Specialties
Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and gluten intolerance:
The only known “medicine” for Celiac Disease is a strict gluten free diet. In addition to people with CD, there are many people who stay on a gluten free diet because of gluten sensitivity or intolerance. Cheryl can help you with label reading, identifying hidden sources of gluten, how to avoid gluten when dining out, how to navigate holidays, travel, etc.
The first priority, of course, is to make sure diets are completely gluten free. But when the dust settles, it’s important to make sure it’s a healthy, varied and enjoyable gluten free diet! Fiber, B vitamins, iron, and more are particularly important for people on a gluten free diet. Many people also have questions about how to have a balanced, gluten free diet and how to cook and bake with the range of gluten free grains and flours available.
Gluten Free, Casein Free (GFCF) diet
While research studies have been mixed, many parents report that removing gluten and/or dairy from the diets of children with autism, ADHD, and sensory processing issues can lead to improvements in attention, learning, behavior, and other physical complaints. If you decide this is something to try for your child, Cheryl can help you learn about label reading, identify foods to eat and avoid, ensure that your child is eating a balanced diet and getting the nutrients needed for growth and development and help you identify helpful resources for yourself and your child.
Often when people are diagnosed with food allergies, they need assistance figuring out what foods are safe to eat on their new diet. Removing foods from the diet may also lead to deficiencies of nutrients over time, and it’s important to find other foods that supply those nutrients or identify supplements that will fill those needs. People with food allergies often have questions about eating out, traveling, navigating the school system and more. Cheryl can help you find safe foods, create a healthy, balanced diet, and direct you toward great books, websites, blogs, support groups, stores and other helpful resources.
Since Cheryl discovered that she could not eat gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, yeast, sugar and more, she has learned a tremendous amount about juggling allergies and living well from both her personal and professional experiences.
Most people have a general idea of what they need to do to lose weight: eat less and do more. But often it’s not that simple, and it’s important to sort through a lot of the diet “hype” that we hear in the media every day. Many people need support to develop a healthy, balanced plan to support overall health and well-being. Clients keep a food record, which helps Cheryl identify eating patterns. Since different people need different strategies for success, Cheryl works with clients to customize weight loss and weight maintenance patterns that will fit into a variety of personal, cultural and lifestyle needs
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue
All people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are different, and there is no one diet that works for everyone. However, many people with FM, CFS and other autoimmune conditions report great improvements in pain and fatigue levels when they remove gluten from their diet. Other foods that often cause problems are sugar, artificial sweeteners and nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers). Most people also do well when eating less processed foods and a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Cheryl works with clients with FM/CFS to help create a diet that will help them feel better and have more energy. A common topic is food preparation when dealing with fatigue.
Babies bring a lot of joy, and Cheryl can help you make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need for a happy, healthy mom AND baby during pregnancy and afterwards. Cheryl has helped moms and babies for many years and is a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) and breastfeeding advocate.
It’s important for children to eat a healthy diet as they grow, both for their health today, and because children set lifelong eating patterns in their early years. Cheryl works with parents to choose strategies to help picky eaters and veggie avoiders expand their horizons.
Whole foods eating involves eating foods in an unprocessed state. Generally, the more “whole” a food, the healthier it is for us. For example, eating an apple is healthier than apple sauce or apple juice, because it has more fiber and other healthy nutrients. Cheryl can help you find ways to incorporate more whole foods and limit processed foods in your diet.
Vegetarian diets and vegan diets can be very healthy if they are planned to make sure you are getting enough nutrients. Often, vegetarians and vegans find they are not getting enough calories, protein, iron, calcium, B12 and or other vitamins. Cheryl can help make sure you are getting a balanced diet and find ways to add more nutrients, if needed, while honoring your decision to avoid animal products.
