The City/District Nutrition Program Coordinators (C/DNPC) of Metro Manila Association, Inc., in cooperation with the National Nutrition Council – NCR conducted their 34th Annual Regional Conference with the theme “Holistic Nutrition for a Healthier You” on November 27, 2019 at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
The conference aimed to provide the participants updates on nutrition-related trends and information focusing on achieving optimal health and wellness through the principals of holistic nutrition. It was attended by 126 C/DNPCs together with guests and participants from the local government units and hospitals.
Resource speakers who are experts in their respective fields were invited to discuss the following topics: 1. Achieving Optimal Health and Wellness through Nutrition (Ms. Virgith B. Buena, Chair of the Board of Nutrition and Dietetics, Professional Regulation Commission); 2. Functional Foods: How do they work? (Ms. Consuelo L. Domingo, Whole Food Plant Based Nutrition Advocate); 3. Physical Activity for Better Health and Well-Being (Mr. Hercules P. Callanta, Professor from the College of Human Kinetics, University of the Philippines Diliman); and, 4. Food-Mood Connection: Understanding Diet and Mental Health (Dr. Ava Angela V. Arugay, Functional Medicine Practitioner, Life Science Center for Health and Wellness). Coach JC Libiran shared the importance of being a team player in an organization and the characteristics of an effective team player during the motivational talk on “Being a Team Player: Why it matters”.
Through the one-day conference, participants were informed on the principles of holistic nutrition in achieving optimal health and wellness. They learned the science of functional foods and its positive effects on health beyond basic nutrition. They were also made aware of the importance of physical activity for better health and the relationship of the quality of food we eat to mental health and well-being.
In her keynote message, National Nutrition Council Executive Director Dr. Azucena M. Dayanghirang emphasized the holistic approach’s potential to change all individual related lifestyle behaviors with the change of one component which is the diet. This approach considers the food not just for improving the body but also for the mind and soul. There are potential benefits of holistic nutrition but there are also a lot of controversies related to it. “As C/DNPCs, nutritionist-dietitians and nutrition advocates, we must be careful in adopting various methods or approaches,” ED Dayanghirang added.
ED Dayanghirang shared this PIECE of advice in order to promote holistic nutrition without its downside:
- Pursue the truth about nutrition. Continually update yourselves about nutrition;
- Increase level of discernment. Know factual and up-to-date, evidence-based information on health and nutrition;
- Become an Example of good nutrition;
- Become nutrition Champions in your respective areas; and,
- Eliminate all forms of malnutrition in your area of responsibility.
“With your constant learning and knowledge in nutrition and nutrition programs, let us work together to eliminate malnutrition. Disseminate what you learned and continue working for the greater good,” ED Dayanghirang said.
The outgoing officers and board members of the Association were also given Certificate of Appreciation during the conference and the new set of officers and board members for 2020-2022 took their oath officiated by ED Dayanghirang with NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa Federizo as witness. Also, retired C/DNPCs were each given a Service Award during the program.
The participants also recited the “Panatang Makabata” in support of the celebration of the 27th National Children’s Month. (TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)
