Vegetarian Nutrition Education Pioneer George Eisman
George Eisman, RD, has emerged as one of the nation's leading educators on vegetarian nutrition. In fact, this registered dietitian and college instructor created the first for-credit classes available on the subject of vegetarian nutrition.
How did this come about? In 1986, George was working part-time as a professor at Miami-Dade Community College in southern Florida when the institution was given a grant specifically to create a vegetarian program. This was during a time when there were absolutely no classes on vegetarian nutrition available, even for those who were interested in nutrition as a career path.
The school's officials already knew George was a vegetarian. He had become a vegetarian during college and later transitioned to vegan after attending a Vegetarian Summerfest sparked his interest in a dairy- and egg-free diet. This is exactly why the administration wanted him involved in the program. George not only developed the courses to get the vegetarian program off the ground, but he also wrote a textbook titled A Basic Course in Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition.
Since that time, George's courses have gained steadily in popularity as vegetarianism has become more mainstream. Today, he is leading even more college students to vegetarianism through his nutrition courses. The classes usually attract adults who are looking for a second career path and who have an interest in a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle. These students are very fortunate, as there is a major void in the area of vegetarian studies at accredited schools. George thinks that the college setting is the most effective for this type of education.
However, George believes in getting accurate information about vegetarian and vegan nutrition out in any format that works. For example, he has turned the Basic Vegetarian Nutrition Course into a homestudy module that has been used by hundreds of people. He is extremely proud of this distance learning program because it allows more people to get involved, and then those students will go out and teach even more people about vegetarian nutrition.
"The demand for such education is growing, especially concerning veganism," he says.
In addition to the academic platform he has created, George spreads the word about vegetarian nutrition through his prolific writings and appearances. He is the author of The Most Noble Diet, one of the most popular books about ethical eating available on the market today. He has also written articles for Journal of Nutrition Education and Vegetarian Times. Furthermore, George has lectured at many national and international nutrition conferences. When he is not speaking, he enjoys hearing others lecture and contributes to their discussions from the audience.
George Eisman never tires of sharing his knowledge about vegetarian nutrition with others, whether in a more formal classroom setting or during a casual conversation.
"Each person provides a teaching opportunity," he states. "Some people only seem to respond to a personal approach."
For those considering incorporating veganism into their own career paths, he advises them not to fear.
"Be ethical, and stay with it!" he encourages.
If you are interested in taking George's online course, contact him at [email protected].
