My Own Gut Story

As a young adult studying at UCLA I found myself more tired than everyone around me. I needed more rest than the average over-extended college student. I woke up from ten hours' sleep feeling foggy and fatigued. My mood was low and, even with the typical struggles of young adulthood, I couldn't understand why I felt so off when everything around me should have been great. I was found to have "slightly low iron" - but that was normal since I was a young woman who didn't eat a lot of meat, right? I was dismissed by several medical practitioners, labeled as a hypochondriac by family and friends, and treated for anxiety and depression. A few years after college I sought help from a new physician who amazingly tested me for celiac disease just from this set of complaints. I will forever be indebted to her for how she changed my life for the better. As much as the diagnosis was a relief and a confirmation that I was not crazy, I certainly struggled for several years with the huge change that is the gluten-free lifestyle, along with still feeling unwell and developing many more gastrointestinal symptoms than I had ever had before. I visited physicians and dietitians who were supposedly experienced in the area and I found that I knew more than they did about my condition. Disheartened, I attempted to exclude every food that made me feel sick, which didn't leave much to eat and had very negative psychosocial consequences. Then I became heavily involved with the Celiac Disease Foundation and found a supportive community of thousands of others who had experienced the same dismissal, confusion, lack of help from the medical community and isolation from their friends and family. Through this organization I also found expert health practitioners who helped me to understand my body and finally reach a gut equilibrium that is very manageable. 

I know first-hand the importance of advocating for one's own health. I know how it feels to be searching for answers and to lose hope that answers actually exist. While many medical conditions do not have perfect solutions or simple answers, I truly believe that finding knowledgeable health practitioners who will take the time to understand you is essential to improving quality of life. There is always hope for improvement, and finding the right person to talk to can make the world of a difference. 

Practice Hours

         Mondays 2 - 6pm
         Wednesdays 8am - 4pm

​         Telemedicine only via FaceTime or Zoom

Professional Qualifications


Credentialed Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)
Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian by the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals since 2017

Formal Education

Master of Science, Family & Consumer Sciences - Nutrition & Dietetics
    California State University, Northridge, 2012- May 2015

Didactic Program in Dietetics
    California State University, Northridge, 2010-2012

Bachelor of Arts, American Literature, French minor
    University of California, Los Angeles, 2003-2007
    Including 32 units psychology coursework (developmental, abnormal, cognitive, research, and counseling techniques)

Professional Training

Dietetic Internship - Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 2013-2014
     Including specialized training with:
  • VAGLAHS Division of Gastroenterology, Research
  • Delete the Wheat, LLC (Melinda Dennis, RD, LD)
  • Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Division of Gastroenterology
  • Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders - Santa Monica (formely A New Journey Eating Disorder Center)
  • Women, Infants & Children (WIC)

University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center Preceptorship Program, December 2014
  • 16 hours specialized training in medical and nutritional management of celiac disease

Professional Experience

     Dietitian   -   UCLA Division of Digestive Diseases & Celiac Program                                           Sept 2017 - present

     "Ask the Dietitian"   -   Celiac Disease Foundation                                                                            August 2014 - present

     Chair    -     Dietitians in Gluten and Gastrointestinal Disorders                                                      June 2017 - 2019 
                         Subgroup of Medical Nutrition Practice Group, Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics              

     Manuscript Reviewer   -   Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics                                                      August 2015 - present

     Dietitian   -   La Ventana Treatment Centers, Santa Monica                                                           November 2015 - May 2017

     Dietitian   -   A New Journey Eating Disorder Center, Santa Monica                                             July 2014 - November 2015

     Outreach Coordinator   -   Celiac Disease Foundation                                                                     2012-2013

     Project Manager   -   Marilyn Magaram Center for Food Science, Nutrition & Dietetics            2011-2012                                                                                                     California State University, Northridge

     Crisis Counselor   -   The Suicide Prevention Center, Los Angeles                                                2008-2009

Highlights of Publications & Presentations - Full list available on request

"When Food Hurts: The Crossroads of Gastrointestinal & Eating Disorders", Co-presenter             October 2020
              Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo 2020
​
"Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Presenting in Gastrointestinal Disorders", Presenter     April 2020
              UCLA-Mellinkoff Gastroenterology and Hepatology Symposium               

"When Food Doesn't Feel Good", Presenter                                                                                                April 2019
              Annual Conference, Los Angeles District of California Dietetic Association

"The Gut-Brain Connection in Eating Disorders", Co-presenter                                                               February 2018   
               Annual Symposium of International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals
​
“Healing the Body: Putting the Walking Head to Rest”, Co-presenter                                                      May 2, 2017
               International Conference on Addictions and Associated Disorders, London, UK
 
“The Dirty Side of Clean Eating: Orthorexia and risk it poses to recovery”, Presenter                          April 20, 2017
               La Ventana Treatment Programs Continuing Education Series, Santa Barbara
 
“The Triple Threat: Interplay between addiction, eating disorders, and trauma in adolescents”,     March 7, 2017
Speaker, National Association of Therapeutic Schools
 
“The Dirty Side of Clean Eating: Orthorexia and risk it poses to recovery”                                        October 1, 2016
                  National Eating Disorders Association Annual Conference 2016, Chicago, Illinois

“The Triple Threat: Interplay between addiction, eating disorders, and trauma”, Speaker            July 20, 2016
     Labor Assistance Professionals Organization Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV

“Trends in Gluten-Free Nutrition”, Speaker                                                                                             April 30, 2016
     Celiac Disease Foundation National Conference & EXPO

“Gut-Brain Axis: The intersection of gastrointestinal disorders and mental health disorders”      March 23, 2016
     Webinar Presenter, Behavioral Health Network, Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics                 

"Gluten-free diet adherence in celiac vs non-celiac American adults" Poster Presentation         June 21-24, 2015
     International Celiac Disease Symposium 2015, Prague, Czech Republic