By Beth O’Shea Kindamo
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual awareness campaign by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to highlight the importance of healthful eating and activity habits. In the second week of National Nutrition Month, our weekly message is Find Advice Backed by Science.
Tips include:
- Find accurate sources for nutrition information.
- UGA Extension provides expert, research based advice to help you make informed decisions. Visit the Field Report to find information on health, nutrition, and more. UGA Extension’s SNAP-Ed team offers online classes, recipes, and text messages to help you make healthy meals on a budget. Check it out on Food Talk.org. UGA also houses the National Center for Home Food Preservation, which offers an absolute wealth of resources on research-tested home food preservation methods including canning, drying, fermenting, and more.
- Government websites are another reliable option for research based information. Check out the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements for detailed information on dietary supplements or the US Food and Drug Administration for information on food labeling, safety, and more.
- Professional organizations like the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and the American College of Sports Medicine are also excellent resources for reliable, science backed health information for consumers.
- Can’t find what you need online? Contact your local county Extension office.
- Meet with an RDN who specializes in your unique needs.
- Speak with your healthcare provider about meeting with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) who can work with you to create individualized nutrition recommendations to meet your health goals. You can also search online for an RDN in your area.
- Receive personalized nutrition information from an RDN to meet your health goals.
- RDNs are the nutrition expert on the healthcare team. They work in a variety of settings and can specialize in different conditions or health concerns such as diabetes, oncology, eating disorders, or sports nutrition.