VIRGINIA MESSINA, MPH, RD
EXPERIENCE
Nutrition Consultant, Nutrition Matters, Inc. Port Townsend, WA, 1992 to present
Consult with organizations on nutrition issues related to plant foods; write and develop newsletters, articles, and educational materials for industry, and professional and non-profit organizations.
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 1997 to present
Developed and wrote content and managed production for monthly newsletter, Vegetarian Nutrition and Health Letter, published by the School of Public Health and targeted to an international audience.
Dietitian, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington, D.C., 1989-1992.
Developed educational materials pertaining to plant-based diets. Edited 16-page bi-monthly vegetarian nutrition publication for consumers.
Director of Nutrition Services, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, D.C., 1987 to 1989
Directed nutrition services for ambulatory medical center serving over 50,000 patients. Provided nutrition counseling and staff education, supervised dietitians.
Instructor, Central Michigan University, College of Human Ecology, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, 1985 to 1987
Instructed graduate and undergraduate students majoring in dietetics, health education, and related fields. Supervised and evaluated student fieldwork activities. Courses taught include: Introductory Nutrition, Nutrition Education, Community Nutrition and Nutrition in the Lifecycle.
Food and Nutrition Specialist, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 1984 to 1985
Developed instructional materials for consumers and home economics professionals.
Instructor, Lansing Community College, Lansing, Michigan, 1984 to 1985
Courses taught include Vegetarian Cooking; Basic Principles of Nutrition.
Public Health Nutritionist, United States Public Health Service, Dowagiac, Michigan, 1981 to 1983
Provided patient education and staff nutrition education in rural health clinic.
EDUCATION
B.S., Home Economics, Douglass College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 1978
M.P.H., Human Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1981
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Member, Board of Directors, Vegfund
Member, Scientific Committee, Sixth International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition, 2012-2013
Member, American Dietetic Association; Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group
- Newsletter editorial staff, 2008 to present. Write quarterly column summarizing current nutrition research
- Write fact sheets on vegan and vegetarian nutrition for consumers and dietitians, 2008 to present.
- Chair of nominating committee, 2014-2015.
- Wrote Continuing Education Program on Vegetarian Nutrition, on behalf of Vegetarian Nutrition DPG; published by Wolfe Rinke Associates, 2000
- Co-chair of Continuing Education Committee (identified and edited newsletter articles for CE credit; 1998 and 1999)
- Editor, Fact Sheets for members, 1995 to 1999
- Editor, DPG newsletter, 1991 to 1993
Member, Advisory Board of VegYouth, 2013 to present.
Member, Vegetarian Advisory Board, McDonald’s Corporation, 2006-2008 (per terms of settlement, class action suit Block versus McDonald’s Corporation)
Member, Board of Advisors, PCRM, 1997 to 2012
Member, Board of Advisors, Vegetarian Resource Group, 1997 to present
FREELANCE EXPERIENCE
Columnist, National Vegan Examiner,Examiner.com., February, 2009 to present. www.examiner.com/x-5670-Vegan-Examiner.
Columnist, One Green Planet, 2011 to present. www.onegreenplanet.org/tag/virginia-messina/
Columnist Our Hen House, 2012 to present.
Wrote bi-monthly article on foods and nutrition for regional magazine Northwest, 2006-2008
Contribute articles to a variety of national publications including Family Circle, Encyclopedia Britannica, Today’s Dietitian, Veggie Life, Vegetarian Journal
Wrote section on nutrition for Healthnotes, an online food and nutrition resource for natural foods stores
Wrote regular nutrition column for Mt. Airy News, a local bi-weekly newspaper
Wrote column for “How on Earth!” a newsletter for vegetarian teens
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
Health Effects of Legumes. 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition. Loma Linda, CA (2013)
Sorting through the Science: How to Find the Best Vegan Nutrition Information. Vida Vegan Con. Portland, OR (2013)
Happy, Healthy Vegan for Life:10 Tips for Success. Vegfest presentation, various North American venues. (2013)
The Seven Habits of Healthy Vegans Vegfest presentation, various North American venues. (2011-2014)
Issues in Planning Optimal Vegan Diets: Guidelines for Health Professionals. Enhancing Health with Plant-based Nutrition. Portland, OR. (2012)
Vegan Diets: What the Experts Say About Vitamin B12, Minerals, Protein, and Essential Fats. Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. Philadelphia, PA. (2012)
BOOKS AUTHORED
Never Too Late to Go Vegan: The Over-50 Guide to Adopting and Thriving on a Plant-Based Diet. Carol J. Adams, Patti Breitman and Virginia Messina. The Experiment, New York, NY. 2014
Vegan for Her: The Woman’s Guide to Being Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet. Virginia Messina and JL Fields. Da Capo Press, Cambridge, MA. 2013.
Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-based Diet. Jack Norris and Virginia Messina. Da Capo Press, Cambridge, MA. 2011
The Dietitian’s Guide to Vegetarian Diets: Issues and Applications, 3rd edition. Reed Mangels, Virginia Messina, Mark Messina. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA. 2010.
The Dietitians Guide to Vegetarian Diets:Issues and Applications. 2nd edition. Virginia Messina, Reed Mangels, Mark Messina. Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury, MA. 2004.
The Dietitians Guide to Vegetarian Diets: Issues and Applications. Mark Messina, Virginia Messina. Aspen Publishers, 1996.
Help! My Child Stopped Eating Meat. Carol J. Adams with Virginia Messina. Continuum Press, New York, NY. 2004.
The Convenient Vegetarian. Virginia Messina and Kate Schumann. MacMillan Press, NY. June, 1999
The Vegetarian Way. Virginia Messina and Mark Messina. Crown Books, NY. 1996
The No-Cholesterol Vegetarian Family-Style Cookbook. Virginia Messina and Kate Schumann. St. Martin’s Press, NY. 1995
The Simple Soybean and Your Health. Mark Messina and Virginia Messina. Avery Publishers, NY. 1994
The No-Cholesterol Vegetarian Barbecue Book. Kate Schumann and Virginia Messina. St. Martin’s Press, NY. 1994
SELECTED PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Messina V. Nutritional and health benefits of dried beans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014. in press.
Messina M, Messina V. Soyfoods for menopausal women. American Nurse Today. In press.
Messina M, Messina VL, Jenkins, DJA. Can breast cancer patients use soyafoods to help reduce risk of CHD? Brit J Nutr. 2012 epub ahead of print
Messina M, Messina VL, Chan P. Soyfoods, hyperuricemia and gout: a review of the epidemiologic and clinical data. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011;20(3):347-58.
Messina V, Messina M. Soy products as sources of calcium in the diets of Chinese Americans. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Dec;110(12):1812-3; author reply 1813.
Messina M, Messina V. The role of soy in vegetarian diets. Nutrients, 2: 855-888, 2010.
Messina V. Vegetarian diets for children in: Handbook of Pediatric Nutrition eds: Samour, PQ and King, K. Jones and Bartlett; Sudbury, MA. 2005.
Mangels AR, Messina, V, Melina V. Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian Diets. J Am Diet Assoc 2003; 103:748-765.
Messina V, Melina V, Mangels AR. A new food guide for North American vegetarians. J Am Diet Assoc 2003; 103:771-775.
Mangels, A Reed and Messina, V. Considerations in planning vegan diets. I. Infants. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2001;101:670-677.
Messina, V and Mangels, A Reed. Considerations in planning vegan diets. II. Children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2001;101:661-669.
Messina M, Messina V. Soyfoods, soybean isoflavones, and bone health: a brief overview. J Renal Nutr 2000;10: 63-68.
Messina, V. Calcium from plant foods. Today’s Dietitian 2000; 2(8):30-33,43.
Messina, V. Purely vegetarian. Today’s Dietitian 1999; 1(8): 40-44.
Messina, V. Comment: Popular perceptions of vegetarian diets: is the pendulum swinging the other way? Vegetarian Nutr: An Intl J 1998;2:37-39.
Messina, V, Burke K. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets. J Am Diet Assoc 1997.; 97 (11): 1317-1321.
Messina, V and Messina, M. Vegetarianism and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. On the Cutting Edge. Summer 1997; 18: 34-35.
Messina M, Messina V. Nutritional implications of dietary phytochemicals. In: Dietary Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention and Treatment. Adv Exp Med Biol 401;207-211, 1996.
Messina V, Messina MJ. Vegetables: Rating the Healthiest. The Encyclopedia Britannica, Chicago, IL 1995.
Messina MJ, Messina V. The second golden age of nutrition: phytochemicals and disease prevention. In Food Phytochemicals I: Fruits and Vegetables. The American Chemical Society, 1994.
Messina V, Messina MJ. Vegetarianism comes of age. The Encyclopedia Britannica, Chicago, IL, 1994.
Messina MJ, Messina, V. Second golden age of utrition. American Chemical Society, Proceedings on Dietary Phytochemicals, 1993.
Messina MJ, Messina V. Increasing use of soyfoods and their potential role in cancer prevention. J Am Diet Assoc 91:836-40, 1991.
Messina MJ, Messina V. Soy protein and calcium balance. Soya International 4(1):4-5, 1990.
Messina V. Facts on Fat. Soya International 4(2):4-5, 1990.
Messina MJ, Messina V. Soybeans as a food for humans. Encyclopedia of Food Science, Food Technology and Nutrition. Academic Press Limited, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers, London.
AWARDS
Award of Excellence in Service and Leadership, Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, 2000
Marie Dye Fellowship recipient, 1983-1985
National Health Service Corps Scholarship recipient, 1978-1981
Graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers University
Elected to Omicron Nu National Honor Society