Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN—an award-winning RD, certified diabetes educator, and national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is the author of The African American Guide to Living Well With Diabetes, which received the Favorably Reviewed designation from the American Association of Diabetes Educators; Eating Soulfully and Healthfully with Diabetes;and the forthcoming book Enjoying the Flavors of the World: A Diabetes Carbohydrate and Fat Gram Guide.

Over the course of her career, Constance has established herself as an expert in nutrition, diabetes, and the cultural issues that impact the health and health care of people of color. Her work has appeared in books for health professionals and health care consumers, and she has been a featured expert in national magazines such as Essence, Real Health, Heart & Soul, Diabetic Living, Diabetic Cooking, and Diabetes Forecast, and in newspapers across the country. She also is a regular contributor to Today's Dietitian, also serving on the magazine's advisory board, and to MSNBC's theGrio.com.

Constance is past president of the New York State Dietetic Association and the Long Island Dietetic Association. Her professional honors include the 2012 Award for Excellence in Consultation and Business Practice from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the 2009 Distinguished Dietitian Award from the New York State Dietetic Association, and the 2007 Diabetes Educator of the Year from the American Dietetic Association Diabetes Care and Education Practice Group.

A national speaker for PESI HealthCare, a national provider of continuing education for health care professionals, Constance has been invited to appear as a keynote speaker, presenter, or panelist at conferences and professional meetings nationally and internationally for organizations such as the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment; the American Association of Diabetes Educators; the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; the Empire State Medical Association; the American Academy of Physical Therapy; the University of South Carolina; Dothan Alabama Leisure Services; the North Carolina Dietetic Association; the St. Louis Association of Diabetes Educators; and the New York State Office of Children & Family Services.

The 2014 Today's Dietitian Spring Symposium will be a great event right from the start, as we kick off our program with the Keynote Breakfast, sponsored by the Kellogg Company, which will be providing some of its nutritious cereals as part of our morning meal. Kellogg's® cereals with one cup of low-fat milk offer a tasty combination of grains and protein that help recharge your body.

Our keynote speaker is Dr. Brad Nieder, The Healthy Humorist™, who blends healthcare humor with wellness advice and an uplifting message. Audiences find his "Laughter is the Best Medicine" program entertaining and inspiring (and informative, too). "Without being boring," says Dr. Brad, he'll explain how laughter really is good medicine for managing pain, enhancing immune system function, reducing stress, and more.

So join us for the Spring Symposium, where we'll start the first day of sessions with a healthy, hearty breakfast and some good old-fashioned laughter from someone who understands health professionals like you.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, founded Toby Amidor Nutrition, through which she provides nutrition and food safety consulting services. She also authored the forthcoming cookbook The Greek Yogurt Kitchen (Grand Central Publishing, 2014); serves as a nutrition expert for FoodNetwork.com and writes for its Healthy Eats blog; and serves as an adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. Through her ongoing consulting and faculty positions, she has established herself as one of the top experts in culinary nutrition, food safety, and media (Internet, TV, and print).

Toby trained as a clinical dietitian at New York University and has more than 14 years of experience in various areas of food and nutrition.

Jenna A. Bell, PhD, RD, serves as a senior vice president and director of food and wellness for Pollock Communications, through which she helps healthy brands translate science for consumers and connect with the nutrition experts. She also helps educate fitness professionals and athletes about eating for performance and proper recovery.

She also is cofounder of Swim, Bike, Run, Eat! Sports Nutrition and has provided nutrition seminars with professional athletes at major athletic events, such as the Boston Marathon, the ING New York City Marathon, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

Jenna is a member of the editorial advisory board for Today's Dietitian and the chair of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Dietetic Practice Group.

Jenna is an international presenter, and her writing and expertise have been featured in Us Weekly, Self, Fitness magazine, Outside magazine, Runkeeper.com, AppForHealth.com, Men's Health, Runner's World, Pilates Style, IDEA Fitness Journal, IDEA Health and Fitness Source, and IDEA Personal Trainer, among other print publications and websites. She's been published in scientific journals and appeared on the Daily Buzz; ABC, NBC, and FOX affiliates; and local and national radio programs and podcasts. She also is coauthor of Energy to Burn: The Ultimate Food & Nutrition Guide to Fuel Your Active Lifestyle (John Wiley & Sons 2009) and Launching Your Dietetics Career (American Dietetic Association, 2011).

She earned her doctorate with distinction in health and human performance, with an emphasis on exercise physiology, at the University of New Mexico; her master's degree with distinction in nutrition and her dietetic internship at the University of New Mexico; and her bachelor's in nutritional sciences from the University of New Hampshire.

A two-time Ironman finisher and three-time marathon finisher, Jenna is most proud of becoming a mom on April 16, 2013.

Karen Collins, MS, RDN, CDN, promotes healthy eating as a speaker, consultant, and writer. She serves as nutrition advisor for the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and writes a weekly syndicated column, “Health Talk,” which is carried on websites and in newspapers nationwide, and authors the blog Smart Bytes. She participates in videos and presents seminars for the general public and cancer survivors, and she speaks regularly to a variety of health professional audiences.

