The Passion and Determination of a Registered Sports Nutritionist

My passion for the field of clinical nutrition and sports dietetics begins at the core value of foods and nutrition. The importance of nutrition throughout life cannot be refuted; after all, people must eat to live. Food provides the energy and building materials for the growth and survival of living things. My mission is to improve the nutritional status of different kinds of people with different education and income levels and different health and nutritional needs. And for me to succeed at doing this, I am committed to lifelong learning, because every day brings new research, new experiences, new technologies, and new ideas.

Proper nutrition is the building block of good health. While an understanding of nutrition is a key element of many health careers, dietitians focus exclusively on the impact of food on health. Dietitians are experts in designing nutrition programs to protect health, prevent allergic reactions and alleviate the symptoms of many types of disease. As a clinical dietitian and sports nutritionist I have learned the balance of life with nutrition and medical nutrition therapy within my personal and professional experiences.

My experiences throughout life have encouraged my personal development and facilitated goals I accomplished. One of my most profound life experiences occurred when my father was confronted with the deterioration of his life through the body’s response to illness and disease. In March 2006, a healthy and active ultra marathoner was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Realizing the importance of medical nutrition therapy in the treatment of established disease became evermore poignant when the focus was on my father’s life. After eight months of being informed of his cancer, my father passed away on November 27th, 2006. The magnitude of illness and disease that surrounded my father encouraged me to strive to make my ambition of becoming a registered sports nutritionist a reality.

As a Clinical dietitian I provide medical nutrition therapy for clients. I assess nutritional needs, develop and implement nutrition programs, and evaluate and report the results. As a clinical dietitian I confer with doctors and other healthcare professionals in order to coordinate medical and dietary needs.

As a community dietitian I develop nutrition programs or corporate health programs to prevent disease and promote health. As a registered dietitian and nutrition expert I provide agencies and/or corporate health instruction on grocery shopping and food preparation to elderly individuals with special needs, sports teams, and children.

Every personal and professional experience in clinical dietetics and sports nutrition has helped me further reach my goals of becoming an effective dietitian. Experiencing the challenge of losing my father has provided me firsthand experience on how food is essential for living and the importance of how good nutritional status can prevent disease or prolong life. With my desire for life-long learning, the opportunity to rise to new challenges affirms my pursuit of my career in my nutritional business. It is my objective as a dietitian and registered sports nutritionist to provide the best care to the community, sports and fitness community, and I continue to apply what I have learned from academically, professionally, and recreationally to real world experiences.