Today we celebrate Registered Dietitian (R.D.) Day, honoring the R.D.’s commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives. The day commemorates the dedication of our Baptist Health R.D.s for advancing the nutritional status of our patients, employees and community.
Registered dietitians play a critical role in teaching individuals to enjoy the taste of eating right. With all the confusion about what is a healthier food choice, dietitians help clear up the uncertainty between fact and fiction, which gives people the tools they need to make realistic eating changes.
A registered dietitian is the best source of practical, affordable and credible food and nutrition information. They translate nutrition science and help people bring nutritious foods into their daily lives.
As nutritional experts, R.D.s have the necessary training and credentials to develop a personalized nutrition plan tailored to a person’s unique l needs, lifestyle and tastes.
Through food and nutrition, RDs can also help manage or reduce a person’s risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and hypertension to name a few.
Baptist Health dietitians offer a wide array of professional knowledge specializing in all areas of health, from oncology to weight loss – they are food and nutrition experts.
We give a very special thank you to all of Baptist Health’s Registered Dietitians!
This year’s key messages for National Nutrition Month [1] focuses on how to combine taste and nutrition to create healthy meals that follow the dietary guidelines to better health without missing the flavor. The theme is “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right” [2].
“The trick is to continue trying new food on a regular basis and changing the way the food is prepared. Many individuals are surprised to discover the taste of new foods while reaping its nutritional benefits,” says Natalie Castro M.S., R.D., LDN, chief wellness dietitian for corporate wellness at Baptist Health South Florida.
About Natalie Castro-Romero, M.S., R.D., LDN
Natalie Castro-Romero is the Chief Wellness Dietitian for corporate wellness at Baptist Health South Florida. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from Florida International University. She completed her master’s degree in nutrition and exercise science at the State University of New York, University at Buffalo. Ms. Romero is certified in adult weight management and works passionately to improve the health of both adults and children. Her clinical experience includes working with patients suffering from gastrointestinal disorders and critically ill patients in intensive care. In addition, she has conducted research on eating behaviors and pediatric obesity. Her research has been published in several peer-reviewed medical journals.