Watch the video below, then I want YOUR thoughts on leadership! 
Answer any or all of the following questions (RDs welcome too!)

What's leadership mean to you?
What does it mean to demonstrate leadership as a dietetic student/intern? 
What will it/does it mean to be a leader in the dietetic field? 

Comment below or send to Road2RD@gmail.com

​Name: Jill Rohlfs
Bio: Jill Rohlfs is a first year Nutrition and Dietetics student at Rowan University in New Jersey. She is a vegan that follows a plant-based diet and enjoys distance running, practicing yoga, trying out new recipes, and spending time with her family when she is not studying or working. Jill is working towards a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics and a MS in Nutrition as she hopes to become a Registered Dietitian. 

​What is mindfulness?
Before defining mindful eating, it is useful to know what mindfulness is. Mindfulness is defined as deliberately paying attention, without judgement, to all internal processes as well as your environment.1 To be mindful is to be aware of your current mental, physical, and emotional state during each moment.1
What is mindful eating?
Knowing what mindfulness is useful when defining mindful eating. Mindful eating is being aware, both physically and emotionally, of what and why you are eating.2 Mindful eating also means bringing awareness to the opportunities that food preparation and consumption presents, choosing to eat food that is pleasurable as well as nourishing, acknowledging positive and negative responses to food.1 Most importantly, mindful eating is listening to your body’s hunger and satiety cues and allowing yourself to make mindful decisions regarding when to begin and stop eating.1 It makes sense that mindful eating is being studied and discussed more and more as the number of people with diseases of excess, especially obesity, are increasing. The prevalence of obesity in adults 20 years or older has more than doubled from 1960 to 2010.3 It is likely that because of this increase, people are becoming more interested in mindful eating.
While it is easy to define what mindful eating is, it is harder to imagine what mindful eating looks like. A person who eats mindfully understands that there is not one way to experience food and accepts their individual experiences with eating.1 Additionally, he/she understands that their relationship and experiences with food and eating can change over-time.1 Knowledge and the ability to reflect on the effects of mindful eating versus mindless eating on both the individual and on their environment is also a part of mindful eating.1 While mindful eating is unique to every individual, these are some of the characteristics of a person who eats mindfully provided by The Center for Mindful Eating. It is important to recognize that mindful eating is a lifestyle, not a traditional diet.
What are the benefits of mindful eating?
            Many people use mindful eating as a way to lose and maintain weight. Because mindful eating is a lifestyle and not a diet, there is more potential for the changes in weight to be permanent.4 This is especially true because mindful eating isn’t centralized around restricting and starving, but it focuses on making reasonable, long-term changes in lifestyle.4 It is well-known that Americans are exposed to a variety of drastically different diets and most of those diets are not successful long-term. When someone goes on a popular diet, it is likely that their weight will fluctuate drastically during their experience. When someone adopts mindful eating habits, it is more likely that their weight will decrease and be maintained more easily.
            Overweight and obese individuals are likely victims of the dieting culture in America. By determining why food choices are made and educating people to make better choices, they will be more likely to incorporate healthy eating into their lifestyle.2 After participating in a mindful eating intervention lasting six weeks that included: weekly two hour classes, mindful meditation, mindful eating, and group discussions, ten obese patients lost a significant amount of weight as well as a lower BMI score.6
Mindful eating can also be beneficial to mood, energy, and mental capacity because it encourages people to use food as nourishing fuel for both the body and mind.4 If a person looking to make positive changes to their physical, mental, and emotional well-being, focusing on mindfulness and mindful eating is a great place to start.
How do I eat more mindfully?
            One theory, the on-demand feeding theory, says that there are three steps to mindful eating: eating when we are physically hungry, eating what we are physically craving, and stopping when we are full.7 This theory suggests that if we tune into our bodies and listen to its natural cues, we can govern when, what, and how much we eat.7 In other words, the theory is based on the assumption that our bodies can regulate its weight as well as our eating as long as we learn to listen.7
                One way to implement mindful eating is to take up a mindful meditation practice. A unique example of mindful meditation, a Raisin Meditation, specifically addresses both mindfulness and mindful eating. The University of West Virginia provided a roadmap that guides you through the eight stages of a Raisin Meditation. The eight steps are: holding, seeing, touching, smelling, placing, tasting, swallowing, and finally, following.8 First, you take the raisin in your hand and focus on it as if you have never seen it before. Second, you take the time to really look at the raisin carefully and notice the uniqueness of the raisin. Next, you explore the way that the raisin feels to the touch. After examining the way the raisin feels in your hand, you bring the raisin to your lips and then into your mouth to explore the raisin with your tongue. Next, you take your time chewing the raisin slowly and noticing how it feels to chew and taste the raisin. When you are ready, you take the moment to recognize the intention to swallow and notice what that experience is like, and then you swallow the raisin. Finally, follow the raisin on its journey into the stomach and take notice of how your body feels after the experience.8 This raisin meditation is meant to bring awareness and mindfulness into your daily life and experiences with food.
 
