NUTRITION COUNSELOR

Individualized nutrition assessments and interventions by nationally accepted dietary or nutritional protocols. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designates MNT for specific chronic conditions covered by original Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage Part C. Therapeutic counseling is provided by a Licensed Nutritionist to set goals and create person-centered care plans.

An integrative care approach that involves a coordinated process of screening, treatment, monitoring, and educating people about their illnesses. Metabolic diseases come in many shapes and sizes. Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gout, diabetes, or undifferentiated metabolic syndrome? Are you trying to prevent cardio-metabolic disease? Nutrition in cardio-cerebrovascular disease management is a powerful tool to slow down or reduce the progression of disease.

Nutrition is not a one-size-fits-all. Weight loss, diet culture, and body shaming are deplorable aspects of the diet industry. With my person-centered approach to accountability, you get to set your health goals. I can help you lose or gain weight. Along with physician guidance, and understanding of the underlying medical conditions, nutrition therapy can give a person agency over their own life. Gaining weight is often more difficult than losing weight. Which can be both validating and infuriating to hear.

The complex manifestation of disordered eating has the highest mental health mortality, necessitating an interdisciplinary team approach with physician care to treat comorbidities such as addiction, anxiety, OCD, and bipolar disorders. Nutrition support for disordered eating clients includes normalizing eating behaviors by identifying attainable health goals. Disordered eating can be a cycle of over- and/or under-eating, leading to malnutrition in overweight and underweight individuals. Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder are most common. Yet, atypical or subclinical variations come in all ages and sizes, affecting all genders. Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder manifests in many different ways. Body image and self-esteem are centered concepts for adolescents, and both parents should actively participate. Dropping your kids off, or one parent who does appointments does not optimize health outcomes. Frequent cases of teenage boys brought into the clinic by unwavering fathers have challenged my biases about disordered eating. I’ve learned the most from my post-menopausal clients who survived eating disorders during youth but now are plagued with a metabolism that needs self-care. The goal is mental health, not a number on the scale -why I’ve never owned a scale!

Have you or a family member ever been diagnosed with disordered eating? Have you recovered from an eating disorder? Are you anxious about your eating habits? Are you getting enough food?

A healthy human diet is at least 50% complex carbohydrates. Most people do not get enough protein. Specific fatty acids are essential to nerve cells and neurological disease prevention. Dietary intake assessment can reveal potential areas of malnutrition. An ideal distribution of macros is dependent on micronutrient status and chronic disease factors. A standardized diet does not work for everyone.

Micronutrient assessment to provide vitamin and mineral support. This can be accomplished in a few ways, including dietary estimation and bloodwork. Most vitamins are fat-soluble. Vitamin C and B vitamins are water-soluble. The role of minerals is often underestimated in our daily functioning. Vitamin and mineral supplementation is part of a personalized nutrition plan.

Have you been diagnosed with gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, or celiac disease? Do you have absorption and malnutrition as a result of a GI disorder? How is the integrity of your gastrointestinal system and its output? Have you had food poisoning or C. diff beyond repair? Has antibiotic therapy for a different medical problem caused GI distress?

Maternal and lactation health optimize your child's development. The ability to focus toddlers and children during mealtimes is a challenge for most parents. Adolescence is a pivotal time for instilling food and nutrition habits. The transition into adulthood can be more challenging without a fundamental routine. Strategize ways to engage your family members in the kitchen.

I have a personal passion for working with people who also have disabilities. Be it developmental, an injury, or disease progression. I enjoy working with families that have neurodiverse or Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) members. I prefer to celebrate and describe these differences as neuro-diverse.

Bone metabolism is my favorite topic in nutrition and health. I’m passionate about orthobiologic therapies. I have research experience in osteoporosis and osteoarthritis and clinical experience in chronic pain. Learn how to manage inflammation through diet. All the mixed marketing toward bone disorders is confusing. How do you know if you are getting enough or the optimal form of calcium or vitamin D? Ask me about my protocol for osteoporosis/osteopenia.

Quality of life is sometimes about coping with tough diagnoses with practical nutrition and food ideas to try. When faced with a terminal illness, nutrition impacts treatment outcomes. Nutrition counseling is a part of supportive care directed by oncology/hematology. Prevention and management of cachexia or weight loss in cancer patients are prioritized. Such as modifications to food and drink, oral formulas, and supplementation. Improving the quality of life is the main goal. This can be accomplished with observational detail and individualized counseling.

*Hospice reimbursement of inclusive dietary services is available for Medicaid/Medicare members.