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Valerie Berkowitz

LISTEN LIVE on Friday September 26, 2008 at 12:00 Noon Eastern.

Join host Criss Bertling and Family Food Experts Ellen Briggs and Dr. Sally Byrd as we talk with Valerie Berkowitz, a licensed registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and certified lifestyle counselor practicing for 13 years. She is the Director of Nutrition at the Center for Balanced Health.

Prior to this, Valerie worked as a nutritionist at The Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine (ACCM). While employed at The Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine, her efforts focused on bridging the gap between conventional and complementary nutritional practice and included educating patients, mentoring nutrition students, speaking at events for consumers and health care professionals, in addition to assisting in research efforts. These efforts helped her gain invaluable scientific and practical understanding of the intricacies of controlled carbohydrate nutrition plans and the beneficial medical implications.

Ms. Berkowitz was also a clinical dietitian for the Long Island Jewish Medical Center/ Schneider Children’s Hospital as well as a nutrition and wellness counselor in private practice. She completed an internship at Camp Shane, a retreat for overweight children, in Ferndale, NY. In addition to teaching classes at the camp, she held cooking demonstrations and contributed to the children’s yearly newsletter.

Ms. Berkowitz recently acted as a reviewer for “The Sweet Truth about Managing Type 2 Diabetes,” published by Pritchett & Hull Associates Inc., in 2004. She created a quarterly column for diabetes educators and has been published in the monograph, “Managing the Patient with Diabetes.”

Listen to this program all about the company that makes Yummi Bears – gummy-bear vitamins for kids . . .  and more

Jennifer Hodges, founder and CEO of Hero Nutritional Products, landed on the idea of formulating high-quality, nutritionally sound children’s supplements in the mid-90’s as she observed her nieces and other children gobbling up candies, particularly multi-flavor gummy bears.

Established in 1996, Hero Nutritionals is the leader in creating innovative and unique delivery systems for vitamins and supplements. Hero Nutritionals made vitamin history by being the first company to put vitamins in a gummy delivery system.

Jennifer Hodges, founder and CEO of Hero Nutritional Products, landed on the idea of formulating high-quality, nutritionally sound children’s supplements in the mid-90’s as she observed her nieces and other children gobbling up candies, particularly multi-flavor gummy bears. Ms. Hodges also observed her sister’s need to constantly remind the children to “take your vitamins”. Conventional products were not very appealing to the children because of their off taste, their crunchy, powdery mouth feel, unpleasant after-taste and chalkiness.

As a caring person concerned about the health and well being of children, Ms Hodges began consulting with children’s nutritionists, food chemists and production experts. The challenge was to create a new children’s nutritional delivery system incorporating the delightful taste of gummy bears without sacrificing nutritional value. Producing a gummy bear taste experience combined with legitimate nutrient levels, incorporating all natural ingredients, colors and flavor was the amazing beginning of the Yummi Bears line.

To learn more about Hero Nutritionals, CLICK HERE.

Fuel your academic, artist and athletic with healthier foods!