HEALTH GUIDE

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE is a Member of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals founded in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1917. The visionary group was formed by women dedicated to helping the government conserve food and improve the public’s health and nutrition during World War I. Today, the Academy has over 75,000 members — registered dietitian nutritionists, dietetic technicians, registered, and other dietetics professionals holding undergraduate and advanced degrees in nutrition and dietetics, and students — and is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Members of the Academy play a key role in shaping the public’s food choices, thereby involving its nutritional status, and in treating persons with illnesses or injuries. Members offer preventive and medical nutrition therapy services in a variety of settings. Dietetics practitioners work in health care systems, home health care, foodservice, business, research and educational organizations, as well as in private practice. As vital members of medical teams in hospitals, long-term care facilities and health maintenance organizations, they provide medical nutrition therapy — using specific nutrition services to treat chronic conditions, illnesses or injuries. Community-based dietetics practitioners provide health promotion, disease prevention and wellness services. As a leader in food and nutrition issues, the Academy provides expert testimony at hearings, lobbies Congress and other governmental bodies, comments on proposed federal and state regulations, and develops position statements on critical food and nutrition issues.

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDN, LDN, CDCES, FAN is a provider of laboratory testing for identification of non-IgE mediated reactions to foods, chemicals, and other categories of substances. Click Here to Schedule Your Test Today! The ALCAT Test, developed by Cell Science Systems, is NOT an “allergy” or IgE test. Available for over 25 years, The ALCAT Test is a laboratory method for identification of non-IgE mediated reactions to foods, chemicals, and other categories of substances. The test identifies cellular reactions to over 350 foods, chemicals and other substances. These potential triggers of inflammation have been linked to chronic health problems like migraines, aching joints, fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders, eczema, hyperactivity/ADD, asthma and even obesity. The ALCAT Test is available in the United States as well as the U.K., Italy, Denmark, Jordan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Spain, Mexico, Greece, Germany, Australia, Malaysia and South America including Chile, Colombia and Argentina.

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N is a Certified Diabetes Educator and Member of AADE which provides tools and Resources for people living with diabetes. The website has a variety of tip sheets and other resources to help make living with diabetes more manageable. Diabetes is a complex disease that requires daily self-management – making healthy food choices, staying physically active, monitoring your blood sugar and taking medications as prescribed. It is also important to talk regularly with your diabetes care team to problem solve, reduce risks for complications and cope with lifestyle changes. Successful self-management will help you feel better and can reduce your chance of developing complications including heart disease, dental disease, eye disorders, kidney disease, nerve damage and lower leg amputation. Diabetes is also a very personal disease. Upon being diagnosed, it’s not uncommon to feel a certain amount of fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear about how your lifestyle may change. Fear that you will experience life-threatening complications. A key member of the diabetes management team, a diabetes educator will help you learn how to take care of yourself — guide you through your treatment and help you with any fears, issues and problems you encounter along the way.

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE is a Member and Public Speaker for The American Diabetes Association which leads the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fight for those affected by diabetes. They fund research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes. They deliver services to hundreds of communities and provide objective and credible information. The ADA gives voices to those denied their rights because of diabetes. They are dedicated to Stopping Diabetes.

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE is a Member of The American Heart Association and former Presenter of Search Your Heart Program. The AHA provides efforts to reduce death caused by heart disease and stroke. The AHA has major efforts in CPR & First Aid training and working to help kids, families and communities live heart-healthy lives. Use the Healthy Living information to help you get active and stay active, researching and finding educational materials to improve your health, or finding ways to donate time and resources to join the fight against our nation’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers – heart disease and stroke.

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE is a Member of The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) organization and specializes in bariatric nutrition consultations. Click Here to Schedule Your Consultation Today! (ASMBS) is the largest national society for this specialty. The vision of the Society is to improve public health and well being by lessening the burden of the disease of obesity and related diseases throughout the world. Founded in 1983, foremost American surgeons have formed the society’s leadership and have established an excellent organization with educational and support programs for surgeons and integrated health professionals. The purpose of the society is to advance the art and science of metabolic and bariatric surgery by continually improving the quality and safety of care and treatment of people with obesity and related diseases by: Advancing the science of metabolic and bariatric surgery and increase public understanding of obesity Fostering collaboration between health professionals on obesity and related diseases Providing leadership in metabolic and bariatric surgery the multidisciplinary management of obesity Advocating for health care policy that ensures patient access to prevention and treatment of obesity Serving the educational needs of our members, the public and other professionals.

The CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same. CDC increases the health security of our nation. As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. To accomplish our mission, CDC conducts critical science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats, and responds when these arise. The CDC’s role is to Detect and responding to new and emerging health threats, Tackling the biggest health problems causing death and disability for Americans, Putting science and advanced technology into action to prevent disease, Promoting healthy and safe behaviors, communities and environment, Developing leaders and training the public health workforce, including disease detectives, Taking the health pulse of our nation.

On June 2, 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack released the federal government’s new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. MyPlate is a new generation icon with the intent to prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at meal times and to seek more information to help them do that by going to ChooseMyPlate.gov. The MyPlate icon emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein foods, and dairy groups. Later in 2011, MiPlato was launched as the Spanish-language version of MyPlate. ChooseMyPlate.gov provides practical information to individuals, health professionals, nutrition educators, and the food industry to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other user-friendly nutrition information. As Americans are experiencing epidemic rates of overweight and obesity, the online resources and tools can empower people to make healthier food choices for themselves, their families, and their children. MyPlate illustrates the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet using a familiar image – a place setting for a meal. Before you eat, think about what goes on your plate or in your cup or bowl. MyPlate, MiPlato, and ChooseMyPlate.gov were developed by and are maintained by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion (CNPP). Support this 2011 collaboration from First Lady Michelle Obama and USDA plate as a teaching tool!

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE is a member of the Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine (DIFM) Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Practice Group. DIFM, a practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, consists of 3,700+ Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), Dietetic Technicians, Registered (DTRs), and dietetic students and interns who practice in, or have specific interest in, an integrated and personalized approach to nutrition, health, and healing. The DIFM philosophy centers around a holistic, “Food as Medicine” approach to wellness, and is based firmly in the Integrative Medicine model. Whole-food therapies, targeted supplements, and mind-body modalities form the basis of “Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy” (IFMNT). Integrative Nutrition RDNs apply this model to the nutrition care process in clinical practice and are also instrumental in reshaping healthcare.

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE is a Member of the Board of Directors, Secretary and member of the Bi-Laws Committee for the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (FAND), and former Chair of the Nominating Committee and Chair of the Public Relations Committee. The mission of the FAND is to empower our members to promote optimal nutrition and health for all people. National Nutrition Month during March of every year, nutrition professionals throughout Florida sponsor a wide scale campaign to increase awareness and educate the public about food and fitness choices that prevent disease and promote good health. Through Year-Round Public Service Programs, FAND members continue their public service programs throughout the year, sponsoring a variety of educational events such as seminars and workshops, fitness events, health fairs, media programs, and more. FAND was recognized as the Florida Association of the Year in 2003 for its public service program.

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE is a Member of Healthy Aging a dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The Healthy Aging DPG members work in many different environments but we all have one thing in common – we believe that we can make a positive impact on wellness in older adults. We have spent the last few years solidifying our mission and vision. Our next goal is to develop additional resources to help our DPG members carry out our mission. We had a very exciting Spring EC Meeting brainstorming on this subject and we have a long list of wonderful ideas.

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE is Foodies-Former member and recommends the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) as a resource for Culinary Professionals. The IACP provides membership which provides targeted access to industry information and resources along with social media groups, quarterly newsletters, monthly Speaker Series to keep you up-to-date on the issues, ideas, and trends pertinent to your section. There is no limit to the number of sections you can join – access to section content and events is one of the many benefits of IACP membership. Section Chairs are always looking for help to keep their sections current with new programs and content, so please don’t hesitate to volunteer. For more information about each section, its leadership, mission, and resources, visit the IACP website. The networking possibilities are limitless through Chefs, Restaurateurs, & Sommeliers, Cooking Schools & Teachers, Culinary Tourism, Entrepreneurs, Food History, Food Photographers & Stylists, Food Policy, Food Writers, Editors, & Publishers, Youth Culinary Initiatives, Marketing Communicators, Digital Media, Nutrition & Food Science and Test Kitchen Professionals.

Kids Eat right is a component of eatright Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics dedicated for kids. Here you can find food, health and wellness resources for kids, baby, toddler, preschooler, gradeschoolers and teens.

If you are looking for evidence based answers for your health questions and concerns, you can rely on The Mayo Clinic to set your mind at ease until you can contact your healthcare provider.

MyFitness Pal is a fun and easy to use tool that will track your every move!

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) develops health education and awareness programs to effect positive change in public health. These initiatives focus on implementing national programs to help lower the risk for and consequences of heart, lung, blood, and sleep diseases and disorders. NHLBI is a trustworthy source for health education and awareness programs to effect positive change in public health. They develop educational programs by first synthesizing accepted scientific findings. NHBLI uses their knowledge of adult learning theory, sound behavior change, and social marketing to design informational materials that not only effectively inform the audience but also enable them to make healthy changes to their behavior. Moreover, the NHLBI partners with private-sector organizations and other Government agencies to amplify critical public health messages such as Aim for a Healthy Weight, The Community Health Worker Health Disparities Initiative, COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), The Heart Truth®, P.A.D. (Peripheral Arterial Disease)- Stay in Circulation, Sickle Cell Disease Awareness & Education, and We Can!® (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition).