As an expert on nutrition to reduce cancer risk, Karen is coauthor of the “Nutrition and Cancer Prevention” chapter in the upcoming third edition of The Clinical Guide to Oncology Nutrition, published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. She also authored AICR in Depth, a series of peer-reviewed research reviews for health care professionals published by the AICR that discuss topics such as the diabetes-cancer connection and calorie density.

Karen has served as an expert reviewer for numerous major projects, including the landmark AICR/World Cancer Research Fund report Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, which provides recommendations based on the examination of more than 7,000 research studies by a panel of internationally recognized scientists.
Based in western New York, Karen operated a long-time private practice in nutrition counseling, working with individuals and groups to develop realistic strategies for achieving health goals. This work dealt extensively with weight and eating disorder issues, and addressed a wide range of medical problems, including diabetes and heart health.

A member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Karen is codirector of the Wellness and Cardiovascular Nutrition subunit of its Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. She also is a member of the Oncology Nutrition, Diabetes Care and Education, and Nutrition Entrepreneurs dietetic practice groups.

Karen holds a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Purdue University and a master’s degree in nutrition from Cornell University.

Becky Dorner, RDN, LD, FAND, is one of the nation's leading experts on nutrition, aging, and long term care as well as leadership and entrepreneurism. Her career, dedicated to advocating for excellence in nutrition care, has optimized health for hundreds of thousands of older adults over the past 30 years. Becky has also mentored, encouraged, and motivated hundreds of RDs, RDNs, and DTRs to achieve personal growth, career development, and leadership roles.

An experienced entrepreneur, speaker, and published author focused on practical, evidence-based resources for nutrition, dietetics, and interdisciplinary health care professionals, Becky is founder and president of two successful nutrition/dietetics corporations: Nutrition Consulting Services, Inc, whose dedicated team of RDNs, RDs, and DTRs has served health care facilities since 1983, and Becky Dorner & Associates, Inc, which publishes and presents a broad library of resources and CEU programs.

Becky's mission to improve nutrition care for older adults has inspired her to present more than 550 programs for national, international, and state professional meetings in five countries and 49 states and to publish more than 270 manuals, CEU programs, and practical articles for professional journals and newsletters. Her free e-mail magazine keeps 35,000 health care professionals up-to-date on the latest news in the field of older adult nutrition.

Becky has been an active leader in the nutrition area, serving in professional organizations since 1984. She currently serves on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Board of Directors as speaker-elect/speaker/past speaker of the House of Delegates. She has served on the Academy Executive Committee, Finance and Audit Committee, Legislative and Public Policy Committee, Council on Future Practice, Research Committee, Evidence Analysis Library, Nutrition Entrepreneurs Board of Directors, American Overseas Dietetic Association Leadership Team, and Executive Board and Board of Directors of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel; as an Academy delegate for business and consultation; and as chair of the Dietetics in Health Care Communities (DHCC) Dietary Practice Group.

Her honors include the Academy Award of Excellence in Business and Consultation, Nutrition Entrepreneurs Outstanding Nutrition Entrepreneur, Academy Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year, and DHCC Distinguished Member Award.

An RD for 16 years, Sharon Palmer channels her experience into writing features covering health, wellness, nutrition, cooking, wine, cuisine, and entertainment topics. Sharon also passionately writes about food and environmental issues, having published numerous features on plant-based diets, hunger, agriculture, local and organic foods, eco-friendly culinary practices, sustainability, food safety, humane animal practices, and food security. In particular, she has expertise in plant-based nutrition.

More than 850 of Sharon's articles have been published in a variety of publications, including Better Homes and Gardens, Prevention, Oxygen, The Los Angeles Times, Cooking Smart, Delicious Living, Food Product Design, Today's Dietitian, and CULINOLOGY. She also has contributed content for several books, including Food & Cultural Issues for the Culinary, Hospitality, and Nutrition Professions (Jones and Bartlett, 2009). Sharon also is the editor of the acclaimed health newsletter Environmental Nutrition.

Her first book, The Plant-Powered Diet: The Lifelong Eating Plan for Achieving Optimal Health, Beginning Today (The Experiment, July 2012), was a critical success and will be followed this year by Plant-Powered for Life: 52 Simple Steps and 125 Delicious Recipes to Get You Started and Make It a Habit.

Sharon shines in culinary arts, focusing on globally inspired recipes featuring whole plant foods. She enjoys hosting culinary demonstrations and farm-to-table cooking classes. In addition, she regularly appears in the media as a nutrition expert and makes presentations on food and nutrition at venues, including California Dietetic Association, Whole Foods, and supermarket symposia across the country. She also serves as a nutrition advisor to Oldways Vegetarian Network and a contributing editor to Today's Dietitian.

