Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Stuart.
Whitney, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I got unexpectedly sick. Medication made me sicker. I quit them all and begun a holistic whole-foods route to find healing and ultimately, food freedom! Then, I studied my butt off so I could share what I found with others.
Two degrees and 6 years later, I now spend 90% of my day encouraging, educating and promoting the basic holistic practices that most of America has forgotten and deprioritized.
Water? Essential!
Movement? Required.
Green vegetables? Critical!
Although, I do have patients with multiple comorbidities, professional athletes who require unique dietary patterns and young couples who need to improve their cooking repertoire, the majority of my work begins with the basic foundation skills. Sadly, many of this information isn’t covered by our school systems anymore!
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?
Healthcare is rough. My clinical job is fast-paced, always evolving and emotionally heavy with patients constantly in pain and angry with their circumstances. But, the private practice world of nutrition is even more intense. I am constantly reading, learning from the evolving world of nutrition research and de-bunking the ever-increasing gimmick health marketing, supplements and fad diets. At the end of the day, I still have a fire burning inside.
Advice: if you’re pursuing a career because of the money you’ll make or the potential fame you’ll gain, stop now. On the hardest days, only passion and grit will keep you energized. Money and fame are fleeting!
Tell us about your day.
Right now, I work in two different nutrition roles and I love them both equally! Monday-Friday, 8-4, you’ll find me in collaboration with the doctors, pharmacists and social workers at DaVita Downtown Dallas where my sole role is to optimize the nutritional status of – 115 renal patients with kidney failure. It’s a huge collaborative effort that includes education, medication, compliance and a whole lot of positivity.
On nights and weekends, you’ll find me on the other side of chronic care: at my preventative practice, Whitness Nutrition located in the Bishop Arts district! I work with no more than 25 individuals at a time, counseling them through a myriad of difficulties including new metabolic disease diagnoses, early prevention action, food allergy elimination, sports performance and improved family health. We work through everything from nutrition education to hands-on meal preparation to grocery store shopping. It’s a collaborative effort with physicians, trainers and speech therapists to get them to a good status. I’ve also recently co-founded Whole30 Dallas Duo after completing my Whole30 Certified Coach certification. We provide group coaching three times a year in a community setting focused on fitness and fun! (Read more here!)
The balance of both positions, both chronic and preventative, keep things interesting and makes me unique as a dietitian! I’m always on my toes with new literature and research to optimize nutritional care! My chronic disease patients serve as a consistent reminder on the importance of preventative action. Whitness Nutrition allows me to heavily promote the importance of holistic nutrition: eating whole simple foods in a balanced manner. This practice is really my love-child. It’s given me a place to teach nutrition in a way that allows individuals to thrive. I don’t preach “everything in moderation”, calorie counting, heavy supplementation or diet programs. I also have my own slew of dietary modifications and understand what it’s like to struggle with weight, anxiety and health-related social pressure. I stand as an advocate and role model for all my patients. I never ask that they implement something I wouldn’t and don’t, do myself. Sick of your juice cleanse? Let’s get back to living, shall we?
Which women have inspired you in your life? Why?
Consistently, my mother. After my father passed away in 1999, she was literally all I had but the Lord himself. She held me when I cried over my first non-A grade in high school; she listened to me sob over my first C grade in college; and she counseled me in recent years, when I’ve felt inadequate and that Instagram dietitian FOMO (you know what I’m talking about!!). She is my rock because she wouldn’t let me wallow and quit. “If you’re going through hell, keep on going”, was a consistent reminder in my childhood home.
Pricing:
- consultations start at $150
Contact Info:
- Address: 633 West Davis St #275, Dallas Texas 75208
- Website: www.whitnessnutrition.com
- Phone: 360-840-5880
- Email: whitney@whitnessnutrition.com
- Instagram: @whitnessnutrition
- Facebook: facebook.com/whitnessnutrition
- Other: Weekly Newsletter: https://whitnessnutrition.wordpress.com/2018/01/08/food-fact-faith-2018/
Image Credit:
Mary A Hafner, Stephanie Drenka
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