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Contact Me

Fax: (844) 885-6846

Schedule a free call HERE to learn more about my services.

Address: 263 West Patrick Street, #2. Frederick, MD 21701 (I also work virtually!)

Functional nutrition counseling specializing in thyroid, fertility, and women’s health

Location

263 West Patrick Street, #2
Frederick, MD 21701

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wholehealthrd

Restore energy, metabolism, digestion & hormones without over-restricting.
Farmer's wife 👩‍🌾 @purifyingpastures
Work with me in-person or online ⬇️

Thank you for all the feedback on the newsletter I

Thank you for all the feedback on the newsletter I started last Fall! It's been a fun project - a highlight of 2023. Knowing that I'm not just sending my thoughts into a void (people are actually reading this!) totally helps me while writing.

Did you know my first degree was journalism? I actually thought I wanted to be a health writer before I went back to school to become a registered dietitian.

Sign up for the newsletter in the pop-up or sidebar of my website. www.WholeHealthRD.com

*Thanks to my intern Katherine for these great visuals!

Fun way to bring fruit to a Christmas party. The m

Fun way to bring fruit to a Christmas party. The middle is a pineapple and a pear connected by a skewer. Warning, it took longer than I thought it would! Also, my grocery store had no red fruit except cranberries, and I didn't think that would go over well with kindergarteners 🤪

I have a distance client that I saw for her second

I have a distance client that I saw for her second follow-up this week. She came to me for hormonal regulation, heavy periods, joint pain, acne, fatigue, edema, high blood pressure, low vitamin D, loose stool, hot flashes and feeling hot all the time, and sweet and salty cravings.

In one month, including Thanksgiving holiday travel, here is her progress:

👉 She got her period and no headache! First time in years.

👉 No more edema or mood swings

👉 No more afternoon slump

👉 Formed stool

👉 Knee hurts less

👉 No more hot flashes at night

She has three little kids and she's making meals the whole family enjoys. It's mostly food she had been eating, just different amounts and at different times, focusing on blood sugar regulation and circadian rhythm. We're supporting her liver, based on lab work, with a few key vitamin and mineral supplements.

DM me or comment I'M READY to get on my waitlist for 2024.

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy #fatigue
#womenshealth

These have been one of my favorite recent Amazon f

These have been one of my favorite recent Amazon finds. Hooga bulbs! They're 100% blue light-free bulbs. I already had dim reading lights in my bedroom, but the bulbs still had some wavelengths in the blue light spectrum. I try to avoid blue light wavelengths in the evening to naturally encourage more melatonin production so I can sleep deeply all night.

I have blue blocker glasses, but sometimes they're in the office or living room or I can't find them. So this was a super easy swap!

#circadianrhythm
#bluelight
#blueblockers
#sleep
#sleepbetter
#lightmatters

Do you feel like you’re banging your head agains

Do you feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall in regards to your health?

Nothing you try is working.

Or

Your head is full of so much information, you don’t know where to start.

Maybe you’re here on Instagram, scrolling, looking for answers.

Maybe you get some tips, but it doesn’t feel very individualized to YOU.

There are courses you could buy. Group programs.

But you’re hesitant. Do you have the motivation to do the work by yourself?

And again, are these programs individualized to you and your current context?

If this sounds like you, perhaps focus less on gathering MORE info, and find a practitioner with experience who will work with you one-on-one, someone who can guide you and dig a little deeper into your case, and sort through all of the info in your head.

You can’t be an expert in everything! I don’t know how to repair my car, I pay someone to do that, just like I pay someone to fix my roof and do my taxes.

Why tackle your health on your own?

Schedule a free call (link in bio) or DM me to learn more about how I can help.

#registereddietitiannutritionist
#registereddietitian
#energy

Have you ever been at an arcade that has the game

Have you ever been at an arcade that has the game Whack-a-Mole? As the game starts, moles begin to pop up out of holes and you have to whack the moles back down. As the game proceeds, moles pop up faster, more frequently, and sometimes simultaneously. But they never stop coming.

The current mainstream approach to “health” is like playing Whack-a-Mole. Every time a symptom pops up, it gets whacked with a test or prescription with no thought into figuring out where the symptoms came from.

Once you’ve whacked one symptom, more pop up, because either you haven’t addressed where the symptoms came from, or maybe you get side-effects from medication or interventions.

