Helpful Resources

Listed below are several outstanding online resources for anyone who is interested in, is studying, or is working with nutritional sciences. Each serves its own purpose, but all have been helpful to me in my studies as I strive to remain updated with the facts, research, and news related to nutritional sciences.


 

For Your Knowledge:

dga

1. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the most recent and well-respected set of strong, evidence-based nutrition facts and advice for all Americans age 2 and older. They are the basis for the majority of the nutrition advice given by nutrition professionals, and the basis for the curricula of national nutrition programs. To ensure the documents I design and the papers I write have information aligning with what the professionals are using, I have referred to the document repeatedly the past few years in many of my courses. The Guidelines are issued every 5 years conjointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Keep an eye out for the 2015 edition coming very soon (I’m personally a little too excited).

journal2. The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is a monthly, peer-reviewed journal that is the source of professional nutrition publications. I am a subscriber, and enjoy keeping up with the food-related topics of the original articles presented. I think it’s important that both aspiring and established nutrition professionals remain knowledgeable on the most recent food, nutrition education, and eating behavior studies. This journal has also been helpful for me as a student, as I have referenced a countless number of its articles through the years. It is a great source for me when I am in need of evidence-based nutrition claims for papers and projects. You can subscribe, and get the journal delivered in a hard copy to your home. However, it is so convenient that the Academy produces an easily-accessible web version!


 

For Your Entertainment:

mypalte blue3. The UDSA’s Choose My Plate web page is an interactive website that has countless fun and useful features. It’s a great resource for both aspiring and established dietitians to direct clients seeking a general understanding of the USDA’s “MyPlate” standards. Through videos, surveys, quizzes, and more, this source is full of information on healthy eating, weight management, and physical activity. One of my favorite features of the website is the SuperTracker software. SuperTracker allows you to enter all of the foods (by portion size) you have eaten in a day, and it calculates the amount of calories and nutrients you have consumed. This feature has not only been helpful to me in tracking my own eating, but has also helped me with various nutrition projects for which I had to analyze a hypothetical client’s diet. It’s a super fun and useful website, and really worth the visit!


 

For Your News Updates & Networking:

eatright4. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has an active  Twitter page. The account actively “tweets” multiple times a day, with their posts consisting of a variety of useful links for nutrition students and twitterprofessionals. From informational posts about understanding the details of disordered eating, to fun posts with healthy dessert recipes, their account is constantly keeping me interested and updated with facts and recipes that are ever-important in my nutrition-centered world. Most don’t realize that understanding healthy recipes that taste good are a huge part of being a dietitian – you need to get your clients to want to eat healthy foods! These linked recipes are one reason, in particular, that I love this twitter account. However, its variety of helpful posts are really endless. I have also used the Academy’s twitter account to follow some really awesome registered dietitians, who post plenty of their own informational posts. I promise @EatRight is definitely worth the follow!

eatright5. The  Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics also has an active Facebook page. Like the Twitter account, its posts are a great general source of what is going on in the professional world of nutrition. Unlike Twitter, facebook logoit is not limited to 160 characters per post, so the account really produces some great links and stories! Often equipped with pictures or videos, their posts keep me updated, informed, and inspired.

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