Personal Statement: My Journey In Dietetics And Nutrition

Five years ago, I was inspired by a TED Talk presented by, Jamie Oliver, a healthy living activist, and chef. He explained that we spend our lives being paranoid about death by murder or accidents, yet he pointed out that in reality, the most common causes of death were all diet-related diseases. Surprisingly, homicide was at the very bottom of the list.

That was a wake-up call for me. I realized, the choices we make each time we put food in our mouths impact our daily quality of life and have a profound effect on our long-term health. I wanted to be part of the solution, and thus my journey in dietetics and nutrition began. By understanding good nutrition principles, we hold the keys to heal, improve well-being, prevent disease and enhance physical and mental strength. I want to advance my education with the opportunity to explore and apply nutritional research and health benefits.

As a teen, I worked in a scratch kitchen, where I had the unique opportunity to learn the essentials of cooking without using processed ingredients. I learned about food marketing during my work with Nabisco as a field sales representative, and food safety and handling working with Aramark in the catering

Here I get to interact with the students and their families and enact my passion of making healthy choices accessible. Working under a grant from the Delaware County Intermediate Unit, I am responsible for sixteen Early Head Start students, who are now consuming a well-balanced diet. I assure they receive 75% of their nutritional needs and I plan and present weekly nutrition lessons. Parents are also involved in monthly nutrition sessions where I get to inspire them to become healthy role models for their children. The experience has helped me solidify my interest in reinforcing nutritional needs at an early age before they becomes a health