Celebrating the Profession of Dietetics

Re-posted, with changes, from Juggling With Julia

Yesterday was a special day. Can you guess? Come on, it was the same special day last year at this time. Give up?

It was....NATIONAL REGISTERED DIETITIAN DAY!

{raucous applause}

I know, I know. Do dietitians really need their own "day" in this land of make-believe holidays? In this case, most definitely yes. The profession of dietetics is under fire. We're being asked to solve the nation's obesity crisis, defend our professional organization's affiliation with major food companies, support parents everywhere in their efforts to feed their kids, reconcile our struggling school meals program, and define what is a "healthy diet" for all, when truly there is no one simple answer.

In other words, we're not only bringing home the bacon, but also cooking the bacon,  researching the bacon, defending the bacon, educating about the bacon, and eating the bacon. Definitely eating the bacon. Hey, it's a just metaphor :)

So, yeah, I think registered dietitians all over deserve tremendous kudos. We are striving to provide answers in this crazy, mixed-up country where, regardless of demographic, we are getting fatter and less healthy, and everyone is forever trying to make sense of this paradox culture where extreme excess and food deserts exist side-by-side.

Engineers can live in dilapidated houses, accountants can bounce checks, and plumbers can spring a leak. But catch an RD treating herself to a cookie or some froyo with the kids and suddenly the whole world's watching! Oy, the pressure :)

What else can we do but educate, model, and motivate? And that is what we do, day after day. And, for RDs like me, we try to highlight what, in my opinion, is the most important of all.  Food is more than simply kcals, protein, and micronutrients that fuel your engine. Food is life, it is family, it is culture. And, above all, food is FUN. So, if you're not having fun with your diet, then I humbly suggest that you are doing it wrong :)

Explore. Create. Taste. Experiment.

So, at your next opportunity, please thank a registered dietitian for being a super-fan for Team Food. And cut her some slack with the "You eat THAT?" comments :)