NMCD--what's in it for you?

Have you checked out the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCD) lately? NMCD provides unbiased, scientific clinical information on complementary, alternative, and integrative therapies. And the best part for SCAN members is that access is free, one of many SCAN member benefits.

Today I put in the search term: omega-3. As you can see from the screenshot below there is a full monograph that summarizes safety, effectiveness, mechanism of action, etc. and a reference list.

If you are a SCAN member, it is easy to access the NMCD. Here are the instructions:

Login as a member to the SCAN website (http://www.scandpg.org/)

Under Nutrition Info, click on Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (in the pulldown menu or near the bottom of the column on the left hand side of the page)

Click on the NMCD icon

You should be automatically logged in. You will know you are logged in by looking at the top upper left corner. Next to Home, it should say Logout (meaning you are currently logged in).

Many of you have a lot more experience with the NMCD than I do. Please post any tips or suggestions so we can all learn more. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer Web Editor

A Resource for Educators

Need a resource for teaching students about evaluating dietary supplements or how to organize, plan, and present a heart healthy culinary demonstration? SCAN can help.

SCAN's webinars have been popular and some educators have asked about showing some of the webinars in their classrooms. There are currently two Educators versions of webinars available for purchase:

Be Supplement Smart (http://www.scandpg.org/store/products/10087/)

The Registered Dietitian's Heart Healthy Culinary Kit (http://www.scandpg.org/store/products/10090/).

The Educators version allows for unrestricted access to the files for educational purposes (no commercial use is permitted). The files are available as both a QuickTime Video file and a Window Media file for use with both Macs and PCs. Any handouts, such as powerpoint slides or other resources, are included and may be copied and distributed to the viewing audience.

Videos add another dimension to a classroom presentation and are a life saver if the faculty member needs to be away to attend a conference or is ill (let's hope not, but it does happen sometimes). When I was a faculty member I always tried to make it as easy as possible for one of my colleagues to "cover" my classes while I was away at a conference. These are resources I wish I had had. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer web editor

Finding Resources

Researching food and nutrition information can be an overwhelming process and often finding the right information is dependant on your ability to search on specific topics in the right places.
Fortunately I have had the help of our corporate library manager who has pointed me to some helpful websites. These resources are useful if you are an employeed, consultant or freelance RD- go ahead and try them out when you begin your next research project.

- http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/gw/Cmd
- www.doaj.org (Directory of Open Access Journal)
- www.biomedcentral.com
- www.nafwa.org (The Nutrition & Food Web aRchive)
- www.dogpile.com

Another great tip that I recieved is to set up Google Alerts, Bookmark and Reader accounts so that I can collect and organize information all online. The sites are easy to navigate and can be the gateway to using other online features.

11 for '11

Eleven features of the SCAN website worth checking out in 2011. Some are accessible to all, but others are members only benefits and SCAN members must be logged into the website to access them. Enjoy!

1. Member Marketplace

Looking for products and services by SCAN members?

http://www.scandpg.org/marketplace/

MEMBERS ONLY: Do you have a product to list? After signing in, click on MyProfile and then Marketplace to submit your listing.

2. PubMed feeds

SCAN volunteer Susan Dopart posts articles of interest specific to sports nutrition, cardiovascular health, wellness and weight management, and disordered eating and eating disorders with links to PubMed.

http://www.scandpg.org/news/

3. Nutrition Info for Consumers page

Newly designed page with information for consumers.

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/nutrition-info-for-consumers/

4. Point-of-Purchase Food Labeling Systems table

SCAN Volunteer Cheryl Toner created this table, which can be printed and used as a handout.

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/nutrition-info-for-consumers/point-of-purchase-food-labeling-systems/

5.Comparison of the 2005 and 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Fats

This table can also be printed and used as a handout.

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/nutrition-info-for-consumers/the-dietary-fat-guidelines/

6. SCAN's E-library is growing! It contains pre-recorded webinars, workshop and symposium videos and other media. A few are free; most have a nominal charge.

http://www.scandpg.org/e-library/

7. Check out the pages dedicated to Careers and Students

http://www.scandpg.org/careers-and-students/

8. Sports Nutrition Fact Sheets. This is one of SCAN's most popular pages.

http://www.scandpg.org/sports-nutrition/sports-nutrition-fact-sheets/

9. MEMBERS ONLY: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/natural-medicines-comprehensive-database/

Don't miss this incredible SCAN benefit.

