hi there!
I’m Barbara!
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with decades of experience, I have helped hundreds of clients achieve their health goals and improve their quality of life. I believe that FOOD is one of the most powerful tools for preventing and treating disease, however, it does not work alone! Client treatment plans are created using functional medicine and lifestyle medicine principles and techniques.
My Story
I became interested in the field of nutrition in high school after observing the positive impact that diet changes had on my Dad’s Type 2 Diabetes.
My own personal health journey has given me a unique perspective and experience of having lived with Lyme Disease and Co-infections, autoimmune disease, GI issues and food sensitivities. I have endured the long term IV/oral antibiotic, supplement, herbal tincture and nutrition protocols that my clients are dealing with. This experience has strengthened my belief that food can be a powerful therapy for treatment and healing! Having also been a care giver and patient advocate for my 3 sons during their battles with these infections has given me insight and compassion for my clients’ unique but similar experiences.
During my personal and family members’ experiences with Lyme disease over the years, I began attending national conferences and doing tremendous research about Lyme Disease and Tick Borne Diseases. As a result I began providing nutrition services for people with Lyme disease and Co-infections. Shortly after I became a member of ILADS, (International Lyme and Associated Disease Society). I am now committed to the prevention and treatment of Lyme/Co-infections both in my professional and personal life. In addition to providing nutrition counseling/coaching, I am the facilitator of a Lyme Disease Support/Resource Group.
My Philosophy
“Let Food be thy Medicine and Medicine be thy Food” ~Hippocrates
- I believe that our environment has a bigger impact on our health than our genes do. This gives each of us the power to influence our health destiny.
- The daily choices we make about what, when and how much to eat, activity, exposure to toxins, stress management and sleep have a direct impact on our mental and physical health.
- My mission is to provide you with the hope, knowledge, proper tools and support needed to feel better and reach your health goals.
- Care provided must be client centered and collaborative.
Integrative and Functional Nutrition
Functional Nutrition is a component of Functional Medicine:
- Holistic approach viewing the body as one integrated system, not independent organs or systems.
- Patient-centered care and collaboration. The individual is treated. Not just the symptoms or disease.
- Personalized care. Each person has unique genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
- Root cause analysis. Dig deep to find cause of symptoms.
- Prevention and Wellness.
- Lifestyle as Medicine. Utilizes nutrition, activity, stress management, and sleep as foundational treatments
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Fun Facts
I bet you didn’t know:
I am a big fan of OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES: hiking, biking, horsebackriding, boating, swimming and pickleball. Some of my favorite places that I have done these activities: Alaska, California desert, Colorado river, Costa Rica, Grand Canyon, Great South Bay, Greece, Isle of Skye, Ken Lockwood Gorge, Rocky mountains (American & Canadian), Van Couver and Vermont.
TRAVELING abroad and in the U.S is one of my most favorite things! Although I have been to many countries, I have a long way to go to catch up to my Mom who visited 36 countries and 6 continents! I especially love experiencing different ethnic cuisines.
GARDENING of flowers and vegetables has been a passion of mine since I was 12. Since we downsized, I now belong to a community garden, the Clinton Township Organic Community Garden. A community garden offers many social, sharing and learning opportunities. We provide hundreds of pounds of fresh, local, organic produce to the local Food pantry. Research shows that when kids participate in growing vegetables they tend to eat more of them. It worked with me!
I love EXPERIMENTING with new recipes but also love DINING OUT even more! I am the primary cook in my home and love when someone else cooks and serves the meal. I am always “on the prowl” for healthy, local tasty food in restaurants locally & when traveling.
My BIOLOGICAL age is 12 years younger than my chronological age as determined by Function Health. This is based on 160+ lab tests which gives a complete assessment of current and future health.
I Believe the BLUE ZONES Lifestyle (Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Ikaria (Greece), and Loma Linda (California) is one of the best examples of healthy living. I have visited 2 so far: Nicoya, Costa Rica and Loma Linda, California and hope to visit the other 3.
Education, Credentials & Past Work Affiliations
Syracuse University, BS Clinical Nutrition
- Clinical Nutrition Internship, Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, NY
- Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), Academy of nutrition and Dietetics.
- Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT), Oxford Biomedical Technologies (food Sensitivity Testing and Nutrition Therapy)
- Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy Program
- Joslin Diabetes Center at St. Barnabas Medical Center
- NYU Medical Center, Outpatient Dietitian Educator
- New York University, Adjunct Professor
- Worksite Wellness Programs at Johnson & Johson, HIP & IBM
- Long Valley Lyme Disease Support Group, Facilitator
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