I’m Prajakta
Hi There!
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As a registered dietitian with over 20 years of experience, a certified yoga teacher, and a gut health specialist, I believe good health starts in the gut. If you’re struggling with health problems, they can often be traced to poor gut health. I’m here to help you learn the root cause of your health issues and heal your gut naturally so you can feel NORMAL in your body .
I’m Prajakta
Hi There!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As a registered dietitian with over 20 years of experience, a certified yoga teacher, and a gut health specialist, I believe good health starts in the gut. If you’re struggling with health problems, they can often be traced to poor gut health. I’m here to help you learn the root cause of your health issues and heal your gut naturally so you can feel NORMAL in your body .
My Story
Growing Up
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As a child, I lived in an environment where I was introduced to a wide variety of foods. Growing up, I started to help my mom cook and eventually started trying new recipes on my own. I would spend hours flipping through the pages of food magazines and become curious about recipes from different cultures.
College Days
When it was time for me to go to college, I knew I wanted to do something related to food. I started to think about how amazing it was that food has so much power and that it could even help treat a medical condition. This escalated my curiosity and helped me appreciate that nutrients in foods and the compounds within the foods all work together to deliver nutrients to the body for optimal health and wellness.
After my first year of college, my grandmother was hospitalized for high blood sugar. As an intern at the local hospital, I got involved in her care and ensured that she followed the healthy diabetes diet guidelines. She made a tremendous recovery, and her blood sugar was well-controlled. Seeing a close family member recovering so well by following a healthy diet completely sold me on the power of nutrition to treat medical conditions and enable individuals to live long and healthy lives.
REAL RESULTS
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Due to the changes in my grandmother’s diet, she had a tremendous recovery and her blood sugar came well under control. Her doctor was extremely happy and surprised to see her progressing so quickly at the age of 78!
My Introduction to Gut Health
In 2016, my husband started having health problems like bloating, low energy, high cholesterol, and fluctuating thyroid hormones. Despite all these symptoms, multiple doctors could not identify what was causing his symptoms.
Around the same time, I was starting to learn more about the science of gut health and the microbiome. It got me thinking that perhaps my husband’s symptoms were the result of a gut imbalance. He did food sensitivity testing, which identified foods in his diet that could be causing him problems. Once he removed these foods, he regained his energy, and his cholesterol and thyroid numbers went back to normal. This ignited my interest in gut health, and I decided to specialize in gut health in my private practice.
My Introduction to Gut Health
In 2016, my husband started having health problems like bloating, low energy, high cholesterol, and fluctuating thyroid hormones. Despite all these symptoms, multiple doctors could not identify what was causing his symptoms.
Around the same time, I was starting to learn more about the science of gut health and the microbiome. It got me thinking that perhaps my husband’s symptoms were the result of a gut imbalance. He did food sensitivity testing, which identified foods in his diet that could be causing him problems. Once he removed these foods, he regained his energy, and his cholesterol and thyroid numbers went back to normal. This ignited my interest in gut health, and I decided to specialize in gut health in my private practice.
• My Philosophy •
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I started my career working as an inpatient dietitian in a local hospital. Though things were going well, I was not completely satisfied with counseling sessions for patients before their discharge. For many patients, diet and nutrition were not top of mind when they were admitted for a medical condition. In addition, I often only had 15-20 minutes to talk with them. Because they were in the hospital, they often weren’t in the best frame of mind to learn about nutrition. This made it extremely difficult to provide well-rounded nutritional education.
Learning about nutrition cannot be achieved in a quick, 15-20-minute session. Creating a healthy eating habits and lifestyle is a process, and I strongly believe that a person needs to have enough time to make changes. Now that I have my own nutrition practice, I am able to give my clients the time they need to learn new habits. I offer customized care to each client by providing easy-to-implement solutions to address their nutrition concerns. Together, we’ll take the time to ensure you understand why you’re making certain changes and develop strategies for incorporating healthy choices into your lifestyle.
What is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)?
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A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is a food and nutrition expert who has met the minimum academic and professional requirements to qualify for the credential “RDN”.
Qualifications of an RDN include:
- At minimum, a bachelor’s degree with coursework approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. Course work typically includes nutrition science, food service systems management, business, economics, computer science, biochemistry, and physiology.
- Complete an accredited, supervised, experiential practice program at a healthcare facility, community agency or foodservice corporation.
- Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
- Complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration every year.
How is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) different than a Nutritionist?
The Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential is a legally protected title that can only be used by practitioners who have met the requirements set out by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Some RDNs may call themselves “nutritionists,” but not all nutritionists are Registered Dietitian Nutritionists. Virtually anyone can call themselves a “nutritionist,” regardless of education or training.
CAUTION: NOT ALL NUTRITIONISTS ARE EQUAL!
Some RDNs may call themselves “Nutritionists,” but not all Nutritionists are Registered Dietitians Nutritionists.
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is a food and nutrition expert who has met the minimum academic and professional requirements to qualify for the credential “RDN”.
Qualifications of an RDN include:
- At minimum, a bachelor’s degree with coursework approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. Course work typically includes nutrition science, food service systems management, business, economics, computer science, biochemistry, and physiology.
- Complete an accredited, supervised, experiential practice program at a healthcare facility, community agency or foodservice corporation.
- Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
- Complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration every year.
How is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) different than a Nutritionist?
The Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential is a legally protected title that can only be used by practitioners who have met the requirements set out by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Some RDNs may call themselves “nutritionists,” but not all nutritionists are Registered Dietitian Nutritionists. Virtually anyone can call themselves a “nutritionist,” regardless of education or training.
CAUTION: NOT ALL NUTRITIONISTS ARE EQUAL!
Some RDNs may call themselves “Nutritionists,” but not all Nutritionists are Registered Dietitians Nutritionists.
My Qualifications
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Training
- Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Didactic Program in Dietetics from the University of Minnesota
- Monash FODMAP Dietitian Training
- Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management
- Level 1 Ayurveda Training Program for Health Professionals
- Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor
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Professional Organizations
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- Arizona Dietetic Association
- The Institute for Functional Medicine
- Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine
