as they would on a regular basis. The second group was told that they must replace all dairy products with either low-fat or fat-free dairy products at least for the duration of the study. My first question comes here: were the families with ‘no dietary restrictions’ necessarily consuming full fat dairy products? It is quite possible that the families in the study were already consuming low-fat or fat-free dairy products so there was no alterations in their diet that would have caused weight loss. My second concern with this study is the length of time the experiment was conducted. It only spanned a length of six months, which means that it is possible that with a longer period of time the children may have shown different results. Then again, it is also possible that the results would remain the same even with a longer time frame.

Although this study seems to disprove the theory that consuming low-fat or fat-free dairy products is good for overall health, there are many positive health outcomes of choosing these over the full-fat variety that should not be overlooked. The Body Mass Index and waist sizes of the participants remained unchanged, but the cholesterol levels decreased in the participants eating the low-fat and fat-free dairy products. Also, the group with the dietary restrictions did consume less fat in their diet, specifically the group consumed less saturated fat which contributed to a lowering of cholesterol. Cholesterol also seems to be a major concern in the United States, which means that for families who are currently consuming full-fat dairy products, changing to low-fat or fat-free dairy may help keep cholesterol low while still providing a good supply of calcium.

Some parents may be worried about the nutritional content of the low-fat or fat-free milk they are being told to give their children. If you’re taking the fat out, does that mean other nutrients are being leached as well? According to this study, the calcium and vitamin D levels are not affected. This is great news, as it seems that Americans have been more worried about consuming adequate levels of vitamins and minerals in the past few years. At least 53% of Americans were consuming daily multivitamins between 2003 and 2006 and that number has most likely increased since that data has been collected. The trouble is that most of the individuals taking these vitamins believe that by taking them, they can eat whatever they want, including low nutrient density foods.

As many health professionals know, changing one habit will not be the magic weight loss tactic in most individuals. There are instances where changing a part of your regular diet will help you lose weight, but for most circumstances, there will not be a drastic effect. Is this what happened in the dairy study? If they had had only selected families who currently consume all full-fat dairy products, would the results show that the switch does make a difference? Only time (and a new research study) will tell.

Featured Student: Maximizing Your Time During Summer

2011-05-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

By Janet Zimmerman

I hear all the time that we are lucky as students to have summer breaks, and I am in total agreement. Summer is a wonderful time to relax and rejuvenate from the stress of a hectic school year (we all need this right after exam week especially!). It is also a time when students have more free time to pursue the things we love doing, whether within the field of dietetics or in general. I know I love being outdoors and spending extra time walking, hiking, biking, and swimming in the summer time. I also love the time that I have to go to conferences, go dietetic association meetings, volunteer at the farmers market, and shadow Registered Dietitians both locally and nationally.

So how do we maximize our summers as students and aspiring RD-to-Be’s?

· Use the extra free time you have for “Me” time. Relaxation and extra fun time during the summer refresh me and keep me from burning out on school. I also love getting to spend more time with friends and family and building relationships that have been put on the back-burner while I had little time with school. Use some of your time to cater to any needs that may have been overlooked during the school year.

· Plan dietetic events and experiences into your summer plans. Look at your local dietetic associations meeting schedule and plan to attend some meetings. Look for opportunities to network with and shadow RDs in your area or across the country. You might want to check out All Access Internship’s great list of internship opportunities. Look for volunteer or job positions with hospitals, WIC, local farmers markets, food service, or whatever you are passionate about.

· Prepare for the Future. Use time to assess what you want to do with your dietetics degree, what internship you want to get into (if you haven’t already applied), and where you see yourself in a few years. Look at the criteria of the dietetic internships that you want to get matched to and start working through the list of things the DI wants in its applicants. Dream a little and set goals for yourself; just knowing an idea of what you want to do is a huge step toward getting there.

What do you plan on doing this summer? I hope each of you will have maximized summers--- filled with excitement, relaxation, and experience!

On a side note, good luck to those of you who are in the middle of exams; I am sure that you will all rock them!! This is my last post as the featured student blogger. Thanks for letting me share my life and tid-bits of advice throughout the semester!

Featured Intern: Almost There!

2011-04-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

By Amanda Sauceda

I was looking in my calendar and realized that I only have five more weeks left in my internship. Time went by so fast after winter break! It seems like yesterday that I was still trying to feel my way through the internship and get acquainted with all the different assignments I had to do. At the same time I feel like I have grown a lot both personally and professionally. The internship has really brought out the skills I had developed as a student and made them even better. I think this last week my time management skills were really been put to the test. I was writing two different articles that I had to do a lot of research on. Sifting through the research and making sure I didn’t get caught up on little details can be challenging. It was especially frustrating when I found an article that would have fit perfectly with the theme of my writing but then it either wasn’t free or my school’s library doesn’t have access to it. Although it sometimes felt like a treasure hunt I did pull through it and had a great start to both of the articles.

So looking ahead I only have 3 more rotations left: business/entrepreneurial, burns, and pediatrics. But what I am really excited for this week is the California Dietetic Association (CDA) conference that I will be going to! I have never been to this meeting before so I’m not sure what to expect but I’ve heard a lot of great things about it. Plus I will be volunteering and attending the student mixer so I look forward to meeting a lot of new people. Next week I’ll have a lot more to report on since I’ll be telling everything that I got to see at CDA. Anyone else almost done with their internship? Or anyone getting ready to start theirs? Either way it’s a very exciting time!

Hot Topics: Think You're Making Healthy Choices? Maybe Not!

2011-04-26T17:32:00.000-04:00

By Kara Pifer

When making your weekly grocery list, you probably think about all the items you plan to eat the upcoming week. This includes all meals, snacks and beverages and most likely it becomes a long list fairly quickly. Mine usually starts at the back of the store, getting milk, eggs and yogurt, winding through most of the aisles getting cereal, rice, and bread and ending at the front where I pick out my produce for the week. I usually glance at the nutrition information on the packages I grab, but for most items that I buy, I either know what the values and ingredients are, or I trust the particular brand and feel that they could never make a very unhealthy product. Sometimes, this can lead to trouble. Have you ever done this? Trusted a brand and then when you got home and tried the product, realized that there is something you wouldn’t have normally eaten in it? Or worse, that the nutritional values are unhealthier than you ever expected? I can honestly say that it has happened to me on a few different occasions.

Luckily for consumers there are numerous books, including one of my favorites Eat This, Not That, that can help you choose a better product in different categories. These books help consumers differentiate between the best and worst choices on the shelves and highlights important information such as “avoid this product for the sodium content” or “watch out for all that saturated fat!” They also usually explain why some products are so good!

Sometimes, consumers on the look-out may find an article online that contains valuable information about the products you are consuming on a regular basis, especially those you may believe are healthy choices. One news article on MSNBC included items that I would not have originally labeled as a bad choice. Kashi, which I have always viewed as a good choice in the grocery store, took the lead for worst breakfast cereal on the market. This is somewhat disheartening to me as when looking for a good healthy option for breakfast, I have been known to reach for the Kashi cereal box. Fortunately for me, I have never actually tried the particular product, Kashi Summer Berry Granola, but I’m sure many have. This product contains 18g of sugars with just one cup! This is a very large amount of sugar for the one cup of cereal you are getting to enjoy, especially when you believed that you were making a good, healthy choice. On the upside, Kashi GoLean has many benefits including a high protein and a high fiber content, which is the suggested replacement for your berry granola.

Interestingly enough, supermarkets are not the only places with foods fooling the United States. A recent study by researchers at the University of South Carolina and Loyola University published information about the way people think about food. The study included both ‘dieters’ and ‘non-dieters’ which helped in labeling the participants. The experiment was conducted by describing a food item in two different ways. One description called the item a “salad” while the other called it a “pasta.” The item was in fact described the exact same way, with all of the same ingredients in the same order, but the description label was different. When the dieters were asked if the item called a “salad” would be healthy, they almost always said yes, the item would be healthy. The same item, when described as a “pasta” lead participants to believe that the item is unhealthy, even though it is the exact same recipe! I feel that had I been a participant, the word “salami” would have been an immediate tip-off to an unhealthy meal, but participants must have ignored that word and listened only to ‘salad.’ Does this happen with everything we eat? When we look at the salad options in restaurants, do we automatically assume they are healthy choices? After years of nutritional education, I am sure that those in the field are well aware that you must look at ingredients, but what about our clients? Do they look at ‘Fiery Taco Salad’ and assume it’s healthy?

