One year into my DPD Program

A little reflection on this journey of becoming… a register dietitian.

On life –

1. Always aim high and set ambitious goals. Even if you fail, your attempt will still be more valuable than starting with low expectations.
2. It’s okay to fail; fail quickly; fail better; anything in life worth doing is worth doing imperfectly. Treat life like a grand experiment, and you will discover so much joy and receive many unexpected outcomes that lead you down paths you never imagined.
3. Don’t strive for perfection; instead, be a person who takes pride and heart in doing even the smallest tasks well.
4. Be kind, but also practice setting firm boundaries with others.
5. You don’t have as many audiences as you think, so liberate yourself, dance, and enjoy life to the fullest, as if no one is watching.
6. Believe and have faith in yourself and your unknown future. Faith is the sail on a boat; set it correctly, hold it firmly, let it guide you, and navigate you through challenging waters.
7. You cannot grow if you have an ego and cling to a fixed image of yourself. Keep breaking cycles of habit and a rigid self-image. Growth and change are inevitable; embrace the uncomfortable.
8. When you pursue a goal, it can often be a lonely journey. Find and surround yourself with a tribe of people who share your vision and are happy about your growth and success. Your journey is hard enough without fighting with unsupportive people.
9. If you want something you have never had, you must do something you have never done.
10. Last but not least, remember that even when a situation isn’t working out for you, it’s still working for you in some way. Use it to your advantage.

Now onto food –

1. The more you delve into people’s perceptions of a healthy diet, the more you’ll encounter a cacophony of recommendations – salads, obscure greens, and dubious fad diets.
2. Shopping at Whole Foods is a privilege for those who can afford it
3. With advancing years, our culinary adventures often diminish, replaced by a preference for familiar flavors.
4. The allure of food porn is undeniable, and it’s easy to fall into a cycle of craving and consumption.
5. Dietitians are not food police, nor are they obligated to transform every dish into a healthier variation.
6. Any food can be part of a healthy diet, depending on the quality, quantity, frequency, and timing of consumption.
7. “Being organic does not guarantee that a food is healthy, just as attending Yale does not guarantee that someone will make good decisions throughout their life.”
8. The way we present food, especially through carefully crafted online images, transcends mere sustenance and becomes a symbol of social standing, revealing an individual’s access to resources, culinary inclinations, and the broader lifestyle they embrace.
9. “While McDonald’s meals do provide some nutrients, their nutritional value is generally lower and less bioavailable compared to freshly prepared foods from other sources or restaurants.”
10. Not all chemicals are carcinogens. The human body is composed of numerous chemicals, including hormones, which play essential roles in its functioning.
11. When discussing scientific concepts with individuals who have limited prior knowledge, it’s crucial to adopt a patient and approachable approach. Tailoring your explanations to their level of understanding will foster a more productive and engaging dialogue..

To be continued…