Nutrition the Old Fashioned Way

Steve Jobs said:
“Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently - they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

It seems as if Steve Jobs is summarizing me. As a registered dietitian there is a lot of scientific facts known and not known about the human body, our metabolism, and how nutrition can effect our body. With more and more information than ever before the challenge of juggling our nutrition, meeting our needs, while still savoring our food becomes a real juggling act. I have been criticized by some taunting my individualistic, rebel personality. I am proud of who I am. Perhaps those critics have hidden agendas. I look at this quality as an opportunity to capitalize on the premise that nutrition is not a "one-size" fit all concept. Just as all of us are different, we need basic nutrition, but it can be individualized to meet our personalized nutrition needs.

Being the optimist right now is very important in today's economy environment. With this concept it is important to chose nutrient rich foods. That isn't as difficult as one might think. Making this one change can enable us to change our perspectuve of how we eat and our food. With this little premise this creates a foundation for healthier eating patterns Evolution is necessary even with the way we think about food our nutrition.

TARGET MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK:
By this I mean you want more for less. Yes, that is actually possible with nutrition and the foods you eat. If you choose nutrient-foods that are loaded with vitamns and minerals.

How is this possible - choose MORE of these foods in your choices:
• Brightly-colored fruits and 100% fruit juice
• Vibrantly-colored vegetables and potatoes
• Whole, fortified and fiber-rich grain foods
• Low-fat and fat-free milk, cheese and yogurt
• Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts

Eating in a calm environment, taking time for you allows you to savior your food. I am thinking you have been told thousands of times to slow down when you are eating. These little steps helps you enjoy your food, helps your body use the food more effective to send those signals to the right places that you are getting full and even possibly help you not to over eat.

Just like many things we are experiencing now, everything old is new again. Simpify your perception of what is good nutrition, get back to the basics, allow yourself to enjoy what you are eating, and target the foods that will give you the nutrient packed nutrition to make you a better you.

For an additional resource, here is a download that will help further elaborate on these ideas:
http://www.eatright.org/ada/files/Nutrient_Rich_Foods.pdf

The Questions that are Repeatedly Asked Over and Over.

What is the difference between a nutritionist and a Registered Dietitian. Other questions are: "Why is it spelled it Dietitian and not Dietician?"

The internet is littered with explanations. Most of these explanations attempt to make each profession legitimate. As a Registered Dietitian I must preface any explanation that I am biased. That being said, I will make an objective attempt to help anyone that reads my blog understand the differences.

A small preface side story. Last year I watched Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts interview Tory Johnson. Ms. Johnson was talking about quick ways to earn money at home. In a nutshell she said that people can take a quick home study course and become a nutritionist.

This story is an example of the lack of education many nutritionists have. There are nutritionist that are very well educated and have very good experience. Attaining that type of crediential is expensive and requires a minimum of a master's degree. Typically the average nutritionist can little or no formal education. They can call themselves nutritionist simply by reading magazines and perhaps taking a 6 week corresponsence home study course.

EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS for a REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Registered dietitians (RDs) are food and nutrition experts who have met the following criteria to earn the RD credential:

1) Complete a minimum of a bachelor's degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college and course work approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

2) Complete a CADE-accredited supervised practice program at a healthcare facility, community agency, or a foodservice corporation, or combined with undergraduate or graduate studies. Typically, a practice program will run six to twelve months in length.

3) Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

4) Complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration.

5) Some RDs hold additional certifications in specialized areas of practice, such as pediatric or renal nutrition, nutrition support, and diabetes education. These certifications are awarded through CDR, the credentialing agency for ADA, and/or other medical and nutrition organizations and are recognized within the profession, but are not required.

In addition to RD credentialing, many states have regulatory laws for dietitians and nutrition practitioners. Frequently these state requirements are met through the same education and training required to become an RD.

A larger majority of states in the United States require that RDs be licensed as well. This means that specific licensing requirements must be met and maintained, often requiring additional ongoing education.

COLLEGE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Dietitians study a variety of subjects, ranging from food and nutrition sciences, foodservice systems management, business, economics, computer science, culinary arts, sociology, and communication to science courses such as biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, anatomy, and chemistry.

Why is it DIETITIAN and not DIETICIAN?

No one can really answer this question. The American Dietetic Association has endorsed the spelling of DIETITIAN. Recently I have run across is: the spelling of DIETITIAN uses a "T" indicates a TEACHER and the spelling of DIETICIAN uses a "C" indicates a COOK. I do not necessarily agree with that rationale. Outside the US, many people spell dietitian as dietician (a "tic" in the middle) and in the United States, dietitian is spelled dietitian (a "tit" in the middle). Since the internet is worldwide, either spelling would be correct.

ADVICE FOR THE PUBLIC

When you are seeking nutrition advice, investigate the results of the professional. Ask to see their credentials. Question their educational background. The Registered Dietitian is The Nutrition Expert within the healthcare/medical field. It is your responsibility to know the qualifications of the professional you are seeking advice of for your nutrition care, your medical nutritional therapy.

source: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/CADE_748_ENU_HTML.htm