Services
Non-diet Philosophy: My belief is that our bodies are trustworthy. Our bodies communicate to us when we need
rest, when we are in pain, when we have thirst, when we have energy, and when we
need more energy. Our bodies also tell
us what our appetite calls for (what sounds good to eat) and when we have
eaten enough. Eating – and often weight
– becomes unstable when we stop listening to our body’s wisdom and
when food loses it's neutrality. Hearing our body’s wisdom can become
difficult for various reasons, but despite the cause, we have the ability to
reestablish body trust where it was once lost. Everyone’s journey to normal,
intuitive eating is unique and very personal. My role is to support this process
of restoring trust with your body (and helping your body to regain trust with
you). Once the body-disconnect is healed and we become internally regulated, food relationship is restored to
normal and healthy. A healthy relationship with food allows us to eat freely
without food and weight preoccupation. A healthy relationship with food is
essential for sustainable change and for food to have it's proper role in our
lives (enjoyable fuel that we don't obsess over). Whether someone has a
full-blown eating disorder, disordered eating, or PCOS, it is possible to
restore normal eating and healthy attitudes and behaviors toward food.
Initial and follow-up sessions are 50 minutes. Your process may include a
meal plan (to recalibrate hunger and satiety cues, to optimize insulin release, and/or to ensure adequacy),
hunger work, Division of Responsibility coaching, or other recommendations
specific to you and your experiences and goals. If you have never seen a Registered
Dietitian and have questions about what to expect, I encourage you to call me. I
am happy to answer any questions you may have. Phone and web-based consultations also available.
Consults available for the treatment of:
"Your body is your earth suit... nurture it and
treat it well."
PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that can affect a
woman's menstrual cycle, fertility, cravings, weight, heart, blood vessels, and
appearance. The cause is unknown. It usually presents itself at puberty when
ovulation begins occurring. If you have symptoms of high androgens (see below)
and/or irregular periods, you should get assessed for PCOS by an experienced
PCOS clinician. If you know you
have PCOS and are looking for support, go to
http://www.meetup.com/PCOS-Seattle-Meetup/ or to my calendar of events for more information on the
PCOS support group.
Common PCOS symptoms include:
- Irregular, heavy, or no periods
-
Acne on face and/or back
- Rapid, unexplainable weight
gain, concentrated around the waist
- Changes in appetite/hunger, usually
intense craving
for carbs
- Difficulty getting pregnant
- Increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back,
thumbs, or toes—a condition called hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um)
PCOS is very manageable. With an effective treatment plan, symptoms are reduced
and intuitive eating can be acheived. Treatment most often includes:
- Nutrition support
- Joyful movement
- Stress management
- Medication
(Nutrition and stress management are often overlooked or ignored, however they
have a significant impact on hormone levels, thus the improvement of symptoms.)
Helpful Links:
(Eating disorders, disordered eating, emotional eating, chronic dieting)
Food is fuel for our bodies. Sometimes life experiences can lead us to a
relationship with food that makes it more than merely body fuel. We begin to
undereat or overeat food for reasons other than physical hunger. We can easily
begin using food for comfort, as a coping mechanism, and for other non-hunger or
emotional reasons.
My goal is to help you learn to trust your body and the food you put into it.
The nutrition counseling I provide gives clients the opportunity to recognize
and correct detrimental thoughts, feelings and behaviors, which cause an
unhealthy relationship with food. I facilitate the process of establishing a
healthy relationship with food, using a non-diet approach. I offer nutrition counseling for chronic dieters, individuals with full-blown eating
disorders, and everything else on the spectrum of disordered, unhealthy eating.
Helpful links:
Intuitive Eating Workshops
These workshops facilitate the process of becoming a mindful, intuitive eater.
Each class provides an
overview/review of the concepts of Intuitive Eating, as well as a specific
focus.
Participants will learn how to make peace with food and manage weight without
food restrictions or deprivation.
See the Events tab for upcoming workshop dates, including workshops in Spokane,
WA & Bozeman, MT.
PCOS 101
Learn:
The physiology of PCOS and how
nutrition helps improve symptoms
The principles of eating intuitively, without deprivation
Common PCOS myths related to eating and weight
Specific recommendations to help improve insulin & glucose levels, testosterone,
symptoms, and ovulation
Eating & Feeding Class for New (and not-so-new) Moms
Confused about how to find the time or energy needed to healthfully feed
yourself? This class is for moms who want to learn more about postpartum eating
and how healthful, intuitive eating fits into motherhood. A 2-part class,
participants will learn about feeding themselves and about how to raise healthy,
normal eaters.
See calendar on Events page for dates offered.
Ellyn Satter (the expert in raising a normal, intuitive eater):
wwww.ellynsatter.com