Kent State Interns

"Nothing Taste As Good" by Luke Dumas describes as:      Retail worker Emmett Truesdale has never fit the Southern California mold of six-pack,            suntanned masculinity. Over three hundred pounds, he carries the weight of his childhood trauma and millennial ennui around his waist and in his soul. After trying every diet under the sun, he remains stuck—in his dead-end job, in love, and in his body. Desperate for help, he enrolls in a clinical trial for a new weight loss product called Obexity. The treatment is as horrifying as the results are miraculous and as Emmett sheds pounds at superhuman speed, every part of his life improves overnight. Unfortunately, Obexity comes with some killer side effects, including lost stretches of time and overwhelming cravings. Worse, people who were cruel to him have started disappearing and when the police warn of a cannibalistic killer on the loose, he fears that Obexity is turning him into a monster...

It’s My Last Semester as a Dietetic Intern! As I approach the end of my internship, it is such a bittersweet moment. I am extremely proud and excited to complete this chapter of my life, but it is also sad to leave. Kent State has given me so much more than two degrees. It has challenged me beyond what I could have imagined, given me confidence, leadership skills, and provided me with countless memories and, hopefully, lifelong friends. This experience has truly been one of the most challenging yet rewarding things I have done so far in my life. Now that I am nearing the end, there are so many things I wish someone had told me at the beginning of my internship… Mistakes Are Going to Happen! You are going to make mistakes. We are human! If you think you are going to be perfect, think again. Mistakes are part of learning and growing. Instead of being afraid of them, learn to embrace them. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn something new and become a better dietitian. Ask Questions!...

            Masala Chai dates back to India 5,000-9,000 years ago. Some people believe it has a Thai origin. Since then, masala chai has been developed during the 20th century. Its development is aimed at increasing its availability, cost, and variety, but did you know that masala chai (spiced tea) was used for royalty and herbal medicine? Chai can now be enjoyed all over the world with many different variations. For example, in India, it is made from ginger and spices. The Chai commonly known in the U.S comes as a syrup concentrate, which is added to milk for a latte variant. Different areas in the world use a variety of spices and even the tea leaves themselves. As a result, masala chai has a variety of different ways to be made. Even the milk varies. In India, it is common to use whole milk, but around the world, almond, soy, oat, and skim milk may be used instead.  Even the name masala chai evolved as popularity rose in the US. Somehow, the ...

  Falling for fiber  With fall in sight, now is the perfect time to search for your nearest apple orchard and find some good fresh apples! The end of September is the perfect time for this fun fall activity because it is peak apple harvest season spanning from mid September to the end of October.  Apples are a great fruit for the fall because of their autumnal smell but also their crisp taste in some amazing recipes. If you eat them with the skin on they provide about 4-5 g of fiber per day which is about 15% of your daily fiber intake! It provides antioxidants, polyphenols, acts as a prebiotic, and are perfect for fall recipes! No wonder why they say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. As a way to say hello to fall, try adding an apple into your fruit rotation a couple times a week. You can have them as a snack, put them in oatmeal, and pair them with peanut butter whatever might satisfy your fall favorites! Ask yourself could I add an apple to this rotation? Here are ...

Among my friends and family, it is not a secret that I love legumes. They are affordable, a wonderful convenience food, and pose a variety of health benefits due to their high content of complex carbohydrates, plant-based protein, vitamins/minerals, and phytochemicals: weight management, LDL cholesterol reduction, CVD prevention, blood sugar regulation, diabetes prevention, and treatment of gastrointestinal tract conditions are just a few of the potential health benefits of increased legume consumption. Most people know the term “beans” instead of “legumes”. All beans are technically legumes, but not all legumes are beans, since the term “legumes” also includes peas, lentils, and undried/fresh legumes (i.e. snap peas). While legumes offer a variety of health and non-health benefits, dried beans specifically have a new, unusual use: wart removal (just stay with me now). I had originally hoped there was some nutritional aspect of beans that magically caused warts to fall off, but that ju...

The Hidden Side of Hospital Nutrition When you think of hospital food, what comes to mind? Trays, picky diets, maybe something bland that barely touches the stomach? That’s exactly what I thought too… until I spent the last month living on the retail side of hospital nutrition. Let me explain. My preceptor, a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), primarily handles what’s called patient services. So at first, I assumed my focus would be on patient trays like checking safety, ensuring accuracy, logging temperatures, making sure every bite was just right. But this rotation (and honestly this internship) is teaching me that dietetics requires flexibility, and that’s exactly what I’ve been learning. The pediatric hospital I’m at has a cafeteria, The Kids Cafe, which is closing soon for renovations. That’s pushed me to dive into a side of hospital nutrition most people never see: the retail side. We’re talking grab-and-go markets, small cafés, and even a full-scale restaurant called Potbe...