Since her ice cream dipping days at Frosty's in Peoria, Illinois, Robin Plotkin, RD, LD, has maintained her passion for food, the culinary arts, and nutrition through her 25-year career in the foodservice industry. After obtaining degrees at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Texas Women's University, she began her dietetics career in the kitchen at Zale Lipshy University Hospital on the University of Texas Southwestern campus in Dallas.

After stints at the North Texas Food Bank and HEB/Central Market grocery company, Robin launched her culinary and nutrition communications consulting business in 2000. Her unique niche of combining food and nutrition expertise with her background in speaking, writing, media work, and public relations experiences has landed her a diverse client base, including Cabot Cheese, Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, DairyMAX, Duda Fresh Farm Foods, Sara Lee, Bausch and Lomb, Unilever, Avocados From Mexico, Popchips, Sysco Foods, Fisher Pay Kel Appliances, the American Institute of Wine and Food, and DMA & Associates, a produce industry boutique marketing group.

Robin appears regularly on TV, on radio, in print, and in social media. She was most recently quoted in Health Magazine, USA Today, Prevention, Today's Dietitian, Woman's Day, and Healthy Eats, the Food Network's healthy living blog. She's a former blogger for the Dallas Morning News Mom's Blog and utilizes social media daily as a means to get her unique messages across to the general population.

She is also a creative advisor for Field to Plate, a visionary food education company pioneering a paradigm shift in how RDs think, talk, and teach Americans about food and food choices. In addition, she sits on Welch's Health and Nutrition Advisory Panel. She also is an advisory board member for the Art Institute of Dallas' Culinary Arts program and an advisory member for the Dallas-based Chefs For Farmers organization. She currently serves as a reviewer for the Academy's Restaurant Labeling Certificate of Training Program.

Robin was a Texas Dietetic Association Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year and received the Dallas Dietetic Association Outstanding Media Award. She served as president of the Dallas Dietetic Association, past chair of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Group, and on the Academy's Task Force on Restaurant Labeling. She cochaired the Texas Dietetic Association annual Food and Nutrition Conference in 2008. In 2009, she was inducted into prestigious Les Dames D'Escoffier organization.

Robin spends her free time cooking and volunteering for causes such as Dallas Community Partners—Change Is Good, the MS Society, and the North Texas Food Bank. She resides in Dallas with her husband, son, and two rescue Labradors.

Barbara specializes in retail food and health marketing communications and brand strategy for food companies, commodity groups, public relations agencies, and supermarkets. She is an entrepreneur, strategic thinker, and a leader in the field of supermarket nutrition. She recently relaunched Neighborhood Nutrition LLC, a consulting business offering nutrition counseling and retail-based health promotion solutions intended to help supermarket dietitians sell healthful products and effectively communicate nutrition and health messages to consumers. 

As a former supermarket dietitian for a Southwest-based retailer operating 128 stores, Ruhs was instrumental in developing, implementing, and evaluating numerous supermarket-based strategies to influence healthier choices across a diverse population of consumers.

In 2010, Ruhs launched one of the first supermarket dietitian symposia to provide networking and educational opportunities for supermarket dietitians from retailers across the United States and Canada. As a partner with Oldways, a nonprofit committed to promoting healthy lifestyles, the annual Supermarket Dietitian Symposium is a highly regarded event for this influential audience.  

Ruhs also is a writer, with a regular column in a popular retail trade magazine where she shares her opinions, thoughts, and ideas on food, nutrition, and retail health. She regularly contributes to the Environmental Nutrition newsletter, and her writing has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Reader's Digest, and many other popular health and fitness publications.

Barbara graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics and has a master's degree in nutrition from Boston University. A former collegiate athlete, she enjoys an active lifestyle. She competed in the 2013 US Tennis Association Nationals in Indian Wells, California. 

Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, has been helping people improve their diets, lose weight, and live healthier for more than two decades. She has worked as both a nutrition counselor and a diabetes educator in the hospital and research settings, and now in private practice in Newport News, Virginia.

Jill is the author of Diabetes Weight Loss — Week by Week  and two upcoming books, The Overworked Person's Guide to Better Nutrition and 21 Things You Need to Know About Diabetes and Your Heart. She writes for publications such as the Environmental Nutrition newsletter, The DX, Diabetic Living, Kids Eat Right, and Today's Dietitian. She is a frequent guest on television and radio programs and is often quoted in Web and print publications as a nutrition and diabetes expert.

Jill speaks about diabetes, weight loss, and nutrition to both health professional and consumer groups and serves as a consultant to the food industry, including for Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese, Omega-9 Oils, the Alliance for Potato Research and Education, and Boar's Head Provisions.

Jill graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in communications and a master's degree in food science and human nutrition. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the American Diabetes Association.

She lives in southeastern Virginia with her husband, daughters, and two dogs.

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a certified athletic trainer and nutrition and fitness consultant. She specializes in culinary nutrition, recipe development, and sports nutrition.

Dana works closely with chefs and authors to develop creative and healthy recipes for cookbooks, magazines, and menus. She is the nutrition expert for FoodNetwork.com and founding contributor for its Healthy Eats blog. She has worked as nutrition consultant for Follow Productions on seasons 2 and 3 of Bobby Deen's show Not My Mama's Meals. She also has worked as a media spokesperson for Cooking Light and has made appearances on Good Day Street Talk, FoodNetwork.com, Access Hollywood, and GMA Health.

She is an assistant clinical faculty member and sports dietitian at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, and conducts workshops and cooking demonstrations for fitness organizations, corporate groups, and schools.

Dana's recipes and articles have been featured on FoodNetwork.com, CookingLight.com, DietTV.com, and VarsityParenting.com and in Today's Dietitian, Prevention, Shape, Seventeen, and Maxim. She has created meal plans and recipes for several books, including Energy to Burn: The Ultimate Food and Nutrition Guide to Fuel Your Active Life, Extra Lean and Extra Lean Family by Mario Lopez, and Tell Me What To Eat If I Am Trying to Conceive.

In October 2013, Dana was named one of Sharecare's Top 10 Social HealthMakers on Nutrition, recognizing her as one of the most influential voices on the Web in the area of health and wellness.

A farmers' market junkie and local-food aficionado, she worked with Harvard Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment to create the Healthy Harvest Food Regional Guides to educate consumers on purchasing and preparing seasonal foods.

As a practicing certified athletic trainer, she provides emergency medicine and rehabilitation services to high school, college, and professional athletes. She is also a CPR and first aid instructor for the American Red Cross.

Dana earned her master's degree in nutrition education from Teachers' College, Columbia University and her bachelor's degree in sports medicine from Quinnipiac University. She resides in Fairfield, Connecticut, with her husband, two daughters, and Boston Terrier, Violet Pickles.

Approximately 30 million Americans have been identified as lactose intolerant. Although the condition affects a large segment of the population, many myths surround lactose intolerance, and patients often develop misunderstandings related to it. This session will provide a current review of the known symptoms and causes of lactose intolerance as well as information about its diagnosis. The session will also address and debunk several popular myths related to lactose intolerance and provide practical advice for advising patients who must manage the condition.

As a dietitian, you will invariably field many questions relating to fad diets and trendy eating patterns because of their prominence. Therefore, it's important to familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of the latest diets so you can provide sound clinical advice to your patients and clients. This session will provide an up-to-date overview of the most popular dieting trends together with a discussion of current scientific studies relating to the eating patterns involved in these trends.

Today's consumers look for foods that are valuable to their health, and the media and food industry are responding. Because of this, RDs have the power to ensure that consumers are getting evidence-based messages that will help them make educated, nutritious food choices. Explore opportunities for today's dietitians in food promotion, marketing, media, and industry through understanding more about their roles in these areas and how consumer trends and marketing research affect industry and media.

Developed for practicing RDs, dietetic students, or individuals hoping to make a professional change, this session will discuss ways to better communicate with consumers and health care professionals, the relationship between policy and industry, and how dietitians can effectively influence change.

The number of people boasting the Ironman M-Dot symbol continues to grow each year. Individuals embarking on the long training road to the Ironman vary in fitness level, age, and athletic background—not all finishers are former college stars or professional cyclists; most are hard-working age-groupers. While the nutritional needs of an elite racer and an age-grouper overlap to some extent, there are often additional challenges and considerations for nonprofessional athletes.

This session will provide an overview of today's Ironman and walk through the unique nutritional needs before, during, and after the race and will address the possible challenges faced by the last athletes to finish. This session will also explore ways in which RDs can translate Ironman nutrition strategies into useful tools for nontriathletes. Developed by an age-grouper, this session is for the sports dietetic enthusiast, dietetic student, or private practice RD working with clients who want to hear "You are an Ironman" as they cross the finish line.

A major consensus report and many studies link type 2 diabetes with an increased risk of developing several types of cancer. Some studies raise questions that can be challenging for nutrition professionals to address. This session will provide an overview of the research and examine practical intersections of evidence-based dietary recommendations for diabetes control/prevention and reducing cancer risk. The discussion will include specific food choices and strategies that can be woven together into workable, effective dietary and lifestyle patterns as part of a new paradigm for promoting health.

People are inundated with information about diet and lifestyle changes to reduce cancer risk, but much of it is based on anecdotal stories or single studies. How can RDs help people focus on the choices most likely to make a difference? In this session, current research and a review of evidence-based recommendations regarding diet, weight, and physical activity to reduce cancer risk will be discussed. RDs will also be provided with an action plan to help their clients focus on nutritional changes that show the greatest promise in reducing cancer risk, and key practical messages to share about putting research into practice.

I discovered my 89-year-old mother's unhealthy eating patterns when I visited her for a week. My mother has dementia, so she munches when she's hungry and can't remember when it's mealtime. She doesn't remember how to use the microwave to heat a meal, nor does she remember that I'm arriving in just 10 minutes to have lunch with her. Thus, she's full of bananas and granola bars when I arrive, with no room for a healthful lunch.

