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  • Student Life

    Nutrition Nerd Alert: The 5 Textbooks to Never Ever Sell!

    When studying nutrition and dietetics, there will be some textbooks you will want to learn from for life! These are the top textbooks you should never sell.

    Have you ever watched the show Hoarders? I think it’s crazy interesting. Namely because I am the exact opposite of a hoarder and find it extremely fascinating that people actually like keeping stuff.

    I would consider myself more clutter phobic…willing and ready to recycle, sell, trash, or give away practically anything. This can be a blessing or a curse depending upon the situation.

    In the case of selling off textbooks that in hindsight I actually needed…it’s more of curse. So that’s why I’m here, to give you some useful textbooks that you should never get rid of!

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    1. Krause’s Food and the Nutrition Care Process

    Link to Book Here: Krause’s Food & the Nutrition Care Process, 14e (Krause’s Food & Nutrition Therapy)

    Why: It’s the bible. Well, not exactly. But it is one of the main books used by most nutrition programs. It comprehensively covers most conditions/diseases dietitians would encounter, the nutrition care process, life cycle nutrition, as well as all of the nutrition basics. Essentially, if you could memorize everything in this book, you would make a bomb dietitian.

    2. Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference

    Link to book here

    Why: This book literally has every lab test known to man and explains what the test is for, normal results, abnormal results, and test explanation and physiology… all in alphabetical order. Definitely handy if you are going to be in a clinical setting.

    3. A Food Service Management Textbook (recommendation, Foodservice Management: Principals and Practices)

    Link to book here

    Why: This one isn’t specific, you just need to make sure you have a textbook that involves the principals of food service such as quantity food productions, accounting/financial management, food safety, menu planning, etc. Given that food service systems comprises 17% of the RD exam, it’s an area to know well. It’s also great to have a textbook on hand that reminds you how to perform all of those pesky calculations. 🙂

    4. Life Cycle Nutrition: An Evidenced-Based Approach

    Link to book here

    Why: This is a personal fav. I found this book randomly in the library and fell in love. Because it has an emphasis on “evidenced-based”, it gives you the actual studies from which the nutrition recommendations are based on. Plus the book is new (2015) so all of the research is newer findings compared to stuff from the 80s. It is broken down into diseases the way Krause’s is, but also includes quick reference charts, case studies, medical terminology, and more. I love it for the research aspect, but it’s a great textbook all-around!

    5. ASPEN Nutrition Support Core Curriculum

    Link to book here

    Why: Quite simply, because no other book goes into nutrition support in enough detail. Face it, during the internship or if working in a clinical setting, you’re going to be working with enteral and parenteral nutrition. There’s a lot of information to know, so it’s crucial to have a reference text to go back to and refresh your memory. Plus it has practical clinical scenarios that are useful to run through.

    Notable Mentions:

    • Any quick reference text- Great for during the internship process so keep those if you have them. Plus, they are small and store easily.
    • Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism- DETAILED, yet super relevant, and can be a great biochem review.
    • Any Community Nutrition book- Personally, I have an old, old book but keep it on hand in case I need a refresher on the theories of educational readiness or stages of change.
    • Nutrition and Diet Therapy Reference Dictionary- Another great reference text. It’s a dictionary made just for nutrition and medical terms that is full of suggested nutrition therapy and dietary guidelines, perfect for when you come across a word you are unfamiliar with!

    In addition to these books, click here to view some of my go-to websites for evidenced-based nutrition information. If you have recommendations on great books to keep, please comment below! Sharing is caring 🙂

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  • Dietetics Programs, Student Life

    The Competition in Becoming A Dietitian

    The road to becoming a Registered Dietitian is not easy, and there is a lot of competition along the way. The biggest battle is against yourself.

    By: Emily Hulse

    If you’re anything like me, you’ve seen it all. You’ve seen students glancing at one another’s tests as they’re handed back, anticipating comparison, you’ve heard professors explain the importance of being a stand-out student relentlessly, and you’ve read the statistics of the latest Match Round of the dietetic internship. You understand the road to becoming a dietitian is competitive, but you won’t give up on your dream.

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    Sometimes, it seems impossible to attain the famous RDN credential.

    To become an R.D., you have to jump through hoops, including a Bachelor’s degree, Verification Statement, Dietetic Internship, and a national exam. Don’t get me wrong- these steps ensure that dietitians across the country are prepared for their positions. Producing amazing dietitians is incredibly important, but just because I’ve accepted it doesn’t make it any easier to digest!

    This process can look overwhelming during the daily routine of classes, supervised practice, volunteering or working a paid job, studying, eating, and trying to exercise. This can lead to stress, mental health issues, or even fear of the future within this field. But it doesn’t have to turn out this way.

    It’s easy to see how difficult the road to becoming an RDN is.

     But sometimes, the obstacle most in your way is… yourself. As hard as that is sounds, it’s true that you are the only one in charge of your success. You can still be competitive without competing against others and ruining relationships with other incredible students. The best competition comes from within, from making ourselves better on the inside rather than focusing on the success of our classmates/peers, professors, and school.

    Next time your professor hands out an exam, don’t focus on the student’s score next to you.

    Instead, focus on how it compares to your final exam grade. If it’s better – excellent, and if not, inspire yourself to work harder. Keep track of your grades and aim to improve at each opportunity. When your professor reiterates the importance of being a stand-out student, remember that you already are one! If you feel unprepared for the future, find more opportunities for success. It doesn’t always mean joining the same clubs as your other classmates to check off another box on your resume. Maybe it means getting a job or starting a blog to keep you motivated and set you apart. Whatever it is, make sure to motivate yourself to stay humble and grounded. And finally, while the statistics don’t often lie, remember that one day after hard work and dedication, you’ll be matched to a dietetic internship, too.

    While it is easier said than done, reflecting on your future career in nutrition and dietetics, your passions, experiences, and goals will help you see the importance of your choices. Instead of spending four years tearing down your classmates’ grades, build yourself up and achieve what you can. It all will pay off, even if it is hard to see during midterms week. In the end, becoming an R.D. is all worth it.

    Stay humble and motivated, RD2Be’s. And remember who the real competition is: yourself.

    P.S. Are you in yet? Check out Get Matched Coaching so you can land the dietetic internship of your dreams.

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