“Good nutrition is the foundation of good health and, for a person with Diabetes, diet is the cornerstone of a successful management program. I see my role as a translator--I take Diabetes and nutrition goals and translate them into a daily reality. The patient and I work step by step to develop a diet that can be adapted to an individual's personal, medical, cultural, and economic considerations. Lifestyle issues must be addressed realistically if any diet plan is to be successful.”

Ms. Hoffman stresses the importance of providing that bridge from diet theory to dietary behavior. She feels that no diet can be accurately summarized; it must be individualized. Every patient with Diabetes, whether newly diagnosed, or just new to the Practice, meets with Ms. Hoffman for a nutrition assessment which involves:

• A review of blood sugar records, food diaries, medical history, allergies, activity patterns, medications and life schedules that would affect a nutritional plan.
• Integration of this information into a plan that addresses medical dietary needs while taking into account the individual's lifestyle./li>
• Establishing a follow-up appointment frequency and schedule based on medical status, schedules or preference changes.

In her current position, Ms. Hoffman provides individualized medical nutritional therapy and counseling, and conducts group seminars for adult men and women with specific needs, including Diabetes or Hypertension. These sessions cover a wide variety of topics including medical nutrition therapy, normal nutrition, nutrition during pregnancy, dietary needs of patients with Diabetes Mellitus, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, obesity, eating disorders, renal disease or hypertension, strategies for dining out, food preparation, and how to read food labels.

Ms. Hoffman is a Licensed, Registered Dietitian, and a Certified Diabetic Educator. After receiving a B.S. in Nutrition from the University of Rhode Island, Ms. Hoffman completed her Dietetic Internship at Cornell University - The New York Hospital in New York City and finished her Master's degree at Hunter College. Her professional experience includes positions as Chief Dietitian at Parker-Jewish Institute for Geriatric Care in New Hyde Park, Food Service Administration Clinical Dietitian at New York Hospital, and Nutrition Consultant to several health care facilities. She has been at NSDEA for over 20 years.