Kent State Interns

Intuitive eating is something I just learned about recently.  I used to be the type of person that had a diet mentality.  Even when I wasn’t specifically on a diet, I would still restrict myself from eating things that I wanted or feel bad when I ate things that I knew were not necessarily good for me.  This type of behavior led to me craving all the food I wasn’t allowing myself to have and then eventually letting loose and consuming it in large amounts.  I would then feel guilty about it, it was a vicious cycle.  If I would have just let myself have a piece of pizza or a small piece of cake, could I have avoided this type of behavior?   After reading the book Intuitive Eating A Revolutionary Program That Works , I realized there was a way to stop this behavior.  The main thing I learned is that you have to give in to cravings sometimes.  Let yourself know that you are allowed to eat what you want in...

As a busy college student, it can be really hard to eat well.  You’re always on the run, taking a handful of this or just a bite of that, never really paying attention to what you’re eating or how much.  I didn’t like the fact that I never could remember what I ate throughout the day.  Because of this, I decided to download my fitness pal.  It’s an app that you can track all your food.  It will track the calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, sugar, and even some vitamins that are in your food and give you a daily recommendation for all of them.  It was super helpful.  I always did my best to put everything I ate into my app. Occasionally, I’d miss a day or two but for the most part I was pretty consistent with it.  However, there were some days where I was confused how my carbohydrates were so low for the day because I knew I had consumed more than what the app had calculated for me.  Al...

Applying for a Dietetic Internship: Tips from an Intern Being a first year intern, I have already learned so much through my rotations and coursework, but not too long ago I was a senior in college preparing to apply for programs and figuring out plans for my future. Now, it’s that time of the year again when undergrad seniors in dietetics programs are investigating into their future within the dietetics field. Having gone through a similar process not too long ago, I can relate to all the craziness that comes with searching for dietetics masters programs and internships, and praying that you are matched!   Thinking about all the tips I was given from previous interns, I wanted to share some of my knowledge and tips that helped me successfully get an internship! Tip #1: Start early & take your time! Filling out the DICAS application is time consuming & lengthy. Don’t wait until the last minute to begin filling it out. If you want to make...

            Picture this: twenty undergraduate students collaborating in a large industrial kitchen.  Some students are preparing apples for pies, breaking bread for stuffing, and cutting vegetables-- all for a Thanksgiving meal. Four volunteers are in the pantry cleaning and taking inventory. A recovery team is organizing the latest fresh produce picked up from Trader Joe's. Later, all reunite to organize the hundreds of canned goods donated over the past few days. This food will eventually be distributed to hungry and food insecure members of the Kent community.              This transpired on Saturday November 17 th , at the end of national Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week.   The office of Community Engaged Learning held a “Super Service Saturday” where approximately forty three volunteers helped feed community members in Kent.   Is it the season of givi...

You read that right. Dietitians are now being hired on as a tool shoppers can utilize to navigate their way through the grocery store aisles. With packages and products flooding the shelves with different claims, confusing numbers, and questioning verification stamps, grocery shopping has become a dizzying experience, specifically for those who may need extra help when deciding what foods to buy. Large grocery store chains, especially those wanting to jump on the wellness bandwagon are hiring RD's as food experts (can I get an amen on the "expert" title?!) to help consumers find their way through their stores.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics founded the Supermarket-Retail Dietitians practice group in 2001 and it only had 14 members. Today, there are over 720 members which is a testament to the grocery chains emphasis and commitment to keeping consumers happy by providing food and nutrition guidance.  So as RD's, what can we actually do in a groce...

Ever thought about trying a fad diet to lose weight quickly? Well, think again! Fad diets may seem like a good idea in the beginning. However, they are not very healthy for your body. One common fad diet is a juice cleanse or detox. In this type of diet the person drinks liquids that only contain fruits, vegetables, water or tea for usually about a week and it is supposed to “cleanse” the body. Seems like a healthy diet right? Well, according to Choosemyplate.gov, a healthy balanced diet includes 6oz grains, 3c vegetables, 2c fruit, 3c dairy, 5.5oz protein. These are all needed for different processes in our body and to ensure we are getting enough of each macronutrient, vitamin and mineral. I don’t know about you but I don’t see many of these items included in this diet. There is no dairy, no grains, and barely any protein. On a diet like this your body is going to be missing out on many important nutrients that are vital for your body to function properly. Still haven’t changed yo...

For optimal health, it is recommended that individuals consume between 0.8g-1.0g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. In layman’s terms, that’s about 6-8 oz. of protein for those subscribing to a 2,000 kcal/day diet. The good news is that these recommendations can be entirely met through dietary sources such as beans and meats  (1/2 cup black beans = 7.6 g/protein; 3 oz. chicken breast = 26 g/protein; 1 egg = 6 g/protein). However, for those who struggle to meet these requirements, protein powders are available for supplementation. Protein powder servings typically range from 10-20 grams per scoop, depending on the brand. Understanding what types of proteins are available may prove beneficial for those exploring supplementation.  Whey:  is characterized as a “fast” protein due to its ability to be digested and metabolized at a quicker rate than other proteins. Whey is known to elicit the strongest effect on muscle growth and stimulation over a brief pe...