Messenger - Vol. 2, No. 3, Page 18 Summer 1993 A nourishing word Asparagus: the Lean Green." "Orange Appeal." "Fat: Where It's At." "Peanut Butter: Spread the Word." Could it be that there's a dietitian out there who can make nutrition both fun and enlightening? There is indeed. Mona Boyd Browne, Delaware '83, owner and consultant of Nutrition Communication Services in New York City, comes on the scene like a sip of fresh lemonade-a little tart, a little sweet and with lots of zest. "When I write or speak about nutrition, I make it short, direct, to the point and use catchy language. You have to grab your reader's or listener's attention," she says. An example of her style is the article, "The Great (Calorie) Escape-Proven Ways to Avoid Overeating at Holiday Parties," published in Fast and Healthy magazine. She suggests not taking a "vow of hunger" before a party (it leads to overeating), not wasting calories on ordinary foods but enjoying the special ones, bringing the hostess a donation of "lower-fat, guilt-free goodies" and leaving the "scene of the calorie" to talk to people "away from the food area." Unless someone has a health problem that requires a strict diet, the key word in eating right is moderation, according to Browne. She does not mention "forbidden foods" because people tend to eat them anyway. "The three cornerstones of health are your genes, good eating and exercise. There is no magic bullet for controlling your weight and keeping fit. You have to become informed and do it yourself," says Browne, who has received numerous awards, including the Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year from the New York State Dietetic Association and the American Dietetic Association in 1991. Browne says she became interested in dietetics during an innovative home economics course in her Maryland high school. She also held a summer job during high school in an institutional kitchen, doing everything from pot walloping on up, which gave her "very fundamental training," she says. She came to Delaware for its nutrition and dietetics program that included on-the-job internships. After graduation, Browne worked as a clinical dietitian in a Maryland hospital and, later, as a nutrition educator, conducting workshops for health professionals, educators and consumers. She discovered that she enjoyed writing and public contact, and, with a supporting nudge from her father, she took a out small business loan and established herself as a consultant in Baltimore. She then took another giant step by relocating to the Big Apple. "I was lucky to be the right person in the right place," she recalls. Networking with dietitians, volunteering in her professional organizations, pounding the pavements to get established, putting in several 12-hour days eventually paid off. Currently, Brown is a contributing editor for Ladies Home Journal, writes for Redbook, Health, American Health, Longevity and Parenting, appears frequently on television and radio and serves as a consultant to public relations agencies, food companies, trade organizations and others. Recently, she authored Healthy Start: Food to Grow On, a national healthy-eating campaign for children, co-sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dietetic Association and the Food Marketing Institute. The program received awards from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Coalition for Consumer Education. Addressing such topics as "Feeding Kids Right Isn't Always Easy-Tips for Preventing Food Hassles," the program discusses such things as "The Great American White Food Diet" of milk, macaroni, potatoes and bread (advice-keep offering red, orange and green foods); the Fear of New Foods Syndrome (introduce new foods over time); and other picky-kid problems. Currently, Browne is engaged in a food-labeling project and a program for nutrition professionals on making successful presentations and is involved in publishing a New York State Dietetic Association pamphlet about the USDA's food guide pyramid for healthy eating. The life of a dietitian is not always easy, she says. "At a party, you sometimes feel on stage, with the audience asking, 'What is she having to drink?' 'Is she diving into the peanuts?'" But, even dietitians must occasionally give in to temptation. Browne and her husband, Michael, are expecting their first baby this fall, and she confesses to a real craving for glazed donuts. -Sue Swyers Moncure