The NIA’s mission is to discover what may contribute to a healthy old age as well as to understand and address the disease and disability sometimes associated with growing older. The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE recommends NIA as a dependable resource for those interested in living long and strong. In pursuit of these goals, their research program covers a broad range of areas, from the study of basic cellular changes that occur with age to the examination of the biomedical, social, and behavioral aspects of age-related conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease. I invite you to explore their website and to learn more about the ground-breaking work of NIA researchers and the international community of scientists engaged in aging research. Take a look at some of the ways they collaborate across the Institute and NIH on initiatives of special interest. For the general public and health professionals, they offer consumer-oriented information on a wide range of topics important to older people and their families. Scientists will find detailed information on areas of research interest and funding opportunities. In addition to the research priorities of its intramural and extramural divisions, NIA is involved in a number of special initiatives that expand and enhance its mission. These initiatives often involve other NIH Institutes and Centers, as well as other organizations and agencies involved in research on health and aging such as the Minority Aging and Health Disparities, Trans-NIH Research Activities, Translational Research, Comparative Effectiveness Research, Global Aging, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE recommends SparkAmerica website for wellness information from responsible source of health professionals. The mission of SparkAmerica, is to SPARK millions of PEOPLE to reach their goals and lead healthier lives. We offer nutrition, health, and fitness tools, support, and resources that are 100% free, while other sites like Weight Watchers and eDiets.com charge their members for similar services. Their weight loss program teaches people to stop dieting and transition to a permanent, healthy lifestyle. Far beyond just weight loss, SparkAmerica helps everyone learn to eat better and exercise regularly—for life. And people who don’t want to lose weight can still join and benefit from SparkAmerica’s tools, resources and community features. In addition to informative articles and interactive tools, such as fitness trackers and meal plans, members can find support and encouragement from our vibrant, positive community of members and experts. SparkAmerica prides themselves in offering medically accepted weight-loss and healthy lifestyle recommendations that are easy to understand and implement.

The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE is a Provider of Standard Process Whole Food Supplements. Since 1929, Standard Process has been dedicated to the field of nutritional supplements and the whole food philosophy introduced by Dr. Royal Lee. Click Here to Purchase Standard Process Products Today! Discover just how resilient your body can be when given the proper nutrition. Following this philosophy, they start with whole foods—foods you might find in the grocery store, like peas, radishes, and beets. Then, like any good cook, they prepare these ingredients in a way that safeguards their nutritional value. The resulting whole food ingredient is then added to a complex formula that may include plant and animal extracts, desiccates, or other targeted ingredients to create the best dietary supplement for each health indication.

As a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s in Public Health, this is one of the go to guides for The Nutrition Planner – Michelle J. Stewart, MPH, RDLD/N, CDE. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) are agencies of USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. FNS works to end hunger and obesity through the administration of 15 federal nutrition assistance programs including WIC, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and school meals. In partnership with State and Tribal governments, our programs serve one in four Americans during the course of a year. Working with public, private and non-profit partners, their mission is to increase food security and reduce hunger by providing children and low-income people access to food, a healthful diet and nutrition education in a way that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence. No American should have to go hungry. FNS is committed to ensuring access to healthy and safe food for those participating in our programs including expecting mothers; infants and children in child care and school; low-income families going to food banks; local farmers markets; and local supermarkets. These are investments that support education, health care, and a competitive workforce. They are committed to the sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars through aggressive efforts to reduce and prevent fraud and increase efficiency.

WebMD provides valuable health information, tools for managing your health, and support to those who seek information. WebMD has created an organization that we believe fulfills the promise of health information on the Internet. They provide credible information, supportive communities, and in-depth reference material about health subjects that matter to you. WebMD is a source for original and timely health information as well as material from well-known content providers. The WebMD content staff blends award-winning expertise in journalism, content creation, community services, expert commentary, and medical review to give users a variety of ways to find what they are looking for. With a dedicated, full-time staff professionals with state-of-the-art expertise in: • Health news for the public, • Creating and maintaining up-to-date medical reference content databases, • Medical imagery, graphics, and animation, • Communities, • Live web events, • User experience, • Interactive tools. Health Professionals, including those who write, review and edit editorial content as well as Community Experts, undergo credential verification by a third party. Most at WebMD Health have spent their entire careers dedicated to helping people find the health and medical information, support, and services they need — even before there was an Internet! They are dedicated to providing quality health information and to upholding the integrity of our editorial process.