OrganizedWisdom Health Blog

Featured Dietitians, Part 4

Some of these names may be familiar, from articles in national publications to appearances on national television shows. See the dietitians featured below and other dietitians making an impact in social media, elsewhere on the Web, and in their communities in our Top Dietitians profiles.

1. @eatsmartbd Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, owns BTD Nutrition Consultants and is a specialist in behavior and lifestyle modification, nutritional psychotherapy, obesity, and weight management. She is a regular guest on national TV and radio shows and translates “complicated science into clear and simple messages” to various print publications as well. She is an author, writes a weekly blog for USA Today, and has written articles for many familiar publications


2. @NutritionGoGo Patricia Bannan, MS, RD, specializes in nutrition and health communications. See PatriciaBannan.com.  She develops news segments for TV stations, writes articles for magazines, and serves as a consultant to PR agencies and food industry groups. She has appeared as a guest expert on more than 30 news shows and been interviewed by national print media. 


3. @RDCorinne Corinne Dobbas, MS, RD, counsels, speaks, and writes about health, wellness, and nutrition through her business, Green Grapes Nutrition.  She has a holistic approach to health and embraces a lifestyle “full of fruits, veggies, and whole grains, sweaty workouts, the occasional ‘chocolate fix,’ sleep, family and friend time, and quality ‘me time’ with a focus on health


4. @Foodtrainers Lauren Slayton, MS, RD, founded Foodtrainers, a New York City nutrition practice specializing in weight management and sports nutrition. She has written for and been quoted in articles for national magazines and TV programs. She says her favorite fruits are blackberries and pears, favorite vegetable is beets, and favorite splurge is brie.


5. @RealisticRD Lindsay Ek, RD, is a nutrition consultant and works as a dietician for an elementary school district in San Diego County. She “especially loves eating lunch with the students, doing … gardening activities with them in the classroom and giving talks to parent groups about family nutrition and healthful living.” She writes “Notes of Nutrition Instincts” for women and families at her blog, and is working on her master’s degree in nutrition


6. @DietDivaTara Tara Gidus, MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N, is the Diet Diva on the syndicated TV show The Daily Buzz, the dietitian for the Orlando Magic NBA team, and a nutrition advisor, spokesman, and consultant. You can watch videos of the show and read her postings about nutrition news and “more importantly … about what I am eating!”. Volunteering is important to her, and she talks to women in rehab programs following their release from prison, teaching them how to eat right and exercise to help beat their addictions.


7. @KSeidmanRD  Katrina Seidman, RD, is a wellness coach specializing in weight management and has a background in exercise physiology. “I love to dance, run, swim, cycle, and lift weights, and you will most often find me in my kitchen cooking up tasty but healthy eats for me and my husband.” She posts recipes and food tips on her blog, “Healthy Happy Foodie.”


8. @WelcomeKitchen  Megan Hart, MS, RD, is a pediatric dietician and co-author of three cookbooks, two on cooking for children. She works with children and families to meet unique nutrition goals, including diet needs related to autism. On “Welcoming Kitchen,” she and co-writer Kim Lutz blog about recipes that are “free of the eight common allergens (dairy, eggs, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, fish, and shellfish), gluten-free, and vegan."


9. @TimiGustafsonRD  Timi Gustafson, RD, is a health counselor, author, newspaper columnist, and speaker who posts health news at her blog. She is president of Solstice Publications, a publishing company that specializes in health and lifestyle education, and she created a nutrition-related, interactive, weight-loss website, Cyberdiet.com. Her mission is “communicate the fundamental importance of sound nutrition..."


10. @elisazied Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN, works as a nutrition consultant, writer, author, and speaker who is regularly called upon by the national media to comment on food and nutrition issues. She blogs at ElisaZied.com, writes articles for various publications, and was a contributing editor for both Redbook and Seventeen. Her book Nutrition at Your Fingertips received a 2010 National Health Information Award (Merit).

If you know of registered dietitians who are worthy of attention on these pages, please nominate them. See How to Become an OrganizedWisdom Expert Curator and Curator Benefits.