This same study used a similar method and included tastings for a second trial. The second trial unfortunately was not for the salad, which I would have enjoyed, but rather was more suitable for those with a sweet tooth. This study included college students that had either a sample labeled “fruit snacks” or “candy snacks.” The students that were given the “fruit snacks” ate a larger amount overall that the students who were given the “candy snacks” despite the fact that they were the same product. These two studies have led researchers at the University of South Carolina and Loyola University to believe that it is not the food nutrient labels and ingredients alone that lead consumers to their shopping decisions, but rather the key “healthy” words used in the title or descriptions. When items in the grocery seem like they would be a healthy choice, does that mean we feel we can eat more without feeling guilty because we could be eating something so much worse? Possibly.

For information on the study: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42689216/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

For the online article listing bad breakfast choices: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42671704/ns/today-today_health/

Featured Student: Exam Week Non-Negotiables

2011-04-25T17:36:00.000-04:00

By Janet Zimmerman

With 3 days left of class and 1 project left to turn in, this semester is almost done yet some of the longest study hours are yet to come! Luckily, I have 2 study days (which make a 4 day weekend) before my final exams start. With exams around the corner, I like to remind myself of the things that I need to do (besides studying) in order to do well on exams.

My Non-negotiable list for exam week:

* No matter where I am in my studying the night before the exam, I must get at least 6 hours of sleep. I know myself-- it is better for me to have sleep and be thinking clearly, than to study more and not be thinking clearly.

* Exercise (in whatever amount I can get) = high on my priorities. I know that on long study days my body needs movement to loosen up my muscles. I also need exercise more than ever in the midst of exam chaos and stress to relieve tension. Sometimes I get three quick 10 minute yoga, running, or biking breaks spread throughout my day, and sometimes I make my own “desk” treadmill at the gym by walking and studying my notes at the same time!

* Brain food galore. I’m sure we all do this... after all, food and nutrition is our major : ) !! Brain food becomes a whole different concept to me during exam week. I pack plenty of fruits and veggies to snack on, eat eggs (for their choline and extra protein power), and make sure that I eat a hearty breakfast with coffee in the morning!

* Go into the exam looking at the positives. No matter what I have learned or what I haven’t, before the exam I focus on all the information I know. Focusing my mind on what I know seems to calm me and allow me to do better on the exams. I don’t know if there is any scientific backing for this, but I really think it helps me!

So, do you have any rituals or non-negotiables during exam week? What helps you ace the exams and power through the last week of the semester? I’d love to hear any of your tips! Hope everyone has a good week of studying, getting projects done, and prepping for exams.

Remember: You are a smart, hard working dietetic student. A piece of paper is easy competition! (Inspiration from Carlene Helble http://carlenesfigments.wordpress.com/)

Featured Intern: The Writing Process

2011-04-20T17:54:00.000-04:00

By Amanda Sauceda

This week I am in my leadership rotation where I work with my internship director on a variety of projects. One of my assignments is to research and write an article. I was a little wary at first because the topic is about beverages and lately there has been so much talk about sweetened drinks and the link to obesity among other things. All that talk meant a lot of research to sift through to find what I wanted.

Writing can be really hard when the topic you’re trying to write about can go a million different directions. Then its like every research article you read about is really interesting and you want to include it all. Narrowing down the scope of my writing and really focusing in is something that I’ve struggled with. One time in particular stands out and this was a long time ago when I still had to write book reports. I loved my book wanted everyone in my class to love it too and ended up writing a ten-page report. Now did that report would have been a million times better if I was to the point because all those details I wanted to give weren’t necessary. I’ve grown up quite a bit since then and have come to understand my writing process and how to write succinctly. Although I still never have to worry about meeting a page requirement for a paper. J

As the years have gone by I learned what type of writer I am. It’s like the tortoise and the hare for me, slow and steady wins the race. I am always amazed when someone tells me they haven’t started to write their paper until a couple days before its due because I’m the one who starts writing the second I learn about it. So what type of writer are you? What’s your writing process like?

Hot Topics: Antioxidants

2011-04-19T18:55:00.000-04:00

By Kara Pifer

Antioxidants. It’s a word that can be found all over the grocery store and most likely on products in your pantry, but how many of our clients can actually describe what it means? Or how about name a few good sources? Most can probably say that it’s something good for you, but the fact that food manufacturers display it proudly on their labels should be a enough of an indication that antioxidants are beneficial for your body in some way. What is a good way to describe antioxidants and their benefits to clients? What foods contain antioxidants and which choices are the best among those foods?
Antioxidants are compounds that help the body stabilize free radicals. These free radicals can be dangerous in a body, causing cell damage, which can lead to numerous health conditions. These health conditions include many diseases such as heart disease and some cancers. Why are antioxidants so important? When antioxidants stabilize the free radicals, they remain stable rather than become unstable compounds, therefore helping but not harming the body. Where can you get these amazing little helpers? These compounds can be taken in through eating a variety of healthy choices throughout the day, whether or not the label says it’s a good source.
While many foods contain antioxidants, there are some choices that contain higher amounts that can be more beneficial for health and well-being. Reading and understanding the nutrition labels on food products is crucial to maintaining a healthy dose of protective antioxidants in the diet. Look for certain vitamins, A,C and E on labels. If there is a good amount, you know you’ve found a product high in antioxidants. Other commonly found antioxidants include beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene and selenium.
There are many foods that are known to contain high levels of antioxidants. This list includes items such as blueberries, apples and artichokes, but there are many more options. A new study has shown that there is a particular food that seems to help the body more efficiently with free radicals than any other antioxidant. At first, I assumed this would be some exotic berry or a genetically modified vegetable, but I was surprised to find a more common item taking the lead. According to new research, walnuts have four to fifteen times more antioxidants than any other nut available. The benefits do not stop there! These walnuts are also packed with protein and fiber which are also very beneficial components of a healthy diet.
So do you have to eat a bowl of walnuts for breakfast each day to achieve the healthful benefits? Definitely not! The serving suggestion was actually much smaller than I had anticipated at approximately seven walnuts per day. That amount can easily be put into a salad or a bowl of cereal without feeling like you are even doing anything different from usual!
Are walnuts the only nuts helpful for antioxidant intake? Pecans also pack a good punch of antioxidants, so if walnuts are not up your alley, pecans are another healthy option. High levels of a type of Vitamin E that actually doubles in quantity once it is inside your body can be found within the tasty little nut. Therefore, with twice as much Vitamin E (antibodies) in your body than you actually took in while eating the pecans, twice as many free radicals can be stabilized. This study also showed a connection between the consumption of pecans and the favorable reductions in plasma lipids and lipoproteins. This means that with a regular pecan intake, cholesterol seemed to go down for the participants in the study.
If you would like to start adding extra antioxidants into your diet, April is the perfect month to do so. April is National Pecan Month and while the first recipe that comes to my mind is Pecan Pie, there are many healthier options to fit pecans or even walnuts into your regular diet. Does anyone have any healthy, fun and easy ways to incorporate these nuts into your diet?
For a basic overview of antibodies, please visit: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html
For articles pertaining to antibody content in walnuts, visit:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42308684/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

and
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/journal-of-nutrition-pecans-shown-to-boost-antioxidants-in-the-body--lower-oxidized-cholesterol-119839799.html
and the pecan study summary can be found at:
http://www.nutstudies.org/pecan2008.html

Featured Student: Learning Outside of the Classroom

2011-04-18T06:40:00.000-04:00

By Janet Zimmerman

I love many of my classes as an undergraduate student. I love MNT and learning about how to treat certain diseases. I am also very thankful for my healthy body every time I do a case study. I love learning about metabolism and am always in awe at the complexity of our bodies. I like cooking and concocting new things in food lab. As you can see, I like a lot of things about the undergraduate curriculum.

There are only a few things that I wish (and many RDs have told me they wish as well) were also included in our coursework as dietetics students. These are things that definitely make a great addition to RDs, especially private practice RDs.

*Social Media- If we want to get correct nutrition information to the public, it seems smart to use social media as a tool to interact with the public.

*Counseling Classes- Most RDs will use counseling and motivational interviewing skills when talking to patients. Yet, we are not really taught many of these tools.

