February 2017 Newsletter

Greetings:

As always, I hope all is well with you and your families.  First I’d like to start by saying, I’m proud to be a member of an organization that recognizes the importance of diversity. The Academy’s consistent effort to ensure our membership reflects those we serve, is one of the reasons I’ve remained a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

In 2015, during the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo opening ceremony, former Academy President, Dr. Evelyn F. Crayton, stated, “As our nation’s demographics change and we are in an increasingly interconnected world, we must keep working toward greater inclusivity and diversification in our Academy and our profession.” I agree with Dr. Crayton.

As we enter the second century of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, I would like to encourage you to learn about a culture that’s different from your own. Reading books, taking cultural competency courses and watching documentaries are great places to start. However, attending local cultural events, visiting places of worship, or participating in volunteer opportunities is even better. I believe the more we know about different cultures, the better equipped we are to serve our communities as registered dietitian nutritionists.

Enjoy the rest of the month. Remember to take pictures during National Nutrition Month and on March 8^th, RDN Day. I look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting next month!

LaShaundrea B. Crook, MS, RDN, LD
President, MSAND

IT’S VOTING TIME at the Academy in general and MS-AND in particular. All members should exercise their right and duty to vote for officers to lead the profession. There are two separate elections, so please make sure you participate in both.

1. Please review MS-AND’s slate of candidates and cast your vote here through February 22.
2. The positions and the bios of the Academy candidates can be viewed on the Academy website and then you can cast your vote.

Please vote to help move the Academy and MS-AND forward. Elections run through February 22nd.

Registration for the MS-AND annual meeting is now open! Please check out the website for regular updates.
 
When: March 27-28^th
Where: Biloxi Civic Center in Biloxi Mississippi
Lodging: Palace Casino – hotel group ID number 679, contact hotel directly to book room: 800-725-2239
On-line registration: Click here to access. Note that there are processing charges for using the online system, so prices are slightly higher.
Paper Registration: Click here to download
Tentative Schedule: Monday, March 27^th from 11:30am to 5:00pm, and Tuesday, March 28^th from 7:30am to 5:00pm

When: March 8th at 11:45 am – 1:30 pm
Where: Mississippi Capital – Section A of the rotunda

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day and National Nutrition Month are part of a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  The campaign focuses on attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. 

March 8is is National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day.  Governor Bryant has issued a proclamation for National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day and National Nutrition Month which will be on display in the Capitol that day.  Members of MS-AND, as well as dietetics students and interns from colleges and universities throughout the state, are encouraged to be in attendance at the capitol on March 8th.  Section A in the rotunda has been reserved from 11:45 am until 1:30 pm where we can meet with legislators from our districts to discuss nutritional issues of importance and introduce ourselves as the nutrition experts for their districts. 

Please contact the legislators in your districts and let them know you will be available to meet with them during that time.  Most of them will be glad to stop by and take advantage of the opportunity to listen to your concerns.  During this current session 21 nutrition related bills were introduced although a great majority of them did not make it out of their committees.  Nutrition education and health care are of vital importance and great concern to all of these legislators and they need to hear our voices.

Please contact Connie Ray Black, Public Policy Coordinator MS-AND, if you have any questions or if you plan to attend. Phone: 662-341-1517. Email: [email protected].

A yoga class for members was held on January 30 as our Winter Social. We had a great time learning poses for healthy digestion and metabolism as well as the benefits of yoga for physical and mental health, all while earning CEU!

MS-AND is happy to announce the start of a member discussion board! We have created a private forum for MS-AND members to communicate with each other to share resources, ask questions, and interact more. 

To subscribe to the discussion board simply send an email that contains your full name and Academy ID number to [email protected] and you will be approved shortly.

Once you are subscribed you can post directly from your email by sending your questions, resource, or discussion topic directly to [email protected]. The group has been quiet so far, but please don’t be shy! This was created for us to interact more effectively with each other.

In 2014 the Mississippi State Department of Health coordinated a series of assessments (including focus groups, surveys, public forums and listening sessions) to complete various components of the State Health Assessment (SHA) and the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). The products that came out of these assessments help create an understanding of the health issues that have the greatest impact on Mississippians and develop plans to address these issues.
 
The work is being done through the SHIP is coordinated through partners in UpRoot Mississippi. There are over 90 partner organizations in UpRoot Mississippi, including business groups, non-profit organizations, medical partners, public health professionals, government agencies, community members and organizations as well as education community members.
 
There are four priorities that UpRoot Mississippi is focusing on: (1) Increase Educational Attainment, (2) Create a Culture of Health, (3) Reduce Rate of Chronic Disease, and (4) Improve Infant Health. It is important that the SHIP remain a working, current document. If you like to be a part of UpRoot Mississippi, or to submit a success story, please visit http://uprootms.org/.
 

The Mississippi School Nutrition Association (MSNA) Annual Conferences was held in Tupelo, MS November 10-12, 2016. The theme for the 2016 conference was “Heroes of Child Nutrition”. Through Thursday, Friday, and Saturday over 500 MSNA members attended the conference.  The agenda included a general opening session, staff development sessions, exhibits, and other events.  Many members took this opportunity to network with other members from all over the state.  
 
Several MS-AND registered dietitians were featured at conference including Lenora Phillips who presented “Conflict Resolution: Resolving Conflict through Communication” and Ashley Harris who helped present information about USDA’s Produce University.  Registered Dietitians attending received CEU hours. 
 
There were also several contests including Breakfast and Lunch Trays, Storyboards and Cupcake Wars. Nine members received scholarships to further their education or for professional development. 
Several MS-AND members will be attending the School Nutrition Association Legislative Action Conference in Washington, D.C. April 2-4, 2017, and the Annual National Conference in Atlanta, GA July 9-12, 2017.
 
Please join us for the 2017 conference, November 2-5, 2017, at the MS Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi, MS. For more information visit: www.schoolnutrition-ms.org/.
 

Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics members enjoyed being a part of the Mississippi State Medical Association Alliance Capitol Screening Day on January 19, 2017. These members provided state legislators, capitol staff and visitors with information about the importance of healthy, balanced food and nutrition choices.
 
The Mississippi State Medical Association Alliance collaborated with several health and wellness groups around Mississippi to help conduct assessments such as height, weight, BMI, blood cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, complete kidney screening, stoke/heart attack risk assessment and blood pressure, and eye screenings. The information that the MS-AND members discussed with participants focused on nutritional considerations in relation to the screenings that were being conducted. If you, your staff, or students would like to be a part of the Mississippi State Medical Association Alliance Capitol Screening Day on January 18, 2018, please contact [email protected].