           
Resources
1. Principles of Mindful Eating. The Center for Mindful Eating. Available at: http://www.thecenterformindfuleating.org/principles-mindful-eating.
2. Berdal LM. The Relationships of Eating Mindfulness and Demographic Characteristics, Physical Activity, and Focus of Academic Major among College Students. 2012.
3. Overweight and Obesity Statistics. Overweight and Obesity Statistics. Available at: http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/pages/overweight-obesity-statistics.aspx.
4. Kelly, T. (2014). Mindful eating techniques to answer the question: "am I hungry?". Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care, 9(1), 50. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/bari.2014.9963
5. The Center for Mindful Eating - Meditation. The Center for Mindful Eating 2015. Available at: http://thecenterformindfuleating.org/meditation.
6. Dalen, J, Smith, BW, Shelley, BM, Sloan, AL, Leahigh, L, Begay, D. Pilot study: Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL): Weight, eating behavior, and psychological outcomes associated with a mindfulness-based intervention for people with obesity. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2010;18(6):260–264.
7. White KM. MINDFUL EATING FOR CHILDREN. Journal of Psychology and Theology. 2014;42:308.
8. Williams M, Teasdale J, Segal Z, Kabat-Zinn J. Eating One Raisin: A First Taste of Mindfulness. 2007. Available at: http://hfhc.ext.wvu.edu/r/download/114469.

 Nutrition in space is a hot topic! Just today, Build Up Dietitians shared a link to an article about NASA dietitians and their food lab, and in my inbox I received this wonderful infographic! Major kudos to two of our Road to RD Members who wrote on this subject in February! Proud of you, ladies! You've started a trend! 

Read Findley's Blog here: Nutrition in Space: Is it all it's dried up to be? 
Read Nickie's Blog here: Growing Plants in Space: NASA Leaps forward to fresh produce. 

Name: Risa Latinka

Bio: Risa Latinka is a senior studying Dietetics and Global Health at the University of Arizona. She is a lacto-ovo-vegetarian and enjoys trying new recipes when not studying, working, volunteering or watching Netflix. She’s interested in community nutrition and international nutrition. She aspires to get an MPH and become a RD. 
​

Supplement Use in the United States

In 2014, $5.7 billion was spent on multivitamin and mineral (MVM) supplements in the United States. Many MVMs contain most or all of the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in adequate amounts that help the consumer meet the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) and are specially formulated for different life stages because our nutritional needs change as we get older.1 

According to an analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, 33% of the American population aged 1 year and older took an MVM in a given month. Further analysis shows MVM use is more common among women and their children; the elderly; those with higher education levels, higher incomes, healthier lifestyles, and lower body-mass indexes; and residents of the western United States. MVM use is lowest among smokers, African  Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans.1

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasizes that foods should be the primary provider of our nutritional needs and that “fortified foods and dietary supplements may be useful in providing nutrients may be useful in providing one or more nutrients that otherwise may be consumed in less-than recommended amounts.”2 The logic behind this statement is that fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients which have beneficial effects such as reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or certain types of cancer. Phytonutrients found in supplements may not be as effective as their whole food counterparts.

 Which, if any, Americans should be consuming a MVM daily? There are some factors that need to be taken into consideration. If you consume an adequate diet that is well balanced in all of the food groups, then chances are you don’t need a daily MVM. Unfortunately, the American diet is low in vegetables, fruits, and dairy products which are good sources of many micronutrients.2

One of the most well-known, supplement-taking population is expecting mothers. Most Americans know the importance of taking prenatal vitamins due to the increased needs of the mother and baby. Another group that can benefit from taking an MVM is the elderly population. People in this age group commonly suffer from difficulties eating and swallowing, decreased appetites, and dementia which all affect their nutrition status. In both situations, a MVM can be taken to fill in the gaps and meet the DRIs. 