Unfortunately, my mom's story isn't unique. This is a familiar story for many families who care for older adults striving to live independently at home. And the negative consequences of poor nutrition in this population can be rapid and substantial. Food and nutrition insecurity and diminished ability to prepare healthful meals coupled with food-medication interactions, anorexia, gastrointestinal issues, poor dentition, and difficulty chewing and swallowing can create complications such as unintended weight loss, malnutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty that lead to hospitalization and the risk of institutionalization. If used early, simple nutrition interventions can keep people living independently longer—and isn't that what most people want?

In this rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world, leadership skills are in great demand. If you want to drive change in your organization, shape your profession, be considered a trailblazer, or be successful at any level of your organization, you must be able to lead, inspire, and empower people to take action to achieve a common goal. This presentation will help you discover your strengths as a leader; define methods to build on those strengths; realize how your organization's vision, mission, and values are essential to success; determine ways to engage others to assist in achieving the vision; and take action toward the organization's goals so you can create a dramatic impact in areas that are important for success and fulfillment in your life and career.

TBD

Learn the latest science on the health benefits of a plant-based diet, including vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based omnivorous eating styles. Learn the basics for promoting a balanced, plant-based eating style among patients and clients. In addition, Sharon will share some of her favorite culinary tips and techniques for taking on a delicious, whole-foods diet based on traditional, global flavors.

Dietitians are taking on a larger role in the food system conversation as they help their clients develop a more sustainable eating pattern for individual health as well as the health of the planet. You'll be inspired by the key lessons for promoting sustainability in the kitchen, including the issues of organics, local food systems, food choices, and carbon footprint.

Regardless of your niche, the blogging community can be a powerful ally and marketing tool for your business. This session will explore how to utilize social media, specifically the blogging community, to generate free press and additional referrals and to improve your bottom line. This session will appeal to those with novice, intermediate, and advanced social media skills.

The modern population is comfortable receiving and retaining information visually and in sound bites, so your opportunity to connect with them is literally at your fingertips. In this session, you'll learn why social media messaging is particularly effective in communicating health information. In addition to providing practical strategies for utilizing social media to help guide clients to better health, this session will highlight how RDs can position themselves as nutrition and wellness experts, thereby promoting and elevating the profession.

More and more supermarkets are employing dietitians, which is an exciting trend not only for consumers but also for other RDs. Retail Dietitians are uniquely positioned to assist you in helping patients shop smarter, cook healthier, and make choices to support better health and nutrition. In this session, you will learn specific strategies for utilizing your local supermarket as a resource to help you improve your patient care.

The increase in the number of supermarkets employing RDs has presented an exciting new employment segment within the dietetics profession. While all supermarket dietitians share the common goal of assisting people in making better food choices, the skill sets necessary to land a job as a supermarket dietitian include not only dietetics but also marketing, public relations, sales, merchandising, communications, clinical expertise, and public health. This session will examine the trends related to this new career path and examine ways to build the skill set necessary to land a job in this setting.

Studies suggest that people with diabetes have the same risk of suffering a heart attack as those without diabetes who already have had a heart attack. This troubling correlation between diabetes and heart disease shows that RDs must be vigilant in stressing heart health for patients living with diabetes. This session reviews the link between diabetes and heart disease, discusses practice recommendations by the American Diabetes Association, and identifies strategies for heart disease prevention and treatment among people with diabetes.

After attending this session, nutrition professionals should be better able to:

1. Identify and quantify the increased risk of heart disease among people with diabetes.
2. Identify at least three ways to help people with diabetes lower their risk of heart disease.
3. Identify the most recent American Diabetes Association practice recommendations to reduce the risk of heart disease among people with diabetes.
4. Identify resources for teaching the relationship between diabetes and heart disease.

Although diabetes is common and widely reported on, the disease and strategies to control it are more complicated than many understand. RDs frequently have questions about current diabetes research and literature. For instance, can weight loss cure type 2 diabetes? What are advanced glycation end products, and how do they affect diabetes? Is blood glucose monitoring helpful for people who don't use insulin? This session identifies several aspects of diabetes care that can be confusing for health professionals and/or patients, and reviews the science and practical applications surrounding these topics.

After attending this session, nutrition professionals should be better able to:

1. Define advanced glycation end products (AGEs).
2. Identify at least three ways to help patients with diabetes reduce their AGE intake.
3. Identify when snacks are appropriate and inappropriate for patients with diabetes.
4. Identify the benefits and limitations of weight loss among patients with diabetes.
5. Identify at least one advantage and one disadvantage of using the glycemic index among patients with diabetes.

Visit any gym or athletic training facility, and you will see distinct evidence of the popularity of supplements and performance enhancers. While these items are widely used, their manufacture and quality control is not widely regulated. As a result, athletes who utilize supplements and performance enhancers without close supervision are putting themselves at risk for harm and banned substance violations. This session will explore current hot topics in the supplement industry and discuss the dangers of various multivitamins, recovery products, stimulants, and energy drinks. Attendees will learn strategies for counseling clients who may be inclined to utilize these items as well as what RDs can do to help keep their athletes and active clients safe.

