My Mediterranean Diet Experience
Donna Burris-Cantillon, BSN, RN, NCSN
I am excited to share the incredible experience that I had last May (2011). As a nursing grad student, I needed three elective credits to meet master degree requirements. Therefore, when I received an email detailing a study-abroad term in Italy, I was very interested. I thought this would be a great way to earn three credits! The title of the class, "Living the Good Life: A Qualitative Study of the Mediterranean Diet and Lifestyle" was intriguing. The course description was as follows: "If nutrition and healthy living interest you, join the Department of Nursing [Wesley College, Dover, Delaware] field study on the coast of southern Italy for 14 fabulous days of learning, culture and fun. Coordinated study with the Center of National Research in Avellino is the heart of this journey, but opportunities for excursions to Pompeii, Sorrento, a cruise to the Amalfi Coast, and land tours to Paestum and Cetara are also all included." I'm half Italian and love Italian food, so I just HAD to go on this adventure! When I returned, family, friends and colleagues were curious about what I had learned and experienced. I would like to use this website as a vehicle through which I share my Mediterranean Diet experience. Information that I post on this website is gleaned from the lectures that I attended, the excursions on the tour, and literature that I reviewed. I plan to share pictures that I took, too, although I don't think I'll be able to post all 600 of them! When constructing this website, I tried to highlight Mediterranean food and scenery on each page, with one exception, the Mediterranean Diet Poster page (sorry for the small text-I had some difficulty converting that file!). I am particularly proud of that poster. I presented it at a Sigma Theta Tau International (nursing honor society) conference this past September and it was judged best educational poster. Please take the time to post your comments and ask questions. I plan to check in often, modify the content, and blog, which is very new to me, so please have patience! I look forward to "talking" to you!
Here's a picture of the tour members with Dr. Barba (in orange shirt) of the Center of National Research. Dr. Gambardella, Chair of the Nursing Department is standing to Dr. Barba's right. I'm behind Dr. G. Dr. Rubino, another nursing professor, is second from right. Dr. Giacco, another scientist at the research center, is third from right.