Happy Mother's Day!

Friday, May 8, 2015

For Mother's Day, I'd like to thank three people who inspired me to be a dietitian and have influenced my practice as a dietitian. 

1) My Mamaw, Violet Ellen Bailey. 

As a baby, I was a fussy eater and Mamaw would spend hours trying to get me to take a bottle or eat my baby food. I am inspired hearing those stories. How much love do we show others by cooking for them, feeding them, encouraging them to eat? When I go to work every day at the long term care facility where I'm employed, I see numerous residents who need encouragement to eat or need fed and I'm reminded of my mamaw and her dedication to me. It gives me determination to find new and better ways to help nourish my residents. I remember going to Mamaw's house and watching and helping her cook dinner. Her and Papaw either had a garden or got fresh produce from my great-grandpa's garden. There was almost always home-canned or fresh vegetables to eat. She believed in me and encouraged me in my goal to become a dietitian. I only wish she could have seen me succeed. I know she would be proud.

2) My mom, Sherri. 

My mom was the first dietitian I know. No, she didn't go to school and study nutrition, do an internship, or take a registration exam. But she taught me the basics of meal planning: no all white meals - make sure to have lots of color on the plate; no more than 2 starches at a meal - if you have potatoes and corn, no bread on the table; and variety is the spice of life - she cooked a lot of different vegetables and foods in addition to encouraging me to participate in fruit and vegetable programs at the local supermarket. She set an example by buying healthy snacks and cooking complete meals. During my first job as a dietitian, I was responsible for planning the menus for the residence halls. In my mind, I could hear my mom saying, "What will it look like on the plate?" Chicken, cauliflower, and mashed potatoes make for a pretty boring meal. But swap broccoli for cauliflower and roasted redskin potatoes for the mashed and it's a colorful, healthy meal. When I told Mom about my goal to be a dietitian, she never discouraged me or tried to get me to choose a different path. She only ever encouraged me. And to this day, she heeds any nutritional advice I may offer her. My mom was my first dietitian and my first client. 

3) My foods/home ec teacher, Teresa Tresslar. 

During one of her foods classes, she took us to the local hospital to tour the kitchen. I was a sophomore and was trying to decide the course I wanted to take for my career. I knew I loved to cook, I loved to teach and I loved science, health and nutrition. Not knowing of any career path that combined all those passions, I had decided that I could continue to cook for fun and teach a Sunday School class at church, thereby fulfilling those passions. That left health/nutrition/science. I had been researching careers in science prior to this field trip. During the tour of the kitchen we met the hospital's dietitian. When she described what she did, my ears perked up: all my passions combined in one career! I started researching jobs within the dietetics field. I was sold! From then on, that was my goal.  I researched colleges with dietetics programs. I settled on IU and the rest is history. 

So on Mother's Day 2015, as I reflect back on 15 years of studying/practicing in the field of nutrition/dietetics, I give thanks and honor to three women who influenced not only my career but my life. Thank you! Happy Mother's Day!