www.csun.edu/sdfsa

By Alyssa Bartholomew

Growing up in Michigan a few dec-

ades ago, I never saw a pomegranate

in the grocery store, and I certainly

never ate one. Now, every grocery

store, from Trader Joe’s to Ralphs,

conveniently sells seeded packs of

pomegranates. Most likely, the pome-

granate craze is due to all the claims

about their antioxidant properties.

The Spanish Settlers brought punica

granatum, the botanical name, to Cal-

ifornia in 1769, where 90% of the US

pomegranates are now produced. Na-

tive from Iran to the Himalayas in

Northern India, over 10,0000 years

ago, pomegranates have historically

been used for medicinal effects. Re-

search has shown that all components

of the fruit: seed, juice, peel, leaf,

flower, bark and roots can have an

impact on fighting disease due to

their anti-inflammatory properties.

A study done in Critical Reviews in

Food Science and Nutrition suggested

that pomegranates had anti-cancer

effects, especially regarding prostate

cancer. According to Elfalleh, the

pomegranate seed oil has anticarcino-

gencic properties, which means it re-

duces the risk of developing cancer

cells by inhibiting their rapid growth.

They also induce apoptosis,

“programmed cell death,” of cancer-

forming cells. These properties led

the latest researchers to study the

affects of pomegranates on osteopo-

rosis and bone health. As expected,

pomegranates minimized bone loss

and increased bone cell production,

adding another benefit to eat this magical

fruit.

Some research suggests that pomegranates

aren’t the “be all and end all” to fight cancer,

but at the very least, this beautiful, ruby red

fruit is packed with potassium, vitamin K,

vitamin C, and is a good source of fiber. How

can you go wrong? The seeds are a fun deli-

cious way to perk up a salad, or sweeten a

plain Greek yogurt.

References:

Elfalleh, W. & colleagues. Advance knowledge in

botany. (2011). Science Letter, 309.

Faria, A. , & Calhau, C. (2011). The bioactivity of

pomegranate: Impact on health and disease. Criti-

cal Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 51(7),

626-634.

Lansky, E. , & Newman, R. (2007). Punica gran-

atum (pomegranate) and its potential for preven-

tion and treatment of inflammation and cancer.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 109(2), 177-206.

Spilmont, M. , Léotoing, L. , Davicco, M. , Leb-

ecque, P. , Mercier, S. , et al. (2014). Pomegranate

and its derivatives can improve bone health

through decreased inflammation and oxidative

stress in an animal model of postmenopausal oste-

oporosis. European Journal of Nutrition, 53(5),

1155-1164.

(continued on page 17)

I N T H I S I S S U E :

Pomegranates: The

Magical Fruit

1

Ginger: The Zesty

Zingiberaceae and its

Potential Health

Benefits

3

The 101 on Food-

borne Illness

4

Stressed Out? The

Following Foods are

Here to Help You

6

Last Priority– 8 Hours

of Sleep

7

HipCooks 8

One Family at a Time 9

Nutrition During

Pregnancy

10

One Step Closer to

my Career

11

Gardening for the

Soul

12

Banana Walnut

Muffins

13

Journey to Vice

Presidency

14

My Summer

Internship at the

USDA

15

Pomegranates: The Magical Fruit

A P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E S T U D E N T D I E T E T I C & F O O D S C I E N C E A S S O C I A T I O N

Food for Thought

F A L L 2 0 1 4 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 2

Advisors’ Message

Remember what you felt like when you were just starting the NDFS program here? Excite-

ment, anticipation – and maybe a bit of worry over the unknown. It didn’t take long before you realized that you are surrounded by a remarkable group of peers, each one ready to help one another realize their dreams.

Your futures are very bright – because of how you’re embracing the pre-sent, serving others, and dreaming even bigger dreams!

Thanks for ALL of your hard work, your commit-ment to yourselves and others, and for making SDFSA continue to shine along with each and everyone of you.

It’s exciting and an honor for us to hear about your dreams – and to watch those dreams come true!

From our hearts to yours…

Dr. Terri Lisagor &

Dr. Elizabeth J. Sussman

“The future belongs to

those who believe

in the beauty of

their dreams.”

(Eleanor

Roosevelt)

F O O D F O R T H O U G H T

President’s Message

By Monica Pang

Hi SDFSA Members and CSUN Community,

The Fall semester seems to be moving fast,

and SDFSA has been working hard to continue

providing our members and fellow classmates

with the best volunteer opportunities, amazing

speakers who are experts in their fields, and

extensive information on dietetic internships.

Most of all, we strive to provide a supportive

and fun environment where everyone is wel-

come to be a part of our nutrition and food

science family.

The 2014 year has been unique for SDFSA and

for me personally. Last semester, our club vot-

ed to introduce a new officer position of Presi-

dent-Elect, and I had the honor of apprentic-

ing under last year’s President, Jocelyn Harri-

son. To say this was a tremendous help would

be an understatement! Not only was I able to

learn from Jocelyn in action, but the position

also served vital in helping me seamlessly

transition into my new role as this year’s Pres-

ident. I am grateful to have had such a spe-

cial mentor like Jocelyn, and she continues

to be an excellent role model for me and our

members.

