FAQs

There is a LOT of information about nutrition out there--and I'm not saying your friends and family aren't great, BUT it can be super challenging to make sense of all of the things you read and hear about nutrition. This is one of the best reasons to see a professional, and while anyone is able to call themself a Nutritionist or Wellness Coach, a Registered Dietitian requires specific and comprehensive training. To become an RD, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in nutrition is required, along with a residency of at least 1200 hours of supervised clinical practice, followed by a licensing exam and continuing education requirements. What this means for you is that you can be confident that the guidance you are receiving is evidence-based and extensively researched, and that you're working with a credentialed professional. This is important stuff to consider when it comes to your health!

Investing in your nutritional health can assist with a variety of symptoms and conditions. For more specialized needs, I treat the following:

• Food Sensitivities/Intolerances

• Histamine Intolerance

• IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

• SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth)

• Celiac Disease

• Chron’s Disease

• Ulcerative Colitis

• Type 2 Diabetes

• Type 1 Diabetes

• PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)

• Hashimoto’s Hypothyroid

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)

• Cardiovascular Disease

• Hypertension

• High cholesterol and high triglycerides

• Chronic inflammation

• Anorexia Nervosa

• Binge Eating Disorder

• Bulimia Nervosa

• ARFID (avoidant restrictive feeding and eating disorder)

• OSFED (other specified feeding and eating disorder)

• RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport)

• Sports related goals* (optimizing muscle mass/strength building, and/or cardiovascular fitness)

  *Please note, I do not center weight loss in my approach to sports nutrition. I will help you optimize your performance. Any weight or body composition changes will be a natural by product of a sustainable and supportive fueling plan that does not compromise your physical or mental health.

The functional medicine model of care offers a patient-centered approach to chronic disease management. It seeks to answer the question, “What are the root causes of your illness” so you can receive personalized, effective care for your needs that are prioritize healing solutions over symptom management.

Functional medicine providers spend more time listening to your story and gathering a more detailed medical history. We use this information to identify the root cause(s) of the illness, including triggers such as poor nutrition, stress, toxins, allergens, genetics and your microbiome (the bacteria living in and on your body).

Once we identify the triggers, we can customize a healthy living plan for you. Your plan will address many aspects of your life, from physical needs, including nutrition, exercise and sleep, to mental and emotional stressors related to social, work and community life.

Absolutely! I will look at any blood work you currently have, as well as make recommendations for additional bloodwork or functional lab testing. We will discuss together if it is best to order these through your PCP or through my lab service, Rupa Health.

I'm a bit of an unconventional dietitian (if you're thinking about the traditional "food police" image). I don't believe in restrictive dieting, obsessive calorie-counting, or imposing unnecessary limitations around food. I’m actually against fad dieting, and believe that fad diets just don’t work (I’m also happy to talk about research that shows this)! Rather, I aim to remove any guilt or shame around eating, and to help you create a sustainable way of feeding yourself that works in the long-term, and one that will actually help you feel your best, both physically AND mentally. I start with an additive approach, meaning exploring what can we add in to optimize your health. I might introduce principles of intuitive eating if and when appropriate, but you generally won't find me asking you to get rid of things that our diet-happy society has labeled "bad", such as pizza and ice cream, unless there is a specific need to do so. That may sound strange, coming from a nutrition professional, but I honestly believe food is about much more than just the nutrients it is made up of. We can go more in-depth with this in our sessions!

I presently am in-network with BCBS, Cigna, AETNA, HealthPartners, and UCare. Please check with your insurance provider about nutrition coverage within your specific healthcare plan.

Yes, you can use your savings dollars to pay for your nutrition services.

I offer discounted rates for nutrition session packages paid up front.

It’s important for us to connect briefly to insure we are a good fit for working together on your specific health goals. To get started, please set up a complimentary 15 minute consultation by reaching to via my contact page or by calling 773.234.1431

I look forward to speaking with you!