Holy mole-y! RDs take a lot of chemistry!

Today is October 23rd, otherwise known to some of us nerds as Mole Day. Avogadro's number, 6.02 x 10²³, or a mole, is a constant widely used in chemistry. I thought it was a good opportunity to plug registered dietitians as the true nutrition experts by letting you know just how much chemistry RDs are required to take. Let's back up for a minute though.

There are a lot of people out there referring to themselves using all kinds of titles and trying to make a living off of giving nutrition advice. I'm sure you've heard terms like "healthy living expert" or "nutritionist" thrown around like they mean something. There are even people out there with legitimate (or non-legitimate, purchased from some online "university") doctorates in completely unrelated fields referring to themselves as "doctor" in an attempt to deceive their potential clients into thinking they know more about nutrition and the human body than they do. Well, I'm going to give it to you straight. Those "titles" mean absolutely nothing.


Yes, even the familiar "nutritionist" title means absolutely nothing! You can call yourself a nutritionist any time you want, no training required. My dog can call herself a nutritionist, and outside of sleeping on my lap while I studied, she has no science or nutrition training. It's an unregulated term anyone can use.

The only title that actually means something in the field of nutrition is Registered Dietitian. Since it's Mole Day, I'll focus in on JUST the chemistry requirements for RDs. I had to pass General Chemistry 1 WITH Lab, General Chemistry 2 WITH Lab, Organic Chemistry WITH Lab, Biochemistry WITH Lab, Nutritional Biochemistry, and Food Science. That's just chemistry. That's not even going into all of the anatomy and other biology, medical nutrition therapy courses, specialized courses, required clinical experience (including hospitals, trauma, calculating tube feeds and parenteral nutrition, etc.), research methods, and conducting an actual study, writing a 100-page document about it, and defending it to earn my master's degree in dietetics. There is no other title in the nutrition field that requires any of that. In fact, those other titles don't require any of anything.

I'm not sharing all of this to put down other people. I am sharing it to help health and wellness seekers be more cautious of who they trust their health with. Please look into the background of the people you're taking nutrition advice from. Ask them what education and experience they have. And just for fun, ask them how much chemistry they took and wish them a happy mole day. :)

Teal is the New Orange

Regardless of which conspiracies you believe on where food allergies come from, the fact is that they are real, and Halloween can be a real bummer if you're a kid who suffers from them. Enter Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)'s Teal Pumpkin Project. The concept is simple. Place a teal pumpkin in front of your house to let trick-or-treaters know you offer non-food treats. Think stickers, pencils, spider rings, and other non-edibles. Need more ideas? Check out FARE's website for an extensive list. Not only will you be showing your support for kids with food allergies, but you'll also be promoting a less sugary Halloween in general. You also get the benefit of getting your creative energy flowing in the making of your own teal pumpkin. Check out my pumpkin teal-ing process below!

Started with a black craft pumpkin and teal spray paint.

Pumpkin covered in teal spray paint.

Painted the stem black, added tulle and ribbon, and it's done!

Girl Scout Nutrition Beyond the Cookies

This evening I had the honor and pleasure of leading a troop of Girl Scouts to their "Eating For Beauty" badge. The name would have you conjuring up old wives' tales about what foods cause pimples, but the requirements were surprisingly complex. To earn their badge, the girls had to understand how food affects their skin, stress, sleep, energy, and general health. I posed questions to the group on an array of topics including carbohydrates, antioxidants, caffeine, and label-reading. The responses ranged from the adorable, "Does snow count as a white food?" to clearly pronouncing "aspartame" when asked what diet soft drinks contain. Overall, I was highly impressed with the knowledge, enthusiasm, and kindness exhibited by these middle school girls. Dare I say, we may even have some future dietitians in the group!

Birthday Triathlon

I LOVE celebrating things. I love taking what would be ordinary days and making them something special. I've made up holidays just to have a reason to celebrate! So as you can imagine, I love my birthday. Aging gracefully and being well later in life is something that our society grossly undervalues. So putting together my love of celebration and healthful living, I started a new tradition last year I call my "birthday triathlon." I turned 32 yesterday, so I made it my mission to complete a 3.2 mile run, 3.2 mile bike, and 32 flips on my birthday! Check out the video and let me know what healthy traditions you have!

Final thoughts: Balance is important. It should be noted that I enjoyed a birthday cupcake as well! 

The Kal-vocado Kraze

I know what you're thinking. A dietitian blogging about kale. Real original.

But there's a reason this curly, green goodness has the reputation it does! It's loaded with vitamins A and C, contains fiber, and even packs a little bit of protein, calcium, and iron - all for a tiny caloric cost. In 2.5 cups of the stuff (and honestly, who eats that much kale at one sitting? If you do, you're my hero.) there are a measly 45 calories. That's fewer calories than just one tablespoon of sugar.

On to unoriginal dietitian blog food #2: Avocado. I remember when I first got into avocado. I was interning with a holistic chiropractor in southern California and everyone in the small practice would eat lunch together in the yard. All the ladies were excited because somebody got fresh "ahhvos" from a neighbor. While they oohed and ahhed over their ahhvos, I wondered what the big deal was. Then I tasted it. I was instantly hooked on the creamy wonderfruit. Avos hold their own nutritionally as well, packing about a bazillion (to use a technical term) vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds. On top of that, they're super versatile in the kitchen and are a substitute for other creamy things that some of the dairy-digesting-impaired (me included) have to avoid.

Now for the original part of this blog. How to combine kale and avocados into one unexpected meal.
I give you, The Kalvocado Omelet.

Omelets are possibly the most perfect breakfast food. They're high in protein, fully customizable, and give you a ridiculously easy way to sneak more veggies into your diet. Most people get some veggies in at dinner, and maybe some at lunch, but how many people can say they ate veggies for breakfast? Well now you can. Look at you, you veggie-eating superstar.

2 eggs

1/4 red bell pepper, diced

handful of kale

4 thin slices of avocado

olive oil cooking spray

salt & pepper

Spray pan with oil. Add kale and bell pepper. I like to add a sprinkle of water to help the kale steam and soften up a bit. Spray a second pan with oil. Add beaten eggs. When egg is semi-solid, flip. Place kale and peppers on one side of egg. Place avocado slices on top of veggies. Fold empty side of egg over the top of everything. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a slice of toast if desired.

Final thoughts: Sometimes life gives you perfect omelets. Sometimes life gives you scrambled eggs. Luckily, either way tastes just as good.