Hello there!
I’m Vanessa. I’m a Dietitian and Integrative Health Nutritionist!
I help women lose weight in a sustainable way and get to the root of their digestive issues. I like to think of myself as an educator, cheerleader and detective when it comes to helping you feel your best so that you can live a fulfilled life!
I’ve been there…
Years after delivering our twins, I had stubborn extra weight to lose, struggled with exhaustion, extreme afternoon fatigue and my GI symptoms progressively had gotten worse. I found myself not feeling confident in my own skin and had realized that my exercise habits and routine that I had in place prior to kids had been put on the back burner. I essentially realized that I needed to pour into ME and that my health was just as important as taking care of my family. I knew something needed to change if I wanted my health, weight and energy to change. I needed to “find a way” rather than “continue to find excuses”.
I decided to break things down in small steps. First was to try new healthy recipes that I enjoyed, cut back on the number of nights I drank wine and committed to working out 3-4 days a week even if it was just 20 minutes. I told myself to trust the process and to keep going even on days or weeks where it didn’t go according to what I had planned and was far from “perfect”. Within a few months I had lost the stubborn 15 lbs post kids. I fell in love with all the new habits I had built and the energy and confidence that I gained. I learned to love cooking through the process and to give myself grace and love.
Along my weight loss journey however, I noticed my GI issues had gotten worse despite all the healthy shifts I had made. Super frustrating right!? Shortly after, I pursued training in integrative and functional nutrition to help get to the root of my own issues and help others with a more deep and personalized approach to address their health issues.
It was during my own training that I finally learned where to even begin with getting answers to my own unwanted GI symptoms.
During my functional and integrative health training, I decided to order the MRT food sensitivity test for myself (which I order and use in my practice now). I removed my reactive foods, some of which were healthy foods that I was eating on a daily basis. Within days, the afternoon fatigue, gas, bloating and stomach pain that I had been dealing with since I was a young kid were drastically reduced.
During the course of my training I continued to dig deeper into why I had developed these food sensitivities. Through a functional microbiome test I found imbalances in my gut that had led to the food sensitivities that I developed. I implemented targeted herbal, diet and supplement protocols to restore and rebalance my gut. I was eventually able to add back many of the foods I had been reacting to after addressing the underlying issues and now have a passion for helping other’s do the same.
Today, I live a life where I enjoy eating healthy, nourishing foods 80% of the time and indulge 20% of the time. I’ve maintained the weight loss through a realistic, balanced and healthy mindset and relationship to food approach and I don’t feel tied down by my GI issues that had caused humiliation, anxiety and pain in the past.
There is a way to achieve weight loss without crazy restrictions and find relief to your gut issues and I’d love to help you along your journey.
Ready to get started?
Book a free discovery call today!
Fun Facts
I bet you didn’t know:
I met my husband in highschool when I was 16
I easily need 8-10 hours of sleep every night
I strongly dislike the taste and texture of mayonnaise
I worked as a clinical dietitian for 6 years
My favorite dessert is ice cream!
I love country music and line dancing
Education/Credentials
- Bachelors of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from California State University Long Beach
- Dietetic Internship through Cal Poly Pomona
- Registered Dietititan through CDR since 2011
- Certified Leap Therapist (MRT/LEAP Food elimination protocol)
- Certified Gastrointestinal Nutritionist
- Functional Medicine Nutritionist (in progress)