*Information about Eating Disorder Treatment- Eating disorders are on the rise in our country, and RDs are a crucial part of the team of health professionals that work with patients in eating disorder recovery. Yet, in school, I have found that we learn very little about eating disorders and the role that RDs play in the process.

Since many RDs have encouraged me to learn about these areas, I have started looking for chances to gain more knowledge and experience outside of the classroom. I attend conferences about the treatment of eating disorders; many times counseling skills and information about how to break through barriers with patients are also taught. I highly recommend conferences if you haven’t gotten that vibe already ; - ). I also started listening to webinars, teaching myself, and learning about social media from people who are more social media savvy than me.

I still have a lot to learn in all areas of dietetics, but I am so thankful that I have been able to gain some experiences and knowledge in these areas. It has opened my eyes to a glimpse of all the opportunities that we (dietitians in the making) have!! Is there something that you have learned outside of the classroom that you have found very helpful as a RD to be? Would you add something to my list? Let me know. I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Featured Intern: What do you want to do?

2011-04-13T06:00:00.001-04:00

By Amanda Sauceda

So what would you like to do when you’re a RD? This was a question the interns in my class asked themselves this week in our self-select rotation. Just like the title says this was the week where we got to pick an area that we wanted to try or spend more time in. Since it’s almost the end of our internship we’ve had a variety of rotations that we could look back on to see what we’ve liked to learn more about. There were some who chose to spend more time in specialized areas such as pediatrics or even working with a grant funded program to work with seniors in getting them moving and eating right.

After hearing where everyone decided to go I started to realize how vast your profession has become. It seems like I am always hearing about a new area of work that you wouldn’t automatically think a RD would be in. Now a days health is at the forefront of everyone’s minds and people have come to realize that prevention is key. Too often we see patients who don’t have just one problem but have a multitude of them. As a dietitian we are in a unique position as the nutrition expert to help people combat this issue through healthy eating. And to do this RDs have used their individual talents to find new and exciting avenues that extend beyond the hospital setting. A great video was made that compiles a sample of dietitians, nutrition entrepreneurs, who have done exactly that. I suggest you also join the Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG because it provides you with invaluable skills on how to be a successful dietitian that you don’t learn in the classroom.

As you finish your undergrad education think about what talents you have that make you special and then find ways that you could use them as a RD. I have always loved standardizing forms, streamlining processes, and finding ways to improve efficiency. This odd kind of talent does have its place for an dietitian. Ever heard of informatics? Or what if you’re like me and addicted to your iPhone but you have experience with technical kinds of things. Why not combine your techie skills and love for food and nutrition to build an iPhone app? So think outside the box and don’t limit yourself to one area because there is a world out there for dietetics that is only limited by your imagination.

Hot Topics: Food Deserts, Not a Sweet Outcome

2011-04-12T06:00:00.004-04:00

By Kara Pifer

While so many people can state that you should eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day and make sure that you are eating a well – balanced diet, not everyone has such luxuries. For quite a bit of the population, a lack of consuming adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables is by choice, but what if you didn’t even have the choice? Food deserts (not desserts!) are areas that lack access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low – fat milk, and other foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet. At first, I didn’t believe that these food deserts could be anywhere in the United States because it seems that almost everywhere you go you can at least find a small town grocery, but I was wrong. According to a report, there actually is a small percentage of Americans who are limited in their ability to access affordable nutritious food because they live far from grocery stores and/or do not have easy access to transportation. The full report, which can be found on the cdc.gov website includes more in depth information.

The first question that comes to my mind it: Does living in a food desert affect health? According to a few incomplete studies, it does. I can imagine that there would be a lack of essential vitamins and minerals, which can have negative effects on health over long periods of time. Also, if a family is not buying fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low – fat milk and other dairy products, what are they eating? I feel as though processed and packaged meals are probably high on the list of frequently consumed foods. These foods are usually high in sodium and fat, while falling short in fiber, protein and complex carbohydrates. Unfortunately, they are low – cost, make multiple servings, easy to prepare, use minimal ingredients beyond the components in the package and family – friendly. These points make processed and packaged foods highly LIKEABLE for many American families.

According to other studies, when food deserts are provided with the nutritious supplies they are lacking, the consumers still choose the foods they are accustomed to. I would like to know how long the time period of this study actually was, because I feel that with time and further exposure with a bit of education, more consumers would make changes toward a healthier lifestyle. This of course, like almost everything else in the country it seems, would depend on cost as well. With high costs on almost unfamiliar foods, what consumer will purchase a large selection for their families on a weekly basis?

What can we as the nutrition community do to help improve the use of healthy products in food deserts and other areas in the United States? There seems to be an almost unending list of opportunities! First, education is key. Reminding or educating communities about the important health benefits that result from eating a well balanced diet is always important. Also, giving quick, easy and low cost recipe ideas for families on the go seems like a beneficial topic for many families. Using easy ideas like adding frozen vegetables to soups and casseroles would most likely be a great start for families who want to make small changes over time.

Currently, the American Dietetic Association is working with United States Representatives Dannie Davis, Marcia Fudge, Sheila Jackson and John Shimkus on a briefing concerning food deserts and access to healthy and affordable food. This topic actually was scheduled for a Congressional briefing on Thursday, March 31, on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. I cannot find the outcome of this briefing currently, but they planned to discuss many topics including:

· “Defining the problem of food deserts in America,”

· “Industry Partnerships to improve food access,”

· “The role of farmers in reducing food deserts,”

· “How food deserts increase health disparity in US cities,”

· “Creative solutions through public/private partnerships in Cleveland, OH,”

· “How food deserts impact health disparity in Houston, TX”

Are any readers following the outcome of this briefing? I cannot find the results or how smoothly the briefing went but I hope that it went well. If anyone has any further information, feel free to share! With the hard work of dedicated dietitians and other nutritional professionals in the country, there will hopefully be minimal food deserts found throughout the United States in the years to come.

Information on Food Deserts in general can be found at:

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/FoodDeserts/

Detailed information on proposed briefing can be found at:

http://groups.google.com/group/advocates-for-urban-agriculture/browse_thread/thread/6bd7bc6e5463f4ed/0ad391f501418f73?pli=1

An overview can be found at:

http://www.eatright.org/members/eatrightweekly/article.aspx?folderid=6442451487&mycontentid=6442463046

Featured Student: What are YOU passionate about?

2011-04-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

By Janet Zimmerman

I love Janel Ovrut’s recent Guest Post: Clinical Nutrition is Not For Everyone. I have know for some time that I wanted to be a dietitian, and I have know for almost equally as long that I did not want to work as a clinical dietitian. Janel shares her experience of making her own path in dietetics, a path that she is very passionate about. Here is a wonderful exert:

…don’t let anyone convince you that you have to work in a particular setting in order to get experience. Use your internship to gain experience, shadow dietitians who are doing what you want to do, and make it a point to network, network, network! So many job contacts I’ve made have been through people I’ve met along the way through social media, my state dietetic association, and even the random person I met at a wedding or in a grocery store. All of these experiences will help bring you down the path you want to take.

Throughout the post she shares wisdom to succeed at any path within the dietetics profession:

· Make the most of our experiences with dietitians- We can learn so much from dietitians by shadowing them, volunteering for them, being mentored by them, communicating with them on social media (twitter, facebook, or blogs), and talking to them at dietetic association meetings.

· Network

· Stay true to your passion. This means first we need to know what we are passionate about. Sports nutrition, weight management, eating disorder treatment, nutrition communications, MNT, community nutrition, etc. Secondly, we need to cultivate the things we are passionate about and, again, network and get to know the people who are passionate and skilled in these areas.

The last one really hits home with me. Many times I am thinking about the next thing that I need to be doing concerning school and work, and ironically, I lose sight of the big picture and what I am working toward.

I’ll never forget when I was making my plans for this summer and a dietitian mentor looked at me and said, “Janet, what do you want to do this summer?” Such an easy question, yet I realized I was making many of my decisions based on what I thought I should do instead of what I am passionate about. I am so thankful to that mentor for opening my eyes a little. You see I am passionate about eating disorder recovery and working as a dietitian who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders. Because I know my passion, I was able to throw out many of the summer options I had and look for something that suited my passion for helping people with eating disorders. And, I am excited to say that I have an internship with Binge Eating Disorder Association this summer. I cannot wait for the learning, shadowing, networking, and fun to begin.

