I’m here to collaborate, support, + guide YOU
Nutrition Therapy
We live in an age of modern conveniences. A time that has unfortunately severed ties between the food we eat + the environments they come from. Our view of health has been muddied through the societal journey we took to get here, + further confused by of the vast amount of conflicting information available to each one of us upon the stroke of a key.
Basic real foods + simple, time-tested practices have been swept to the wayside in favor of convenience + profit. The consumption of the many processed foods we eat today can be described as hyperpalatable. “These new foods are designed to be very palatable but are far less nutrient-dense. This bypasses our normal hunger regulation systems and leads to the somewhat paradoxical problem we have today: overconsumption of palatable foods but underconsumption of nutrients. (Nutritional Therapy Association, 2020).”
Without the crucial nutrients our bodies need, we find ourselves in less optimal health, + for those who enjoy an athletic lifestyle: possibly under performing. A lack of important nutrients impacts all systems of the body. Perhaps your hormones are struggling or your gut is sending you mayday messages. The foods we eat have been shown to either support in increasing or decreasing our health.
Although our bodies are incredibly adaptive, every nutrient we do or don’t take in, or stressors we encounter impact our overall function — from the building blocks of our cells, outward. Our body’s ability to maintain homeostasis or a balanced stability is dependent on healthy chemical levels within. In other words, the health and function of our body is dependent on a nutrient-dense diet + the ability to absorb those nutrients to achieve balance.
As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) + Restorative Wellness Practitioner (RWP), I am excited to partner alongside + empower you as we navigate your desired wellness goals. Nutrition is not one-size-fits-all — we will consider your bio-individual needs and uncover imbalances with thorough consideration given to each of the foundations: nutrition, digestion, blood sugar regulation, fatty acids, mineral balance, + hydration. Alongside whole foods, supplements, + lifestyle recommendations, my continued education allows me to include functional lab testing to go deeper with clients when appropriate.
Through this journey of discovery + education, we will be mindful of honoring a positive relationship with food + movement. Together we will work toward developing sustainable changes + habits as we diversify, prioritize, + reestablish a connection to the real foods that enable us to thrive. Let’s meet your body where it is + support it toward optimal health, encouraging the innate wisdom your body already holds.
I look forward to partnering with you as we explore what imbalances may exist, ensure all keys are in place for adequate absorption of your nutrient-dense meals, + address the performance or wellness goals you wish to pursue.
My Story
I grew up with home cooked dinners and a garden, but like many Americans, my teen years consisted of consuming a fair share of processed foods + eating out. I remember never feeling satisfied or comfortable, digestively speaking. I struggled with acne, my mood was all over the place, + I was not in tune with my body. While exercise fed me mentally, I would also view it as a trade-off or way to be able to eat whatever I wanted. I was certainly not nutritionally supported during my adolescent transition into womanhood — a time when critical hormonal shifts are taking place.
I continued on into college as a runner + athlete. I spent hours in the gym + outside running — which is where I felt happiest. Even as a student studying nutrition (utilizing the traditional nutrition education of early 2000 — food pyramid, anyone?), my concept of health + how to support my body still involved some processed foods + under-eating, even if the choices were somewhat on the healthier side.
In my 20s and 30s I was running marathons, + although eating much more inline with the way I do today, I still wasn’t feeding my body enough as an athlete, + I enjoyed drinking alcohol a little too frequently throughout my 20s. Critically, but unbeknownst to me, I was not eating to support my blood sugar + hormones. In foresight, this became evident in my fertility journey, when my husband + I began trying to start a family. I experienced emotionally painful years of struggling to conceive with irregular cycles + miscarriages. I did not see any nutritional connection at the time, as I thought I was doing everything right -while I was eating healthy, I was not truly nourishing my body. By this point, my poor body had been deprived of nutrients it needed for so long - it was overworked and underfed. In this state the body will always prioritize “survival” over reproduction.
Looking back, the support a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner could have provided, would have been invaluable during those key times in my life. In becoming a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) it is my dream to support women as individuals through all hormonal seasons of life — adolescence through menopause, athletes + those striving to get active.
Today I am the mother of three. I feel immense gratitude in being able to model true health + providing my children with a variety of nutrient-dense whole foods. I strive to educate them on why we eat this way in our home, + allow them to draw a connection between nutrient-dense foods + the optimal health of their bodies. It is my hope as they grow, continuing to gain more autonomy with food choices, that one day they will go out into the world + continue to make the space for wellness in their lives, prioritizing their health + nutrient-dense foods.
We aren’t given nutrition education in school, although we should be. Every cell in our body is made up of the nutrients we consume (or don’t). I feel modeling + educating our kids on the importance of nutrition is one of the greatest gifts we can give them.
Outside of being a NTP + mom, I savor simple moments connecting with others in nature — camping with my family, long walks with our 3-legged dog, Lexi, paddle boarding, workouts with heavy weights, hiking, cooking, + reading.