Other blog entries featuring health professionals or patient experts:

Featured Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Part 1
Featured Chiropractors, Part 1
Featured Neurologists, Part 1
Featured Cardiologists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Dietitians, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Featured Nutritionists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Nurses, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Featured Nurses, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
Featured Oncologists, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Top Nephrologists on Twitter
Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter 
Gluten-Free Diet Feature 
Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts, Part 1, Part 2 

By Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS

Featured Dietitians, Part 3

Decluttering nutritional information and getting to the root of the message is a goal of many registered dietitians. One even uses rock and roll to make her point. See the dietitians featured below and other dietitians making an impact in social media, elsewhere on the Web, and in their communities in our Top Dietitians profiles.

1. @mtjacobsen Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen, MS, RD, worked as a corporate dietitian for Jenny Craig International and as a nutrition expert with Kraft Foods before returning to the health care field and seeing patients. She holds a certification in weight management from the American Dietetic Association and is a nutrition consultant and freelance writer. She works to keep herself and her family healthy “without losing her mind” and created RaiseHealthyEaters.com “to help others meet this challenge as well.”


2. @JanetHelm Janet Helm, RD, is passionate about “translating nutrition science into intelligible words—and healthy food choices.” Through her blog, Nutrition Unplugged, she hopes to help people “cut through the clutter and focus on the fad-free facts about nutrition.” She has been a media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and has discussed nutritional topics on Good Morning America, Today, ABC News, and CNN. Based in Chicago, she also contributes to the Chicago Tribune. She is the mom of twins.


3. @PamRD_eDiets Pamela Ofstein, MS, RD, is director of nutrition services at eDiets, an online dieting service based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She develops and implements the company’s personalized meal plan nutritional components and writes nutritional columns in response to members’ questions and on current diet topics and trends. She has a special interest in providing proper nutrition for patients with chronic diseases
   
   
4. @TriciaThompson Tricia Thompson, MS, RD, is an expert on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. She began GlutenFreeDietitian.com to help online readers put together nutritious meals. She writes books, book chapters, articles for national publications, and newsletters on the subject, and she writes a blog called Living Gluten-Free for Diet.com. One of her posts talks about the menu at a gluten-free wedding reception she attended and offers advice on how you can plan the same.


5. @eatsmartAZ Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD, LDN, is the registered dietitian for Bashas’ Family of Stores, a group of more than 130 grocery and specialty stores in Arizona. She was Harvard University’s first sports nutritionist and was a nutrition education specialist for the USDA’s child nutrition program in Massachusetts. She’s an “adventure eater and foodie” who admitted several years ago that “sometimes even a nutritionist eats pizza at midnight!” 


6. @e2dietitian Sheryl Lozicki, MBA, RD, specializes in sports nutrition—working with individuals and teams to improve performance through diet and nutrition—and she has taught nutrition to athletic trainers and nursing students. She is the owner of E2 Eating & Exercise for Optimal Fitness, which supports corporate wellness programs. She’s also a marathon runner, triathlete, outdoor enthusiast, and "eat local" proponent.


7. @kerigans Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, has a private practice in New York City and has made numerous TV and radio appearances and is quoted in national publications. She won the 2010 Media Excellence Award from the New York State Dietetic Association, and her first book, The Small Change Diet, will be published in spring 2011. You can watch or listen to her many interviews and read her published articles at KeriGansNutrition.com.
   
   
8. @pediRD Jill Castle, MS, RD, LDN, owns Pediatric Nutrition of Green Hills in the Nashville area and has more than 20 years’ experience working with children of all ages on nutritional needs. She has taught college courses in pediatric nutrition, contributed to scientific research, and written several books. She writes “just the right amount of pediatric nutrition information” (and more) on her blog, JustTheRightByte.com.


9. @jilljayne Jill Jayne, MS, RD, has to be one of the most unusual dietitians out there. She mixes her “nutrition nerd” side with her love of rock and roll to present energetic shows that teach kids about nutrition. “Jump with Jill” debuted in 2006 in New York’s Central Park as a free street show and has since been performed 600 times for 100,000 children across the country. Watch videos about her show at JumpWithJill.com, and read her On the Beat blog.


10. @HopeWarshaw Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, has over 25 years of experience in her work as an author, freelance writer, media spokesperson, nutrition and diabetes consultant, and diabetes educator. She offers detailed information about healthy restaurant eating and diabetes nutrition management at her Web site, HopeWarshaw.com.

