Today we’d like to introduce you to Araceli Vazquez.
Araceli, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Mexico City and moved to the USA a few months after finishing my Bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology. Since then, I have encountered numerous challenges including the process of acculturation, language acquisition, financial hardships, degree equivalencies, and so on. I knew it that I could turn all these challenges into magnificent opportunities.
My goal when coming to this country was to pursue an advanced degree in food sciences and to work for the food industry. My first professional job was as a microbiologist for the health department in Tarrant County. In the meantime, I was saving money to be able to afford going back to school, and after several years I left that job to conquer and excel at the master’s degree program in food science at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas.
Then, my father was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2. His doctor recommended him to see a dietitian. Although my father spoke English, he was more comfortable communicating in Spanish. He needed a professional who understood his ethnic cuisine, food and eating patterns. For months we searched for a bilingual dietitian all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area without any success. It was sad and hard to believe that in a metropolitan area of ~ 6 million people we could not find a registered dietitian who spoke Spanish.
I asked myself – why is there no one who can provide nutrition counseling to those like my dad who had contributed to the economy of this great country and now they were in need of such services. A few seconds later my heart changed and I decided to become a dietitian to be able to serve the underserved. I changed my degree program and earned a Master of Science in Nutrition, and subsequently successfully completed all the internship program requirements needed to become Registered Dietitian. This was the beginning of my voyage that took me to what is my private practice today.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been a challenge to be credentialed by private and government insurance companies. Despite the Affordable Care Act (ACA), some insurance companies do not cover nutrition services provided by dietitians. On the positive side, more companies are offering medical saving programs and health care accounts thus the employee can use these funds to pay for nutrition services. Despite all these struggles, my dedication, commitment, and putting my heart in everything I do, I have grown my practice from a small single desk subleased office into a successful private practice serving North Dallas and its outlying areas.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with DietGenics Nutrition Consulting – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Because of my national origin, and having obtained advanced undergraduate and graduate education both in Mexico City and the US, my practice has been uniquely positioned to offer truly bilingual/multicultural nutrition consulting services for all ages. My practice is one of the few that accepts most private insurances, Medicare, and Medicaid which allows me to serve underserved communities within the most critical ages of 0-20.
At DietGenics we understand that healthful eating can be enjoyed within different varieties and ethnic foods. All our meal plans are individually customized. Most importantly, all clients are treated as we would like our own family to be treated. The key is having a heart to heart communication to provide the most fulfilling and efficient nutrition intervention in a relaxing and friendly environment. We also provide consulting services to companies targeting the Hispanic market.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We know how dog therapy is being used to provide comfort and help individuals to de-stress. I am confident that most of my clients will benefit from having a therapy dog while in my office. In turn, this could help to improve adherence to my recommendations. Also, I am committed to keep promoting the value and benefits of having registered dietitians among private insurance networks that can provide medical nutrition therapy as preventive services.
Contact Info:
- Address: 12655 N. Central Expressway Suite 325
Dallas, TX 75243 - Website: www.dietgenics.com
- Phone: 972-664-0846
- Email: Araceli@dietgenics.com
- Instagram: dietgenics1
- Facebook: DietGenics Araceli Vazquez
- Twitter: @Dietgenics
- Other: YouTube: DietgenicsNutrition
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