A new year and a new season. A time for a fresh start.
Normally, with the first-of-the-year articles, I give nutrition help for the new year or my thoughts on the latest nutrition trend. Sometimes I have given you a preview of the topics I’ll cover over the year.
This year is a bit different, however. The strangeness of this article settles on me as I write, realizing that there’s no other way to say “goodbye” other than just to say it. This article is indeed a goodbye-for-now.
I started writing for The New Era/Lebanon Local in 2017, six years ago. Back then, I was working part time in a non-nutrition related job, and my husband and I had recently had an early pregnancy loss. It was a good time to keep my mind occupied with something I loved and was familiar with — nutrition.
Two years later, my nutrition experience expanded to that of pregnancy and motherhood as we welcomed a sweet baby girl. Life was busy and good. Our baby was easy, and writing/research fit in well with the busy life of a logger-wife and mama.
Several years and another baby later, life was even more full with family life, unexpected postpartum depression and continued health struggles. Finding time to write or research a topic was a little more challenging but it worked all right.
Now, at the end of six years, I am taking a break as we prepare to welcome another sweet baby into our lives this spring. Life is becoming more blessedly full of other things to which I wish to give my full attention.
I appreciate the opportunity Scott and The New Era/Lebanon Local have given me to write these last six years. I’ve had much flexibility and freedom, and have truly loved learning and sharing nutrition with readers. I trust that these articles have been useful or encouraging in some way to those who have read and applied them.
I know you will be in good hands as the editorial team fills this gap and replaces my monthly column with other health-minded articles.
As you step into 2023, I hope you continue in good health, forever learning the next best step to take.
Cathryn Arndt is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and owns a nutrition counseling business called The Pantry Lab LLC. She lives in the McDowell Creek area with her husband and daughters. Visit her Facebook page by searching under “Dietitian Cathryn.”