I feel even more confident that our club will

continue to build on what it achieved last

year, and one way this was seen was through

our growing membership. I was ecstatic to

see so many new faces at our meetings this

semester. We participated in CSUN’s annu-

al, Meet The Clubs event, during the first

week of school, and the response was over-

whelmingly positive. We recruited many

new members, and, of course, our Family &

Consumer Sciences faculty continued to

play a big part in encouraging membership

in SDFSA. Our club is grateful to be sur-

rounded by such a supportive network of

faculty and staff. From my own experience, I

know how large a part this club has played

in my college experience. SDFSA has not

only helped me stay focused on my career

path, but it has also provided an incredible

(continued on page 16)

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

By Tiffany Khim

Spicy and full of heat, ginger is a

plant that is often used in Asian cui-

sine. It is a member of the Zingibera-

ceae family, flowering plants with tu-

berous roots (rhizomes) that are

found in Asia, Africa, and the Ameri-

cas (Singletary, 2010). The unique

aroma and heat distinguish this rhi-

zome from other spices.

Ginger is not only for cooking, but has

health benefits as well. For centuries,

Asia, India, Europe, and the Middle

East have been using ginger as a treat-

ment for a variety of symptoms, such

as stomach problems and pain relief.

Many scientific studies show ginger

may help with symptoms of nausea

and vomiting (Singletary, 2010). Ad-

Ginger: The Zesty Zingiberaceae and its Potential Health Benefits

ditionally, other studies have sug-

gestive evidence that ginger can alle-

viate inflammation or pain caused

by disorders such as arthritis and

muscle soreness. Besides pain and

stomach relief, ginger may poten-

tially have antioxidant properties

and even antimicrobial potential

(Singletary, 2010).

You will find a modified version of a

traditional Cambodian dish that was

created by my mother. Since noth-

ing is written down, ingredients are

eyeballed and based on personal

taste. Also, the heat from the ginger

may be too strong for some (we like

a lot of heat in my family.) Similar to

everything else in the recipe, the

amount of ginger used can be modi-

fied in order to suit preference.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ large ginger, matchsticks (or 1 cup)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce

1 Tbsp Fish Sauce

1 tsp Black Pepper

Directions:

In a hot pan, add olive oil, garlic,

and ginger. Stir-fry until golden-

dark brown. Remove from pan and

set aside.

In the same pan, add chicken and

cook for 5-6 minutes.

Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, and

black pepper.

Combine ginger mixture with

chicken in the pan. Stir on low heat

for 1-2 minutes until thoroughly

mixed.

Serve hot with jasmine rice.

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1

Reference

Singletary, K. (2010). Gin-

ger . Nutrition Today, 45(4),

171-183.

Mom’s Cambodian Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

P A G E 3

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 4

The 101 on Foodborne Illness

Education is key. The public is not well in-

formed on how to properly prepare meat and

safely handle food. For example, in order to

kill the pathogenic bacteria in beef, meat

must be cooked to 155 degrees Fahrenheit.

The public needs to be more aware of simple,

yet critical, facts of temperature to spoilage

of foods. This will help prevent poor health

consequences.

Foodborne illness is any illness caused by

harmful bacteria, viruses, or parasites. This

can be reduced by educating the public on

food handling principles. There are 5 key

components that bring about foodborne ill-

ness: 1) contaminated ingredients/foods, 2)

temperature control, 3) cross contamination,

4) personal hygiene, and 5) sanitation.

A few simple rules to follow: Raw meat and

poultry and should not be eaten unless

cooked to their appropriate temperature for

the proper amount of time. The process of

cooking the food helps kill the harmful bac-

teria, making it safe to eat. Prevention of

food contamination also includes proper

storing and preparation. The proper temper-

ature for food is important. Bacteria can

grow and quickly multiply, thus increasing

the risk of foodborne illnesses, such as when

meat is not cooked thoroughly or stored

properly.

Many people throughout the world, includ-

ing within the United States, have been af-

fected by foodborne illnesses. A simple way

to reduce the risk of foodborne illness is to

wash food properly and long enough before

cooking, and take precautions to not cross-

contaminate our foods. For example, if you

are first working with raw chicken on your

cutting board, and then put fruit without

washing the cutting board, you can enable

the bacteria from the chicken to come into

contact with the fruit. Another example of a

simple way to reduce one’s risk: Proper hand

washing, 20 seconds with warm water and

soap.

Again, education is the key. It is important for

consumers to be aware of foodborne illness

and how to prevent it since it can be a deadly

outcome. Public health focuses on prevention

of disease and promotion of health from the

community’s view. Foodborne illness is an

example of a critical public health topic that

prevents the community from sustaining good

health. There are food safety standards that

need to be met before food is sold on the mar-

ket and consumed.

Reference

Cause and Prevention of Foodborne Illness.

(2014, January 1). Retrieved September 10,

2014, from http://web.uri.edu/foodsafety/

cause-and-prevention-of-foodborne-illness/

F O O D F O R T H O U G H T

By Kayla Mann

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 5

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 6

By Bonnie Broek

There are many effective ways of managing

stress. One way is to eat the proper foods.

The negative effect of stress for a great num-

ber of people is to overeat. They also may

only want to eat fattening, sugary, or calorie-

rich foods. This causes a negative effect on

the body and may only curb the stress mo-

mentarily, if at all. There are a variety of

foods that can benefit your body during

stressful periods.

Almonds have an abundance of vita-

min E, which is an antioxidant that boosts

the immune system. The immune system is

hit the hardest by stress, which is why so

many people seem to get sick when they deal

with a great amount of stress. Almonds also

contain B vitamins, which provide energy for

the body and can help the body cope better. A

mere quarter cup of almonds per day can

provide plenty of vitamins B and E.

Walnuts and pistachios have show n

promise in helping to lower your blood pres-

sure, which allows your heart to beat regular-

ly and maintain calm during stress (West et

al., 2012).

An avocado can be used to make guacamole,

which has a creamy texture and rich flavor.

This rich taste and texture can be satisfying

much in the same way ice cream can be.

However, avocados have monounsaturated

fats and potassium, while most ice cream on-

ly has sugar, cream and additional unhealthy

additives. Potassium is an ideal source used

to help reduce blood-pressure as well.

Carbohydrate is one of the m ajor food

groups that is essential to the body. Carbohy-

drates enable the brain to produce more sero-

tonin, which is a chemical in the brain. Low

levels of serotonin in the brain have been

linked to cases of depression. In addition, the

slower your body absorbs the carbs, the more

steadily the serotonin will pass throughout

your body. This is helpful because the longer

your body maintains the serotonin levels, the

longer your mood will remain even

and calm. A great source of carbohydrate is oat-

meal. Oatmeal has a high amount of fiber,

which your body takes a great deal of time to

digest, all the while producing serotonin.

A popular immune system booster is vitamin C.

In addition, according to a study

by Psychopharmacology, participants who con-

sumed 3,000 mg of vitamin C reported feeling

less stress than those who consumed less than

3,000 mg. This is due in part to Vitamin C be-

ing able to return blood pressure and stress

hormone levels such as cortisol, to a normal

range in a quicker amount of time.

One more food that is thought to have stress-

reduction effects is salmon. Salmon is abundant

in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids keep

stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline

from erupting too often .

Finally, spinach is full of magnesium, which is a

mineral that lowers stress levels. Magnesium

deficiencies have shown to cause migraines and

result in fatigue. One cup of spinach has 40% of

your daily needed intake of magnesium.

References Markus, C.R., (2007). Effects of carbohydrates on brain tryptophan availability and stressper-formance.

Biological Psychology, 76(1-2), 83-90. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2007.06.003

West, S. G., Gebauer, S. K., Kay C. D., Bagshaw, D. M., Diefenbach, C., & Kris-Etherton, P.M. (2012). Diets containing pistachios reduce sys-tolic blood pressure and vascular response to stress in adults with dyslipidemia. Hyperten-sion, 60(1), 58-6. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.182147 Women’s Health Magazine (2007). Beat Stress: Emotional Eating Isn't Always Bad. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/stress-busting-foods?page=2#ixzz1uACxX7Rd

F O O D F O R T H O U G H T

Stressed Out? The Following Foods are Here to Help You!

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1 P A G E 7

By Lisbeth Portillo

There are many factors in maintaining a healthy life-

style; one in particular- adequate sleep, although it is

manageable, most of the time dependent upon how

much we get done throughout our day. Sleep is an im-

portant factor that should be considered a priority,

along with our work schedules, study time, and social

events.

Why is sleep not one of our high priorities? Well, the

way most of us organize our priorities is in such a way

that if they don’t get done, there will be risks involved.

The higher the risk, the higher their priority is. Not go-

ing to work on time? Risk: You may get fired. Not study-

ing for an exam? Risk: You may fail the test. Not going

to your friend’s birthday party? Risk: You’ll be consid-

ered a bad friend.

When it comes to little sleep, we know we’ll wake up the

next day feeling sluggish and tired, but we’ll fix it with

coffee, or think that our bodies will eventually get used

to sleeping for a little amount of time. You may not get

heart disease, diabetes, or suddenly gain 10 lbs. the next

morning, but it is adding up to these risks.

There have been several studies of how sleep can help

reduce the risks of diseases and help prevent weight

gain. Specifically diabetes and heart disease are at risk

when one gets less than six hours of sleep. According to

the article “Sleep on It” by David Schardt, a meta-

analysis showed that those who slept less than six hours

a night had a 48 percent greater risk of coronary heart

disease. Subjects in this study included a group of both

men and woman who were followed for 4 to 32 years.

Another meta-analysis (reference), involving both men

and woman, resulted in a 28 percent increase of being

diagnosed with type II diabetes among subjects with less

than six hours of sleep per night. The study looked the

insulin resistance (IR) as the marker. IR is where the

body produces insulin but does not use the insulin ef-

fectively. Because of the body’s non-response, the pan-

creas keeps pumping out more insulin, and when it fi-

nally gets tired of all that work, blood sugar rises. And

this is what increases the risk of diabetes, which in

turn, may increase the risk of heart disease.

