Esplin said she did not renew her contract with the WIC program as she took a job at the hospital, but she will still be serving the CNMI population, especially those with end stage renal failure.
“After today, I will be spending more time there helping people on dialysis know what to eat to maximize their length of life and quality of life,” she said.
Esplin said she learned a great deal during her stint at the CNMI WIC.
She said she loved serving the young families of the CNMI, and that is what she will miss the most.
“Good nutrition is so crucial to pregnancy because risks of birth defects, miscarriage, prematurity, and low birth weight can be directly related to what a pregnant woman eats or doesn’t eat,” she said.
Infant nutrition is crucial too.
“We know that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of devastating conditions such as childhood and adult obesity, diabetes, leukemia, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. We also know that moms need help and support for breastfeeding to be successful,” Esplin said.
For young children, establishing healthy eating habits, like a love for fruits and vegetables, can prevent a lifetime of health problems.
“It has been very rewarding to be a part of teaching this to WIC employees and WIC families, and it has also been great to partner with others in the CNMI who are also working diligently to promote healthy eating, like Northern Marianas College’s nutrition program.
“I will value my experience at CNMI WIC forever. You all know how important and useful I believe the WIC program is to the health of the CNMI, and I wish you great success in improving the health and lives of the CNMI’s young families,” she said.
Esplin hopes the great nutrition education WIC provides to young families will help prevent difficult nutrition-related diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure “that will keep our people out of the dialysis unit in 20-40 years.”
“I do have my basic nutrition advice to anyone who will listen: A meal is more than rice and meat — add color and nutrition with a variety of vegetables and fruits,” Esplin said.
She arrived here about the time WIC moved from the Commonwealth Health Center to its new facility on Navy Hill.
Esplin worked as a public health nutritionist for the Shasta County, California WIC program.
She has a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah and is a registered dietitian.
