Our team at Healthy Connections Hood River ensures that each person is fully supported along their health journey. This is why we offer nutrition counseling services as part of our membership plan. Nutrition is a key component of functional medicine. A poor diet is a common root cause of many chronic health conditions as well as a major contributor in the progression of disease. Food affects our health, whether positively or negatively. Nothing is neutral. Our functional nutrition specialist, Kirsten Chesney, works with patients to ensure they’re maximizing the positive effects of food!

Kirsten has been with Healthy Connections Hood River since its doors opened in 2018. She carries a Masters of Science in nutrition and functional medicine from the University of Western States in Portland. Her education includes teachings and resources from the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), the organization that also created the curriculum for her masters program. Kirsten uses her expertise in supporting patients’ nutritional needs in light of their specific health concerns and diagnoses. Her work compliments our provider’s treatment plans so everyone is on the same page.

How do Nutrition Sessions Work?

Through our one-on-one nutrition counseling services, patients receive an individualized eating plan, a number of helpful resources and handouts, and in-depth discussions on the why’s and how’s of making dietary changes. Examples of the types of eating plans offered include the low FODMAP diet, the Autoimmune Paleo Diet (AIP), the low mycotoxin diet, low histamine diet, detox supportive diets, food sensitivity/elimination diets, the ketogenic diet, heart health/Mediterranean diet, and much more.

Kirsten lives out-of-state and conducts her sessions virtually, through Zoom. Kirsten preps for each patient by reviewing their medical chart and recent visit notes from their provider. She then gathers the right resources that fit the needs of that patient. If any resource is not best-fit, Kirsten researches and compiles the needed information to create a handout(s) specific for that person. Patients are emailed these handouts and resources during their nutrition session where they are reviewed and discussed together. Sometimes modifications are made in-the-moment, depending on patient feedback and readiness for making changes. Above all, it is important that patients feel confident in their ability to adjust their diet. Changes that feel too overwhelming are difficult to follow through on and often end before they start. For this reason, Kirsten invites open dialogue on how patients feel about their new eating plan. She helps patients through any sticking points and/or makes adjustments so that the plan feels attainable for them. Nutrition counseling sessions are designed to set people up for success!

If you are a current patient with us and would like to schedule a nutrition session, please contact the office at 541-716-5786 or send a direct message to Kirsten using the form below.