Along with these diseases, the risk of gaining weight is

also a concern. In a study of 68,000 woman , research-

ers found that those sleeping five hours or less per

night gained about 21⁄2 more pounds over 16 years than

those who got seven hours of sleep. Another study of 30

to 40s sleep were measured. When comparing the re-

sults, they found that when subjects slept for four

hours, they ate an average of 300 more calories more

than when the subjects slept longer. The theory is that

with little sleep, blood levels of ghrelin rise and blood

levels of leptin decrease. Ghrelin is a hormone that in-

creases appetite; leptin is a hormone that holds back

appetite.

With this in mind, we should fit our “snooze time” into

our schedules as we would with making an important

appointment. Along with exercise, yoga, and warm

baths to help us sleep. And as well as decreasing high

intakes of alcohol and caffeine before you sleep.

References

Schardt, D. (2012). Sleep on it. Nutrition Action Health

Letter, 39(3), 9.

Last Priority- 8 Hours of Sleep

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 8

HipCooks

Los Angeles is abounding with volunteer

opportunities for those interested in the nu-

trition field, but few will teach you the ins

and outs of ethnic cooking while you’re

working your shift. Luckily, I happened to

find HipCooks a couple of years ago and its

been a lot of fun in the kitchen ever since.

HipCooks is a cooking school for anyone

interested in expending their cooking reper-

toire, no matter their skill level. There are

generally about a dozen students per class,

and the hands-on instruction is interspersed

with breaks to enjoy your culinary

creations over wine or cocktails,

with your fellow students.

There’s a wide variety of class op-

tions including: Cooking 101, Hot

Soup Focus Group, Healthy,

Fresh, and Zingy, An Elegant Inti-

mate Dinner, and Cooking for a

Crowd. If you’ve ever been curious

about trying to make a certain

ethnic cuisine, maybe Dim Sum or Greek or

Argentinian food, here is your chance to do

it.

The 3-hour classes cost $65 each, but if

you’re willing to volunteer you can become a

teacher’s assistant, and learn how to make

these amazing meals for free. Additionally,

each class that you assist in gives you credit

towards future classes.

This is a great opportunity for future RDs, to

not only experiment with new foods and

cooking methods, but also to observe and

learn how to teach cooking classes to a

crowd. Anyone interested in checking out

either their East LA or West LA location can

get more information from their website:

http://www.hipcooks.com.

Happy Cooking!

Shrimp and Mango Salad with Vanilla

Citrus Dressing

1 package lovely greens – like butter leaf

and frisee, or an herb salad mix

18 shrimp, just cooked

1 just-ripe mango, peeled and sliced

1 just-ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 2 limes

4 tablespoons orange Muscat vinegar (or

champagne vinegar)

1 tablespoon honey

1½ tablespoons vanilla paste

A handful fresh thyme – leaves removed

from stem

6 scallions, finely sliced

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Make the salad dressing by mixing vinegar,

citrus juice, sweetness from honey and/or

vanilla bean paste, thyme leaves and scal-

lions. Whisk in your salad bowl or shake in

a jar to combine, then add olive oil, a little

at a time, whisking or shaking until you

have a nice texture. Season with salt and

pepper to taste. We like to dress the greens

first, plate, and then dress the shrimp,

mango and avocado and arrange prettily on

top. You can vary the dressing by replacing

the vanilla with a thumb-sized piece of

fresh ginger, grated. Both are delicious!

F O O D F O R T H O U G H T

By Luba Rosenblum

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

The Groceryships families!

P A G E 9 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1

Groceryships founder Sam Polk and team leader Angela

doing a healthy meal demonstration for the families.

Around this time last year I got an

opportunity through SDFSA to join a

start up non-profit organization

called Groceryships. Groceryships is

an organization that provides scholar-

ships for groceries to underprivileged

families in the Los Angeles area.

Families who are awarded Grocery-

ships receive support on five levels:

financial, medical, educational, emo-

tional, and resources. Groceryships

are given to families who exhibit a

desire to learn how to eat more nutri-

tious food, incorporate exercise into

their lives, and stand as an example

in the community, so that those

around them are influenced to inte-

grate healthy habits into their lives

as well!

In exchange for the scholarships,

select family members must attend a

two-hour class every week for six

months. During this class, partici-

pants receive nutrition education,

observe cooking demonstrations,

and learn exercise tips. The second

half of each class is structured like a

support group where participants are

encouraged to share their emotions

and struggles surrounding their

health, as well as food "life" in this

safe haven that is created for them.

The idea behind this amazing organi-

zation is that everyone has battles,

but many people internalize them

and allow it to effect the way they

operate their daily lives. With the

proper emotional support, and a co-

hesive nutrition education pro-

gram, the families are able to suc-

cessfully reduce their chance for dis-

ease, and reduce their pants size too!

Since I joined Groceryships in Sep-

tember of 2013, the organization has

grown at an exponential rate. Within

one year, we have recruited fourteen

board members and advisors, re-

ceived countless donations, formed

over seventeen partnerships, and

most importantly helped numerous

families.

The results of the program have been

mind blowing! There are three pilot

programs scheduled for 2014, and we

can’t wait to see the results, as we

help one family at a time.

One Family At a Time By Amanda Zarabi

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 1 0

Nutrition During Pregnancy

F O O D F O R T H O U G H T

By Christine Kim

Good nutrition during pregnancy is very

important, as you eat not only to sustain

yourself, but also a little human inside of you.