If you know of registered dietitians who are worthy of attention on these pages, please use our contact form to let us know. See How to Become an OrganizedWisdom Expert Curator and Curator Benefits.

Other blog entries featuring health professionals or patient experts:

Featured Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Part 1
Featured Chiropractors, Part 1
Featured Neurologists, Part 1
Featured Cardiologists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Dietitians, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Featured Nutritionists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Nurses, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Featured Nurses, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
Featured Oncologists, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Top Nephrologists on Twitter
Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter 
Gluten-Free Diet Feature 
Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts, Part 1, Part 2 

By Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS

 

Featured Dietitians, Part 2

Registered dietitians could be the most proactive people you’ll ever meet when it comes to being on a mission to promote healthy foods. Some raise their voices enough to get national media attention. See the dietitians featured below and other dietitians making an impact in social media, elsewhere on the Web, and in their communities in our Top Dietitians profiles.

1. @drchrismohr Christopher Mohr, PhD, RD, is a nutrition spokesperson and consultant to the Discovery Health Channel, the Dairy Council, Clif Bar, and Nordic Naturals, and a consulting sports nutritionist for the Cincinnati Bengals. He has written more than 500 articles for consumer numerous publications, including Men’s Fitness, Weight Watchers, and Men’s Health. He and his wife, Kara Mohr, PhD, are weight loss experts and work with all ages of clients through their company, MohrResults.com. Many articles and videos are posted at their Web site and offer advice on subjects such as breaking sugar addiction, choosing the best foods to have on hand, picking the best energy bar, fighting obesity, and making a healthy pizza.


2. @DietitianJanel Janel Ovrut, MS, RD, develops wellness programs for large companies, provides nutrition counseling for employees, and gives nutrition presentations geared to busy professionals. She is a frequent speaker and an adjunct professor of nutrition for the Boston Conservatory, and she writes articles about family nutrition. Her “Eat Well with Janel” blog “is about my life through food.” She posts “culinary creations,” recipes, food events, restaurant reviews, and food and wellness information.


3. @NutritionistaRD Debra Hope-Riedesel, RD, LD, specializes in women’s health, “helping women find answers to food sensitivities and intolerances.” She developed the Cycle Diet, nutrition therapy for women wanting to improve their well-being while living with natural hormonal fluctuations.


4. @healthycarolina Denise Reynolds, RD, LD/N, is a writer who focuses “on the positive aspects of health and wellness” and posts articles on a wide variety of topics at her Web site, DeniseReynolds.com. For 10 years, she worked in acute care and long-term care settings to help patients improve their health through diet and lifestyle changes.


5. @smnutritionist Susan Dopart, MS, RD, is a nutrition and fitness expert who has been in private practice for more than 15 years and specializes in medical nutrition–related issues. She has written for national publications, including a blog for the Huffington Post, and is author of A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian. An expert in diabetes prevention and care, she wrote the book, which includes 60 recipes, after she couldn’t find a research-based, easy-to-understand nutrition guide for her patients. She posts numerous articles and some videos at SusanDopart.com. 
   
   
6. @MayaTheRD Maya E. Nahra, RD, LD, is a holistic dietitian and life coach who “is guided by her deep passion for holistic health stemming from her own life lessons.” She is the corporate dietitian for Sunflower Farmers Market (a natural grocer in the Southwest), and she does smaller healthy catering events, nutrition education for groups, and corporate health and wellness programs. She founded Awakened Reconnection to help clients heal through whole foods, and she blogs about food.


7. @Larafield Lara Field, MS, RD, CSP, LDN, founded FEED (Forming Early Eating Decisions) while on maternity leave with her son, who is now 30 months old. A self-proclaimed foodie and food allergy/celiac disease expert, she works to inform the public of the latest health trends and information pertaining to kids nutrition, assist families in setting the groundwork for good nutrition for the future, and help set the record straight when it comes to confusing nutrition information. She also speaks on the topic of gluten-free diets and consults with food companies, schools, and other nutrition-focused programs. 


8. @stashakucel Stasha Kucel, MS, RD, LD, has a private practice, New Day Nutrition Services, where she provides nutritional counseling for those struggling with eating disorders, chronic dieting, and obesity. She is the nutrition counselor at a Texas drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility, dietitian consultant to various small facilities, and spokesperson for the Corn Refiner’s Association.


9. @Wellness_News Sandra Frank, EdD, RD, LDN, has worked for more than 30 years in health care, journalism, education, and subacute nutritional care. She provides nutrition education through her business, Weighing Success, and she posts a tremendous amount of information about healthy eating at the site. She struggled with obesity from the age of 12, but finally lost the weight for good in 2002. She also offers free respite services for special needs family members; her own son was born with cerebral palsy. 


10. @FitNutrition Melissa Halas-Liang, MA, RD, CDE, “was surprised to find limited expert resources on childhood nutrition.” To help fill the void, she created SuperKids Nutrition, a “mega child nutrition resource” for parents and health care professionals that includes tools for younger readers as well. She has a certificate of training for childhood and adolescent weight management and 15 years of experience in clinical care, nutrition management and education, counseling, and critical care curriculum, and she is an author and online certification instructor. She combines evidence-based and holistic approaches and is passionate about “creating a healthier ‘next generation.’”

If you know of registered dietitians who are worthy of attention on these pages, please use our contact form to let us know. See How to Become an OrganizedWisdom Expert Curator and Curator Benefits.

Other blog entries featuring health professionals or patient experts:

Featured Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Part 1
Featured Chiropractors, Part 1
Featured Neurologists, Part 1
Featured Cardiologists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Dietitians, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Featured Nutritionists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Nurses, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Featured Nurses, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
Featured Oncologists, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Top Nephrologists on Twitter
Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter 
Gluten-Free Diet Feature 
Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts, Part 1, Part 2 

By Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS

The Clinical Pharmacology Study Group has been Selected by OrganizedWisdom® as an Expert Curator for Providing Quality Health Information

CPSG Press Release: Reprinted with permission

WORCESTER, MA - December 8, 2010 - The Clinical Pharmacology Study Group (CPSG) announced its selection as a top Expert Curator by OrganizedWisdom for providing people with quality health information online.

OrganizedWisdom's Medical Review Board selects doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, publishers, patient experts, and health advocates as Expert Curators, those who organize helpful and credible online health resources. “With the explosion of health information publicly shared via social media and available on thousands of Web sites, often without order or full disclosure of the source, there is a need to aggregate the information in a meaningful and useful way,” explains Howard Krein, MD, Chief Medical Officer of OrganizedWisdom and Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. “OrganizedWisdom is organizing this wealth of health information from the health professionals, experts, and advocates who are using social media as a powerful communication platform for people searching online.”

Dr. Krein states, "Dr. Charles Birbara not only meets the call as an Expert Curator, but exceeds the call, in terms of sharing his expertise and experience with autoimmune disorders online for the benefit of others."

“As a Medical Practitioner and Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, I recognize the importance of educating people so they can take charge and making intelligent decisions regarding their health,” states Dr. Birbara, “I am pleased to be selected as a top Expert Curator by OrganizedWisdom's Medical Review Board for our social communications on Twitter and Facebook.”

Dr. Charles Birbara is recognized as an expert in the field of autoimmune diseases. He has an established rheumatoid arthritis practice and is a Staff Physician at UMASS Memorial Medical Center and St.Vincent Hospital in Worcester, MA. Dr. Birbara's passion for learning has earned him a position as Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA. Dr. Birbara is the Medical Director at the Clinical Pharmacology Study Group and a graduate from Harvard College with a B.A. in Biology and continued on to receive his M.D. at McGill University. Mary Coughlin is the registered nurse for the Clinical Pharmacology Study Group.

To learn more about this subject or to determine if you are eligible for enrollment in an autoimmune study, please contact the:

Clinical Pharmacology Study Group
UMASS Memorial City Campus
26 Queen Street, Worcester, MA 01610 
Phone: 508-755-0201
info@cpsgma.com
http://www.cpsgma.com

CONTACT: Deborah A. Buckley
Phone: +1.978.466-7637
Email: deb.buckley@gmail.com

 

About Clinical Pharmacology Study Group 
The Clinical Pharmacology Study Group (CPSG) was established in 1989 in Worcester, Massachusetts by Doctor Birbara and Mary Coughlin, RN. The group has been involved in the field of rheumatology study since 1975. The practice has worked with traditional anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) in conjunction with stomach protecting agents. The group has a history of working with Celebrex, Vioxx, Bextra, and other COX II inhibitors. In the late 1990's, we entered the era of biologicals for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

CPSG is continuing to expand work with biologicals in the areas of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and Chrohn's disease. CPSG is also participating in many new trials for fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, gout, and lower back pain.
http://www.cpsgma.com

 

About OrganizedWisdom 
OrganizedWisdom is transforming the way people can use the Internet to answer health questions by organizing all of the world's health and healthy living experts and advocates by topic, knowledge, and influence. With this first digital mapping of health and healthy living experts and advocates, which includes doctors, nurses, patient advocates, researchers, and other health experts who are publicly sharing health information online, OrganizedWisdom is creating a trust filter to help people easily discover and connect with the credible resources online.

The company's investors include leading health, technology and business minds: Esther Dyson, Jerry Levin, Roger Ehrenberg, Linda Holliday, Jason Finger, Jeff Stewart and SeventySix Capital. OrganizedWisdom was founded in 2007 in New York City by seasoned entrepreneurs Steven Krein and Unity Stoakes. To learn more visit http://organizedwisdom.com/Home

 

Featured Nurses, Part 12

Whether they’ve dedicated their careers to specific areas, such as smoking cessation or holistic healing, or prefer to help others more generally, nurses use their knowledge in vastly different ways. See the nurses featured below and other nurses making an impact in social media, elsewhere on the Web, and in their communities in our Top Nurse profiles.

1. @missMedSafety Joanne Peterson, RN, FISMP, CCRN, is a medication safety specialist at a Colorado Springs, Colorado, hospital. Her 41-year career in hospital environments has also taken her into critical care, nursing management, and administration. She has volunteered and served on the boards for many local organizations as well.


2. @josephweaver Joseph Weaver, RN, and author, is passionate about helping others quit smoking. He won the 2002 American Cancer Society’s Great American Smoke-out Award for his leadership in building a smoke-free environment in New York City. Once an overweight, three-pack-a-day smoker, the former neuroscience researcher turned his studies to yoga, reflexology, herbology, and meditation to take a spiritual approach in dealing with his habit. Ninety pounds lighter and nicotine-free, he wrote The Tao of Quitting Smoking, offers workshops and lectures designed to help smokers quit, and maintains CigaretteSmokingKills.com. He recently created a Twitter “Twibe” for posting medical, mental health, and smoking cessation tweets.


3. @JoyceHarrellRN Joyce Harrell, RN, has dedicated the last 12 years of her 20-year nursing career to cancer nursing as an oncology-certified nurse. “Nursing is more than the science of the medical,” she writes, and she takes a holistic approach to healing as a wellness coach in her business, Wellness Cancer Care. She has created workshops, webinars, and ebooks on the topics of stress management, meal planning, whole foods, wellness for the cancer patient and caregiver, and the art of caring for nurses.


4. @nursekama Kamini Kalia, MScN, RN, is a clinical nurse specialist in a tertiary mental health care setting in southwestern Ontario, Canada. She has given presentations to help teach nurses and other health professionals how to use social media. At her online journal, NurseKama.com, she posts tutorials on that topic.


5. @antidoped Kane Guthrie is an “emergency nurse extraordinaire” with a special interest in toxicology, minor procedures, and mental health issues in the emergency department. He is part of a team of Australian medical experts writing a medical blog called Life in the Fast Lane, which explores “the changing world of eLearning, emergency medicine, critical care and toxicology through clinical cases, fictionalized anecdotes and medical satire.” A recent “Funtabulously Frivolous Friday” posting posed a real history question: “In 1774 a young girl was the first in this country to be successfully treated by this technique after falling from a window. What was it?” Visit the site to find out!

If you know of nurses who are worthy of attention on these pages, please use our contact form to let us know. See How to Become an OrganizedWisdom Expert Curator and Curator Benefits.