Clinical Uses of Supplements in Disease States

In recent years, there has been a lot of research involving supplements and their effects on many different diseases. In all of the literature that I have read, the conclusion is that more research needs to be done to ensure the safety and efficacy of using supplements as primary treatment. A typical MVM contains adequate amounts of folic acid, iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin D that can help prevent anemias, neural tube defects, and bone disease.3 In addition to these disorders and diseases, there are other clinical uses of supplements. 

Hypertriglyceridemia, or elevated triglyceride levels, affects 33% of the American population and is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and acute pancreatitis.4 There are many medications that are currently being used to treat hypertriglyceridemia and two medications include high doses of micronutrients. Niacin, or vitamin B3, lowered triglycerides levels by 20%, increased HDL by 16%, and decreased LDL by 12%. Niacin has also been shown to reduce the rates of cardiovascular events and improve coronary atherosclerosis.4 The second type of drug is the consumption of around 4g of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. These medications, on average, lowered triglyceride levels by 25-34% and increased HDL levels by 1-3%. In addition, LDL levels were increased by 5-11%.4 It should be noted that these medications are prescribed by a physician and taking the same dosage of over the counter supplements is not recommended. 

Many gastrointestinal (GI) disorders require supplementation due to malabsorption, maldigestion, and/or diarrhea. Gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach, requires a vitamin B12 supplement due to the lack of intrinsic factor which is involved in the absorption of B12.5  General malabsorption and increased losses in patients with Celiac disease or irritable bowel syndrome should also take a daily MVM to ensure that all DRIs are met. When some GI disorders damage sections of the GI tract, those sections have to be removed and their removal may cause micronutrient deficiencies. For ileal resections, fat soluble vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and zinc should be supplemented. For ileostomies, vitamin C and folate should be supplemented due to low fruit and vegetable intake. For colectomies, vitamin B12 should be supplemented.5

Drug and Nutrient Interactions

Certain drugs can also cause nutrient deficiencies even if the person is consuming a well-balanced diet that is providing adequate levels of all micronutrients. For this specific population, supplementation is often recommended to ensure adequate levels are consumed while taking the medication. Thiazide diuretics which are used to treat high blood pressure and edema may cause deficiencies in magnesium, potassium, sodium, and zinc.6 For patients with asthma or other airway diseases inhalers are often prescribed which may cause deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and potassium.6 Metformin is popular drug to treat type 2 Diabetes and may cause deficiencies in folic acid and vitamin B12.6 These are just three examples of how drugs may cause nutritional deficiencies, but the list is much more extensivethan this. It is extremely important that professionals are aware of these interactions and inform their patients to avoid the consequences of nutrient deficiencies.  

Nutrient deficiencies are common in the United States due to the lack of fruits and vegetables in our diet. Eating a well-balanced diet would be the preferred method to eliminate the deficiencies, but picky eaters and those who may not have access to fresh produce may benefit from a daily MVM. In addition, people with certain diseases or taking certain medication should also consider supplementation. Dietary supplements do have a place in medical care today. 

References

1. Office of Dietary Supplements. Multivitamin/mineral supplements. Office of Dietary Supplements website. Last updated July 8, 2015. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/mvms-healthprofessional/. Accessed February 12, 2016. 

2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/. Accessed February 12, 2016. 

3. Ward, E. Addressing nutritional gaps with multivitamin and mineral supplements. Nutrition Journal Nutr J. 2014;13(1):72. 

4. Ito MK. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, fibrates and niacin as therapeutic options in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia: a review of the literature.Atherosclerosis. 2015;242:647-656.

5. Mahan, LK, Escott-Stump, S, Raymond, JL, Krause, MV. Krause's food & the nutrition care process. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier/Saunders; 2012.

6. Moss M. Drugs as anti-nutrients. Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine. 2007;16:149-166.

Dietitians are never cornered into just a single area. In fact, many dietitians branch out in innovative ways and deliver products and services that are unlike any other.  With that in mind I'd like to introduce you to Ryan Hartz! Ryan is the owner and creator of Visual Veggies which offers an RD Exam Prep software which offers a multiple choice practice exam to help students study for the big scary RD Exam! My favorite aspect of the program is the ability to contact an RD with questions if stumped! Read more about the software and our interview with Ryan below! 