Many expectant mothers think that they are

“eating for two,” but that isn’t exactly true.

You are eating for another person, but that

person usually gets no bigger than about 8

pounds. Pregnant women only need to con-

sume about 300 extra calories every day,

which is essentially just an extra serving of a

chicken breast. Trust me, as a woman who is

currently pregnant, I completely understand

the cravings for all things—chocolate and ice

cream— but eating extra calories from un-

healthy sources too frequently can lead to

unhealthy weight gain.

Important steps to a healthy pregnancy in-

clude eating a balanced diet, gaining the right

amount of weight, exercising regularly, and

avoiding harmful substances such as alcohol

or tobacco. If recommended by a physician, it

is also beneficial to take a prenatal vitamin to

ensure that you are getting all of the key nu-

trients to help your growing baby thrive. Tak-

ing a prenatal vitamin should not replace a

healthy diet; it should be in addition to eating

a healthy diet. Taking a supplement ensures

that you and the baby are getting important

nutrients but taking extra can be harmful.

Consult your doctor before taking any supple-

ment.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics, a balanced diet includes six to elev-

en servings of bread and grains, two to four

servings of fruit, four or more servings of veg-

etables, four servings of dairy products, and

three servings of protein sources. It is also

recommended to choose whole-grain options

that are high in fiber, rather than refined or

processed ones, this is in order to help reduce

the risks of constipation and other digestive

maladies.

Some important nutrients that are especially

unique and important to consume during

pregnancy are folic acid, iron, and calcium.

Folic acid is particularly crucial for the

beginning stages of pregnancy as it reduces

the risk of birth defects that can affect the

development of the baby’s spinal cord.

Sources include fortified cereals and breads,

dark leafy greens, asparagus, broccoli, and

citrus fruits. Pregnant women should be con-

suming about 600 micrograms of folic acid a

day. Eat at least one good source of folic acid

every day to get your recommended amount.

Another important key nutrient is iron. Iron

deficiency is the most common nutritional

deficiency during pregnancy, and pregnant

women need at least 27 milligrams of iron a

day. Protein sources such as meat, chicken,

and fish offer the most amount of iron, but

iron can also be found in plant sources such

as spinach, kale, and leafy greens.

As a tip, in order to increase iron absorption

from plant sources, it is recommended that

you combine it with vitamin C-rich foods

such as oranges or bell peppers. Eat at least

three servings of iron-rich foods to ensure

that you are getting the recommended

amount. The last key nutrient to consume is

calcium. During pregnancy, it is very im-

portant to consume about 1,000 milligrams

of calcium a day in order to help with the de-

velopment of the baby’s teeth, bones, heart,

(continued on page 11)

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

nerves, and muscles. When a pregnant

woman doesn’t consume enough calci-

um, it will be taken from her bones to

provide for the developing baby. Some

good food sources of calcium are low-

fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, or cheese,

broccoli, or kale. Eat and drink at least

four servings to help ensure that you

are getting your daily recommended

intake of calcium.

You don’t need to avoid all of your fa-

vorite foods to have a healthy preg-

nancy, but just be sure to balance it

out with nutritious foods to make sure

that you and your baby are getting all

of the necessary nutrients in order to

grow and be healthy.

References

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

(2013). Eating right during pregnancy.

Retrieved from:

http://www.eatright.org/Public/

content.aspx?id=6808

Mayo Clinic. (2014). Pregnancy diet:

Focus on these essential nutrients.

Retrieved from:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-

living/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-

depth/pregnancy-nutrition/art-

20045082?pg=1

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1 P A G E 1 1

One Step Closer To My Career

By Nicole Williams

I am currently a volunteer at two

different hospitals, Tarzana Medical

Center and Northridge Hospital. I

started at Tarzana Medical Center in

April 2013, to try to get some experi-

ence working in a hospital. I have

been there for a year and a half now

and I’ve learned so much. I moved

from the volunteer office where I

would take items to specific offices or

discharge patients to the medical staff

office. I was first assigned simple

tasks, such as filing and clearing out

shelves. I then learned how to enter

applications for incoming doctors,

physician assistants, and more.

Since I have consistently been volun-

teering for them, the medical staff

manager set up an email and login for

me when I come in. I send out verifi-

cation faxes to other hospitals and call

them if I need any other information.

I also help put together portfolios for

each entered doctor. Working in med-

ical staff doesn’t have very much to do

with nutrition or food, but I’ve

learned how to work professionally in

an office with others, and gained ex-

perience that I don’t think I would

have if I chose to volunteer some-

where else.

I’ve been at Northridge Hospital since

February 2014, and I volunteer in the

diet office with the diet clerks and the

nutrition assistants. Most of the time,

I call patients in their rooms to ask

what they want for dinner, however

each patient has different diet needs

or restrictions, so their menus have

specific foods that they can eat and

that I can offer. Sometimes I don’t

call them and I actually walk up to

each floor to get breakfast, lunch

and dinner selections for specific

patients.

Other days, I work directly under the

registered dietitian, Stephanie Sand-

ers, and help her with any organizing

or small projects that she needs to get

done. I’ve learned how important it is

to cater to patients’ specific dietary

needs while in intensive care. I’ve also

learned that communication is key

between the diet office and the kitch-

en to make sure each patient is satis-

fied with what they’re getting.

