THE POWER OF HEALING THROUGH FOODSERVICE
A CONVERSATION WITH VERONICA McCLYMONT
F ood is medicine. It’s one of my mantras!” says Veronica McLymont, one of the registered dieticians chosen by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to launch the nutritional care process at hospitals all over the country.
can intake less sodium-rich foods and modify their eating patterns. Veronica has ventured into success outside of the nutrition community as well. Her book, Embrace Your
Best Self - Fabulous & Healthy After 50 was released in 2018 and hones in on how to live your life to the fullest during the decades we may dread the most. The idea to write a book stemmed from the long commutes into the city she used to take, where she would write to pass the time. After a close friend encouraged her to embrace the next chapter of her life after MyLymont expressed dress about turning 50, her writing ideas were solidified into the book, which she says was “a labor of love.” The book advises women how to age gratefully and gracefully.
The nutritional care process is now widely used in the healthcare field to manage and monitor patients’ cases with help from nutritional facts, outcomes of their conditions, and the type of care applied. The process has become a part of patients’ medical records. Being one of the original registered dieticians to bring this program to New York City hospitals, as well as hospitals country-wide, proved
to have challenges along the way. However, McLymont was able to combat these hiccups by prioritizing education and proper training for medical staff and herself. “It is new, but it’s driven by research and different methodology.” McLymont worked tirelessly to help launch this program. She attended regular trainings and meetings with the academy and would often receive calls from other hospitals looking for more help on launching the program.
While
McLymont
is to
looking
forward
retirement, she encourages newcomers to the food service field to experiment with which sector of the industry they are most passionate about. She also strongly pushes for people in the field to get registered as dieticians through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Lastly, McLymont wants to remind the younger generation of professionals that it is okay to switch jobs, and when one door opens, even just a crack, wedge your foot in and open it wider!
While food is not a sole replacement for western medicine, this program allowed medical professionals and patients to better see the benefit of certain meal choices. Certain foods contain nutrients like vitamins or anti-oxidants that can drastically improve some medical conditions. For instance, if a patient has high blood sugar, they
After years of success in the nutrition world, McLymont is definitely looking forward to her next chapter of life. She is excited to travel, spend time with her daughter and friends, and of course enjoy a
beloved cup of tea with fresh ginger! n
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