Nutrition Counseling

Healthy food heals our bodies and protects our cells. Good nutrition is vital to optimal health. Every patient that walks into our practice has unique nutritional needs. Our nutrition department is ready, willing, and able to help each patient by providing expert Nutrition Counseling and Medical Nutrition Therapy for both children and adults. As recognized experts in the field of Weight Control, Eating Disorders, Diabetes Management, Cardiovascular Health, Gastrointestinal Health, and so much more, Dr. Julie Conner, R.D., M.P.H., Ph.D, B.C.H.N., IFM-CP, C.D.N., Dr. Brian Conner, D.C., C.N.S., C.K.T.P., C.D.N., IFM-CP, and Colleen Wall, R.D., C.D.N., can construct a personalized strategy for each patient based upon his/her specific needs and preferences.

After participating in multiple visits, each patient works with Dr. Julie, Dr. Brian, or Colleen to devise a nutrition plan that will most effectively meet the intended health goals. From there, they guide their patient through a step-by-step process towards wellness. Our nutrition staff is realistic in setting goals for their patients. They work closely with them to move them forward, starting from where they are now.

Nutrition Counseling is also referred to as Medical Nutrition Therapy. We work closely with our patients and counsel them to help improve their nutritional status. This typically involves lifestyle changes. We coach, motivate, and support them to make the changes they need to achieve success. We work as a team and negotiate with them, so that we are on this journey together. There will be obstacles along the way. It is our job to facilitate positive change. We try our best to make our sessions lively and fun. Our patients love coming into our practice.

Dr. Julie, Dr. Brian, and Colleen provide individualized nutritional assessment and counseling for both children and adults. All three members of the nutrition team have different approaches. Whether you need a more structured approach or a more flexible plan, we have you covered! The cherry on top is that many insurance plans cover our services. Just call our office and our administrative staff would be happy to choose the nutritionist that would best meet your needs! They will also guide you, so you know what to ask your insurance company to determine nutrition coverage.

Most patients that see us for Nutrition Counseling have a host of medical problems and concerns. The most common nutrition issues that we treat include Cardiovascular Disease, Dyslipidemia, Eating Disorders (Anorexia, Bulimia and Orthorexia), Food Intolerances and Food Sensitivities, Gastrointestinal Diseases (IBD, Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis), GERD, Gluten Sensitivity, Hashimoto’s, Hypertension, Hypothyroidism, IBS (Diarrhea, Constipation, Gas, Bloating), Inflammation and Pain Management, Insomnia, Lactose Intolerance, Menopause and Peri-Menopause, Pregnancy and Lactation, Pediatric Nutrition, Type 2 Diabetes, and Underweight. This list is far from comprehensive.

When patients book their initial visit, they tell our reception staff that they are coming for a specific issue, however, once they fill out our paperwork which asks about their symptoms and concerns, they are surprised that we can address so much with dietary intervention. It is not uncommon that patients tell us that this is the first time they have spoken to anyone regarding symptoms that they have been experiencing. The reason for this is that no one ever asked them, and they have been dealing with these issues for so long that they almost forgot that they should consider seeking help to alleviate these problems.

Nutrition Counseling is a process, and changing dietary habits takes time. Most of our patients come into our practice because they were referred by a friend, family member, their primary care physician, or their insurance company. They are looking for answers to solve a specific medical problem, such as Diabetes. They may need help with issues such as Food Sensitivities or Gastrointestinal Distress. Our patients usually do not know what they need specifically or how long it will take to achieve the results that they desire. They just know that they need answers.

The journey to wellness is different for everyone. Sometimes patients need some support and motivation to make small dietary modifications, while others may want to lose 200# and alleviate multiple comorbid conditions without the use of medications. The length of time a patient sees us, as well as their reasons for coming, are unique.

Our initial nutritional assessment is broken into two to three parts, preferably within one week. Part I is typically an hour and a half. However, there are some insurance plans that limit our initial visit to no more than an hour. Our goal during this visit is to get to know the patient. We review their paperwork, which includes a medical history, food records, a Systems Survey, and blood work if available. We ask our patients to bring in the actual bottles of the supplements that they are taking, so we can evaluate their ingredients and quality. We also ask patients to bring in all their medications. We often find that patients are taking their medications incorrectly, or the dosage that they noted on the paperwork is not the actual dosage prescribed. In most cases, patients are weighed, and if they approve it, body measurements are taken. Their BMI (Body Mass Index) is also calculated.