1. Tell me about your journey to becoming a dietitian?

  I started out in school not really knowing what I wanted to be when I grew up but knew it had to involve science and math since these were my strong areas in school.  After a few years at another school, I decided on pursuing nutrition as my career and found a school locally.  I loved the first several nutrition classes in my first year and knew this was the path for me.  After obtaining my bachelors degree and passing my RD Exam, I chose to stay on and continue in the new masters in sports nutrition program my school was offering.

2. Can you recall a moment in your undergraduate/graduate/internship time when you felt you just couldn’t wait for your future as an RD?

 Just like many nutrition students, I had the hopes and dreams of making a difference in people’s lives, and I couldn’t wait to get to the workforce.  The internship was definitely a critical time in my life.  I got to experience the many possibilities of what a dietitian can do.  During the internship, I found a greater love for clinical nutrition and not as much of a desire for foodservice.  Without the internship, I would’ve had to try out these areas on my own.

3. Think back to what you imagined your career would be like when you were in school, how is it the same or different?

 I had a big desire to work with athletes while in school, hence the decision to pursue the sports nutrition degree.  My hopes were to score a job with a sports team, college or professional.  As luck would have it, the number of sports nutrition positions were not in the highest demand.  Right out of school, I took a few jobs working in long-term care as the clinical dietitian and loved it.  At one of my positions, a very unique job opened up locally where they were looking for a sports dietitian.  I then applied for the job and graciously accepted the position where I worked for a large food company who had a sports nutrition line of products.  My job entailed speaking directly to consumers using the products and discussing how it can help with their athletic performance.  This position taught me so much about customer service and groomed me to excel in this category.  Learning this very critical trait has been essential in my business.  I treat every customer as my number one client.

4. Tell me more about Visual Veggies and how you created it. 

 Software development began as a hobby when I was in my internship.  I bought how-to books and was active on software development forums.  Much of the learning came through trial and error.  As I was finishing up my internship, I knew I had my own RD Exam in my near future.  I went through all of my textbooks and notes from school and developed a question database.  This was actually my method of learning for the exam.  After the database had been completed, I started working on the actual RD Practice Exam program and had the project completed in a few short months.  I then sent out mailers to all the nutrition schools in the US to spread the word, and that was just the beginning.  From there, the software had evolved, the question database had grown, and the majority of sales simply came from word-of-mouth.

5. Is Visual Veggies your full time job or do you work other dietitian related positions on the side?  

Currently, I do have a full-time position and the business is a side job.  However, I do foresee the software as being my full-time job in the near future.

6. Where do you see your future as a dietitian?

 I will continue my work as a software developer and keep current with my learnings in nutrition.  My desires are to build the software company and to continue to support students preparing for their registration exams. 

7. If you could only share one resource with soon to be interns and/or soon to be dietitians what would you share?

 If you are stuck or don’t know the answer, don’t be afraid to ask.  I was a doe-eyed young nutrition pup myself once too.  We all were.  I had some wonderful mentors,preceptors, and colleagues who I could turn to and ask anything I needed more clarification on, and they were more than happy to instruct.  This is a valuable way we learn.  Then, what goes  around, comes around.  As you develop and become wiser in the profession, you very well may have some student dietitian, intern, or new employee who needs your help.  Pass on the torch and be the mentor to them.

8. What are your hobbies?

 Besides software development, I also enjoy exercising, competing in triathlons, and watching movies.

Laura Cowan is a second career dietetic student at Kansas State University. Her nutrition interests include researching the psychological aspects that emotional states have on our food choices and weight management. Outside of class, Laura's hobbies include woodworking and baking. Laura's food photography has been featured on the Instagram's accounts of Food 52, A Creative DC, Brightest Young Things, and Whole Foods MOCO. You can follow Laura's food adventures on Instagram @OneLOVENutrition.

 
It’s always fun to share your food pictures, but wouldn't it be more fun if you could edit a picture in under 5 minutes while on a study break or in line at the local juice/coffee bar?
 
Using mobile editing software for your food photography is the sure fire way to add structure and clarity to your pictures without spending hours in front of your computer using programs such as Photoshop that are very labor intensive. Editing on a mobile device, whether it be your phone or tablet, also allows for quick sharing with friends, sharing on your blog or on Instagram and Twitter.
 