So next time you make a dietetic decision, ask yourself: is it something you are passionate about or is it something you feel obligated or pushed to do?

Featured Intern: Spring Cleaning

2011-04-06T06:00:00.001-04:00

By Amanda Sauceda

Out of all the weeks I’ve had in this internship this one has gone by the quickest. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that it has been my spring break one of the perks for having an internship through a university. So in honor of the beautiful spring weather that we have been having here in Southern Cali I decided to go out and relax along with some spring-cleaning.

My spring-cleaning was mostly me going through all my papers, projects, and miscellaneous that I have collected so far and organizing it all. Something I never really realized was how big of a difference it can make when everything is in its place. That sounds like common sense but I have always been one to have something that resembled more of clutter but I pretty much knew where everything was. Of course there was always that seemingly mandatory incident a year where I would go crazy trying to find an important paper that wasn’t on the floor next to the paperclip. So going through my papers and actually making dividers and tabs for things has really changed the way I function. I’ve been able to get things done a little quicker and I’ve even found great references that I forgot that I had. If there is anything I love is finding new ways to be more efficient and for some reason I just never put that much time in effort to get truly organized and now I am seeing the results.

Organizing everything consistently will always be a work in progress for me. So I want to know how do you stay organized? Any good tips to share?

Hot Topics: The Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program

2011-04-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

By Kara Pifer

How many ways can I say “Hip Hip Hooray!” for news I found while looking through articles this week? Well, only one because I am far from bilingual, but in English I will again state “Hip Hip Hooray!” Why am I so excited? Well, I am sure that my happiness is shared among many dietitians and parents alike. There are numerous articles outlining the increases in obesity, especially childhood obesity and hardly any of these articles really discuss ways that people or organizations are helping. Finally, I have found a cheerful article that discusses one such approach to the childhood obesity epidemic.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is a “part of the initiative by USDA to offer schools a wider variety of fresh produce than would be available through normal USDA purchases” according to the USDA website. The project began with the launch in only a small number of school districts in 1995 and due to the favorable responses, the program opened to any school district interested that followed the requirements in the year following the launch.

The program has been such a success that this upcoming year will show a $48 million increase in funding which is a 40% increase from this past year. The funding for this program alone is up to $158 million! One article even states that this will allow every state to “add another 50% more schools” as the program initially focused on low income schools. This is absolutely incredible! Personally I wish that my K-12 school had offered more fresh fruits and veggies versus the canned (in syrup) stuff that I ate every day! I currently volunteer as a "Lunch Buddy" through my University which is a program where children in elementary schools get paired with a college student to eat lunch with and play at recess with. We promote healthy choices and activity during recess and it’s quite an incredible program. While at the elementary school, I have noticed that there are many more options of fresh produce than when I was a child. On any given day there is at least one fresh fruit and two fresh veggies along with either a canned fruit (unsure if in syrup or water) or applesauce. I think that these are absolutely wonderful choices! Especially compared to what I and many other people my age grew up with in the cafeteria! What have been your experiences with “fresh” or not so “fresh” produce all throughout your schooling? Is anyone currently working in the K-12 food system and can share any experiences from that standpoint?

Also, has anyone had any experiences with their children involving fresh produce? Do you make sure that they have a variety of fruits and vegetables in their diet? I have noticed in my own experience that kids tend to be picky when it comes to produce if they were not introduced early in life to a multitude of fruits and vegetables. Throughout the school year, students eat a fairly small variety of foods within school grounds based on school menus that I have encountered. Thankfully with this program, the students are receiving not only a greater variety of food in general, but a variety of fresh foods that include a large amount of vitamins and minerals. According to “The Packer,” each student receives an average of $50-$75 worth of fresh produce per year with the instillation of this program in elementary schools. Although this may not seem like a large amount, it is more fresh produce than students were allotted in the past and hopefully, the budget will continue to grow and help provide fresh produce to many more children around the country.

Articles on this subject:

http://thepacker.com/Fresh-Fruit-and-Vegetable-Program-gets-funding-boost/Article.aspx?oid=1314147&fid=PACKER-FOODSERVICE&aid=117

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42237521/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

For information about the history of the program: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/dod/DoD_FreshFruitandVegetableProgram.pdf

Featured Student: SDA Adjustments

2011-04-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

By Janet Zimmerman

I have learned a lot and gained a lot of experience this year as the SDA president at my school. I have gotten to meet many of the dietitians in my community, help with many health related events, gain leadership experience, and get to know my fellow dietetic students more. I would not trade the opportunity to be president, regardless of the added responsibility and sometimes stress it adds to my school year. I highly recommend getting involved and holding an office in your schools dietetic association if you are not already!

With elections for the Student Dietetic Association coming up in the next couple of weeks, I would like to share with you some adjustments that we have made or are making right now for the officers next year.

1) Started a Peer Mentoring Program: This February, around the same time that I wrote the mentoring post, the officers and I implemented a peer mentoring program for SDA members. Upperclassman and DPD students take on a mentee (a underclassman) and talk to them about getting dietetic experience, important things to do before applying for DI, how to get through certain classes, and life in general. I highly recommend that you help start one of these programs in your SDA if you do not have one already!!

2) Making an SDA procedure manual: The 2010-2011 officers and I are outlining what events, jobs, and volunteer opportunities we did monthly and what role each officer is responsible for. A major problem that I found with the SDA at my school is that we start over with a whole new group of officers yearly, and so each year there is an adjustment period where the officers are learning what they are supposed to do.

3) Implementing a new office called the “Peer Adviser”: The peer adviser is a office that is open to any returning officer (specifically a returning President or Vice President). The job description includes: serving as a mentor to the first year officers, answering questions about positions or past events, being present at events and meetings, recommending what works and does not work for events, and helping the president with planning successful events. I feel that this position is important because it allows some the experience of SDA from past years to carry into a new year.

I hope that you find some of these things helpful. Are you involved in the SDA at your school? Are you making any adjustments to your organization? I’d love to hear from you!

What if You Don't Get Matched? Second-Round Applications

2011-04-03T17:24:00.000-04:00

The process of acquiring a dietetic internship is very competitive because you are competing against future dietitians from all over the nation. In light of this nature, only about 50% of applicants will receive a match their first time. If you find yourself on Match Day being a part of the other half, don’t lose hope, don’t lose focus - you have options that can keep you on track toward becoming a registered dietitian.

Option 1: Second-Round Applications
Second-round applications occur within a few days of Match Day. During this time, you can reapply to internships that still have openings for the season in which you originally applied. To find out which internships are still taking applicants after Match Day, go to D&D Digital where the list of internships that have openings will be posted.

After you select which internships interest you, the first thing you should do is contact the director(s) to find out if they are still accepting applications and what is needed in your applications. Like the first round, some programs may use DICAS and some will not.

To apply to programs that will use DICAS:
• DICAS’s Clearing House for Second Round Match will be open on Wednesday, April 6
• Fill out and set up application materials according to what your preferred programs requested. Like the first round of applications, there may be some supplemental application forms and requirements that are not completed on DICAS.
• The amount of time that each program will accept second-round applications varies from internship to internship. Know the deadlines! A program can close its site on DICAS after its application deadline has passed.

*NOTE: As long as you start a DICAS account, you will be able to set one up for second-round applications.

To apply to programs that will NOT use DICAS:
• Contact the director(s) of your desired program(s) to let them know you would like to submit an application. They will assist you in how to do so if they are taking more applications.

Option 2: Apply Later
Applying to Dietetic Internships for proceeding match seasons has its own advantages. It gives you a chance to gain a foothold in the professional world immediately after obtaining your Dietetics degree. This is a time to focus on what you may have been missing in your portfolio when you first applied. For instance, if you had very little clinical experience but would like to intern at a hospital, you can work or volunteer in that setting without having to work it around your class schedule at school. Another thing you can do is retake some classes you feel you can improve upon, especially the DPD ones that internship directors like to see.

Applying later can give you extra time to fully decide on what area of dietetics most interests you (if you have not already discovered it). With that clearer focus, you will be much better able to translate your visions through your work, actions, and writings that you will eventually submit again to your desired internship programs.

As always, keep in touch with professors and faculty at your DPD program, and check allaccessinternships.com for useful information, testimonials and advice!