I’ll use cholesterol as an example. There are lots of reasons why cholesterol might be high. But forcing it low, without understanding why it’s high, can often lead to other downstream health problems. What’s the point of having low cholesterol if your sleep and libido then suck? Is that health?

When the root cause of any symptom is left unaddressed, the problem will continue to persist, or manifest as other symptoms, regardless of how many times you whack it.

Address the imbalances in your body’s natural processes and work on giving your body what it needs to function properly. And the moles will slow down.

Are you ready to start digging into your own root causes? DM me I’M READY and let’s chat!

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

Did you know I have a weekly newsletter? Five Fr

Did you know I have a weekly newsletter?

Five Friday Favorites:

📖 What I'm Reading
🍽️ What I'm Eating
🎧 What I'm Listening To
🧴 What I'm Finding Useful
🙌 Client Transformation

Sign up at the link in my bio and you'll also receive my favorite mineral drink recipe 🥤

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

My client had her yearly DEXA scan last week. Her

My client had her yearly DEXA scan last week. Her doctor walked into the appointment and immediately asked,

“What are you doing?! I’ve never seen improvements like this before!”

I’ve been working with her for over a year on mineral balance, blood sugar regulation, body composition, light…you know, all my usual stuff.

I’m not an osteoporosis “specialist.” We didn’t do a special “osteoporosis diet.” I encourage everyone out there to get out of that line of thinking! That is what’s confusing you about health and nutrition.

Are you ready for a more holistic, big picture way of looking at health, nutrition, and physiology? Message me I’M READY and let’s chat.

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth
#metabolism

#Metabolism is often thought of as how easily a pe

#Metabolism is often thought of as how easily a person gains or loses weight. But the ability to lose/maintain/gain weight easily is only a small part of what the word metabolism actually means. Metabolism is the sum total of all hormonal and metabolic processes within the body that are involved in maintaining life. Or in layman’s terms, how efficiently is your body is functioning at a cellular level? This “inside out approach” differs from mainstream nutrition recommendations, which focus on how food affects specific symptoms or disease outcomes. I’d rather focus on, how does food affect physiology?

Is your body producing enough energy to function optimally?

Want to learn more? DM me the word METABOLISM and let's dive in!

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

Imagine this: you wake up in the morning and stumb

Imagine this: you wake up in the morning and stumble to the bathroom then the kitchen. The day looks daunting. Lunches to pack, dishwasher to empty, getting yourself showered and dressed, getting the kids dressed, pets and kids to feed, long commutes, and more…

Your blood sugar is low because you haven’t eaten in 8, 10, or maybe even 12+ hours. Your cortisol levels are high because cortisol rises when blood sugar is low. Cortisol is what helps us get out of bed to start our day. This is all normal.

A hot cup of coffee sounds really good right about now, doesn’t it? To get you through your morning? And your stomach isn’t growling, so no harm right? ☕

But coffee lowers your blood sugar and raises cortisol too, suppressing your appetite even more. Drinking coffee first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is like stress on top of stress! You’ll raise your cortisol levels even more, making you prone to fatigue, jitters, headaches, irritability, brain fog, and increased hunger later in the day. 🥱😒

Stress, stress, stress! If you were being chased by a lion, do you think your stomach would growl or your body would care about food? 🦁

I get it. Mornings can be incredibly hectic and challenging. But sipping on coffee all morning on an empty stomach certainly won’t help.

Slow down. Have a glass of water. Get some sunlight. ☀️ Take the dog out for a pee. Move around. Do some stretches. Eat breakfast while sitting down. Theeeen enjoy your coffee. You might find your morning appetite returning in a few days.

Want to learn more about how your body works? Physiology is my jam! DM me I'M READY and let’s chat!

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

While homemade bone broth is best, I always have b

While homemade bone broth is best, I always have back-up broth in the pantry.

I like College Inn chicken bone broth because it gets goopy in the refrigerator, telling me it actually contains some gelatin.

(I also like the play on words "College Inn" -> collagen 😂)

I can't tell you how many expensive boxed and even frozen bone broths that I've purchased that don't thicken at all in the fridge.

Why use bone broth in your cooking? Bone broth contains anti-inflammatory, anti-stress amino acids that are great for skin, nails, joints, the gut, the liver, and the thyroid.

And well, it makes everything taste better 😋

Use in soups and stews, and really anywhere a recipe calls for broth or water.

