About Me

I wish I could say that I became a dietitian because I wanted to help people be healthy. In all honesty, I became a dietitian because I wanted to lose weight. As early as 14 years old, I was restricting calories and reading everything I could about how to be thin. My dieting eventually developed into an eating disorder which lasted all through college.

I became a dietitian in 1999. I was following everything I had learned about how to be healthy and thin, yet I was continuing to struggle with my health and weight.

My first job was a great introduction to the field of dietetics. I was a consultant working in hospitals, long-term care, education, counseling, and even bariatric surgery. I liked this job, but I knew there was more to the story about weight loss and health.

I was reading about a new emerging field of nutrigenomics and decided to go back to school. In 2006, I completed an M.S. in Biology specializing in human genetics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

From there, I moved to Pittsburgh and started teaching at a community college. I taught Nutrition, Microbiology and General Biology classes. I loved it and taught college for 9 years.

This enter time however, I continued to struggle with health conditions such as hypothyroidism, gut issues, chronic body pain,

and an inability to lose weight. I started questioning my education. If I was following the recommendations of the nutrition field, why was I sick and why couldn’t I lose weight?

I started reading and learning about the true cause of illness. I started reading about holistic health, nutrition, and alternative/integrative/functional medicine. I learned that throwing medication and pills at conditions is not the way to go. For true health and wellness, we must treat the root cause of illness. I practiced what I learned and started getting healthier and healthier. I even eventually started losing weight.

At 49 years old, I feel better than I ever have. Turns out that nutrition really isn’t all that complicated and eating healthfully can even taste good.

In 2020, I added to my education with certifications in holistic health and herbalism. Nutrition and food is the core of my practice, but herbs can be a great way to assist our bodies in healing.

I started my private practice so that I can help people be their healthiest selves. I want my clients to break away from the complicated mess that is the current field of nutrition and go back to a much simpler way of eating.

I live in Earlysville, Virginia (near Charlottesville) with my husband, Jim, and our 3 kitties, Appa, Momo, and Jack. I love gardening, nature, reading, and cooking.

  • Food should taste good.

    The body can heal herself when she is given the basic building blocks she needs to heal.

    Small changes in the way we eat, the foods we eat and the way we move can have HUGE impacts on your overall health.

    Eating whole foods is the single most important thing for optimal nutrition.

    Red meat is not bad for you. Processed meats, in general, are not good for you. Grass-fed organic meats, in general, are good for you.

    Improving your gut health will likely improve all aspects of your overall health.

    Diabetes (type 2) is not permanent. It can be reversed.

    Calorie counting is not necessary.

    Hormone replacement therapy in menopause is healthy for most women.

    There is no one perfect diet. We can be healthy on a meat-based diet and a plant-based diet.

    The body, emotions, and the mind are all connected. Healing one may heal the other.

    Movement is imperative for optimal health.

    Eggs and other foods that contain dietary cholesterol do NOT increase your blood cholesterol levels.

    Carbohydrates are not evil. It is the TYPE and AMOUNT of carbohydrates we are eating that is the problem.

    Sugar is also not evil but it is best to eat less of it. For some of us, it is best to eat A LOT less of it.

    Doctors have little to no nutrition education. Most doctors cannot give you sound nutritional advice.

    Health is more than nutrition and movement. Our emotional, mental, and even spiritual health are essential for optimal wellness.

    Our soils in the U.S. are depleted. Even organic, whole foods are not what they used to be. Our food does not contain as many nutrients as it did decades ago. Even if we eat "perfectly", supplementation is normally necessary.

    Doctors treat symptoms with medications. They rarely cure anything.

    Your BMI or body weight is not important. Your body COMPOSITION is what matters.

    There is no one perfect diet out there. Everyone's body is different.

    Pharmaceuticals like Ozempic have their place, but they are not typically long-term solutions to your health issues.

    Herbs, like lavender and rosemary, are nature's medicine. Herbs can assist you in your health journey.

    Breathing, sunlight, sleep, and connection with the Earth are needed for optimal health.

  • General Studies, Belleville Area Community College, Belleville, IL, 1995

    B.S., Dietetics/Nutrition, Fontbonne University, St. Louis, MO, 1998

    Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RD, RDN), 1999 - present

    M.S., Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2006

  • Certified Natural Health Professional, Trinity School of Natural Health, 2021

    Certified Master Herbalist, Trinity School of Natural Health, 2021

    Herbalism with Adriana Ayales, owner of Anima Mundi Apothecary, completed 2023

    Herbalism with the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, completed 2024