The month of March is designated each year as National Nutrition Month and sponsored by The American Dietetic Association. Registered Dietitian Day will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 10 this year. The purpose of the day is to help inform the public about the ways Registered Dietitians serve as the experts "who can translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living." I thought this would be a great time to give a "shout out" to our wonderful Registered Dietitian, Becky Hand, and provide helpful information about the dietetics profession. After completing my Bachelors of Science degree in food and nutrition back in 1988, I started a practical experience internship at a nearby hospital. It was during one of my community nutrition rotations that I first met SparkPeople Registered Dietitian Becky Hand. Becky was the director of the Diary and Nutrition Council, Mideast where I spent two weeks learning how to share the message of good nutrition to the public. Anyone that has heard Becky speak at one of our Spark Your Life Conventions will likely agree that Becky has an infectious way of getting people excited about healthy eating. She had the same energy, excitement and enthusiasm back in the spring of 1989 as well. Whether she was talking to schoolchildren or answering questions for the local news station, Becky has always been able to capture her audience while sharing a basic nutritional truth or strategy for weight management success. Registered Dietitians work in a variety of settings to provide nutrition education and assist with medical nutritional therapy where necessary. A process is required to ensure Registered Dietitian's are qualified to serve as experts in the field of food and nutrition. Those eligible for registration must:
Registered Dietitians like Becky are the best source of practical, affordable, and accurate nutrition information and are committed to helping people enjoy healthy lives. If you or someone in your family believes you could benefit from personal education and intervention from a Registered Dietitian in your area, go to www.eatright.org and click on the "Find a Registered Dietitian" link in the upper right hand corner. Thank you Becky for serving as an inspirational SparkPeople Registered Dietitian but also for being a mentor for me and many other professionals that you have inspired during your career. Have you or someone in your family ever worked directly with a Registered Dietitian?
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I have visited one, but it was mainly because I was there to support my mother. She was ordered to visit one by her doctor and felt very apprehensive to I went with her, for support. Even though it wasn't my visit, I learned a lot from her class, many things I have applied to my own life. Report
Since then I read all the articles I can and I can probably tell more about nutrition than some of the pros, thanks to all the great information on Spark. Report
Yes, I've been to an R.D. ...
In March of 2007 I met with my RD for the first time as THE main component of getting back to health after months of illness.
During that first visit, my Registered Dietician took out a piece of paper and while telling me that part of awareness includes writing down everything I ate, she wrote on the paper. As she handed it to me, she said that I should check out the computer site "SparkPeople.com" which she'd written down...because starting with the food diary this site would give me solid grounding for my goals.
I checked out the site for a few weeks and then joined.
My 4th year anniversary is in a few weeks.
My visits to my RD are no longer as frequent, but without her guidance in tailoring my food proportions to my needs, I would have been merely guessing. Even my oncologist told me the best advice for healthy eating would be from an RD!
Thanks Becky; your work here on the SP team grounds us. All we have to do is... 'listen' when you 'speak'! Report
Thanks for all you do! Report
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One of my best friends is a dietitian. Report
Happy RD Day to Becky and all of the RDs out there, I think it's wonderful that you spotlighted these very important people! Report
Keep on rockin' it! Report
I have not worked with a dietician, but I think they provide an important service to us, as doctors rarely study nutrition. So much of our health issues are related to how we eat and take care of our bodies. Report
THANK YOU, BECKY YOUR BLOG WAS GREAT
HAVE A GREAT DAY Report
Thanks for all your hard work! Report