Welcome nutritioulicious™ Blogger Jo!

Today I’d like to introduce a new blogger here at nutritioulicious™ — Jo Bartell. Jo is interning with me and you will get to learn all about her today and through her future blog posts. I’m so excited to have Jo on my team, so please give her a big warm welcome!
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Hi nutritioulicious™ readers, I’m  Jo. I’m a nutrition and dietetics student at New York University embarking on the path towards becoming a Registered Dietitian. Jessica has given me the wonderful opportunity to intern with her, and I am so excited to be a part of the nutritioulicious™ team! I love fresh and simple food, great restaurants, and putting together creative, healthy dishes at home. When I think about eating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and relationship with food I like to live my life by my own golden rule: “Everything in moderation, including moderation” — Oscar Wilde.

I grew up in La Jolla, California in a healthy beach town where nutritious foods and fitness were always a focus. My parents had (and still have) a garden, and I grew up loving food and eating delicious, fresh produce, some of which only had to travel from my backyard to the kitchen! I went to college on the East Coast, which was a huge change for me. It was the first time that I ever experienced four distinct seasons. I began paying attention to seasonal foods and realized that I couldn’t find everything I was used to in California all year round — especially avocados, which I love!

In college I studied psychology and sociology, discovering a profound interest in people’s behavior and interactions with others. After college I briefly worked as a research assistant and counselor for Alzheimer’s patients. While I loved counseling and working with people, I decided a career in psychology was not for me. I ended up coming to New York to work in sales for a fashion design company, and while I love clothes, shopping, and the way fashion trends evolve, I wasn’t fulfilled. I took a sales position for a yoga and athletic apparel company near Union Square and I began to see how all of my interests might come together. Through my job I had the opportunity to visit the Union Square Greenmarket several times a week and work with a group of yogis, runners, and other athletes who were all interested in food and exercise. I realized that a career as a dietitian could bring together my interests in health, food, people, and counseling, and who knows…maybe I could find a way to somehow incorporate fashion too! So, I decided to apply to the Master’s program in Nutrition and Dietetics and NYU and I got in!

I have now finished my first year of the program and absolutely love it. I’m learning more than I thought I would about everything from anatomy and physiology, to nutrition-related diseases, cooking, farming, and restaurant management. My primary interests are still in the behavioral and psychological aspects of nutrition and how eating plays a role in all aspects of our lives. I hope that I can use my career to help people achieve a healthier relationship with food and with eating.