I would recommend both hospitals for

anyone trying to gain experience

working at a hospital. I am hoping

that in my future semesters as a stu-

dent, I will be able to volunteer or in-

tern somewhere more closely related

with nutrition.

Cont. Nutrition During Pregnancy (continued from page 10)

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 1 2

sonally believe there is no experience like

gardening.

For the last six months, I have been gar-

dening at El Cariso County Park Communi-

ty Garden in Sylmar, CA. This garden was

created as a community effort to encourage

gardening in the community. It is open to

everybody and offers multiple resources

like nutrition, gardening, and water con-

servation workshops. We have a grant from

Little Green Fingers, an organization that

explores ways to engage children with gar-

dening. El

Cariso Com-

munity gar-

den has a

special pro-

gram for

children,

where they

offer nutri-

tion, fitness

and garden-

ing activities

for the little

ones.

Gardening is

very im-

"Gardening is a way

of showing that you

believe in tomor-

row" -Anonymous

Gardening: Good for the Body,

Good for the Soul

For me, gardening has become a special

way to connect with the earth in so many

ways: the smell of the dirt, the feeling of

plants in your hands, and then tasting the

product of your hard work. Gardening is a

positive, relaxing and entertaining activity.

It is good for the body, because you get

some exercise tending your plants. Also,

you get to make the choice of having your

garden be organic and chemical pesticide-

free. Furthermore, gardening is good for

your soul

for it is very

therapeutic.

For a while,

you can

forget about

your prob-

lems and

only focus

on your

plants. Of

course,

there is no

better feel-

ing than

watching

your plants

grow. I per-

F O O D F O R T H O U G H T

By Frida Herrera

(continued on

page 13)

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

By Debrin Kashani

Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 c vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 c mashed very ripe bananas

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cinnamon

1 1/4 c flour

1/2 cup walnuts or chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line

about 12 cupcake liners (size of muf-

fins determines quantity).

Mash the bananas and add the oil, sug-

ar, and eggs.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, bak-

ing soda, salt and cinnamon together.

Add the flour mixture to the banana

mixture and mix well. Add nuts or

chocolate chips; mix to incorporate.

The dough will be sticky. Using a spoon,

1/4 c measuring cup, or ice cream

scooper, fill cupcake pan.

Bake until the insides are cooked, check

using a toothpick, and the tops are gold-

en brown - about 20-30 minutes.

P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1

sonal. I enjoy gardening because I can

grow my own seasonal produce.

Currently, I am growing lettuce, cel-

ery, kale, red cabbage, green

beans and Thai basil. I have

grown tomatoes and strawber-

ries, and they were delicious! It

is amazing what you can grow

with just one seed!

portant on a larger scale, as well. In

the modern world, it is so easy to go

to the supermarket and get whatever

you are craving. It could be strawber-

ries, pears, or tropical fruits like ba-

nanas.

The truth is that a lot of the produce

in the supermarket is not as fresh as

what we can grow in our home gar-

dens, and it may even be genetically

modified to last longer. Sometimes

we can go to farmers markets, but you

may not find everything you want,

because the produce is usually sea-

Banana Walnut Muffins

(continued from page 12)

Cont. Gardening: Good for the Body, Good for the Soul

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 1 4

Journey to Vice Presidency

It was fall 2011 that I entered my first Fami-

ly Consumer Science (FCS) class, FCS 170. It

was a Saturday, and it marked my arrival at

Cal State Northridge. FCS 170 taught me

about the color wheel, very important for a

person in my field. As a few weeks pass I

encountered two amazing students, Dana

Sutherland and Carolina Hernandez—the

2011-2012 Vice-Presidents for the Student

Dietetic and Food Science Association

(SDFSA)—at a tabling event, Meet the Clubs.

I knew in that moment on FCS Nutrition/

Dietetics was the way to go. Throughout my

short years at CSUN, I have learned so many

things in joining SDFSA. I have accom-

plished many things being involved, one be-

ing the Vice-President for 2013-2014.

From 2011/2012 to 2012/2013, I showed my

interest and aspirations towards the club by

being a very active member. I volunteered in

countless activates being Wellness tabling,

DI and Career Symposiums, Hurricane

Sandy fundraiser, Food Day BBQ, Nutrition

Month BBQ, Relay for Life, Food Forward,

chair for the Morning Meeting Committee

and so many other things that where being

handed out like candy. All these experiences

assisted me in becoming a well-rounded Vice

-President that knew the club. The two years

also allowed me to break away from a con-

fined non-talkative individual, to a more ro-

bust, open spoken individual. This change

was good in most aspects but also included a

strange side that people saw during my vice

presidency.

Starting my summer with a ‘BAM,’ I met

Pedro Argueta—my Vice President partner—

over the summer, and we started extensively

preparing for something we had no idea how

to do. Pedro and I had no ‘real’ experience in

planning, contacting, managing, following

rules and regulations at a larger level (aka

Associated Students), and doing so many

amazing things, of course while being full

time undergraduate students. So, like any

other sane person would do, we asked, got

denied, but in spite of that process, we had

an amazing year. I feel like our lack of experi-

ence really allowed us to have the best of eve-

rything for SDFSA, because if we would have

felt confident we might have taken missteps

along the way. I also feel by planning so far in

advance we had a handful of amazing projects

already laid out and not to worry about during

the school year.