The first mobile editing software that I’m going to talk about is VSCO. VSCO came on the market in 2011 and has its own sharing community, but it also is an easy tool because it has preset filters that allow you to quickly change the look and feel of each picture automatically. It also has custom adjustment functions such as crop, perspective, color, etc. VSCO allows the user to edit and share to the VSCO community, but it also allows the editor to save to the camera on the phone, so you can then upload the
picture to another application if you wish.  

You can see in the above images that VSCO is easy to use as a tool to increase the exposure levels on your picture and to crop an image. You might have some challenges increasing the sharpness of the details in your subject, but it is a great beginner software to use. The app is free to download. It comes with a certain set of filters and you can purchase extra if you desire.
 
The second editing software that responds the best for both editing, sharpening, and sharing is Instagram.  Like VSCO, Instagram has preset filters that you can use or you can customize your image using the adjustments found on the toolbar. You don't have to be actively posting on Instagram to take advantage of its editing tools.  If you have a free account, you can use it to edit your photography and then use the screen shot feature in the camera to upload a picture to any other media source. Please remember to crop the image before upload or you will have the Instagram banner in your picture. That’s a few more steps than most will go, but it shows you options. The following three sets of images (before and after) were edited using Instagram and show adjustments from simple to more complex.

The images above show how you can quickly use the crop and rotate feature in Instagram to make the image more appealing. I also added more exposure to the picture (brightness button), but mainly this was a crop and rotate job.
 
The images below show the use of Instagram’s “warmth” and “saturation” buttons. Warmth will add more yellow tones to the picture. Saturation will add more color, in general, to the image. Please be careful with your use of the saturation tool. It can easily make your image look overly manipulated. In the center image I used the warmth tool to add more yellow tones, but it also took away the green vibrancy naturally found in a freshly cut avocado. In the right image, the warmth was reduced and the saturation increased very slightly to pump up the image and bring back the avocado’s natural color.

The last mobile editing software I will be talking about today is Lightroom. It is an Adobe Creative Cloud based application. It can be used on both your phone and tablet and has a cost of $10/month (student rate). Lightroom is my go-to application. I use Lightroom first and then import into Instagram and use Instagram to add additional sharpness and structure to the picture.
 
Below are the major steps in Lightroom to edit an image. After you import the image (the app syncs to your camera), you can crop the image to your preference (most images you find on sharing sites prefer a ratio of 1:1) and use the “adjust” button and select “Auto. Next, click on the “Auto Tone” button on the right side of the toolbar and make sure it is indicated as “on.” Next click the “export” button on the top right (mail box and arrow) and save it to your camera to share your picture to any other media platform.

Findley Clare Pollock is studying Dietetics in Australia. She enjoys talking and writing about all things food. In her spare time you will find her at the beach or enjoying mango spears at a food market. Findley hopes to work in bariatric dietetics as well as assist those with eating disorders and other mental health conditions. To see her work, you can find her on wordpress, instagram and twitter- just click the hyperlink!

From freeze-dried foods to the discovery of the ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce (See 'Growing Plants in Space!'), nutrition in space has come a long way. The nutrient requirements of a human in space compared to a human on Earth are immensely different. On space missions food consumption and nutrient levels of astronauts need to be considered to ensure they are at optimal health. A great concern posed to the health of astronauts is often their protein consumption along with other minerals that affect their bone health. At times in space, excessive amounts of iron can cause complications for bone health and that is why it is crucial to have a dietician who can analyse ones intake and make adjustments accordingly. New research is emerging surrounding the growth of food in space and soon ‘’mars will come to fear (our) botany powers’’ as predicted by Mark Watney from the film, Martian. 2 However, establishing good nutrition in space is a serious issue for many astronauts entering a space mission for long periods of time.
 
