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Licensed Dietician Nutritionist (LDN)
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Master of Science in Human Nutrition, summa cum laude, University of Bridgeport, CT
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Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics, summa cum laude. Stony Brook University, NY
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Nutrition Residency program with Dr. Gail Clayton, DCN, CNS, MS, RPh, 2022
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Nutrition and Herbal Collective Internship with Rebecca Snow, MS, CNS, LDN, RH(AHG), 2023
A blessing in disguise
My path to studying nutrition and functional medicine began when I was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis (IC). I had seen multiple specialists but no one could give me a clear explanation why I was in pain all the time. If you are not familiar with IC, consider yourself lucky. This is how Harvard Health describes the quality of life of someone with IC, "resembles that of a person on kidney dialysis or suffering from chronic cancer pain”. Invasive procedures revealed no pathology. I was handed a prescription for a 6-month supply of prophylaxis antibiotics and advice to drink more cranberry juice. Antibiotics induced digestive and skin problems, and cranberry juice worsened the pain.
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Finally, a doctor who was familiar with IC, made a proper diagnosis. This came to be a blessing because there was comfort in knowing that there was a name for my condition. The IC prescription medication provided partial relief but, unfortunately, did not fully resolve my symptoms. Moreover, its long-term use put me at a higher risk of hair loss and macular degeneration, not the prospect I was looking forward to. I realized that it was my job to figure out what was causing this dysfunction in the first place. I became my own health detective, rebellious and refusing to accept the thought that there was no cure for my condition. I decided to pursue a formal degree in nutrition, and study biochemistry and functional medicine in depth to better understand how to help myself and others resolve complex chronic health conditions.
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It was a long journey of trial and error. Later, I realized that IC, like many other “organ diseases” is not strictly a “bladder problem”. It is a complex condition involving many systems of the body: urinary, immune, digestive, nervous, and endocrine. It is common for individuals with IC to have an array of problems like digestive and skin issues, food allergies and sensitivities, brain fog and chronic fatigue. The root causes may vary from hidden infections to microbiome and hormonal imbalances, environmental toxicities, poor diet and nutritional deficiencies, lack of sleep and sunshine, and stressful lifestyle. More often than not, there isn't one factor involved in any disease but a constellation of various triggers. This is why an entire body must be evaluated with special attention to the affected organ. Realizing this led me to learn more about functional medicine and its systems approach to health.
Synergia nutrition
My healing journey defined my life's mission - to help others solve their health puzzles with healing foods, medicinal herbs, stress management, and healthy lifestyle.
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In 2022 I launched Synergia Nutrition LLC, my own clinical nutrition practice. I help clients with various health conditions to identify and address their root causes and get them feeling better. We work together to create a unique action plan so they can stop or reverse their chronic illness and take their lives back.
"Natallia has advised me on health-related matters for the past eighteen months. Over that period, she has patiently proffered advice and guidance enabling me to adopt a holistic approach to improve my health dramatically.
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At that onset of our first consultation, I was overweight and inflamed, suffered from an electrolyte imbalance, high blood pressure, high cholesterol to the extent I was advised to go on statins, and I had concerns about fatty liver.
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Today, among other things, I have reduced my body fat by 6%, added significant muscle mass, addressed my electrolyte imbalance, reduced my blood pressure medication by half, resolved the issues causing inflammation and the electrolyte imbalance, obviated concerns about my cholesterol levels, and improved my sleep. Overall, I am a much healthier and happier person. I am far less susceptible to colds and flu than over the past decade, and I feel far more empowered about my own health outcomes.
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I credit Natallia for a significant amount of my success -- she laid out the map for better health and foresaw issues and problems about which I’d been completely unaware, and which doctors, both specialists and those who practice functional medicine, completely overlooked. Ultimately, I had to do buckle down and improve my nutrition and adopt better exercise habits and other health lifestyle changes. But I don’t think I’d be as far along on the path to wellness as I am, if not for her. As my journey to better health continues, I continue to rely on her counsel, both independently of, and in conjunction with advice from physicians who too often suffer from a myopic approach to wellness. Natallia has my highest recommendation. She is wise, knowledgeable, patient, and generous of spirit, and she fully embraces in her own life the healthy lifestyle she advocates."
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Healthier and happier client