Other blog entries featuring health professionals or patient experts:

Featured Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Part 1
Featured Chiropractors, Part 1
Featured Neurologists, Part 1
Featured Cardiologists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Dietitians, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Featured Nutritionists, Part 1, Part 2
Featured Nurses, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Featured Nurses, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
Featured Oncologists, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Top Nephrologists on Twitter
Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter 
Gluten-Free Diet Feature 
Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts, Part 1, Part 2 

By Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS

Why More Health Experts Are Embracing the Social Web

(This article originally appeared on Mashable.com where it was kindly accepted as a guest post. If you too, are passionate about the need for more health experts to engage online to help people, please share feedback or contact me directly).

Is your doctor easily accessible online, or does he or she believe that the Internet isn’t a resource for accessing health information?

If it’s the latter, it may be time to find another doctor. With nearly 90% of online Americans searching the Internet for health resources, it’s likely you and your friends and family already use the Internet to research health issues. It’s true that the web has a jumble of health information, and engaging online takes time, which most health experts don’t have. The good news, however, is that the increasing number of health professionals now embracing the Internet as an important and useful tool for health and wellness is beginning to change your options as a consumer.

Read on for some ways that social media can help doctors, health experts and everyday users.

Social Wellness Trends

An exciting new social media trend is emerging that disrupts the standard view of health care delivery and will have a profound impact on us all. Thousands of doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and health advocates are publicly engaging with people online. In fact, nearly 40% of Americans turn to social media for health information.

Patients (and a few early adopter health pros) moved online years ago to share health guidance, give support and find answers. But until recently, many health professionals have avoided using the Internet and social media as a way to help patients. This reluctance is changing, as savvy physicians, nurses, dentists and other health pros are realizing that if their patients are online, then perhaps they should be too. Health practitioners who were once too busy, inexperienced or afraid to share their expertise online, now actively share links on Twitter and Facebook, blog, write for online medical journals, engage on Q&A sites, or contribute to online health sites and forums.

For too long, health and wellness has been a do-it-yourself proposition for patients online, and people have been left on their own to determine how to effectively utilize empty search boxes. People have great access to lots of information, but they must sort through the billions of articles to determine the credible from redundant health encyclopedias, marketing web sites or sites with potentially unknown sources. Then, the task of deciding the credibility of the sources and articles has fallen on the patient alone.

While the number of health experts interacting with patients online is relatively small, there is a clear trend taking shape. A recent Manhattan Research survey of U.S. physicians shows an increase of Internet usage for professional purposes up from 2.5 hours per week in 2002 to 8 hours per week in 2010. More strikingly, while more than 100,000 doctors are using closed social health networks like Sermo.com and publishing in peer-reviewed journals online, thousands of health professionals are now blogging, using Twitter, and connecting with patients on Facebook in very public ways. So much so that this November, for the first time, the American Medical Association released a set of guidelines to direct physicians communicating and engaging with patients via social media. And earlier this year, the CDC also published its own best practices toolkit for how health professionals should be using social media.

Given that so many people now go to the Internet before, during and after their visit to the doctor’s office, the lack of guidance from credible and trusted health experts online is a growing problem. In fact, Manhattan Research shows that 61% of people now use the Internet instead of visiting a doctor. Thankfully, the tide is turning as thousands of health practitioners move online to do much more than interact with friends, family and colleagues and are instead using the social web to dispense their particular health expertise.

What This Means for Health Information Seekers

We are standing at the precipice of a new online revolution in health care. As more and more health experts embrace the Internet and increase their social media activity, health information seekers will undoubtedly benefit in profound ways. Based on conversations and surveys conducted with experts and health information seekers, here are some of the benefits associated with a robust online community of active health experts:

Interaction With Experts: In the real world, people seeking answers to important health, financial or legal matters look for guidance from the best experts. With a growing community of health experts participating in online discussions, people have access to more expertise than ever before at their fingertips.

Credibility and Trust: With doctors and other health professionals contributing information online in increasing numbers, it is important for a trust filter to separate credible information and sources from information that is not credible. The community of health professionals that is forming online will act as a system of checks and balances to separate good information and sources from the bad.