Guest Post: Clinical Nutrition is Not For Everyone

2011-03-31T06:00:00.002-04:00

By Janel Ovrut

Not too long ago, it seemed the main options for dietitians were to work in a clinical, foodservice, or private practice setting. When I was completing my coordinated internship program at Syracuse University in 2004, I made it very clear to my teachers that I was not interested in any of those routes. And despite being told that I “had” to work in a hospital as my entry level job into the field, I stayed true to my passion – nutrition communications and corporate wellness – and created my own path, one that never included clinical nutrition work. I can safely say, after 6 years of being an RD, that I made the right decision.

In the past six years, I have pieced together several jobs that make up my workweek. I work as a consultant in corporate wellness, a brand ambassador to food companies, teach and serve as the campus dietitian at a small Boston college, freelance write, blog, present seminars anywhere from gyms to conferences, and counsel one-on-one. While some people enjoy the regularity of a 40-hour a week 9-5 job, I have come to love my flexible schedule, inconsistent work that ebbs and flows throughout the year, and most importantly, being my own boss. Now there are more opportunities than ever for dietitians. Anywhere there is food, there is an RD! We can be found working for restaurants, fitness centers, TV shows, in culinary settings, with athletes, doing spokesperson work, writing books, and more! The opportunities are growing, which is great news for new dietitians.

I thrive in settings where I am able to be creative with my work, educate others, and control my own hours and work. Getting to this point took a lot of drive and determination. Some days aren’t as busy as others, and this is when I really focus on networking, building on my collection of educational materials, and preparing for the next wave of work.

If this style of work appeals to you, don’t let anyone convince you that you have to work in a particular setting in order to get experience. Use your internship to gain experience, shadow dietitians who are doing what you want to do, and make it a point to network, network, network! So many job contacts I’ve made have been through people I’ve met along the way through social media, my state dietetic association, and even the random person I met at a wedding or in a grocery store. All of these experiences will help bring you down the path you want to take. For me, clinical dietetics likely would have steered me off of my path but I’m happy with the direction I took and can confidently say I love what I do.

Janel Ovrut is a Boston-based Dietitian who enjoys helping others make healthy changes, one bite at a time. You can follow Janel’s website, blog, become an Eat Well with Janel fan, and follow her food and nutrition tweets on Twitter.Interested in interning with Janel? Contact her at janelovrut at gmail dot com.

Featured Intern: Communication is Key

2011-03-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

By Amanda Sauceda

My foodservice rotation is complete! This upcoming week I will have spring break and a series of small rotations until the end of May when I will be done with my internship. Time is flying by and I am so excited to really see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Looking back to everything I have experienced there is one concept in particular that is crucial to any area of dietetics that you go in, communication. It doesn’t matter where you are or what position you are in if you can’t effectively communicate with someone then nothing will get accomplished. As a dietitian we need to be able to talk to a doctor one minute then turn around and talk to a patient the next. Talking to the doctor requires a high level of thinking using a lot of scientific terminology but talking to the patient also requires a high level of thinking it’s just presented differently. A dietitian can’t just turn around and tell the patient that they have problem xy because that means nothing to them. They need to understand what that means in relationship to their life and eating habits. A dietitian also needs to be able to communicate with the other people around them like foodservice staff, pharmacists, supervisors, patient’s families, and the list goes on and on. I remember back from one of my communication classes that I took was that people do not always understand the same way you do. I can tell someone something where I think the meaning is perfectly clear but that isn’t always the case and that’s where a miscommunication occurs. This concept sounds so simple but in reality there are a lot of outsides “noises” that can prevent the intended message from being received properly. Those “noises” are actually sounds but could be things like nonverbal cues or values the receiver might have so they interpret the message differently than from what was intended. So try to keep this communication model in mind when relaying information to someone because it can be very easy to not effectively get the message across.

Hot Topics: Food Dyes

2011-03-29T06:00:00.001-04:00

By Kara Pifer

In the grocery store, there are shelves upon shelves of items waiting for you to purchase and consume. Many of these products look so appetizing and colorful that you seem drawn to them like a moth to a flame. These items are appealing and may end up in your reusable grocery bag based solely on how pretty they are. In many cases, it is not the bright colors of natural fruits and vegetables that draws consumers in, it is the colors of processed foods and candies. How do these processed foods get so colorful? After the ingredients have been cooked and sent through the manufacturing process, they should not hold an extremely bright color naturally. In order to entice consumers, the foods must look appetizing and since color seems to be an attractive agent, food manufacturers add in artificial coloring to increase sales. So now the question is what do these dyes do to your body?

These artificially colored processed foods and candies have an effect on the majority of consumers, especially young adults and children. It has been suggested that the dyes cause some behavioral issues in children. Previously these claims have been ignored by most manufacturers who have even said that the dyes are ‘safe for consumption.’ They may technically be safe, meaning after consumption you will not contract a disease or have a heart attack due to the product, but is there an effect on your body? It seems so! The Center for Science in Public Interest has been making their data more known. It seems that the dyes trigger hyperactivity in kids and even adults who are predisposed to that type of behavior. Since hyperactivity is usually associated with ADHD, which affects around 5% of the United States population, this may help calm the behavior of many Americans affected by the disorder.

This upcoming week, the FDA will hear from a panel of outside experts on the topic and discuss whether changes will be put in place. By outside experts I mean these are not employees of the FDA. Proposed changes include the removal of artificial coloring and dyes from all foods on grocery store shelves. A change such as this could take months or even years to completely take effect, but it may have a monumental impact on consumerism in our country. If foods, especially less healthful choices, remove the artificial coloring without adding natural colors, will they be less appealing? Probably, and if they are less appealing, less consumers may buy them which means they may shift to eating more appealing naturally colored foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. This may help lighten up America! On the other hand, with less processed products being sold, individuals working for those companies may be laid off due to low revenue. This could make a very negative impact on the workers for these companies. Hopefully, before the situation would progress to that magnitude, the company will discover a way to make the food more naturally appealing to consumers so they can keep their employees employed.

While reading through news articles concerning this topic, I actually found myself surprised at a tidbit of information. Every article highlights a few products that are colored by artificial dyes and I had not planned on finding anything that I had not already heard. One of the products listed in an article was cheese, which of course is my absolute favorite food. I don’t enjoy eating the overly processed “cheese product” or American cheese, but I do have to admit that sharp cheddar holds a very dear place in my heart (and my stomach). I really did think it was naturally that color! According to one article, the majority of cheese is naturally a very pale color, but with artificial coloring it is transformed into a bright orange in many cases. This color is a signature of dishes such as broccoli cheese soup, traditional grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese. Kids who regularly eat these items may not even try a grilled cheese sandwich with a pale cream color of cheese if they are used to their American cheese, even if it tastes exactly the same! Assuming that I know about as much as the average consumer if not more, there are probably others that would be surprised by the amount of food dye found in foods within our grocery stores.

Why do companies choose to use food dyes in their food rather than using natural food coloring agents? The natural colors, besides possible allergic reactions to those with allergies or intolerances to the product, seem to have no downside. They would be more natural products and would possibly provide more nutrients depending on the item being colored. In our profession, many clients come to us for advice on healthy options at the grocery store. Changing regulations on food production by limiting or eliminating use of artificial food coloring may open up more options for recommending to clients. Providing more healthy options within a store will allow those looking to change their diet a wider variety and those not concerned with their diet will benefit by inadvertently putting less artificial ingredients into their bodies.

If knowledge continues to expand on the connection between artificial ingredients and behavior or other health related issues, will companies change production techniques? Will less artificial products be on the market for purchase? Personally, I hope so. Although I do not consider myself a complete natural food buyer, I do choose the natural product if I have the choice and the cost difference isn’t too great. I would love to have more choices when it comes to natural foods and I am sure that there are many others out there that feel similar. According to one article, some companies have already began promoting the end of artificial color and artificial flavor use for many of their products. Frito-Lay is one of these companies, declaring that more than 60 of its snack products are already clean of all artificial colors and flavors. I think that this is wonderful and hope that more companies will follow in their path.

