Each year during the month of March, in the world of dietitians we celebrate National Nutrition Month®. Along with that, on the second Wednesday of March, we recognize Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) day. I understand the vast majority of people have likely never heard of either of these concepts, but it is a time that still makes me smile.

To be honest, I had actually never even heard of the term “dietitian” until my freshman year of college. I entered college with the intention of becoming a teacher as I was passionate about educating, but I quickly learned I wasn’t passionate about any of the subjects I would be teaching. What I did find extremely fascinating were the food, nutrition and health courses a friend of mine was taking. Before I knew it, I had switched my major to dietetics and was so excited.

A quick google search of the term “dietitian” yields a simple definition: “an expert on diet and nutrition.” As dietitians, after graduating from our program we must complete a supervised internship and pass a registration exam and then remain up to date on our continuing education requirements. But expertise aside, being a dietitian encompasses so much more than just the knowledge. Knowing what to eat for our health and following through consistently on a day to day basis are two very different things (this is a comment I hear very often from clients- and I do understand!) So one of the biggest parts of my job is being there for people and helping them work through challenges and the “food noise” as they are trying to make changes to improve their health. Also, reminding people that we do not need to aim for a perfect diet, or cut out our favorite treats, or live in a state of deprivation in order to achieve our goals. That can be difficult to remember with the constant diets we are bombarded with!

The theme of this year’s National Nutrition Month® is “Discover the Power of Nutrition.” Within this theme, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers four messages: Power your day with nutrition. Find advice backed by science. Stay nourished on any budget. Feel good with healthy habits (https://www.eatright.org/national-nutrition-month). If you find that any of these messages is something you’d like to learn more about, reach out to us to meet with a dietitian soon!

By: Julia Blackford, RDN, LD