Deanna Latson, who for years has made a name for herself around the world as a force in nutritional education, entertained over 200 UTM students with her clever approach to health and wellness education on Monday, September 25.

Now, a clinically certified nutritionist, Latson transformed the audience with nutritionally sound health advice and her powerful personal story of switching to better eating habits and getting on the road to great health.

“It took me 23 years to change my eating habits,” said Latson. “Now I eat to live, not live to eat.”

Dedicated to helping students, employees and community members take control of their own health, Latson’s slogan, “Eat right. Feel good. Look great.,” echoed through her dynamic, emotional and humorous presentation.

“Deanna definitely opened my eyes to some of the things I’ve been doing wrong for years,” said Candace Dean. “My grocery shopping is finally going to change.”

Latson, a former bulimic, shared with students her experience with an eating disorder, excess weight, severe migraines, colds and low energy in college.

“I had my own personal chef that cooked for me every night,” said Latson. “It was McDonalds.”

After finding countless prescription drugs in her father’s medicine cabinet and being told by his doctor that his problems were hereditary, Latson decided that she would find the real reasons behind his sickness.

Through classes and research, Latson found that over 60 percent of what ails us is directly related to what we eat. With that in mind, Latson challenged her father, mother and herself to become conscious eaters.

Latson didn’t advise students to turn to diets. In fact, she said, “The dieting industry has the biggest failure rate. It is not a skinny contest. Skinny people fall dead every day.”

Instead, she encouraged students to consider permanent lifestyle changes that would improve their health and well-being.

To find out more about Deanna Latson and how to improve your own eating habits, visit her website at gotohealth.com or request free nutrition information by e-mailing handouts@gotohealth.com and putting the University of Tennessee at Martin in the subject line.