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

I know I know. Hormones are easy to blame. You may

I know I know. Hormones are easy to blame. You may feel crabby and bloated at least one week a month or hot flashes are keeping you up all night. Or maybe you skip a day of work every month because your period cramps are so bad. Or maybe you suddenly gained 10 lbs without warning or you got diagnosed with a thyroid disorder.

But here’s the thing: your hormones are never the root cause of why there is dysfunction. You MUST work on your foundation first: stress, blood sugar regulation, gut health, and liver health. Without your foundation in place, you’ll always be chasing symptoms.

This reminds me of my client M.D. She came to me with a history of taking every trendy “hormone-balancing” supplement on the market. They would work for a little bit, but then stop. We took a break from the supplements and focused on stress reduction, blood sugar regulation, gut health, and supporting her liver. Everything clicked. She's losing weight and feeling better, but more importantly, feeling more in control.

Want to learn more about how your body works? DM me I'M READY and let’s chat!

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

Are you the one in the office with a space heater

Are you the one in the office with a space heater and fingerless gloves? Are you always the cold one in a group of friends and family….arguing over the thermostat? 🥶

One of my favorite things I do when working with clients is getting them warmed up! Well functioning humans are pleasantly warm with warm hands and feet. Here are some things that can contribute to feeling cold all the time:

1. Thyroid is an obvious one. Get your thyroid labs checked.

2. Iron status is another one. Ask for a full iron panel that includes ferritin, the storage form of iron.

3. Overhydration can mess with electrolyte balance. Sodium in particular. If you find yourself urinating frequently and have cold hands and feet, try more salt and see how you feel.

4. Stress doesn’t just mean work stress, money stress, or family stress. Skipping meals and not eating enough are stressors that can affect adrenaline and cortisol and make you feel cold.

A warm body temperature is a foundational metabolic marker and it often accompanies other health improvements. Are you curious to learn more? DM me COLD and let’s chat.

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#thyroid
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

"Water, in recent years, has been imbued with the

"Water, in recent years, has been imbued with the powers of a mysterious elixir. The latest “it” celebrity’s skin care secret? Oh, just water. Feeling sluggish? You probably need more water. Uninspired and utterly hopeless about your career and romantic prospects? Well, have you had any water today?” -Catherine LeClair, "Everyone's Goal in 2020 Is To Drink More Water."

Why are we so obsessed with hydration? People hydrate as if their reputations depend on it. They dutifully carry water bottles with them wherever they go and then think it’s normal to pee every hour and several times at night. 💦

While dehydration can make you feel like garbage, overhydrating isn’t helping anyone. At best, you pee it out. At worst, excess water consumption can cause the sodium and electrolyte levels in your body to drop to dangerously low levels. 🚽

Fluid intake should vary with seasons, physical activity levels, and how much you sweat. The average desk worker with little physical activity does not need as much water as someone who works outdoors in the summer. 🥵

Do you need extra electrolytes? If you are really exerting yourself a lot, and especially if you are a high sweater, you probably want to replace fluids with an electrolyte mix of sodium, potassium, and magnesium. This could be as simple as water with a splash of juice and a big pinch of salt, or salted coconut water, but there are many electrolyte powders on the market these days. 🥥

As a dietitian, I often have to tell my clients to drink LESS water, especially the ones that are pushing arbitrary water goals. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen sleep and energy levels improve in clients, just with shifts in fluid intake and electrolytes. 🤸‍♀️

Don’t set arbitrary water goals. Drink when you’re thirsty and keep your urine pale yellow. 🥤

Are you concerned about your hydration or electrolyte status? I’d love to chat. DM me HYDRATION.

#registereddietitian
#registered dietitian nutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#metabolism
#hydration
#electrolytes
#adrenalhealth
#womenshealth

Almost everything we eat, breathe, or put on our s

Almost everything we eat, breathe, or put on our skin contains something that is either outright harmful or that can accumulate to levels that are harmful – which is ultimately why we have a liver (and kidneys, and various other mechanisms for toxin removal such as the digestive system, skin/sweating, and breathing out).
.
Toxins, hormones, drugs, and metabolic waste (that your own body produces) all pass through the liver to be metabolized for use, storage, excreted, or get converted into something safer that can then be excreted or stored.
.
This process is called detoxification. Think of detox as packing up the trash.
.
The liver needs certain nutrients everyday to pack up the trash. Everything I do with clients is in part, to support the liver's ability to detoxify properly.
.
No, you don’t need a liver “detox.” You need to support your liver with nutrients so it can do its MANY jobs better!
.
Want to learn more about how your body works? DM me I'M READY and let’s chat!
.
#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

I totally get it. Sometimes all you want to do in

I totally get it. Sometimes all you want to do in the evening is collapse on the sofa and mindlessly scroll scroll scroll. But then all of a sudden it's 11pm and you're wired!