Is there a link between behavior and artificial food dyes? It seems that there is, but is that enough for the FDA to approve the removal of all artificial food dyes? Personally, I hope so, but until next week or even longer, we will not know for sure. Even if changes are made, we as consumers may not see any differences until months or even years from now. Many production techniques and recipes for products would need to change which would be difficult for many companies. Those with hundreds of products will have a big project ahead of them if changes go into effect. This may provide jobs, especially for Dietitians and other nutrition experts. What can we as consumers do? For now, we have to wait and hope that the panel of experts provides enough evidence to make changes.

For more information, visit the following online articles:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/food_dyes_favor_fades_as_possible_links_to_hyperactivity_emerge/2011/03/24/AFmAhoYB_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42273578/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

Featured Student: Sharing Our Knowledge with the Community

2011-03-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

By Janet Zimmerman

This past Saturday I had an exciting opportunity. I got to talk to a high school track team about sports nutrition. The coach contacted me about talking to her team a few weeks ago, and she told me that it would be great if I could provide a handout and talk about fueling an athlete from a non-diet approach. This was music to my ears and I agreed of course.

I prepared for the talk a good bit by rehearsing it and telling it to my family multiple times (which I’m sure they loved…). I’ve learned from a few talks that I have done that it helps me to memorize the introduction and the conclusion of the talk, but I let the middle flow freely with a guideline of things I want to touch on. Usually by the time I’ve finished the introduction, I am calm and collected and ready to share the information and experiences that I know. Then, the memorized conclusion wraps everything up.

So, I prepared for the talk, memorized the introduction and conclusion, and then finally got to talk to the athletes about fueling the body using nutrient-rich foods and hydration. I loved every second of it. Seriously. I also loved being reminded of how much I enjoy talking about food and nutrition, which ultimately reminds me that I am in the right major. I’m always amazed at how getting experience not only builds up my resume but also helps me learn the things that I love.

If you have any opportunities to speak in your community, I highly recommend taking them. Your confidence builds with each time and the added practice. You also get to learn what talking/powerpoint approach works the best for you! This is just one one thing that we can do as student to prepare us as dietitians one day!

Have you gotten to share your passion for food and nutrition with other people lately? Has there been an experience that has reminded you that you’re in the right major? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Featured Intern: Manager for a Day

2011-03-23T22:27:00.000-04:00

By Amanda Sauceda

One more week in foodservice to go! This past week I was gearing up to be the retail manager. Slowly but surely I started to take on more duties and learn about the finer points of being a manager. I think the biggest piece of information I took away from learning each area of foodservice is that you need to be able to think fast because nothing always goes according to plan. For instance, there will always be a last minute menu change, which in turns means new signage that must be created, or a late tray that needs to be made and sent up for a patient.

Time is of the essence in any foodservice establishment because if things run a little late that means food doesn’t get out on time and services that customers or patients rely on are delayed. Not only is time crucial but there is also an added layer to be efficient with time and space. Being efficient with one’s time is something that comes to mind automatically but it can be easy to overlook space constraints. For example, you might think you’ve developed the most efficient schedule only to realize the time you had blocked out for the catering associates to assemble to-go lunches can’t happen because production is using that space to prep for lunch. So really the trick to being a good manager is to know the operation and maximize his or her assets to be as efficient as possible. One of the most valuable things about this internship is being able to see each area of the operation so you can come to see how they run their schedule and look at it with fresh eyes to suggest ways to improve it.

My final day as the retail manager was busy since I got pulled into many different directions but it went great. I incorporated all the information I learned over the past couple weeks to make sure everything ran smoothly and I was available for the retail staff. Of course there was the expected last minute menu change but it wasn’t a problem since I worked ahead on the signage the day before. I’m very fortunate to have had such a good experience working in foodservice, my mentors have taught me so much. Now on to my final week!

Hot Topics: Sensa

2011-03-22T06:00:00.003-04:00

By Kara Pifer

Weight loss seems to be the topic of the week, and possibly even the year. With the rate of obesity in the United States, it seems that the numbers of those seeking ways to lighten meals up and make healthier choices is on the rise. Study after study has been published concerning ways to help aid in weight loss attempts without making drastic lifestyle changes. Eating more whole grains, sneaking in extra vegetables, moving a bit more, so many choices! What do you tell your clients when asked for weight loss advice? Many studies show that there are numerous tips and tricks that will help your waistline shrink without changing too much all at one time.

According to many experts, part of the problem behind weight gain is eating until beyond satiety. Has Alan Hirsch, MD found a solution to this? Personally, I do not believe that this method works, but has anyone noticed any positive results with their clients? His method involves using his product, Sensa, on your foods and smelling the food prior to ingestion. Sensa is essentially sprinkles or “food flakes made from maltodextrin, tricalcium phosphate, carmine, soy, and milk” (Zelman). According to Web MD these flakes are tasteless and odorless but by smelling, your brain can find traces of them. This small notice is actually enough to trick your brain into making you think you are already getting full. Therefore, those who use this product apparently end up eating less because your body is already sensing a ‘full’ sensation. The site also states that the flakes are gluten free, sugar free, calorie free and sodium free.

My first major issue with this product is the obvious: You are sprinkling something on your food that is tasteless and odorless and then you are ingesting it. If the product is activated by smelling the un-smellable, why do those who wish to use it need to ingest it? What does putting the product onto the food make it different than just smelling the product directly from the container? My second issue comes with the ‘research’ on this product. It seems that the one study conducted with this product was absolutely phenomenal. It looks like every single person in the study lost a significant amount of weight. Seems to be too good to be true right? Most likely, it is. The study is labeled as a ‘clinical study’ rather than a ‘clinical trial’ which would be the more structured, more highly monitored research. I do not think that many outside of the research lab know that there is a large difference between these two labels, which means that most consumers probably believe that the study was structured and well monitored. This trial has not been published or cited in any other research, in fact, it has never even been validated.

Although Sensa is only one product among hundreds or even thousands of weight loss aids, it seems to be gaining popularity with it’s claims of being healthful. The lack of appropriate and legitimate research on this particular product makes me begin to think about other weight loss aids. How many other items on the market have this almost false advertising? With the lack of appropriate research being conducted on these types of products, who is to say that any of them are safe for consumption? The FDA does not approve supplements and weight loss aids such as these. Although many individuals looking to lose weight come to Dietitians for advice, many come to us for the wrong reasons. Many assume that we can give them the magic pill that will magically help them lose the weight the desire and they won’t have to change in the long run. Unfortunately with so many products on the market that promise just that, what can we do to help the public understand that weight just does not work that way? Although I am a Dietetics student and do not have a lot of experience in the field yet, I feel that continuing to remind clients that they will have to make lifestyle changes in order to achieve a healthy weight. These lifestyle changes may be difficult for them, including lessening the frequency of eating certain items or possibly cutting them out completely if they can. Of course, keeping up to date on new weight loss aids and the ingredients they contain is important so you can hopefully advise for or against them to your clients.

Zelman, K.M. Can ‘the sprinkle diet’ really help you lose weight?. Retrieved on 3/17, 2011 from http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-sensa

Another article: http://www.howlifeworks.com/a/a/?cid=7065jf_health&AG_ID=520

The product website is: http://start.trysensa.com/dms2237/

Featured Student: Volumetrics and Plate Models

2011-03-21T19:33:00.000-04:00

By Janet Zimmerman

This past week I had the opportunity to be a part of a SDA booth at the VA Hospital Health Fair. I always love being a part of extracurricular events that promote different aspects of the dietetics profession. I find it fun and meaningful getting experience within our field and being able to share my knowledge about food and nutrition with people who want to listen! It is always so exciting to me when people listen and actually want to learn (I’m sure you’ve found this is not always the case as well)!

Anyway, at the health fair, we got to talk to many people including hospital staff, family and friends of patients, and patients themselves. Our display was on volumetrics (comparing pictures of plates with the same energy density but differing volumes based on food choices). I find that pictures are powerful tools; they simply speak for themselves. People were grasping the concept of fruits and vegetables being very nutrient dense, low in energy density, and yet filling because of their fibrous qualities. ;-)

We also used a plate method handout to show them what a balanced plate looks like with half the plate as fruits and vegetables, ¼ as protein, and ¼ as whole grains. Again, many people told us that this helped them to see what their meals should look like and how to practically apply healthy eating into their lifestyles. As with anything, every person makes his or her own decisions concerning what lifestyle changes are made. I love being a part of the beginning of this process and being able to equip people with more information so that they can make better choices if they want.

