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Welcome nutritioulicious™ Blogger Jo!

July 14, 2010

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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Jo BartellHi 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.

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  1. Hi Jo! I worked with Jessica so I know she’s as much fun as she is a professional. I also got my undergrad degree in dietetics at NYU–about a hundred years ago! Enjoy your internship–the internship I did with a food editor, back when I was in school, led to many, many great opportunities. Good luck!

  2. From one NYU Grad student passionate about the many rewarding areas of nutrition to another I am so excited to read more from you and Jessica! 🙂

  3. Hi Jo! Seems like we have a lot in common – I am a dietetics and nutrition student at McGill University in Montreal, but before starting this program I completed a degree in psychology. I am super passionate about food and the many ways that it plays into our lives – socially, culturally, physically, chemically, emotionally. I just completed my 2nd internship at a hospital in Montreal, and now I am working at the same hospital for the summer. I am creating posters and menus for the hospital cafeteria to educate customers on essential nutrients and which cafeteria foods provide them with optimal nutrition. I begin my 3rd year of the program in September, and in a year and a half I will be a Registered Dietician. I love to read and write about food and I look forward to reading all about your experiences throughout this exciting internship!

  4. Susan, Thank you so much for the encouragement! I am so excited to be working with Jessica and to be at NYU.

    Janna, we do seem to have a lot in common. Good luck with your internship and with the rest of school! I would love to hear more about your experiences too! I’ll be posting more soon.

    Thanks Kelly!! 🙂