Blue light from devices like your phone can down regulate melatonin production and tell your brain it's mid-day. You don't want that first thing in the morning either. You want to avoid blue light in the evening and first thing in the morning.

This doesn't just affect melatonin and sleep. Circadian rhythms and light exposure can powerfully affect hormones, energy, and stress.

Not to mention the sometimes anxiety-provoking nature of social media.

Choose a 10-12 hour "downtime" for apps you find distracting. No need to rely on willpower. There are so many apps you can use to help you stay on track. Your brain will thank you!

This is the Freedom app. What other apps have you found helpful to create boundaries between you and your phone?

Follow along for more info on these topics:

#registereddietitian
#registered dietitian nutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

I see you. You beat yourself up because you keep

I see you.

You beat yourself up because you keep fluctuating between eating "perfectly" and overdoing it.

You wonder why you can't just stick to a plan all the time and you feel like a failure.

You want your children to see and model healthy behaviors.

What if I told you you didn't need to eat perfectly all the time? What if you just stopped worrying about the minutiae (intermittent fasting, food sensitivity tests, keto, plant-based, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free) and started focusing on the foundations: blood sugar regulation, gut health, and liver health?

I bet you'd be a lot more consistent. Just like my client M. She finally stopped doing keto and started focusing more on healthy carbs, supporting her liver, and regulating her blood sugar. Her energy is back and she's losing weight effortlessly. All while eating out on the weekend and creating meals during the week the whole family can eat.

It's time you finally get off the diet rollercoaster and get the results you've been wanting for years! It's time to stop dieting and start living.

DM me I'M READY to get started.

#registereddietitian
#registereddietitiannutritionist
#energy
#fatigue
#guthealth
#adrenalhealth
#thyroidhealth
#liverhealth
#womenshealth
#hormonehealth

A recent client got rid of acid reflux, restless s

A recent client got rid of acid reflux, restless sleep, cravings, her afternoon energy slump, puffiness, dark under eye circles, joint pain, and cold hands and feet in just two weeks. Here’s how:

👉 She stopped skipping meals
👉 She made it a priority to eat at regular meal times – she set phone alarms
👉 She started planning meals with my simple meal planning principles
👉 She started eating more protein
👉 She started drinking coffee only after food
👉 She stopped using screens before bed and started reading actual books

I gave her a couple of other more personal suggestions as well, but anyone can benefit from many of the above simple changes.

If you’re ready to feel better fast, DM me I’M READY and let’s chat.

#energy #fatigue #guthealth #adrenalhealth #thyroidhealth #liverhealth #hormonehealth #womenshealth #registereddietitian

“Eat for Energy” registration is now open! “

“Eat for Energy” registration is now open! “Eat for Energy” is a four-week group program designed for busy, tired people who want to know easy dietary and lifestyle strategies to increase their energy. We start on October 4th.

You’ll benefit from:

👉 Expert Guidance: You’ll get advice and accountability from yours truly, a registered dietitian with over 15 years of experience.
👉 Community Support: Connect with like-minded individuals who are on the same journey, share experiences, and build lasting relationships on coaching calls and on my portal.
👉 Live Group Coaching: Live twice-a-week trainings on Wednesdays at 8pm and Thursdays at noon EST. No pre-recorded webinars or lots of reading on your own.
👉 Seasonal Meal Plan and Recipes: My meal planning principles will allow you to meal plan on your own, however, I know how much some people love meal plans with recipes!

Click on the link in my bio to learn more.

#energy #metabolism #thyroid #registereddietitian

Now that the mornings are getting chillier, Bob's

Now that the mornings are getting chillier, Bob's Red Mill Oat Bran is one of my favorite breakfasts. It's creamier than oatmeal, cooks quicker than oatmeal, and has more fiber. Even my kids all like it.

Cook it in milk or add protein powder to keep you satisfied even longer.

Look for it in the cereal aisle or in the gluten-free section of your grocery store.

#fallfavorites
#breakfast
#fiber

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© Copyright - Nicole Holovach | Dietitian Nutritionist | Frederick, Md

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