What about you? Have you gotten to use the knowledge about food and nutrition to help others recently? I’d love to hear about your experiences or tools that you use.

Featured Intern: Where has this last week gone??

2011-03-16T18:58:00.000-04:00

By Amanda Sauceda

It seemed like this last week has flown by and before I know it I’ll be done with this rotation and one to the next one. This past week I have been learning the ropes on the retail side of things. Since technically this is my second week on the retail side I have been learning a lot about the manger’s duties so I can start to take them over as part of my staff relief. One of the major duties each morning is to prepare all the signage for the foods that will be served for lunch each day. It was confusing at first because there would be last minute menu changes that would require me to print out all new signage and get the appropriate nutrition info. Plus I would always seem to forget to print double of everything for the doctor’s dining room. But by the end of the week I pretty much had it down and was able to even get ahead by getting things ready for the next day.

Also part of my duties this last week was to promote the giveaway we had in honor of National Nutrition Month. Friday I was out in the cafeteria informing the employees about National Nutrition Month and the great bag of goodies that we were giving away. I was jealous because it was a really big reusable and insulated bag full of produce! All the ingredients needed to make a perfect vegetable soup. In addition the retail operations is conducting their annual survey so I have been helping out with trying to get people to fill it out. I sweeten the deal with giving a cookie away with each completed survey. For this up coming week I’ll still be in retail and start to learn more about the catering that we do as well. Looking forward

Hot Topics: Fad Diets

2011-03-15T18:21:00.000-04:00

By Kara Pifer

The Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, Slim Fast, the Cookie Diet. So many fad diets, who can actually keep up with them? It seems that most people have experience with some sort of fad diet, or at least most of the women that I know do. What part of them isn’t appealing? Usually they highlight one food group or one food item and you eat that most of the day or all day and avoid everything else. Who wouldn’t’ want to eat some of their favorite foods all day, every day and still lose weight doing it? Well, those who have tried a fad diet can tell you that no matter how much you enjoy cookies, eating cookies for however many meals for as long as they can leads to never wanting to see a cookie again. I guess that specific diet works in that aspect at least, keeping cookies out of the kitchen of many actresses and other women’s homes for a period of time after ending their “diet”. Most diets like these include a short list of items that you are “allowed” to eat and an extremely long list of things that are “restricted.” How on earth does this add up to a healthy lifestyle when the items on the restricted list are usually your favorite items? Also, how can the diet itself be healthy when even nutritious foods are sometimes on the list of foods to avoid? Are there really any diets that work and are healthy?

How many readers have heard of the HCG diet? My wonderful mother told me about a segment from an episode of Rachael Ray centered around “Crazy Diets” that she found very interesting. A newly recognized “celebrity” diet called the HCG diet basically “works” by taking daily injections or doses of hormones and following a strict 500-calorie diet for however long you plan to follow the diet. The hormones are those that are normally released during pregnancy and were chosen due to their ability to mobilize fat stores. They come in the form of droplets, tablets and of course, injections. Does anything mentioned here strike anyone as unhealthy, or even crazy? First of all, the hormones can lead to mood swings, loss of hair or fluctuations in menstruation which are all serious side effects.

On this episode, Rachael Ray had two women come in who have used this diet and they definitely recommend being supervised by a doctor every step of the way because of all the associated risks. The pair, Candace and Amanda seemed to be the spokeswomen for the diet, although I cannot be sure. Apparently, Candace chose to use the injection method and injected herself every morning in her thigh and lost 36 pounds. Amanda stuck to the tablet method and lost a total of 47 pounds. Although this is a great loss, is this really a good, healthy decision? I think not.

The first tip-off was of course the fact that you are putting unnatural hormones into your body. You should not need these unless you have a medical condition that requires the use of them in my opinion. Secondly, and this just left me, jaw open and ready to protest, staring at the television screen, apparently there is a pre-HCG diet ritual that helps your body keep fat where you want it. Sounds wonderful right? Thank goodness there was a doctor on-site who set the audience straight. This “loading diet” is the first three days while you take your HCG, you eat everything and anything in sight. Nothing is off limits, you can eat four bacon cheeseburgers and two large orders of fries for lunch and still have your favorite macaroni and cheese casserole for dinner and then have an ice cream cake for dessert. Candace and Amanda, apparently “experts” state that this enormous fat intake will help your body deal with the calorie restricted diet and then “leave fat where it’s supposed to.” This will help you keep the fat in your face so you do not appear too thin, the fat in your butt so you do not achieve the “saggy butt look,” as well as keep your breasts the same size. As most medical professionals know, this is not how the body works and the doctor on-site definitely told the audience what they needed to hear, although I’m sure the brains behind the HCG diet did not enjoy his commentary.

Although many of what I like to call the “diets of the day” seem to come and go as fast as the water weight they target, there is one in particular that seems to be causing quite a positive buzz. This diet, called the Mediterranean diet, is more of a lifestyle and a cuisine rather than what most people consider a “diet.” It appears that the main objective is to eat mostly monounsaturated fatty acids, coming from olives and olive oils, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, legumes and tree nuts. One major factor is to eat lesser amounts of red meat and something that surprised me, consume moderate amounts of alcohol, usually in the form of red wine, with meals on a daily basis.

This diet becomes even more interesting, as it seems that a website dedicated to this way of eating includes nutritional information. Following the information for women, it breaks down everything the diet includes, such as fat, calcium, iron and potassium. The information stresses that, unlike most diets, fat should not, under any circumstances, be avoided. This is refreshing to hear from a diet being featured in the news! Especially one that celebrities like Rachel Ray swear by.

Another component of this seemingly healthy diet is the way you eat your food. I found this of particular interest. It is stated that those in the area this diet originated from actually eat their food at a much slower pace, therefore they do not overeat. This way of eating and enjoying food is an essential component of transforming an individual’s diet into the Mediterranean diet. The more you taste and enjoy your food, slow down your eating and the less likely it is that you will overeat. Although this seems like common sense to many of us in the nutritional world, it does not enter the minds of many fast-paced Americans. Hence why much of America is overweight!

Why eat this way? It seems that following a Mediterranean diet helps prevent metabolic syndrome, has positive effects over individual risk factors like waist size, triglycerides levels, HDL cholesterol levels, blood pressure levels and glucose metabolism. Some studies have also shown increased brain function, decreased risk of developing depression and even more exciting, a longer, healthier life. One of the above, metabolic syndrome, was not quite as familiar to me as the other terms. According to research, metabolic syndrome is becoming much more prevalent in the United States, and this is not a statistic we want under our belt. Metabolic syndrome occurs if “someone has three or more of the following five conditions: blood pressure equal to or higher than 130/85, fasting blood glucose equal to or higher than 100 mg/dL, a waist measuring 35 inches or more in women and 40 inches or more in men, a HDL ("good") cholesterol under 40 in men and under 50 in women, triglycerides equal to or higher than 150 mg/dL.” These conditions come directly from Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 15 March 2011; 57:1299-1313.

An interesting study discussed on the Mediterranean diet website really stood out to me. The study included 215 individuals who were both overweight and diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. They assigned either a low-fat or Mediterranean diet to each of the participants and followed all of them for a four year period. After the four years, those that followed the Mediterranean diet lost more weight and only 44% of participants in this diet group required anti-hyperglycemic drug therapy compare to 77% in the low-fat diet group. This is a huge difference and it is though that the consumption of the monounsaturated fats on a daily basis increases insulin sensitivity and could possibly explain the link between the diet and the reduced need for anti-hyperglycemic drug treatment.

All in all, what you eat and the way that you eat it definitely plays a role in your health, as can be seen in the results of numerous studies over the years. Of course, as nutritional professionals, we wish that everyone could understand this and make healthy choices for everything that they choose to eat without relying on unhealthy fad diets to lose a quick 10 pounds for their weekend at the beach. Unfortunately, it seems that there will always be another fad diet around the corner, most likely luring in women by promising they get to each chocolate every day, go out to eat with their friends and so on, as long as they avoid … fill in the blank. There will probably always be individuals who are looking for that quick fix. In my eyes, we should just continue focusing on the positive ways of eating and promote those healthier options, such as the Mediterranean diet, to keep the United States on the right path to eating healthfully.

Other sources for this blog include:
The website: http://www.oldwayspt.org/mediterranean-diet-pyramid which features how to convert your style of eating to reflect the Mediterranean diet.

