Practitioner Spotlight

With: Natasha Short, Holistic Nutritionist

Natasha

  • Holistic Nutritionist
  • Hiker, Camper, Explorer, Culinary Genius
  • Mother of one

How would you describe your work? What do you do and how does it help people?

The bottom line of what I do is that I help people to figure out the connection between what they eat and how they feel. We combine their knowledge about themselves, their preferences, their schedule, their commitments, their tastes, and my deep knowledge of nutrition, supplements, meal planning, digestion, and food chemistry to find the balance that allows them to function more optimally. For some clients that means that they want to run ultramarathons, others have struggled with heartburn or bloating or low energy or intense cravings or constipationfor some time and have made a commitment to themselves to investigate and shift those things. I see my role as partially education, partially coach, and always, a compassionate support as my clients work towards their health and wellness goals.

Is there an area of your work that you are particularly passionate about?

Digestion!!! Digestion is so often the foundation of so many other health challenges. Digestion is how your body gets all the nutrients that it needs to do all the things that it does. You can’t get more foundational than that! If digestion is not working properly, then nothing else can work properly. A lot of people who work with me are initially shy or squeamish about talking about things like gas, or bowel movements, but for me, when we get to those things I think “ok, NOW we are really getting somewhere!”

My second (closely related) love is meal planning. I love food and I love helping my clients to discover new healthy and delicious ways to nourish themselves and their families. What we eat is often driven by habit, emotion, and convenience. I love to help my clients to create plans for how they can realistically shift their diets to support their health goals, without giving up everything that they love. Making the leap from planning to implementation of lifestyle changes is often where a breakdown happens, because changing habits is just hard. In my work, creating clear, easy, realistic meal plans is often the bridge that makes it possible for my clients to make lasting changes in their health.

The bottom line of what I do is that I help people to figure out the connection between what they eat and how they feel

What can your clients count on you for?

Education, guidance, support, compassion, and accountability. I am accountable to you in that I am 100% behind the goals that you have for your health. I will also be there as your accountability buddy as you work to make the changes that you want to see in your health.

What part of your work makes you think “YES! I am so lucky that this is what I get to do with my life!”?

When a client looks at me and says “I don’t have heartburn any more” or “I’ve been following the meal plan and I’m not as hungry and I have more energy!” or “I’m having a bowel movement everyday.” That is the best feeling in the world! I also love to hear from clients who are seeing the benefits of changes in their diets benefiting their whole families. Maybe I’ve worked with mum or dad on their diet, but the impact is that they feel more confident, or energetic, or clear headed, and the whole family feels the difference and they are able to educate their kids on healthy eating!