If you peruse the book stores and best seller lists, you’ll notice that the major focus is on diets, nutrition and other health-conscious issues. In fact, nearly one-third of the offerings on the New York Times non-fiction best seller list these days are diet and nutrition related.
“Many of our patrons are coming into the library and asking about books with all the popular diets,” said Weehawken Free Public Library Executive Director Phillip Greco. “We’ve been getting the books in, and our patrons have been taking them out regularly.”
So to keep up with the rapidly growing trend of learning how to eat right and losing weight, the Weehawken Free Public Library has secured the services of a guest lecturer who will discuss the do’s and don’ts of dieting.
Kelly Dougherty, who is a respected nutritional consultant and a registered dietician for several local nursing homes, will give a free lecture entitled “The Latest News in Nutrition: How To Tell The Truth From The Myths,” at the library on Wednesday, March 3, beginning at 7 p.m.
The lecture will be part of National Nutrition Month.
“People have a lot of misconceptions about nutrition,” Dougherty said. “I’m going to try to change those misconceptions and shed a different light.”
Dougherty used to be the dietician at Palisades General Hospital for a few years, before deciding to go out on her own as a nutritional consultant and offers a handful of lectures in the area.
“We’re going to discuss some of the popular hot foots and food trends,” Dougherty said. “We’ll examine the good things about foods. We’ll also bring up questions about soy products and caffeine, as well as vitamin and mineral supplements. There’s a great debate over those supplements and which are good and which are bad.”
Dougherty said that most people base their nutritional and dietary beliefs on what they see on television or hear about from others.
“But a lot of those diets and trends are not scientific,” Dougherty said. “People also have to be concerned if they are diabetic, because they can’t have certain things. I believe that anyone who comes to the lecture will have an interest in what is discussed. There will be something for everyone.”
Dougherty said that she made the move to working in nursing homes over hospitals, because she liked the challenge of dealing “in a long-term setting.”
“I have more of a connection with patients that way,” Dougherty said. “I get to see how they do.”
Credentials
Dougherty, who is registered with the American Dietician Association, said that a lot of people come to lectures wondering about the speaker’s credentials.
“I have to let them know right away who I am,” Dougherty said.
Dougherty said that the lecture is only supposed to give advice. “There are no right or wrong answers,” Dougherty said. “I might tell them something that they don’t agree with. I just give them the scientific basis and let them decide what they want to do. It’s up to them what they believe in and what they don’t.”
Greco said that he is once again pleased to bring something different to the library.
“It is a different change of pace for us,” Greco said. “But nutrition is very popular in the news these days, especially diets and the myths. We’re trying to change the face of our library to the patrons and we’re always happy to bring vital information to our residents and patrons.”
For more information about the lecture and other Library activities, contact the Weehawken Free Public Library at (201) 863-7823.