There are four optional tests that we have available that most patients find helpful in understanding their starting point. Our nutritionists find this testing extremely valuable in our evaluation of the patient. These tests include Body Fat Analysis, BioPhotonic Antioxidant Scanning, Zyto Wellness Scanning and Meridian Autonomic Testing.

Our nutritionists use near infrared spectrophotometry (NIS) to measure body fat to ensure that you are meeting your goals. NIS is safe and non-invasive. You do not feel the test being done. The NIS machine provides data, such as your fat weight (essential, reserve, and excess fat), lean tissue mass, body fat %, body water % and more. This is a wonderful tool to track changes in your body composition when you are losing weight (are you losing fat or muscle?) or when gaining weight (again, is the change due to building muscle or gaining fat?). This test is not recommended for pregnant women or persons with implanted electronic devices.

For weight loss, the intended goal is to lose fat, not lean muscle mass. Your hydration can be evaluated with this technology. This method is highly accurate and uses a tiny laser beam of light to the bicep area. This is the same technology used by the National Institutes of Health for all their research studies. Dr. Julie has been using this type of scanning technology since 1983, one year after the scanner was developed.

To measure tissue antioxidant levels, all nutritionists use the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Antioxidant Scanner using raman spectroscopy (infrared blue light). The Biophotonic Antioxidant Scan is a non-invasive test. You must first wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. You cannot have any lotion on your hands while taking the test. You will place your right hand over the low-level light. In less than one minute, it will give you a cumulative score of 18 different antioxidant pigments including lycopene, beta carotene and lutein. This helps us further evaluate your nutritional status.

The Antioxidant Scanner was developed at the University of Utah. Dr. Julie Conner had one of the first scanners in the country as of October 2003.

The Zyto Wellness Scan uses Bioenergetic Medicine. It is a non-invasive scan which is done from outside the body by putting your right hand on a hand cradle. The Wellness Scan measures close to 200 biomarkers of health. The test gives you close to a 20-page report of any possible health issues that may need further assessment, or wellness services from which your body would benefit.

Based on our findings, and our nutritional assessment, chiropractic, or acupuncture evaluation, we will recommend the appropriate nutrition counseling, chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture treatment or other wellness service we have available. Please note that this test is not diagnostic.

MAT stands for Meridian Autonomic Testing. It is a unique and non-invasive technique based on acupuncture points located on the body. These points relate to systems, organs, and glands. Nutritional requirements are determined based on Standard Process whole food supplements and Mediherb products.

Protocols are designed to support all metabolic functions and are unique for every patient. MAT helps you to evaluate your supplements to determine if they are appropriate for your body. Dr. Brian is our only nutritionist certified in Meridian Autonomic Testing.

During Part I of the initial assessment, the nutritionist starts setting goals that the patient can start working on between this visit and Part II. Typically, the patient is asked to go through a food list that has been chosen for the patient, and to highlight their preferences in each food group. So, for example, if the nutritionist feels that the patient would benefit from the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM) Elimination diet, the patient will carefully go through this list and start to study the restrictions and allowances on this plan prior to Part II.

In Part II, which is typically scheduled within a few days to a week after Part I, all the recommendations that were made in Part I are reviewed. Any questions are answered regarding testing done in Part I that needs clarification. If it is the request of the patient, our goal is to help develop an individualized meal plan for them during that session. Insurance plans typically will cover a visit that is between a half hour to an hour in length. Based on the time that we have for this session and the complexity of the patient’s dietary restrictions and their food aversions, we may not get as much accomplished as we would like to in this one session. Therefore, we would set up a Part III to continue the process.

Our goal is to educate the patient on how to read labels, determine how recipes fit into their diet, give them concrete suggestions on what they can eat at their meals, and teach the patient how to plan meals for their specific dietary needs. Based on the knowledge of the patient on his/her medical condition, the specific dietary allowances, as well as their knowledge of nutrition, it may take additional sessions before a comprehensive meal plan is developed.

Nutrition Counseling is a process, and there are many factors that we look at when we work with a patient. These include their stress level, ability and motivation to exercise, relationships, family situation, food preferences and aversions, cooking ability, time constraints, and much more.

At follow-up sessions, the patient may be weighed. Testing, as described above, may be repeated to determine progress towards meeting health goals. Further help with meal planning is a popular request. Modifications in the meal plan may need to be made based on how the patient is doing. The length of time that the patient sees the nutritionist varies.

This is often based on the number of visits covered by the insurance plan within the contract or calendar year, or how many health goals the patient wants to work on. We have patients that come for a few sessions, and others that Dr. Julie has been seeing for decades!