Coordinating the Dietetic Internship (DI)

Symposium with a record number of at-

tendees was truly amazing. Having amazing

speakers present for the Food and Nutrition

Lecture Series and the Career Symposium was

phenomenal. Doing special elections left and

right plus the big election in the ends was also

a grand experience. From its ups and downs

being Vice President was very rewarding. You

get to do so many projects, meet so many peo-

ple, and show your passions towards what you

do.

Everyone was a huge help. Michele Christo-

pher and Dana Sutherland, where two of the

biggest resources who helped with the success

of the amazing DI Symposium. FCS faculty

members, our SDFSA advisors, the board

members, and the members—especially those

who were in the DI Symposium committee,

where a huge help. I am very grateful for eve-

ryone who put so much effort in helping cre-

ate this wonderful dream come true.

There is so much to say about the 2013-2014

Vice Presidency, and so many people to thank.

Pedro and I are just grateful for all this. We

learned and gained the experience needed for

truly, any professional setting. FCS nutrition/

dietetics is truly an amazing path that made

me see these opportunities. I have recently

changed to FCS Food Science Administration,

hoping that later on I get a bit more fervor

and jump in to get a Masters in Nutrition,

completing with the didactic program in die-

tetic (DPD) and getting a DI. Just steps away

to have an RD in the end of my name.

F O O D F O R T H O U G H T

By Walter Fuentes

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1 P A G E 1 5

My Summer Internship at the USDA By Jocelyn Harrison

“It’s exciting to be at the center of the

nutrition universe and to be in the

company of so many nutrition ex-

perts.” This was my answer when An-

gela Tagtow, MS, RD, LD, and the new

Executive Director of the USDA’s Cen-

ter for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

(CNPP) in Washington, D. C. asked

her new staff to tell her our thoughts

about the department. “Exciting”

sums up my summer internship at

CNPP. I had the unique opportunity to

observe nutrition policy at the federal

level for seven weeks this summer.

The work of CNPP affects every Amer-

ican. The Center’s mission is to

“improve the health of Americans by

developing and promoting dietary

guidance that links scientific research

to the nutrition needs of consumers”.

Many people are familiar with the

work of CNPP through the old Food

Guide Pyramid and the new MyPlate

icon. CNPP has about 35 staff mem-

bers, most of whom are registered die-

titians and/or nutritionists. Many hold

Ph.D.s’ in nutrition, have conducted

nutrition research, or taught nutrition

at the university level. Half the staff

makes up the Office of Nutrition Guid-

ance and Analysis, which directs and

supports the development of the Die-

tary Guidelines for Americans. The

other half is the Office of Nutrition

Marketing and Communication

(ONMC), responsible for promoting

the guidelines to consumers and de-

veloping nu-

trition materi-

als for Federal

and other

agencies.

Due to my

background in

marketing, I

worked with

ONMC on a

variety of

marketing

initiatives in-

cluding

ChooseMyPlate.gov, USDA National

Strategic Partnerships and Choose-

MyPlate.gov social media. My first

assignment was to write a Fourth of

July article for the USDA Blog. I also

did menu and recipe analysis using

SuperTracker.gov, as well as cost

analysis, using skills I learned in Pro-

fessor Ava McKay’s FCS 321 class.

Overall the work and the atmosphere

were fun, but focused. The ONMC

staff is responsible for a tremendous

amount of output. They graciously

made me feel welcomed and valued

from the first day.

A high point of the internship was

at-

tending the 2015 Dietary Guidelines

Advisory Committee (DGAC) meeting

on July 17th and 18th. Every five years,

the USDA, in collaboration with the

Department of

Health and Hu-

man Services,

releases Dietary

Guidelines for

Americans. The

DGAC is made

up of nutrition

experts who vol-

unteer for two

years to comb

through nutri-

tion research

and make die-

tary guideline recommendations that

will inform nutrition policy. The com-

mittee meets five to seven times over

their two-year term. The public can

attend the meetings via the Internet.

As an intern, I had the privilege of at-

tending in-person and meeting the

committee members.

The biggest lesson I learned this sum-

mer is that nutrition policy is complex,

particularly at the federal level. There

are multiple stakeholders with widely

opposing viewpoints and diverse popu-

lations to serve. CNPP is at the center

of a very loud and discordant public

conversation taking place about food.

Keeping in mind the inherent limita-

tions of government processes, I feel

better having seen first hand that there

is a knowledgeable and dedicated staff

working on our behalf. I have tremen-

dous respect for their work, and I am

inspired to continue to support their

efforts at the local level.

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 1 6

Cont. President’s Message

support system. I want everyone in the Nu-

trition and Food Science concentrations to

have the same amazing experience as I did!

