Meet Marian
WHen I was chosen to deliver a historical speech to the entire school in 4th grade it was because my voice was loud and clear. fast forward many years and i am still using that voice, but now to partner with people on how to reach optimal health. By addressing and treating the root cause of an illness, such as inflammation or “gut Health”, there is no need to apply “Band Aids” that only mask the symptoms. In essence, this is the heart of functional medicine. and on my end as a functional medicine nutritionist, i help someone tackle suboptimal health through modification of food, nutrition, lifestyle and environmental choices.
in 2011 I was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease, hashimoto’s thyroiditis. my traditional healthcare providers had told me that there was nothing i could do but start taking thyroid meds when my numbers and/or symptoms got bad. Boy were they wrong…. thus began my quest to learn how i could help myself to live better with this autoimmune disease. I thought that i already made really good, healthy choices, but learned that there were food, nutrition, environmental and lifestyle choices which i could improve and this would significantly change my health outcomes. In my 30+ years of working as a registered dietitian, I have worn a lot of hats. Many years were focused on partnering with patients who have obesity or type 2 diabetes. the hashimoto’s thyroiditis diagnosis helped me shift to work as a functional medicine dietitian with a lot of my focus to include addressing inflammation, and immune and “gut Health” issues with clients.
My Passion
My love of health and wellness began during my grade school years as a willing participant in all types of outdoor activites. dedication to the importance of “staying in shape” had me heading most days to the pool, rollerskating, playing tennis or just biking to a destination. physical exercise/activity continues for me today, but now in the form of weight training, triathlons, cross country ski races and many other summer and winter outdoor activities.
Besides wellness, i have a strong interest in the environment. Joining my older sister and her high school friends for the 2nd annual earth day to clean the polluted milwaukee river helped to pique my awareness. Donning boots and gloves we pulled a lot of debris from the river and it made me realize that we can pollute our world and our bodies if we don’t take care of them. my father, an alternative energy pioneer, also shaped my thinking and appreciation of what the environment can give you. he was the original inventor of the inverter that converts wind and solar power from DC to AC and runs it back to the power lines.
Many years later when my father was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of prostate cancer, he opened up my eyes to alternative forms of healthcare treatments. Given a very poor prognosis with conventional medicine, he turned to alternative and natural methods for treating his cancer. doing this helped him to extend his life by many years and I was very thankful.
as for my enjoyment of eating, I have always loved food and there is almost nothing i do not like if it is cooked well. My mom should take the credit for my expansive food repertoire. she was an excellent cook and was always trying new recipes and different ethnic dishes. later in life, my friends shared that they loved coming to my house for dinner for the exceptional and interesting cuisine. in college, i was on the path to become a nurse until taking the required nursing class in basic food and nutrition. learning how food can affect one’s health fascinated me. i changed my major to food and nutrition and never looked back.
My Goals
As a functional medicine nutritionist, i strive to work with people who have not achieved the desired health outcome that they are looking for. Together we can uncover some of the barriers and “root” causes that are preventing this. You may be one who has tried conventional approaches without satisfaction or even one who feels they have exhausted every alternative food and lifestyle option that there is.
The quest for improved health requires dedication and hard work and There is not a cookie cutter solution that is the same for each person. although, there may be a lot of similarities in the actions that are necessary to start someone on this voyage. AND I am here to support and Guide you on the nuances that make your quest your own as you make this journey toward optimal health.
My Qualifications
I have over 30 years of experience working as a dietitian and my credentials are displayed as initials behind my name. The letters shown on my home page stand for registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), Certified specialist in obesity and weight management (csowm), Certified dietitian (CD), Certified Diabetes care and education specialist (cdces) AND CERTIFIED LEAP THERAPIST (CLT). The RDN, CSOWM, CDCES and Clt credentials were all achieved by meeting education and/or work experience guidelines and passing examinations. Becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist requires a B.S. or M.s. degree along with an internship before being eligible to take the RDN exam. THE CSOWM and cdces credentials both demand many hours of experience treating patients with obesity (csowm) and diabetes (cdces) before being able to sit for those tests. Continuing education credits and/or further exams are required to maintain these credentials. CD is a certification requirement of the state of wisconsin for Registered Dietitians. the CLT credential requires not only passing a written examination, but also passing a practical exam on managing a “patient” who has taken the MRT food and food chemical sensitivity test.
Additionally, I completed training in functional nutrition through the full body systems program with Functional nutrition alliance. this program is taught and run by renowned Functional nutritionist, andrea nakayama.