It's well established that a significant portion of the population fails to consume enough fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and omega fatty acids. But how can RDs effectively counsel clients to incorporate foods containing these essential nutrients into their diets? Merely telling clients to eat more of these nutrients is not a practical strategy for introducing eating behaviors that can positively impact client health and does nothing to help them make long-term changes. This session will provide specific, practical tips to help RDs demonstrate fun and unique ways to include shortfall nutrients into meal planning and recipes.

Of the 25.8 million people who have been diagnosed with diabetes in the United States, almost 5 million are African Americans. In fact, one-quarter of African Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have the disease as well as one-quarter of African American women older than 55. And this population suffers greater consequences from the complications of diabetes.

Diabetes not only affects African Americans in genetically or physiologically different ways, but they also cope with the disease within a particular cultural context. Their approach to diet and exercise, eating habits, relationships with caregivers, and even spirituality and behavior patterns are unique, and they all impact how they approach their disease diagnosis and manage their health.

This session will provide insights into the reasons for diabetes health disparities in the African American population, strategies useful in helping to motivate behavior change in African Americans with diabetes, and how to identify the food choices, taste, and predilections of people of African heritage (Africa, Caribbean, and West Indies).

Historically, cultures around the world have used spices to improve health and ward off disease. With the advent of modern medicine, the use of spices for medicinal purposes became the alternative. Today, as chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer continue to soar, people are taking a second look at the health benefits associated with spices. Can they reduce inflammation, the underlying cause of many disease states? Can a diet that includes herbs and spices contribute to better overall health?

As scientists uncover the evidence to answer these questions, their discoveries are influencing the emerging trends that are shaping the use of spices in 2014 and beyond. This session will discuss the latest evidence on the health and healing properties of herbs and spices, and identify the top five flavor and food trends from around the world.

Great Valley Publishing Company, Inc. (“GVP”) is committed to maintaining your confidence and trust with respect to the privacy of the personally identifiable information we collect from you. This privacy policy sets forth our practices regarding collection, use and disclosure of information collected through or in connection with the GVP corporate website located at http://www.gvpub.com  and all other websites of GVP or its publications or affiliates that link to this Privacy Policy (collectively, the "Site").  By accessing or using the Site, you are agreeing to the conditions of this privacy policy. Do not use this site if you do not agree with this privacy policy. 

Collection and Registration of Personal Information

GVP may request users of the Site to provide personal information. The information collected directly from a user may include contact information such as the user's name, e-mail address, telephone number, fax number, postal address, information volunteered by the user (such as survey information), and payment information (such as credit card number and billing address).

In order to access certain content and to make use of the full functionality and advanced personalization features of the Site, GVP may ask you to register by completing and submitting a registration form, which may request additional information, such as work setting or principal professional field.

Automatic Collection of Personal Information

The Site does not automatically collect information about users and does not set cookies. 

How Personal Information Is Used

GVP uses the personal information that you provide for such purposes as:

• Completion and support of the activity for which the information was provided, such as allowing access to or delivery of GVP’s products or services, processing or fulfilling orders, or responding to requests or inquiries;
• Website and system administration, such as for technical support of the Site and its computer system, including processing computer account information, information used in the course of securing and maintaining the Site, and verification of Site activity by the Site or its agents;
• Research and development to enhance, evaluate and improve the Site and our products and services; and
• Communicating with you about changes or updates to the Site and our products, services, special offers, promotions or market research surveys.

Disclosure of Personal Information to Third Parties.

Access to your personal information is restricted to GVP’s employees, agents, representatives, service providers, and entities for which we are acting as an agent, licensee or publisher for the purposes set forth above. Your personal information may be used by all of our trading names.

We also may share your personal information with non-affiliated third parties that wish to send you information about products and services that may be of interest to you. We will not pass your personal information to such third parties if you indicate that you do not wish us to do so.

We will not otherwise disclose any personal information without your consent except under the following circumstances:

• In response to subpoenas, court orders, or legal process, or to establish or exercise our rights to defend against legal claims;
• If we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, safety of person or property, violation of our policies, or as otherwise required by law; and
• If GVP, this Site, or a related asset or line of business is acquired by, transferred to or merged with another company.

Access and Changes to Your Registration Information and Preferences

Registered users of the Site may access their identified contact information and other registration information and correct any discrepancies or update information upon log in at any time. The accuracy of such information is solely the responsibility of the user. No access is given to other data that may have been collected about users.

If you wish to cease receiving any of this information, use the "opt-out" or “unsubscribe” option or other means provided within the communications you receive or contact GVP at subscriptions@gvpub.com or by telephone at 800-278-4400. We reserve the right to notify you of changes or updates to the Site whenever necessary.