One of the reasons I am so proud of this club

is because of our dedication to support and

equip our members to navigate the often-

times confusing Registered Dietitian (RD)

path. One of the ways we do that is through

the Dietetic Internship (DI) Symposium we

put on every year. This is no small undertak-

ing and requires months of planning on the

part of the Vice Presidents, this year being

Diwata Macalino and Luba Rosenblum. They

set out the goal of bringing in directors from

dietetic internship programs that had not

been featured at our symposium in recent

years, and they did just that! We heard from

a newly founded Coordinated Program at

University of Southern California, a distance

DI program from the University of Utah, as

well as DI programs from CSU Fresno and

Patton State Hospital. The October event

was well-attended by CSUN students, and

many students from the greater Los Angeles

area joined to get the inside scoop on these

competitive programs. October continued to

be a busy month as we celebrated World

Food Day with a crepe stand fundraiser, and

sponsored our first Food & Nutrition Lecture

of the semester. Registered dietitian and

CSUN alumna Yasmin Firouzman presented

on the timely topic of bariatric surgery and

her experiences in counseling these patients.

She also shared the story of her path to be-

coming a dietitian, and gave insight into suc-

ceeding in the field.

Lastly, I want to highlight the accomplish-

ments of some of our members. After hear-

ing our morning meeting speakers, Kathleen

Wall and Jesse Bethune, from the American

Diabetes Association (ADA), several of our

members were motivated to join the organi-

zation’s efforts in raising awareness of diabe-

tes risk, and providing nutrition education to

patients and families. Maria Schellenberger,

Frida Herrera and Jessica Wunder did a

wonderful job planning and manning an ed-

ucational booth at the ADA’s, Step Out Walk

in Valencia. Also during this time, Masayo

Chatham and Esmerelda Galaviz chaired a

CHAMPION team, raising almost $2,000 in

less than a week! ADA’s Step Out Walk at

Griffith Park also had great representation

from our SDFSA graduate students manning

an educational booth as well. To top off the

semester, SDFSA sponsored a screening of the

popular food documentary, Fed Up. Thanks to

all those who attended and participated in our

events this semester.

Looking forward, we have several ideas and

events in the works for our members and for

the CSUN community. I invite you to continue

following our progress through our Facebook

page (Student Dietetic & Food Science Associ-

ation) and Instagram (@sdfsa_csun). If you

happen to be near Sequoia Hall 112 and in the

mood for a hot breakfast at 7:30AM on a

Tuesday, I hope you’ll check in and join us for

a club meeting!

Hope to see you around!

Best,

Monica Pang

F O O D F O R T H O U G H T

(continued from page 3)

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

Cont. Pomegranates: The Magical Fruit

V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1 P A G E 1 7

Quick and Easy Arugula Pomegranate Salad

By. Alyssa Bartholomew

Arugula Greens

Pistachio nuts

Pomegranate Seeds

Rotisserie Chicken

Newman’s Original Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing

*You can make your own lemon vinai-grette but Newman’s has only 1g sugar. You can also grill your own chicken, but this is a quick, easy alternative.

(continued from page 1)

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

P A G E 1 8

SDFSA Board Members Fall 2014

F O O D F O R T H O U G H T

President

Monica Pang

Vice-President

Luba Rosnblum

Vice-President

Diwata Macalino

Secretary

Nicole Motoyasu

Secretary

Ashley Grey

Treasurer

Debrin Kashani

Fundraising Treasurer

Maria Schellenberger

Fundraising Treasurer

Ian Cohen

Chief Communication

Christine Myung-Kim

Chief Communication

Frida Herrera

Editor

Walter Fuentes

Editor

Amanda Zarabi

Publicity

Bonnie Sandbakken

Ways and Mean

Alyssa Bartholomew

Legislative

Paige Handler

Web Administrator

Brandi Randolph

Historian

Nicole Williams

Advisor

Dr. Terry Lisagor

Advisor

Dr. Elizabeth J. Sussman

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

Editors’ Postscript

Wow has this semester flown by! In this

issue you will find a wide range of articles

and recipes— ginger, prenatal nutrition

and a bundle more. Our theme this Fall is

Matadors Rising, as CSUN proves to be a

competitive institution, we also, at SDF-

SA, want to express how amazing this

Fall 2014 has been!

Enjoy your read,

Editor Walter

Dear Readers,

I was thrilled to be the editor this year,

bringing to you information from your

peers. I love reading everyone’s articles,

as it helps me get to know my classmates

from a different angle. I hope you enjoy

what the Fall 2014 issue has to offer!

Thanks for reading!

Editor Amanda

Mission of SDFSA

The Student Dietetic and Food Science Association

provides a framework for meaningful student involve-

ment to develop leadership skills, inspire professional interest, to develop

channels of communication between students, advisors, faculty, the Fam-

ily Consumer Sciences Department, and the community in the areas of

Dietetics, Food Science and related fields, and to serve as the source of

food and nutrition information on campus.

Our History

The Student Dietetics Association first became a chartered campus organ-

ization on February 18, 1975.

CSUN's Clubs and Organizations

Outstanding Social Media Award

P A G E 2 0 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1

www.csun.edu/sdfsa

FALL 2014

Blueprints

Sometimes, we make a mistake

And have to erase everything

And start all over again.

But it’s okay, because we still have a chance

Until the blueprint of our life is completed.

I erase all the regrettable things with my mind eraser

And I pick up a pen again

To draw for a better tomorrow.