10. MEMBERS ONLY: PULSE Newsletters

Members can access all PULSE newsletters back to 2004 as well as the articles that are currently available for CPEU.

http://www.scandpg.org/nutrition-info/pulse-newsletters/

11. 27th Annual SCAN Symposium, March 11-13, 2011 in Chicago, IL

Register now! Price will increase after February 2, 2011. SCAN members receive discounted prices.

http://www.scandpg.org/e-learning-and-events/2011symposium/

Here's to a healthy and prosperous 2011. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN's volunteer Web Editor

It’s About Me….and you….and us!

SCAN members—we need your help with the Find a SCAN RD feature. One of the most important features of the SCAN website is Find a SCAN RD. It is front and center on the homepage because it is critical that consumers and potential employers can easily find SCAN members. But they can’t find you unless you go to My Profile and update your information. The more information you enter the more attractive your Find a SCAN RD listing will be. To update My Profile, you must be signed in as a member.

Once you are signed in, click on My Profile, which is at the top of the page next to your name. There are three green EDIT buttons on this page.

The first section is called General Information and includes your name, credentials, contact information, etc. If you want your contact information to show on the Find a SCAN RD page then be sure to click the box that says Is Public. Under membership details, check the appropriate boxes under expertise and subunits. When you are done editing be sure to click on the green box that says SAVE.

The second section is Member Profile, which allows you to describe yourself and your services. This information will be under the heading About Me when someone looks at your Find a SCAN RD listing. It also has a SAVE button, so be sure and click it when you are done editing.

Don’t overlook the third section on the right hand side of the page, User Picture, which allows you to upload an image by clicking on Change. You may choose to upload a picture of yourself, but you don’t have to. For example, you may prefer to upload the logo of your company. Images naturally draw the eye and encourage people to view your information.

The fourth section is for your social networking information, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or your personal Facebook page. Do you have a blog? Enter the URL and it will show on your Find a SCAN RD listing. Remember to SAVE your information after you edit it.

Tip: Once you make changes to MyProfile, go to Find a SCAN RD, enter your zip code, and take a look at your listing.

Updating your My Profile is About Me…and you…and us! It’s About Me, because that is the best ways to describe who you are and what you do. But it’s not just about you. When you update your profile it makes for a more complete Find a SCAN RD feature and that helps every SCAN member. If you have questions, please add a comment to this blog or email me privately at NutritionLogic@comcast.net. Best, Marie

Marie Dunford, PhD, RD

SCAN’s volunteer Web Editor

Getting love bac

So often in the media we hear general terms that describe a more complex entity. Many food and supplement companies have been using the term "probiotic" to market the health benefits of products such as yogurt, keifer, wellness drinks and now childrens snacks. Great but what is a probiotic?

It is this halo effect that I find confusing as I try to understand how to harness the power of bacteria to benefit my own health. I try to narrow down the ingredient to a single thing to look for on a food label but find that it is not a single thing. Probiotics are a classification of living, viable microorganisms that impact the gut flora and as a result provide health benefits. This makes me wonder what type I need and how much I should have, how much are in different products and what else can we eat that will provide the beneficial affect to our bodies?

Well to answer my questions I visited www.usprobiotics.org for answers to my clinical questions and much more. Another thing you can do is look for the National Yogurt Associations seal. The NYA Seal is available to qualified producers of live and active culture refrigerated and frozen yogurt for use on product labels and in advertising and promotional materials.

I would encourage all those who work in nutrition or any area of medicine for that matter to become engaged in this conversation. A preventative approach to health is an underlying theme of nutrition and this topic certainly lends itself to that catagory.

Hearing the voice of Science

During the last session I attended, "The Peaks and Valleys in Product Innovation" it became very apparent that the role of a dietitian is becoming more complex as buisness and science take on the challange of helping people eat better.

I have to say that I am one who looks as innovation in a positive light and feel like it is my job as a dietitian to go forward with an open mind. SDA oil, probiotics and carotenoid rich veggies are food for thought and I hope that there is more to learn about them in the future.