Never Give Up

By Dinesha Smith

Greetings, my name is Dinesha Smith. I am 28 years old and I am from Raleigh, North Carolina. I am currently a Nutritionist for WIC (Women, Infants, and Children.) WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program for low-income families. We specialize in offering nutrition services to breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women, pre- and postnatal women, and infants to young children up to the age of five. I have been a Nutritionist for almost two years now. I began working as soon as I graduated from the illustrious North Carolina Central University. 

I bet you are wondering how I became interested in Nutrition. Well, when I got to college, I had the notion that I was going to be a Nurse, a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner to be exact. But I failed miserably in my science courses. I almost flunked out of college and even had an adviser tell me that college was not for me. After that year, I took some time off from college to gather myself and figure out what I really wanted to do in life. Yet, I still wanted to be a Nurse Practitioner.  

So, I re-enrolled into college and began working towards becoming a nurse. Everything was going great, but I took a class on nutrition and my mind was blown away. I was amazed how food can heal and/or maintain your body! I decided to change my major from Nursing to Nutrition and Dietetics. Even though I changed my major, I still struggled with the science courses. I could study for hours and still not do well on an exam at times. I became very discouraged once again. 

But I refused to give up. I went to tutoring, asked questions, and was a part of some study groups. I remember pulling all-nighters for exams and I do not recommend anyone to do such a thing. I was so determined to pass. With blood, sweat, and many tears, I completed my degree. I felt like I was unstoppable. 

College taught me many lessons, but there was one that stuck with me the most. “Nothing worth having will be easy.” If there is one thing you take from this blog, I want you to remember that anything you want in life will not happen on its own. You have to put in time and effort and a little sweat to get it. It is going to be hard, but once you make it, you will feel like you can conquer anything. All you have to do is believe in yourself and you can be anything and do anything you want. 

Now, I know you are wondering what on earth is nutrition.  By definition, nutrition is consuming foods for optimal health and growth. I bet you are wondering what foods would be considered nutritious and healthy. When in doubt, eat the rainbow and eat foods in moderation. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Consume a variety of foods that are different colors. Some examples would include plums, kale, beets, bananas, and sweet potatoes. You should always include at least two colors on your plate along with a source of protein. An example of protein would include chicken, beef, or pork. What if you do not eat meat? There are many sources of protein that do not come from meat like tofu. Tofu is a very versatile protein. Sweets should be consumed in moderation, so do not think you can not have that birthday cake at your friends’ party because you most certainly can. If you ever have any questions in regards to nutrition there are many sites to look at, like myplate.gov. Also, if you ever want to know more about becoming a Dietitian please feel free to reach out to me. 

Peace and Love, 

Dinesha Smith