Sana, pronounced sah-nah, is spanish for 'heal.'
My Services
Functional Nutrition Counseling
The counseling experience is like having a private health detective and ally on your team. We work together, digging deep into all the factors affecting your health to uncover the root causes of your symptoms. Based on the tenants of functional medicine and functional nutrition, you are recognized as an individual with a unique health history and unique nutritional needs. There is no one size fits all approach and no quick fix. You will not be rushed, dismissed, gaslighted, or told you must live with your symptoms. I am committed to helping you find the answers you seek.
My goal through counseling is to 1) help you connect with and trust your body's own wisdom, 2) understand the internal physiology and external factors that lead to your symptoms, and, 3) teach you how adjust your habits to feed your cells in such a way that your symptoms are well managed or eliminated completely. I want to take the mystery out of what led to your current health status, and instead make you the leading expert on your body going forward.
The first step in this process is an in-depth interview to understand your health journey and timeline. Once we've achieved a working model of the factors leading up to your current health concerns, we examine your current diet and lifestyle habits and symptoms, and how they may be related. We then work together to implement changes to restore balance. These changes focus on improving gut health (including digestion and absorption, bowel regularity, and optimizing the microbiome); blood sugar balance; and your body's ability to rest, repair, and detoxify.
Therapeutic Diet Guidance
With almost 20 years of experience using a therapeutic diet to reverse my own symptoms, I understand what a difficult and bumpy road this can be. Navigating therapeutic diets can be overwhelming, especially with all of the conflicting information you find online. And the fact is, one size does not fit all. There is NO one diet that works for everyone! In fact, a 'healthy' diet for one person may be 'unhealthy' or actually damaging for another. Any therapeutic diet must be tailored to the individual to maximize its effectiveness, and adjusted over time to maintain effectiveness. Have you already tried eating gluten free, paleo, low-inflammatory, sugar-free, or vegan hoping for symptom relief, but getting sporadic results? Has it been suggested you try an elimination diet to uncover food sensitivities but don't know where to start? I can help. Determining which, if any, therapeutic diet may be right for you based on your health history is step one. From there, we track and adjust as needed so your body's specific needs continue to be met as you evolve and heal.
Personalized Pantry and Grocery Consulting
My experience as a Behavior Specialist highlighted the effectiveness of one-on-one support in real life situations. As such, hand in hand with nutrition and therapeutic diet counseling, I offer one-on-one support in your home and/or community (in person or through live video calls) to navigate the world of misleading food labels. I want to teach you the skills to be your own health advocate, wherever you are. Did you know that a food labeled 'gluten free' may still cause symptoms in someone who is highly sensitive? I teach you how to decode marketing messages and uncover accurate nutritional information. Together, we can sort through your pantry and fridge to determine which foods are 'safe' and serving your health goals, which are not, and why. In the community, we can meet at your local grocery store for on-the-spot guidance with determining which products to buy and which to avoid, as well as offer safe alternatives to your old favorites. Do you want to learn to order safely at your favorite restaurant? We can work through this together as well. I spent years learning through trial and error, navigating these tricky situations on my own, often feeling confused, overwhelmed, and uncomfortable. Not to mention the money I spent on tasteless and non-nutritious foods and the days I spent feeling horrible because of cross-contamination! I have so much compassion for your journey and I understand how much an ally can mean. I'm here to be your ally now, so you can be your own advocate forever.