On Earth we don’t often think about how we eat, however, in space great consideration needs to be made before one can eat! Eating in space poses many challenges for astronauts, however, with the development of full kitchens with ovens and hot water in Skylab it is now possible for astronauts to eat similar foods to those on Earth! Prior to such inventions, eating in space was less Earth like; in 1962 John Glenn was the first astronaut to eat in space; he squeezed apple sauce into his mouth from an aluminium shaped toothpaste like tube. 1 What Glenn ate was thermostabalized- meaning heat is applied to the food to destroy enzymes and microorganisms that may cause harm. 1 Later, freeze-drying was developed by squeezing water out of food via dehydration in a vacuum chamber. 1 Freeze-dried food didn’t need to be refrigerated, only added with water to make an edible meal and  liquid drinks are still dehydrated, however, are in special pouches to eliminate issues associated with gravity. 5 Gravity poses a large challenge for space travellers, so to ensure food doesn’t float around, special trays with velcro can be attached to their food. 1 While astronauts can’t avoid gravity, new research is emerging to help astronauts avoid flavourless foods, and instead eat foods similar to those grown at home. In 2014 NASA successfully grew the ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce and this is an exciting concept for nutrition to be consumed naturally in space. 7 While there are many exciting advancements in space research, there is still a long way to go before space travellers don’t have to give thought to the way they eat.
 
Not only do space travellers need to think about how they eat, serious attention needs to be paid to what they are eating. To evaluate this, a food frequency questionnaire can be utilised. 3 This tool estimates food intake and a doctor will be notified to adjust the food intake of an astronaut who is not meeting nutrient standards in space. 7 Complications for poor nutrition in space include reduced body mass, bone health and radiation. 4 These complications can lead to body weight loss, reduced loose fat and lean muscle mass. 4 Did you know, after only 15 days into a mission 10% of intrinsic lumbar region muscle volume is lost? 3 Even when nutrient conditions are ideal, in some Skylab missions astronaut nitrogen levels are off balance. 3 This negatively comprises the body’s ability to make proteins in muscles, skin and blood- imagine how important this nutrient would be when an astronaut’s body is put under stress in space. 3 Some research suggests that a high protein diet will improve protein synthesis to support muscle mass and function. 3 As you can imagine, with there being no sunlight in space, vitamin D levels are of concern to an astronaut’s health. 3 This often means that an astronaut’s ability to synthesis vitamin D is reduced. 3 Like a reduced protein diet compromises bone health, a lack of vitamin D does the same. 3 Even with taking vitamin D supplements, vitamin D levels are still surprisingly abnormal for space travellers. 3 With food frequency questionnaires becoming more readily available, it is now easier to evaluate food consumption in astronauts and thereby support strong muscle health in astronauts.
 
While you may be thinking astronauts are completely depleted in nutrients-think again. Down here on Earth, health professionals draw attention to low iron levels that women and vegetarians may experience. You may be thinking astronauts experience the same problem. Think again. Blood volume contracts during a space mission causing an increase in iron levels, in addition, when blood volume is reduced an increase in iron storage becomes available to the body. 6 This increase in iron does not advance the body, rather it leads to poor bone health. 8 What basically happens is that bone break down exceeds bone production and upon return to Earth this may increase the individual’s chance of bone fracture. 8 It’s pretty scary to think that when you come back from space your bones are more fragile than your grandmas! This is because an astronaut loses 1% to 2% of bone density a month, compared to their grandma who is losing 1% to 2% a year. 6
 
While food in space has changed dramatically over the last 45 years, dehydrated and thermostabilized foods will have to support astronaut nutrition until home cooked meals become available. Long missions need to be clearly monitored to ensure that all dietary needs are met to preserve one’s health. Bone health complications may arise from a diet low in protein and vitamin D, furthermore due to changes in blood volume, iron levels may increase, which also contribute to bone health. Food Frequency Questionnaires have greatly benefited the health of space travellers by allowing careful analysis to be made of their daily intake and adjustments to be made accordingly.
 
Eating in space has improved and there is still a long way to go to make eating easier and more flavourful for space travellers. The discovery of the ‘Outredgeous’ Red Romaine Lettuce has been a very exciting discovery for space researchers as it allows space travellers to connect to home food and the prospect that more fresh food will be available in space. A new space race exists- to grow more nutrient dense foods in space. However, due to limited volume, water and power, growing foods that have a high nutrient profile in space is a challenge. While it is exciting that research about food consumption and its effect in spaceflight is emerging, there needs to be a greater push for more to ensure that we truly can understand the difference in nutrient requirements compared to Earth and space. There is more to a space mission than just bringing back research- we need to bring back healthy astronauts.
 



Reference:
 
1.Food for Space Flight. Retrieved from http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/factsheets/food.html
 
2.Kinberg, S, Scott, R, Schaefer, M, Sood, A, and Huffam, M (Producer) and Ridley,S. (Director). (2015). Martian [Motion picture]. United States: Fox
 
3.Lane, H., Kloeris, V., Perchonok, M., Zwart, S., & Smith, S. M. (2007). Food and nutrition for the moon base: What we have learned in 45 years of spaceflight. Nutrition Today, 42(3), 102-110.
 
4.Smith, S. M., & Zwart, S. R. (2008). Nutrition issues for space exploration. Acta Astronautica, 63(5), 609-613.
 
5.What do astronauts eat in space?. Wonderopolis. Retrieved from http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-do-astronauts-eat-in-space
 
6.Wyrick, J.(2013, September 5). 30 under 30. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/food-matters/30-under-30/
 
7.Ziv, S. (2015, October 8th). INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ASTRONAUTS EAT RED ROMAINE LETTUCE GROWN IN SPACE. Newsweek. Retrieved from http://www.newsweek.com/international-space-station-astronauts-eat-red-romaine-lettuce-grown-space-361612
 
8.Zwart, S.R., Morgan, J.L., & Smith, S.M. (2013) Iron status and its relations with oxidative damage and bone loss during long-duration space flight on the International Space Station. Am J Clin Nutr. 98 (1), 217-223.
 
9. Unoosa. A history of space [Image]. Retrieved from www.unoosa.org

Nickie is a Dietetic Technician, Registered attending Eastern Michigan University. She is a dietetics undergraduate and will graduate in April 2016. She has a special interest in gluten intolerance, IBS, vegetarian and gluten free eating, writing and fitness. Find her on instagram @nickie.kaetzel

By Nickie Kaetzel 
When reaching for fresh fruits and vegetables for snacks and meals most people on Earth do not think twice about the ease and convenience of having these foods readily available. Astronauts, however, do not have this luxury during space travel. Dining is very limited for astronauts completing space missions, whether it is short or long duration. Therefore, it is no surprise that fresh fruits and vegetables have been in demand among astronauts since space shuttle missions began.1
 
The history of providing fresh fruits and vegetables to astronauts began in April 1983 aboard the STS-6 mission. Items included apples, bananas, carrots, and celery. The fresh produce was loaded on the shuttle anywhere from 16-24 hours prior to launch. Before the fruits and vegetables embark on the greatest travel experience they are rinsed with 200 parts per million chlorine, air dried, and placed in food locker trays. This is to ensure food safety. Once in orbit the shelf life of these items is only two to three days due to lack of access to refrigeration.1
 
A major drawback that occurred from the fresh fruits and vegetables on board the space shuttle was the odor. As the produce breaks down, it creates odor! This is no different than here on Earth, but in the space shuttle the odor spreads through the spacecraft, which is not very large and it is harder to remove the odor. This caused many astronauts to feel nauseated once arriving into microgravity. This has led scientists to ponder questions relating to how to control the odor, but more importantly; what is the best way to provide fresh produce to the astronauts?
 
Growing plants in space can be the answer to providing nutritious foods to astronauts during space travel. Not only can growing plants in space provide nourishment to space travelers, it can provide other benefits as well. The crops can be beneficial in removing toxic carbon dioxide from the air within the spacecraft as well as produce oxygen that essential to life.2  As NASA continues to work on plans for long-duration missions to Mars and even back to the moon, growing plants in space has become an essential experiment to supplement to success of such missions.
 
In order to successfully grow various plants in space, scientists are researching how factors such as light, temperature, and carbon dioxide affect plant growth. Additionally, looking at various plant species is just as important.2 The challenge of such experiments become apparent when it requires more sophisticated means to grow plants. In space, astronauts cannot simply plant a seed in the ground as typically done so on Earth.
 
Crew members on board the International Space Station (ISS) have been growing plants and experimenting for years. This aids the scientists in developing procedures and methods that will guide astronauts in growing vegetables that are indeed safe to eat. Since 2002 a Lada greenhouse has been utilized for such experiments on the ISS with four major objectives. First, discover if the produce grown in space is safe to eat. Secondly, what microorganisms are growing on the plants and what can be done to address this. Third, how can astronauts clean and sanitize the produce once harvested? Lastly, how can production be optimized.3 These objectives and results from space-grown produce have been compared to results of ground tests in simulation experiments.
 
