DEFINITION
What is Nutrition?
Integrative nutrition is all about nourishing your whole self, not just counting calories. It's a way of understanding food as powerful medicine, something used for centuries to help people heal. At its core, integrative nutrition asks: "Why does your body react to food the way it does, and what does it truly need to feel its best?"
Unlike standard diet advice, integrative nutrition is customized to you. Things like your genes, gut health, hormones, stress, sleep, and even your relationships affect how your body uses nutrients. What works for someone else might not work for you, or could even be harmful. Integrative nutrition recognizes this and creates a plan just for you.
Qualifications & Background
Our nutrition counseling is rooted in integrative and functional nutrition, naturopathic medicine, and traditional healing systems like Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our nutritionist and naturopathic doctors use advanced testing, scientific research, and time-tested healing practices to understand your unique needs. They can explain complex lab results in a way that's easy to understand and offer practical advice that fits into your life.
INDICATIONS
What conditions does it help with?
ADVANTAGE
Why GWCIM?
GWCIM stands out because we consider more than just your diet. Most nutrition counseling focuses only on what you eat. We also look at sleep, movement, stress, environment, and relationships. These things impact your mood and energy, but also how your body absorbs nutrients, responds to food, and heals.
We also offer a range of integrative and functional medicine tests – like genomic panels, metabolic assessments, and gut microbiome analysis – that most nutrition practices don't have. This helps us understand the reasons behind your symptoms and create a custom plan instead of guessing. At GWCIM, your nutrition plan is a work in progress, constantly adjusted with the help of your entire care team.
At GWCIM, Nutrition is integrated into several services:
- Nutritional Counseling
- Naturopathic Medicine
- Functional Medicine
- Integrative Medicine/Primary Care
- Integrative Geriatric Medicine & ReCODE Program
- Chinese Medicine
APPROACH
Our Approach
We start by getting to know you. We gather information about your health history, symptoms, lifestyle, sleep, stress levels, and previous lab results. We might recommend additional testing to get a more complete picture. This helps us find the connections and patterns that are affecting your health.
Our doctors work closely with other integrative medicine practitioners to make sure your nutrition plan fits with all aspects of your care, whether you're seeing a naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist, or other specialist. We know that food is more than just building blocks for your cells; it's information for your body. We help you learn how to send the right messages.
We believe that lasting change comes with support, never with guilt. Our sessions are collaborative, caring, and practical. We help you understand why certain foods are good for your body and why others might not be, so you feel empowered, not restricted. When recommended, family members are welcome to join sessions, because a supportive home environment is key to healthy eating.
Integrative Focus
Integrative: Root causes, whole-person vs. Conventional: Disease-specific (e.g., low-fat for heart)
Food is Superior Medicine
We believe food is the most basic and safest medicine. Ancient traditions, like Chinese Medicine, have always recognized that proper nourishment is the cornerstone of good health.
Individualized Medicine
Studies of personalized diets show the results vary by individual genetics and gut bacteria; it is not a one-size-fits-all diet.
Beyond the Plate: A 360-Degree View:
What is on your plate and in your refrigerator is only part of the story.
Your Body's Potential Through Food
We see nutrition as more than just fuel; it's a potent force capable of calming inflammation, rebuilding cells, harmonizing hormones, and rewriting the story of chronic illness.
Mind-Body: why how we eat - matters
Stress, sleep, and emotions influence nutrient absorption and metabolism.
Prevention and Longevity
Integrative Nutrition emphasizes sustainable lifestyle over quick fixes.
Your Journey, Your Pace
We know you're the authority on your own life. We're here to empower you with knowledge, equip you with practical tools, and offer unwavering support – not to impose inflexible rules that clash with your reality.
Care Options
Nutrition Counseling
Your session with a nutritionist will focus on the role of food in your health and disease.
Naturopathic Medicine Consultations
Nutrition is always an important part of your consultations with a Naturopathic Doctor.
Functional Medicine Consultations
Nutritional advice is always integrated into our Functional Medicine consultations.
Chinese Medicine Treatment
Ancient traditions, like Chinese Medicine, have always recognized that proper nourishment is the cornerstone of good health. You can even receive nutritional guidance rooted in the principles of Chinese Medicine.
EXPERTISE
Recommended Providers
Ajowa Ifateyo, MS, CNS
Certified Nutrition Specialist, Health Coach, Certified ReCODE™ Provider
Marianna Ledenac, BS, ND
Naturopathic Physician
Sharon DeMocker, MD
Integrative Medicine Physician
Ashley Drapeau, PA-C, L.Ac., MPAS, MAC
Medical Director | Functional Medicine | Long-Covid Program Director
Deirdre Orceyre, ND, MSOM, L.Ac.
Naturopathic Medicine Doctor & Chinese Medicine Physician
Paymon Sadrolsadot, ND, PhD
Naturopathic Psycisian, Integrative Medicine Physician
Tiffany Hoyt, DAOM, M.Ac., M.CHM, Dipl. O.M., LAc
Chinese Medicine Doctor
Q&A
Q&A
Registered dietitians provide valuable, evidence-based dietary guidance — often focused on general healthy eating or managing a specific diagnosed condition. Integrative nutrition counseling goes a step further by examining the full picture of your health: your genetics, gut microbiome, hormonal balance, lifestyle factors, and environmental exposures. At GWCIM, nutrition is also part of a larger integrative care team, so your nutritional plan is always coordinated with your other providers for a truly cohesive approach.
Depending on your health history and goals, we may recommend functional medicine testing such as comprehensive metabolic panels, food sensitivity testing (IgG/IgE panels), gut microbiome analysis, genomic nutritional testing, hormonal panels, micronutrient testing, or inflammatory markers. These tests help us uncover hidden drivers of your symptoms and build a truly personalized plan. Not all testing is required — we'll discuss what makes sense for you.
At GWCIM, weight management is approached through the lens of body composition — not just the number on the scale. Our focus is on reducing body fat while preserving lean muscle mass, which is the key to lasting results and better long-term health. Dr. Marianna Ledenac, ND, leads our weight and body composition program using FirstLine Therapy (FLT), a physician-supervised, evidence-based lifestyle medicine program. It combines a personalized eating plan based on a modified Mediterranean diet (low-glycemic, balanced in proteins, fats, and carbohydrates), targeted nutritional supplementation, regular movement, and stress management strategies. Body composition testing is used throughout to track real progress beyond the scale. Many patients achieve meaningful results in as little as 12 weeks.
Increasingly, research supports a powerful connection between the gut and the brain — the so-called gut-brain axis. Nutritional interventions targeting gut health, blood sugar stability, inflammation, and micronutrient status can have meaningful positive effects on mood, anxiety, and cognitive function. When needed, we can also coordinate with mental health providers within our team to offer integrated support.
At GWCIM, integrative nutrition is a core component of the ReCODE protocol — a program developed by Dr. Dale Bredesen designed to reverse or slow cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. Specific dietary interventions (such as a modified ketogenic approach, time-restricted eating, and anti-inflammatory nutrition) play a central role in cognitive health restoration. Our nutritionists work closely with the ReCODE team to support patients on this specialized program.
EDUCATION