Check our Facebook page every weekday for our RD of the Day, as we put a much-deserved spotlight on a dietitian who's either making headlines or writing them and delivering their expertise through the media. Here are this week's featured RDs.
| Parul Kharod, MS, RD, LDN |
Parul Kharod, a clinical dietitian at WakeMed Cary Hospital in North Carolina, reminds us in today's Charlotte News & Observer that a healthier diet is one that is higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Parul makes it really simple for readers to grasp her professional opinion. "A healthy diet is one focused on eating plants. It is not magic and it may not be easy for some, but it has the potential to make us a lot healthier as a society,"
For her cogent advice that "our eating habits and lifestyle need to be viewed with a broader vision of long-term health for the whole body," Parul was Monday’s RD of the Day. Learn more about Parul at vegetariannutrition.net/author/parulkharod.
Read the article: A healthy diet focuses on fruits and vegetables
| Ben Gray, MS, RD, LD |
Ben Gray, MS, RD, LD is the nutrition education coordinator at the University of Georgia and he is the star of the article "He Blinded Me With Science: Dietitian debunks the myth of the 'freshman 15'" in the University's Red & Black.
Ben provides encouragement and nutritional advice to students looking to avoid the traditional weight gain that comes with the transition from high school to college.
Ben also represents RDs as a trusted and positive source of information for these young people, advising students to try new foods while they have access to the dining halls.
"The Food Services staff is really open to helping students plan and try new things so in both food and physical activity it's really important to experiment and figure out what you enjoy."
For providing young adults at UGA with guidance and helping start their college experience with healthy nutrition habits, Ben Gray was Tuesday's RD of the Day.
Read the article: He Blinded Me With Science: Dietician debunks the myth of the 'freshman 15'
| Jessica Jones, MS, RD |  |
Jessica Jones, MS, RD, always starts her sessions by asking patients about what's motivating them to change. "It's important to find out what's driving you to make change, so you can stay focused in achieving your goals...Whatever it is, find it, tap into it, embrace it, and use it to light your fire," she says.
Once patients have the motivation they need, Jessica provides simple messages for a healthful mindset and suggests small changes that will have a big impact over time. We'll let you read all of Jessica's advice in detail, but here's a glimpse at one of her key messages: don't let a slip become a fall. "No one is perfect—perfect is boring. When you have a slip, chalk it up to the game of life and just try to do better next time. Never give up. You're way too awesome."
For helping her patients and SELF Magazine readers increase their chances for successfully meeting their health goals and maintaining that success long-term, Jessica earned Wednesday's RD of the Day honor. Learn more about Jessica at www.foodheavenmadeeasy.com.
Read the article: 9 Things I Tell My Patients as a Registered Dietitian
| Jennifer Smith, MA, RD, LDN |
In her Q&A, Jennifer explains her approach to weight management through Lifexcel and the types of goals she has helped her clients reach. "I provide my clients with the basics of nutrition such as portion sizes, carbohydrates, protein, and fat, eating well in social settings, grocery shopping, meal planning, fiber, cholesterol, etc. I also help clients challenge food and other beliefs that might be preventing them from making lifestyle changes," she says.
Jennifer also shares how she has incorporated her Lifexcel philosophy into her family's lifestyle by making it a priority to eat well balanced meals together as a family. "I feel that the parent's job is to provide the child with a balanced meal and it is the child's decision what to eat. I know it can be frustrating when a child turns his or her nose up at what is prepared, but remember that it might take a child at least a dozen times before he or she decides if they like the food."
For sharing her holistic approach to weight management and explaining how the messages she uses with her clients can be easily incorporated into the family home for a healthier lifestyle, Jennifer was selected as Thursday's RD of the Day. Learn more about Jennifer at www.lifexcelcarolina.com/staff/jennifer-smith.
Read the article: Mindfully approaching healthy eating & weight management
| Carolyn O'Neil, MS, RD |  |
Carolyn O'Neil, a registered dietitian, author of "The Slim Down South Cookbook," and Friday's RD of the Day, reviews the research presented at the conference in her article for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (the AJC). She quotes a number of health and nutrition professionals including registered dietitian Tamara Melton, a clinical instructor at Georgia State University.
"When you're exhausted you're not making the best decisions about what to eat. You might seek out high-calorie high-sugar comfort foods or snack more often to stay awake," says Tamara.
Lack of sleep not only affects your decision making skills, but it disrupts hormonal regulation of appetite. Both of these factors can lead to eating higher caloric foods. In addition, sleeping too little affects energy levels and makes us less likely to exercise.
For this timely review of the latest research presented on the association between sleep and weight management, Carolyn is Friday's RD of the Day. Learn more about Carolyn at www.carolynoneil.com.
Read the article: Weight control benefits of sleep and excerise