Transparency: It’s been a watershed year for increased transparency as government, big business, the financial services industry and other sectors have been shining a light into their operations like never before. Healthcare is taking a major step forward in this regard at the grassroots level, with an expert community being formed online by doctors, nurses and other health professionals across the country. As more doctors view social media as an extension of their professional reputation, you can be sure that they will treat their online interactions with the same care as they do in the offline world.

While the increase in the online activity of health experts is a welcome development, searching for crucial health information online remains an overwhelming and intimidating process for many. In the offline world, people searching for health information seek out the best experts — and now with more health professionals moving online, people will finally be able to connect with credible experts they can trust.

Featured Dietitians, Part 1

Registered dietitians could be the most proactive people you’ll ever meet when it comes to being on a mission to promote healthy foods. Some raise their voices enough to get national media attention. See the dietitians featured below and other dietitians making an impact in social media, elsewhere on the Web, and in their communities in our Top Dietitians profiles.

1. @dietriffic Melanie Thomassian, RD, writes that her mission is “to transform the lifestyles of a diet-obsessed world by teaching people how to eat healthy and make healthy eating a habit for life.” She started Dietriffic, where she posts “evidence-based information” to help people in their quest for a healthier lifestyle. The Northern Ireland resident also contributes articles to several other health Web sites.


2. @HealthCastleGlo Gloria Tsang, RD, started HealthCastle.com after a family member was diagnosed with cancer. She decided to write and compile cancer nutrition articles so that others could benefit from the information. Since then, the site has become a nutrition resource library. Her articles have been published by Reuters, the Chicago Sun-Times, Reader’s Digest Canada, and USA Today.


3. @DeCA_Dietitian Karen Hawkins, RD, has nearly 20 years of military service, eight as an Army Reserve dietitian and 11 on active duty, including experience as a certified diabetes educator in Army medical facilities and public health clinics. Her column and discussion forum at the Defense Commissary Agency Web site are geared to helping readers lose weight, get in shape, and maintain good health.


4. @KathyGarolsky Kathy Garolsky, registered nurse and clinical nutritionist, is passionate about health and wellness. She teaches others to manage their health and to help themselves using tools and techniques through her blog at Health and Wellness Consultants.


5. @TrendyNutrition Jenny Westerkamp, RD, is a Chicago-based sports and wellness nutritionist “promoting real food as nature intended.” She is a counselor, speaker, and writer, and cofounded All Access Internships, an interactive community and social network for future dietitians. She maintains a health blog at her Web site, JennyWesterkamp.com.


6. @TrinaR_RD Trina Robertson, MS, RD, is the project manager for the Dairy Council of California, where she’s in charge of nutrition education program development and overseeing the consumer nutrition Web site. She writes a blog promoting good nutrition at the council’s Web site.


7. @2eatwellRD Danielle Omar, MS, RD, “shows others how to successfully manage health and personal issues through the power of smart nutrition.” She has contributed to nutrition-related news stories for local TV stations as well as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Food Network. She writes a food and nutrition blog called Food Confidence at her Web site, FoodConfidence.com, and on the home page you can watch videos of her helping others in their quest to get control of their weight. She also has more than 10 years’ experience as an adjunct professor in nutrition science. 


8. @MarshaHudnall Marsha Hudnall, MS, RD, is director and owner of Vermont’s Green Mountain at Fox Run, a healthy weight retreat for women tired of dieting. She is the author of three nutrition books and more than 100 articles published in popular magazines and newsletters that reflect “her desire to help people move away from restrictive notions of food and health, and thereby more easily achieve a healthful intake.” She also writes a blog at Green Mountain’s Web site.


9. @ScritchfieldRD Rebecca J. Scritchfield, MA, RD, is a nutrition and exercise expert in the metro Washington, D.C., area, and a “specialist in healthy weight management without dieting.” She’s an adjunct professor of sports nutrition at George Washington University, a marathon runner, and a media guest. One of the videos posted at her Web site, RebeccaScritchfield.com, features a spirited discussion she had with Fox News broadcaster Neil Cavuto about the wisdom of having salad bars in public schools. 


10. @Etribole Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD, has a nutrition counseling practice in Newport Beach, California, specializing in eating disorders, “intuitive eating,” and celiac disease. She is the author or coauthor of seven books, including the best sellers Healthy Homestyle Cooking and Intuitive Eating. She was contributing editor for Shape magazine, where her monthly column, “Recipe Makeovers,” ran for 11 years. She often appears on national media outlets for her nutritional expertise. Her favorite food? Chocolate, “when it can be savored slowly.”

