You deserve the very best
I have been in the field of counseling for 20 years, working as a peer-counselor in a local community-based program in New York. This is where I found my passion for working with individuals and communities in teaching health and balanced lifestyle with the goal of outreach and making the world a better place, one person at a time.
During my education in the nutrition field, I worked as a personal trainer for seven years, where I saw firsthand just how much personal transformation I can inspire in people, which further fueled my love for the field of lifestyle medicine. I have been practicing as a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for a decade.
Although my foundational education had a lot to offer, I always felt that there was more information that existed which I wanted to use to empower individuals to create sustainable change. It was through my own personal and health journey that I was led to Functional Medicine several years ago, after having been diagnosed with a sudden onset of asthma (with no previous respiratory issues ever!) and severe food intolerances (again, never having any issues in the past!)
The conventional approach included subduing my symptoms (basically putting on a band-aid) with steroidal inhalers and anti-histamines, without ever looking at the cause of these symptoms.
Instead of getting better using the conventional protocols, I kept getting worse, developing more and more intolerances and reactions. These symptoms, as I realized, were my body’s way of sending me red flags of “Hey, there’s something not right here!” It woke me up to the chaos that was taking place inside my body.
It was then that I understood that as helpful as conventional treatment can be and is for many people, it was also lacking in its ability to heal and cure. My personal revelation translated into my professional one, and since then, I have not looked to the standard care models as the sole modality of treatment for my clients.
Through working with a functional practitioner, I was able to discover that the source of my new symptoms arose from working in an environmentally toxic space (spending 10+ hours a day in a mold-ridden office!), which in turn led to adrenal fatigue, intestinal permeability, and gut dysbiosis.
Through functional medicine, I discovered that there is testing available beyond basic blood work, such as stool testing, food sensitivity testing, assessing overall nutritional status at the cellular level, microbiome evaluation and genetic testing. These tests helped me to understand where I was deficient or in some case, depleted of vital nutrients and co-factors necessary for optimal health.
With the help of detoxification, lifestyle and supplementary protocols, as well as the incorporation of healing foods, I was able to reverse my asthma and allergies, and am no longer dependent on prescription medications to ‘manage’ my symptoms. I healed myself to the point where my body had no more symptoms. No more red flags!
I incorporate science and history to create open minded practice frameworks and believe in the process of continued lifelong learning to the universal betterment of oneself.
I understand that there are many approaches to one outcome, and that there is constantly new research published regarding the ever changing and growing realm of personal health and wellness, which is why I don’t subscribe to the one-size-fits-all approach and strive to customize my treatment plan to my clients unique biological individuality.
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Bachelor degree in Nutrition and DieteticsCity University of New York, Queens College
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Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
City University of New York, Queens College
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Registered DietitianCommission on Dietetic Registration
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Adult Weight management Certificate of Training
Commission on Dietetic Registration
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Precision Nutrition Coachwith John Berardi, PhD
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BioIndividual Nutrition Institutewith Julie Mathews, BS, NC
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Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy - Level 3 Practitionerwith Susan Allen, RND, CCN
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Digestive Intensive- Functional Nutrition Labwith Andrea Nakayama, FNLP, MSN, CNC, CNE, CHHC
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The fact is that every human being needs to eat; food is not just our medicine, it is our fuel, the source of bonding and culture. My approach is to create intuitive, mindful eating habits where I can apply the scientific principles of functional medicine and bio-individual nutrition philosophies. I find it is more effective to create consistent change with goals that can be sustainable, measurable, mutually agreed upon and actionable.
Both professionally and personally, I believe in integrating multiple modalities of healing such as movement, meditation, homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care and a solid relationship with your primary care physician or naturopath to help create what I call a healing team. But remember, you, the client, above all, are the driving and directing force of your own healing journey. I am here to be your guide.
I offer the most comprehensive nutritional services currently available. Ranging from functional laboratory testing to lifestyle coaching and medical nutrition therapy, I meet you where you are in your healing journey. Leaving no stone unturned, together, you and I get to the root and work our way up to optimal health. I don’t guess or assume – I test and monitor to have measurable outcomes!
Thank you!