Meet Jennifer

My passion for real food, holistic wellness and foundational healing grew from my own journey towards health, which started when I was living abroad in Italy. I was instantly drawn in by the culture’s innate connection to their food and the seasonality with which they ate.  I quickly saw that nourishment came not only in the form of quality food sourcing and proper preparation, but also in the form of gathering and being in community with loved ones to share in a slow midday meal.  My time in Italy was the spark that lit the match, and I immersed myself in learning everything I could about the slow food movement and the traditional farm to table kitchen.

Fast forward 10 years to a different phase of life.  I now had two young children, a home, and a business.  I was burning the candle at both ends trying to get it all done.  My pesky digestive and hormonal symptoms that had come and gone had now set up permanent shop. I went to the doctor, ran tests, only to get diagnosed with that perfect badge of heath.  Yet I knew something was off.  

I started looking towards food as medicine and simple lifestyle shifts as a way of achieving more balance in my body and mind but was still confused by all the conflicting nutrition information. I tried elimination diets, paleo, vegetarian, vegan and periodic cleansing.  While there were some short term gains, nothing seemed to really make a true and lasting difference.  I knew I wanted this next phase of life to be full of vibrancy and health, and felt disappointed and frustrated at not having a clear path for achieving that.  

I started exploring more deeply the idea of bio-individuality and root cause healing. The idea that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to diet and that our nutritional needs shift throughout our lifetime depending on life circumstances deeply resonated with me. There were two major turning points that occurred shortly thereafter.

The first was learning to tune into my body’s signals through mindful eating. I began to focus on whether or not a particular food or drink was truly serving my body. This became an initial way for me to weed through all of the fads, dogma and misinformation and truly connect to what my body was telling me it needed. It was a powerful shift. The second was getting a clear picture of what my root cause imbalances were through functional lab testing. This was the biggest game changer of all. I was finally able to connect the dots between how I’d been feeling and what was showing up on my labs. The result was having a clear, customized and targeted path towards achieving my health goals. No trends, no one-size-fits-all approach to diet, no misinformation. Just the objective facts from testing and commitment to my health journey.

It was at this time that I started to experience the most significant shifts, and I continue on this path today- in pursuit of achieving lasting health and vitality throughout midlife and beyond.

Guiding Principles

FOUNDATIONAL APPROACH

I work within a set of nutrition foundations to identify the root cause of your imbalances so that you can restore health and heal from the inside out. Apart from diet, these foundations include digestion, blood sugar management, mineral status, fatty acid balance, and hydration.

NUTRIENT-DENSE, PROPERLY PREPARED WHOLE FOODS

When it comes to diet, my approach focuses on nutrient density, whole foods and proper preparation. There will always be new trends or biased research touting the next best or worst foods to eat, but one of the greatest gifts mother nature gives us is food in its whole, unaltered form. My diet recommendations will always be based on these tenants- properly prepared, nutrient-dense whole foods.

BIO-INDIVIDUALITY

I do not adhere to one specific diet. You are a unique individual and there is no one specific diet that is appropriate for everyone. Your nutritional needs will change throughout your lifetime and we will adjust your nutrient intake based on the current state of your body. Over time you will learn to tune into your body’s innate wisdom and be guided by this in your food choices.

HOLISTIC WELLNESS

Achieving health is about much more than what's on your plate. Our work together will focus on lifestyle factors that bring balance and harmony to both body and soul.

TEST, DON’T GUESS

I work with objective data to create specific and targeted protocols that get you better results quicker. You will have a clear path to health guided by in part by functional lab testing. It is important to note that I use these tests only to identify dysfunctional patterns and imbalances within the body, not to diagnose or treat disease.

Qualifications

• Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP). A deep foundational and bio-individual approach to functional, holistic nutrition to balance body chemistry and achieve optimal wellness.

• Restorative Wellness Practitioner (RWP), Levels 1-3. Advanced training in functional blood chemistry, digestive disorders, gut health and hormone balance.

• Active member of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP)