Will I have to give up ALL of my favorite foods??

No! And yes. I don't like to sugar coat the fact that some of our favorite foods tend to be the worst for us either because of their sugar content or because cravings may actually be indicative of food intolerances. But finding out which foods are causing you pain can be powerful stuff and expanding your diet to include new foods can change your palate so that you can find new favorites to enjoy.

I'll be really embarrassed to tell you about my diet. As a nutrition specialist, yours must be perfect.

Bwahaha….we are all works in progress and and I'm no different. My diet is nowhere close to "perfect" plus I don't believe there's a one size fits all diet anyway so my perfect diet may be different than your perfect diet. I'm all about slow and steady, habit-building changes so knowing your starting point is important. 

Will you just try and sell me supplements?

No! I believe that getting nutrients from whole foods is always the preferred way to go. However, if we find certain deficiencies I may recommend short term therapeutic uses of some supplements to get you feeling better as quickly as possible while your diet catches up. When I do I'll always provide you with the whole food options as well as the best supplement I can, considering both cost and quality.

I want to lose 20 pounds before my reunion/trip to Hawaii. can you help me with that?

Not really my thing! My belief, backed by science, is that weight is a very imperfect measure of health, and I prefer to focus on health and symptom resolution with my clients not weight loss. That being said, inflammation and unhealthy habits can both be barriers to weight loss and once those are resolved, weight loss can occur. I can also help strategize with the client who suffers from malnutrition and unwanted weight loss how to resolve gut and digestion issues to improve their health and in the process gain weight.

What is autoimmune disease and what does diet have to do with it?

Broadly, an autoimmune disease is a case of mistaken identity. Your body's immune system which is supposed to protect you from foreign invaders starts to attack its own tissues.Your body is amazing and smart as all get out, so sometimes this is for a good cause like an underlying infection. The problem starts when your body can't turn off those antibodies and they start to destroy the tissue they were trying to protect. Each autoimmune disease targets a different tissue. In the case of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, it's the thyroid.For Type I diabetes, it's the pancreas. For rheumatoid arthritis, it's the joint linings (as well as other tissues). Etc, etc. While each disease is specific in its presentation, they have some underlying factors in terms of how they respond to diet. Compromised intestinal permeability and nutrient deficiency contribute to every autoimmune disease in which they've been studied. (For more detail on the science behind this, check out my guest blog post for the Rowe Neurology Institute here.) So, there is a lot of overlap between conditions in the nutritional approaches that work. I've been trained as an Autoimmune Protocol certified health coach so I know which foods can exacerbate these digestive issues and which help correct the deficiencies. And have tons of practical tips and tricks to help you eat more of the good and less of the bad!

Are you against Western medicine and all medication?

Absolutely not! Traditional medicine provides many life saving interventions. I'm a firm believer that nutrition and lifestyle can and should work hand in hand with traditional medicine, and there need not be a conflict. Medications are often necessary no matter how successful your dietary interventions have been. (Any changes in medication you are considering should always be discussed with your doctor.)

But I also believe that the role of diet and lifestyle is sometimes given short shrift in traditional medicine. This is not necessarily the fault of doctors. The lack of training and education in nutrition as well as the lack of time available to educate their patients and coach them are embedded in the system. This is where nutritionists and health coaches can play an important ongoing role in our health care system. I encourage you to find a medical team that will support your efforts to improve your own health through diet, while still providing the best that medicine can provide so you get the best of both worlds. Win-win!