If you know of registered dietitians who are worthy of attention on these pages, please use our contact form to let us know. See How to Become an OrganizedWisdom Expert Curator and Curator Benefits.

Other blog entries featuring health professionals and patients:

Featured Nutritionists
Featured Nurses, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Featured Nurses, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
Featured Oncologists, Part 1
Featured Oncologists, Part 2
Featured Oncologists, Part 3
Top Nephrologists on Twitter
Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter 
Gluten-Free Diet Feature 
Diabetes Feature: 5 Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts
Diabetes Feature: 10 Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Patient Experts 
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Impressive Physicians for April's End 
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Impressive Health Expert Profiles for the Week

By Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS

Featured Nutritionists, Part 1

Traditional medicine isn’t always the only solution to what ails you. Holistic nutritionists can complement your current care regimen or take you on a whole new path in your quest for healing. See the nutritionists featured below and other nutritionists making an impact in social media, elsewhere on the Web, and in their communities in our Top Nutritionists profiles.

1. @CultivateHealth Crystal Di Domizio is a Vancouver-based registered holistic nutritionist (RHN), professional life coach, and doula with a passion for natural nutrition, pregnancy, and birth. She has a special interest in supporting women through their childbearing years and working with clients who want to radically improve their health, offering services at her Web site, CultivateYourHealth.com.


2. @JoyousHealth Joy McCarthy is a Toronto-based certified nutritional practitioner (CNP) and registered nutritional consulting practitioner (RNCP), health coach, and founder of Joyous Health, helping clients get to the bottom of their digestive problems. She also develops recipes, especially gluten-free ones such as Gluten-Free Chickpea and Apple Slaw Sandwich.


3. @NutritionistW1 Yvonne Bishop-Weston, BSc, an accredited and registered practitioner, has her own nutrition, food, and complementary health consultancy business, Foods for Life, and practices nutritional therapy in London clinics. She is a health writer and motivational speaker, regularly appears on television, and co-authored a cookbook titled Vegan.


4. @GetItRipe Jae Steele is a registered holistic nutritionist (RHN) and author of the whole foods vegan cookbook Get It Ripe, which won Canada’s Gourmand World Cookbook Award for Best Vegetarian Cookbook in 2008, and a second cookbook, Ripe from Around Here. She has been a professional vegan baker and worked on organic farms on both coasts of Canada and is currently a midwifery student. You can watch a video of her making one of her recipes, Pretty in Pink Lemonade, made from beets and citrus fruit, posted on her blog.


5. @HealthScout Nancy Michelli is a certified nutritional consultant (CNC) who has been researching natural health for more than 35 years. Based in California, she writes, “We have to start taking responsibility for our health and making conscious choices about the food we eat and the products that we use.” To that end, she shares information on her blog, which helps people make better choices.


6. @CPasquella Cynthia Pasquella is a certified clinical nutritionist (CCN), certified holistic life coach (CHLC), and certified wellness coach (CWC). A former model, TV host, and fitness competitor, she is now a celebrity nutritionist, holistic life coach, and wellness coach (CynthiaPasquella.com). She is co-founder of a company that specializes in healthy detoxification for the body and mind and has a private practice in Beverly Hills, California.

If you know of nutritionists who are worthy of attention on these pages, please use our contact form to let us know. See How to Become an OrganizedWisdom Expert Curator and Curator Benefits.

Other blog entries featuring health professionals:

Featured Nurses, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Featured Nurses, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
Featured Oncologists, Part 1
Featured Oncologists, Part 2
Featured Oncologists, Part 3
Top Nephrologists on Twitter
Top Gastroenterologists on Twitter 
Gluten-Free Diet Feature 
Diabetes Feature: 5 Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts
Diabetes Feature: 10 Type 1 Diabetes Patient Experts
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Patient Experts 
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Impressive Physicians for April's End 
Follow Friday: Featuring 5 Impressive Health Expert Profiles for the Week

By Julie Bohlen, MBA-HCM, ELS