Will Nutrition Counseling really improve my health?

Yes! If you are willing to follow the suggestions I offer to improve your health, your health and quality of life will improve! be an active partner in changing your diet! It a joy to watch my clients grow stronger, more energetic, and find relief from discomfort and pain.

One client who had been unable to leave his home due to severe digestive disorders, and whose doctors were unable to offer help reported he was “Feeling human for the first time in ages” after making a few adjustments to his diet and adding key supplements to promote healing. Another client lost 10 lbs., experienced reduced back pain, resolution of all his digestive complaints and claimed he even  “felt smarter” by our fourth session.

Most illnesses are deficiency related, in spite of the abundance of food in this country. In a study of 1200 Americans, every single participant received less than the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) in at least one of ten major nutrients. Please note that the RDA is considered to be the minimum amount we need to be healthy, and it is currently being reevaluated due to being too low!

How do you determine what I need?

My recommendations are based on your symptoms and current diet. Your observations about your body and appetite offer vital information about what may be missing. I often recommend tests which identify deficiencies, food sensitivities, detoxification ability and digestive function. Your food preferences and lifestyle determine your protocol. I have designed protocols to cater to the needs of clients who cannot swallow pills, who don’t know how to cook, who lead busy lifestyles and picky eaters.

I know I need to improve my diet, but I don’t want to be put on a strict food regimen.

Most of us are already confused from every food myth we’ve heard or diet we’ve tried. It’s okay to eat a little snack before bed, or enjoy a beverage with a meal. You can have some butter on your potato; in fact it’s better if you did! We need more options, not less!

One way to introduce variety and get out of a food rut is by doing a “Chop and Shop”. We visit your favorite grocery store, and buy foods you have never tried or prepared before. Then we go to your kitchen, and have a cooking class. You never realized how many foods you’ve passed by, or how easy they are to prepare until you try this service. You also know exactly which pan to use when you cook them again on your own.

With this service you will also receive

Numerous additional recipes appropriate to your dietary needs

A suggested shopping list

A recommended restaurant list for Berkeley/Oakland

A food wheel for the San Francisco Bay Area which shows food in season 

Elimination of any foods are done at your pace, and I will suggest alternatives that will help fill the gap.

How do you feel about vegan/raw food/vegetarian diets?

Eliminating animal products is tricky business. There is a lot of debate about how much protein we need, but it is universally accepted that if you’re pregnant, ill, growing, active, or depressed, your protein needs are higher than normal, and it is far more difficult to get enough protein from vegetables sources alone.

Many studies now show that unfermented soy is not as beneficial as once believed, and consumption is actually linked to hypothyroidism, sex hormone imbalances in both men and women, and soy is a common allergy. It is also not an environmentally sound alternative to other sources of protein. Much of the soy on the market is genetically modified, and expansion of soy crops are responsible for destruction of the South American rainforests. 

Vegetarian journals now report that B12 is not available from non-animal foods. B12 is difficult to absorb, and we cannot recover from the  damage to the nervous system that results from this deficiency. I have seen clients who have suffered from these symptoms, and it’s frightening to witness.

I have had vegan clients who complained about their weight, and whose tests showed that they lacked carnitine, a nutrient found solely in meat and is essential to fat metabolism. Children, the elderly and people who suffer from diabetes, hypoglycemia, thyroid issues, or are of Northern European or North Pacific Native American background cannot convert beta carotene in vegetables into vitamin A, or flax oil into Omega-3 fatty acids. These people must eat animal sources of these nutrients, such as egg yolks, fish oil or liver to promote healing and prevent further issues. 

My top priority is to identify the nutrients and foods my clients need to thrive. We do not have to sacrifice our health to support the environment. In fact, it’s essential that we care for our bodies and brains so we can do so.

I look for extremes when I examine a client’s diet for the first time. People come to me because they are unwell, and it is only logical that complete avoidance of a food group that our ancestors depended upon for thousands of years would contribute to the problem. 

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