More recent experiments have resulted in the development of VEGGIE which is a deployable plant growth unit, containing pillows, for use on the ISS. This unit provides lighting as well as a nutrient supply to support the growth of a variety of plant species.4 The system was developed by Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) and contains a plant growth chamber with use of red, blue and green LED lights. The design is collapsible to allow ease in transport and expandable up to a one and half feet as the plants grow.5 “Outredgeous” lettuce is the focus of these experiments.
 
The experiment was carried out by planting the “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce seeds into the pillows and inserted into the chamber of the VEGGIE unit. Each pillow was provided with around 100 milliliters of water. The red, blue and green LED lights were activated. Each pillow contains a growth media that includes a controlled release fertilizer and a type of calcinated clay (similar to what is used on baseball fields!). This clay aids in increasing aeration and assist in plant growth. These same procedures were also activated by a “pseudo-naut” on Earth in a VEGGIE control chamber located in the International Space Station Environmental Simulator laboratory.6
 
The experiment will run for 28 days. Weekly photographs are taken of the plants. As plants grow pillows are thinned to allow one plant per pillow. In addition, microbial samples are taken to examine for microorganisms growing on the plants. At the end of the 28 days, plants are harvested, frozen, and stored. The plants will then return to Earth to be examined.6
 
Almost a year after the 28 day experiment,  a report in August of 2015 indicated that fresh food grown from the VEGGIE units are finally on the menu for astronauts on board the ISS. Expedition 44, which includes astronaut Scott Kelly, are provided with the opportunity to taste the “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce! Astronauts will clean the lettuce with citric acid-based sanitizer wipes, which is food safe, prior to consuming. Astronauts will get to eat half of the space grown lettuce harvested and reserve the other half to be frozen on the station until it can be returned to Earth.7
 
August 10, 2015 will go down in history as the day NASA astronauts first consumed space grown lettuce while on board the ISS. Astronaut Scott Kelly, Kjell Lindren, and Kimiya Yui of Japan enjoyed their first bites of plain “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce. Kelly’s response was simple, but provided some confirmation in the success in stating “Tastes good.” The astronauts also tried the lettuce with small amounts of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Kelly shared the moment on Twitter by posting a video of the tasting and the caption “It was one small bite for man, one giant leaf for #NASAVEGGIE and our #JourneytoMars. #YearInSpace.”8
 
 The success of the “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce opens several doors to NASA and its astronauts for long duration space missions. Proper nutrition is crucial to health of astronauts and the ability to provide fresh nutritious produce can help ensure astronauts remain healthy. Not only will the VEGGIE system create plentiful produce and benefits to NASA, the technology can be shared to urban plant factories and various agricultural settings on Earth. This provides ample opportunities to farmers, especially in locations where lighting and water conservation are challenges.7 The advances and plant varieties to be grown in space can only become more tasty and exciting in the future!
 
References

1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Student Features: Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Space. May 13, 2004. http://www.nasa.gov/audiences/forstudents/9-12/features/F_Fruits_and_Vegetables_Space_prt.htm. Accessed February 1, 2016.
2. Heiney, Anna. Farming for the Future. August 27, 2004. www.nasa.gov/missions/science/biofarming.html. Accessed February 1, 2016.
3. Meggs, Lori. Growing Plants and Vegetables in a Space Garden. June 15, 2010. www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/10-074.html. Accessed February 1, 2016.
4. Space Flight 101. Veggie (VEG)- ISS Plant Growth Facility. www.spaceflight101.com/iss/veggie. Accessed February 1, 2016.
5. Herridge, Linda. Veggie Will Expand Fresh Food Production on Space Station. April 10, 2014. Updated December 3, 2015. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/veggie. Accessed February 1, 2016.
6. Herridge, Linda. Veggie Plant Growth System Activated on International Space Station. May 16, 2014. Updated August 14, 2015. https://www.nasa.gov/content/veggie-plant-growth-system-activated-on-international-space-station. Accessed February 1, 2016.
7. Herridge, Linda. Meals Ready to Eat: Expedition 44 Crew Members Sample Leafy Greens Grown on Space Station. August 7, 2015. Updated August 13, 2015. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/meals_ready_to_eat. Accessed February 1, 2016.
8. Pearlman, Robert Z. Astronauts Snack on Space-Grown Lettuce for First Time. August 10, 2015. www.space.com/30209-astronauts-eat-space-lettuce.html. Accessed February 1, 2016.