Featured Student: National Nutrition Month - Are You Involved?

2011-03-14T06:00:00.005-04:00

By Janet Zimmerman

As you probably know by now, it is National Nutrition Month. This means for a month there will be extra events all around the country that promote health and nutritious food choices. I love ADA’s motto this year “Eat Right With Color” because this is such a simple, yet genius, plan for eating better.

A few months ago at a buffet I heard a mother tell her two children to make their plates as colorful and beautiful as they could. Her kids left, headed for the salad bar, and came back with beautiful plates full of fruits and vegetables. I was amazed and excited all at once. 1) The kids did not feel like they were being made to eat a plate full of nutrient dense produce because their mother made healthy eating fun. 2) It showed that color and appeal truly do have something to do with satiety and our excitement for foods. Needless to say, I was very excited to hear that this years National Nutrition Month’s motto is “Eat Right with Color”.

As the President of SDA at my school, this is a busy month for us. There are many different health fairs that hospitals, RD’s, schools, and non-profit organizations put on for the people in our community, and many times as the SDA we are asked to have a display. This past Saturday we had a display promoting healthy living for all ages at a family run/walk event. We talked about meal and snack ideas that are yummy, colorful, and filled with nutrient-packed fruits and vegetables. Later this month, we also have Meals on Wheels home deliveries to do and a display at the VA hospital.

There are so many opportunities for us as dietetic students to get out, get experience, and help educate people on food choices and healthy living. Have you been able to be a part of National Nutrition Month activities? Do you have a good idea or experience for NNM? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section!

Featured Intern: Foodservice Theme Day - Mexican Flavors!

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

By Amanda Sauceda

Halfway done with my foodservice rotation! This last week was mostly a blur of early mornings and last minute preparations because I was prepping for my theme day. As one of the requirements for my internship we have to pick a day and develop a menu for lunch service based on whatever theme we want. I tied in National Nutrition Month’s theme, “Eat Right with Color and added some Mexican flavors. I was involved with developing the menu, production, decoration, and advertisement of the special menu.

I had brought in some recipes that I found online to be used for the theme day menu and I ended up making one of them all by myself! The recipe that I made was an ancho chile flan, a dessert that would be a nice play on sweet and spicy flavors. What I did not realize was how time intensive it would be to make a flan especially since we had to increase the recipe to a much larger portion than it originally intended. Luckily at the end of the day the flan turned out nicely with a rich sweet taste but sadly no heat from the ancho chiles; I’m just grateful it turned out edible! When the big day arrived I came early to help prep things in the kitchen like chop the cactus we had brought in for my lentil and cactus soup and taste test the other items on the menu such as teh colorful chicken fajitas and chile verde. Morning flew by because before I knew it the time had come to start decorating the cafeteria. Once the lunch service started I was able to walk around the cafeteria to see how people liked the menu and I’d let them know the reason for the special decorations and food.

Everyone seemed to really enjoy the menu and I’m so happy the day went off without a hitch. These last few weeks I’ll be learning more about the retail and catering sides of the foodservice operation. If you had to do a theme day lunch service what would you pick?

Hot Topics: Genetically Modified Food

2011-03-08T07:25:00.000-05:00

By Kara Pifer

While going through the produce section of your local grocery store, what questions do you ask yourself? Most shoppers, including myself, ask the basics; "Does this look fresh?" "Are there any bad spots?" "Is this organic?" One question that I assume hardly anyone asks while picking out their fruits and veggies: "has this been genetically altered?" Many foods, including produce, has been genetically altered (sometimes called genetically modified) to change something less than desirable about the product. How many foods are actually genetically modified? More than you would guess I am sure!

Until recently I had not heard too much buzz about genetically altered foods. I assumed that those items that had been modified would not resemble the original item, or at least be labeled as the genetically modified version. Recent articles have shown otherwise. Many genetically modified foods have been recently approved to enter the market for your purchase and consumption and the list grows continually. What does this mean for your body? Does this affect the cost at the check-out counter? Will all fruits and vegetables become genetically modified eventually? What does this mean for the real versions? So many questions and so much information to discover! Have you had an experience with a genetically modified food or have you discovered that something you purchased was not quite what you thought? I know that I will now be on closer watch at the grocery store!

Something I read in a clinical review on BMJ.com discussing genetically modified foods scared me a little bit. It states that one of the projected developments includes "a wide range of crops resistant to pests, diseases and herbicides." Although to many, this may sound like a great idea, I see some potential flaws. What are these "pests" going to eat after the plants they normally eat can no long sustain them? How exactly are the crops resistant? If they had a natural poison, then we would be subject to feel the effects of this poison as well. If they produce an odor that wards off the pests, then would humans notice a scent or taste difference? Maybe they magically make their own invisible fence to protect themselves from the pests. I am not exactly sure, but I feel that if this did become a possibility (minus the magical fence, that was just sarcasm) then humans would find that there is a downfall in some way, shape or form. (http://www.bmj.com/content/318/7183/581.full)

There are also other risks associated with using and experimenting with genetically modified food products. WebMD states that risks include “accidental contamination between genetically modified and non-genetically modified foods, antibiotic resistance, adversely changing the nutrient content of a crop and creation of ‘super’ weeds and other environmental risks.” First of all “super weeds?” What are these so called “super weeds” exactly? Are they going to take over the plant population? What if they are poisonous to humans or animals? This does not sound so appealing. Also, if they do take over the normal weed population, will animals be able to eat them, or will these also fall under the “pest resistant” category? If so, how will we get rid of them? There is so much to ponder in a debate like this! Also, antibiotic resistance can be a scary topic to discuss. Of course I am no expert but overall the information I have heard about antibiotic resistance resembles something closer to a horror movie than I would ever like to come close to (AH! I Am Legend is not so much of a legend anymore!).

Of course, every case has a positive side. In genetically modified foods, benefits seem to include “increased pest and disease resistance, drought tolerance and increased food supply.” These definitely are good side effects or at least effects that have an upside, as the increased food supply could be used to help other countries. The pest and disease resistance would probably produce a higher yield of the crop which could be used to lower the costs of some of those “hard to grow” fruits and vegetables. This excess production could also lead to the use of crops in other forms such as manufacturing or energy sources. Also, other countries that may not have a strong supply of crops because of rough terrain or unfavorable weather conditions may have a better chance of improving production of crops to help feed those countries.

Another upside to these modified foods is that according to some specialists, these foods are safe. At least at the present time, it seems that the chance of having an adverse reaction is very low. Is this feeling of safety mutual among most scientists? Unfortunately not, which somewhat confirms my suspicion that these genetically modified “foods” have more negative points than positive ones. Even scarier is that even with the large number of facts pointed toward the negative effects of these foods, many people do not even realize that they are eating them. There are many people who feel that they are making healthy choices in their kitchen, feeling that they understand what they are putting in their bodies, when in reality, they are not eating what they think. One prime example is vegans or vegetarians with soybeans. Soybeans are one of the most common genetically altered foods in production today. Many vegans and vegetarians pride themselves on eating the most whole, natural foods available (at least the ones that I know well), but there is the possibility that they do not realize that they should be looking for the genetically modified sticker to make sure they are actually eating real soybeans. A major problem with this is that there may not even be a sticker or a label that states that the product is not the original soybean. Currently, it is not illegal for a manufacturer to forego the genetically manufactured label in order to keep consumers in the dark. How is this fair? Since “we are what we eat,” don’t we have a right to know what we put in our bodies?

According to information I have read, it seems that most genetically modified foods only differ from their respected comparator by one molecule of DNA. This means it’s not a big difference right? Maybe. Think about it this way: If you were to have one molecule of your DNA taken away or changed, would you be the same person? Most likely not, as DNA changes, even minor, can affect your personality, state of health and numerous other qualities that make you who you are. If that is the difference that could occur in a human, who is to say that the effects in a plant couldn’t be just as serious? So really, what are those soybeans?

Even with all of the knowledge surrounding negative connotations of genetically modified foods, they seem to become more and more prevalent in the United States food industry. Many studies show that upwards of 70% of processed foods contain ingredients that have been genetically modified in some way. I hope that before everything is no longer what it seems the FDA can step in and create barriers as to what percent of the country’s food supply can be genetically modified. Even sooner, I hope that it will be required to post if a product has been modified in any way so consumers can know exactly what they are buying.