Welcome to the Functional Kitchen! I am Gretchen Spetz, registered and licensed dietitian nutritionist. If you are looking for a personalized and integrative approach to feeling your very best, this is the place for you.

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Why nutrition?

• Are you not feeling your best?

• Do you feel more fatigued and irritable than ever before?

• Do you have trouble losing weight?

• Are you plagued by digestive discomfort?

• Have you talked to your doctor about your issues only to be told that your labwork is normal?

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If you answered yes to any of the questions above, your health concerns may be related to diet and lifestyle. The good news is that diet and lifestyle practices can be modified...without a single medication!​

 

As a dietitian practicing integrative and functional medical nutrition therapy, my goal is to help you discover the diet and lifestyle-related root causes of your health concerns. Through an in-depth discussion about your medical and weight history, lifestyle and symptoms, eating habits, and goals, I will help you build a personalized nutrition plan to help you feel your very best.

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The first four to six weeks of your journey will consist of real food nutrition therapy. This is a targeted diet plan to decrease inflammation (one of the major root causes of chronic health issues) and optimize your body's natural detoxification and healing pathways. 

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The next step is developing sustainable diet and lifestyle habits to promote your long-term health. My goal is to help you find efficient, budget-friendly, and flavorful ways to incorporate healthful food choices in your diet. I also will work with you to discover stress management techniques and an exercise routine that fits into your schedule.

 

What is functional nutrition?

Functional nutrition, like functional medicine, aims to find the root causes of disease. Instead of simply treating symptoms, functional nutrition focuses on finding imbalances within the body that cause health problems.

 

Examples of root causes of disease include:

• nutrient imbalances

• gut microbiome imbalances

• hormone imbalances

• inflammation/immune function

• mitochondrial dysfunction

• sleep

• stress

• environment

• genes and family history

• health concerns and diagnoses

• medications

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Functional dietitians use a "food as medicine" approach to recommend a personalized diet plan, specific supplements, and mind-body practices that help bring your body back into balance.