Third-Party Advertisers

We may contract with third-party advertisers or their agents or service providers that post on the Site banner advertisements, which may link to other websites not under our control, or that use cookies, "web beacons" or clear .gifs, or similar technologies to collect and use user data to measure the effectiveness of their ads or deliver relevant marketing messages and advertisements.  Use of these technologies by these third parties is subject to their own privacy policies, which may differ from GVP’s privacy policy.  We are not responsible or liable for any content, advertising, products or other materials offered from such third parties.

Retention of Personal Information

We retain the personal information we collect from you for as long as the information is relevant to our business purposes or until you request that we remove the data.

General

The foregoing is the current privacy policy of the Site. GVP reserves the right to change this policy at any time without notice. Any changes to this policy will be posted on the Site.

This Site may contain links to other websites that are beyond GVP’s control.  Other websites to which you link may contain privacy policies that are different from this Site’s privacy policy. This privacy policy will not apply to data collected by or provided to other websites.

Questions or comments regarding this privacy policy should be directed to the GVP Legal Department by email addressed to legal@gvpub.com.

Disputes under this privacy policy will be resolved by the GVP’s Legal Department, who will use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly investigate and, if necessary, to correct any problem.

These terms and conditions (“Terms and Conditions”) apply to the use of the Great Valley Publishing Company, Inc. (“GVP”) corporate website located at http://www.gvpub.com and all other websites of GVP or its publications or affiliates that link to these Terms and Conditions (collectively, the "Site").

By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. These Terms and Conditions expressly incorporate by reference and include the Site's Privacy Policy and any guidelines, rules, additional terms or disclaimers that may be posted and updated on the Site or on notices that are sent to you. If you do not agree with these Terms and Conditions, please do not use the Site.

Permitted Uses and Prohibitions

All content contained on or accessed from the Site, including text, graphics, user interfaces, visual interfaces, photographs, trademarks, logos, videos, images, applications, programs, computer code and other information (collectively, the "Content"), including but not limited to the design, layout, “look and feel” and arrangement of such Content, is owned by GVP or its licensors and is protected by copyright, trademark and other intellectual property and unfair competition laws.

You may print or download Content from the Site for your own personal, non-commercial, informational or scholarly use, provided that you keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices.

You may not copy, display, distribute, modify, publish, reproduce, store, transmit, post, translate or create other derivative works from, or sell, rent or license all or any part of the Content, products or services obtained from the Site in any medium to anyone, except as otherwise expressly permitted under these Terms and Conditions, relevant license or subscription agreement or authorization by GVP.

You may not reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile or translate any software in the Content, or otherwise attempt to derive the source code of such software, except to the extent expressly permitted under applicable law, without GVP’s prior written permission.  You may not engage in systematic retrieval of Content from the Site to create or compile, directly or indirectly, a collection, compilation, database or directory without GVP’s prior written permission.

Unless expressly authorized by GVP, you may not use any robots, spiders, crawlers or other automated downloading programs, algorithms or devices, or any similar or equivalent manual process, to: (i) continuously and automatically search, scrape, extract, deep link or index any Content; (ii) harvest personal information from the Site for purposes of sending unsolicited or unauthorized material; or (iii) cause disruption to the working of the Site or any other person’s use of the Site. If the Site contains robot exclusion files or robot exclusion headers, you agree to honor them and not use any device, software or routine to bypass them. You may not attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion or feature of the Site, any other systems or networks connected to the Site or to any GVP server, or any of the products or services provided on, accessed from or distributed through the Site. You may not probe, scan or test the vulnerability of the Site or any network connected to the Site or breach the security or authentication measures on the Site or any network connected to the Site.

You may not use the Site to publish or distribute any information (including software or other content) which is illegal, which violates or infringes upon the rights of any other person, which is defamatory, abusive, hateful, profane, pornographic, threatening or vulgar, which contains errors, viruses or other harmful components, or which is otherwise actionable at law. GVP may at any time exercise editorial control over the Content of the Site.

You may not, without the approval of GVP, use the Site to publish or distribute any advertising, promotional material, or solicitation to other users of the Site to use any goods or services. For example (but without limitation), you may not use the Site to conduct any business, to solicit the performance of any activity that is prohibited by law, or to solicit other users to become subscribers of other information services. Similarly, you may not use the Site to download and redistribute public information or shareware for personal gain or distribute multiple copies of public domain information or shareware.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIABILITY

NEITHER GVP NOR ANY OTHER PARTY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDED IN OR ACCESSIBLE FROM THE SITE, WHICH ARE PROVIDED "AS IS". ALL WARRANTIES ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED AND DISCLAIMED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING BY STATUTE OR OTHERWISE IN LAW OR FROM COURSE OF DEALING, COURSE OF PERFORMANCE, OR USE OF TRADE. ANY STATEMENTS OR REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY ARE VOID. YOUR USE OF THE SITE AND ITS CONTENT, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

IN NO EVENT WILL GVP OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, PRODUCTION, PROMOTION OR MARKETING OF THE SITE, AND/OR ALL CONTENT, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDED IN OR ACCESSIBLE FROM THE SITE, BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PARTY FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, RELIANCE, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF DATA OR PROFITS, OR FOR INABILITY TO USE THE SITE, AND/OR THE CONTENT, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDED IN OR ACCESSIBLE FROM THE SITE, EVEN IF GVP OR SUCH OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT SHALL GVP’S OR SUCH OTHER PARTY'S LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSS TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PARTY EXCEED THE COURSE FEE PAID BY YOU FOR ANY CONTENT, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDED IN OR ACCESSIBLE FROM THE SITE.

Indemnification

You hereby agree to indemnify and hold GVP, its directors, officers, shareholders, predecessors, successors in interest, employees, agents, suppliers and licensors harmless from and against any and all third-party claims of liability, losses, damages and costs, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of or in connection with your use of or inability to use the Site or any Content, products or services included in or accessible from the Site.

Use of Professional Judgment

The editors and authors of GVP have conscientiously and carefully tried to create analysis, treatment and information contained in the Content that conform to the standards of professional practice that prevailed at the time of publication. While GVP, its authors and editors make every effort to see that no inaccurate or misleading data, opinion, or statements appear in the Content, including, without limitation, articles and continuing education programs, they wish to state that the data and opinions in the Content are the responsibility of the contributor concerned. Accordingly, the publisher, editors, and their respective employers, employees, officers, and agents accept no liability whatsoever for the consequences of any such inaccurate or misleading data, opinion, or statement. Additionally, standards and practices in nutrition, dietetics and healthcare change as new data become available and the individual professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients and clients.

GVP describes basic principles of assessment, treatment and therapy. The information provided in GVP is no substitute for individual patient/client assessment based upon the professional’s examination of each patient/client and consideration of laboratory data and other factors unique to the patient/client.

Notification of Infringement

Notifications regarding any alleged intellectual property infringement should be directed to the GVP Legal Department by email addressed to legal@gvpub.com.

Links

The Site may contain links to third-party sites or resources. GVP is not responsible for the availability of external sites or resources linked to the Site, and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content, advertising, products or other materials on or available from such sites or resources. Transactions that occur between you and any third party are strictly between you and the third party and are not the responsibility of GVP. Because GVP is not responsible for the availability or accuracy of these outside resources or their contents, you should review the terms and conditions and privacy policies of these linked sites, as their policies may differ from those of GVP.
You may establish a hypertext link to the Site, provided that the link does not state or imply any sponsorship or endorsement of your site by GVP. You may not use on your site any trademarks, service marks or copyrighted materials appearing on the Site, including but not limited to any logos, without the express written consent of GVP and/or the owner of the mark or right. You may not frame or otherwise incorporate into another site any of the Content or other materials on the Site without prior written consent of GVP.

Material Provided to Us or Posted On or Through the Site

GVP does not claim ownership of any content, application or other material that you or third parties provide to us (including feedback, comments and suggestions) or post, upload, input or submit on or through the Site, including blog pages, message boards, and forums, for review by the general public, registered users of the Site or by the members of any public or private community ("Submissions") and we are not responsible for Submissions’ content, accuracy or compliance with relevant laws or regulations. However, by posting, uploading, inputting, providing or submitting ("Posting") your Submission you grant GVP and its sub-licensees a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive right and license to display, publish and otherwise use your Submission in any format in connection with the operation of our respective businesses (including, without limitation, the Site). GVP is under no obligation to display or otherwise use any Submission you may provide, and GVP may remove any Submission at any time in its sole discretion. By Posting a Submission, you also warrant and represent that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to your Submission including, without limitation, all the rights necessary for granting the permission specified above.

GVP shall have the right, but not the obligation, to monitor Submissions to determine compliance with these Terms and Conditions and any operating rules we establish and to satisfy any law, regulation or authorized government request. GVP shall have the right in our sole discretion to edit, refuse to post, or remove any Submission.

Site Availability

GVP aims to keep the Site available twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week and to maintain saved information. However, GVP shall not be liable for lost altered, or corrupted information or non-availability of the Site.

General

If any provision of the Terms and Conditions is determined to be invalid or unenforceable under any applicable law, it shall be deemed omitted and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. These Terms and Conditions may be modified only in writing authorized by GVP. GVP’s waiver of any right under these Terms and Conditions shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other right in the future. These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws and in the state and federal courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, USA. The exclusive jurisdiction and venue with respect to any action or suit arising out of or pertaining to the subject matter hereof shall be the courts of competent jurisdiction located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, USA.  Any claim arising out of or in connection with your use of or inability to use the Site or its Content, products or services must be brought within one (1) year after the event GIVING RISE TO SUCH CLAIM or such claim SHALL BE barred.  These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and all prior agreements, representations, statements, and undertakings, oral or written, are hereby expressly superseded and canceled.