OUR TEAM

Hi! I’m Colleen. I’m a Functional Nutritionist and holistic health advocate who knows what it’s like to feel not like “yourself,” and stressed out over all of the health info out there. I've been broken too. 

For years I lived in a state of constant stress and ignored my body’s cues for what foods it really needed. Eventually, my body broke down.

I could barely make it through my day.  I called it “living in survival mode”. 

Digestion was also a nightmare and I was constantly bloated—my stomach would pop out so much after a meal that I couldn’t fit into my clothes. And, even though I was barely eating, I started gaining weight. A lot of it. My thyroid began failing, and I developed a goiter and hypothyroidism, and was an anxious, mental wreck in a constant brain fog.

I went to countless doctors – no one could help me get to the root of my problem and suggested countless band-aid approaches with medication, generic diet plans, or, even worse, told me there was nothing wrong with me and to get over it. In short: I know what it's like to feel miserable and broken. 
 
It was only through functional nutrition and lab testing that I was able to heal. 

With the years of education I received, plus my personal experiences, I developed the Nutritional Zest Way that has yielded amazing results with the countless individuals we've worked with.

Colleen

FOUNDER & FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIONIST

I am a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner as well as a Personal Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Specialist. My passion is working with men and women who struggle with hormonal imbalances. This can look like many things such as weight loss resistance, weight gain, chronic fatigue, irregular cycles, infertility, hair loss & more. 

I have struggled with my own hormonal imbalances after getting off birth control. This lead to me diving into the realm of Functional Nutrition to find the root cause of why my body was not operating optimally. It was through functional testing, nutrition, lifestyle modifications and specific supplements that I was able to start having regular cycles again, reduce acne, have more energy and feel like myself again! 

I also come from a background of strength training and physical fitness. Being able to help men and women change their lifestyle from all aspects of health is my superpower. 

When I am not behind the scenes working I am laughing with friends, sitting in the sun, reading fantasy fiction books and being active! 

Leslie

FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIONIST

I'm a Functional Nutritionist and love helping my clients find data-driven solutions to improve their health. As a former Civil Engineer and Research Scientist, I use my science background to combine the best of evidence-based nutrition with a holistic approach.

I struggled with my health throughout my 20s - I was desperate for answers to help my chronic constipation, digestive issues and adult acne. After trying all the conventional approaches and feeling failed by mainstream medicine, I went back to school to study holistic nutrition to finally get to the root cause of my health issues. 

Through my years of nutrition education & working 1:1 with clients, I've gained the tools to help people figure out what foods are right for their body and utilize targeted lab testing to identify internal triggers. With simple sustainable action steps, I help clients easily maintain optimal health from the inside out.

When I'm not geeking out about nutrition or wellness, I spend my time hiking and traveling with my husband, working up a sweat in a hot yoga class or lifting weights, making jewelry, or cooking up a delicious nutrient-dense meal.

Daina

FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIONIST

I am a Registered Nurse and Functional Nutritionist working with functional nutrition to guide people through their healing journey. Diagnosed with PCOS at age 15, I started delving into the concept of food and movement as medicine. Becoming a certified Nurse Coach and Functional Nutritionist was a meet and greet of all the worlds that already existed in my life (art, yoga and nursing). My career has explored the opposite extremes and the in-betweens of the health world from the yoga studio where healing is found in the stillness and silence of the mind to the bedside of the acutely ill patients hooked up to multiple beeping monitors and IV drips.

Working with clients utilizing functional nutrition and testing has given me the opportunity to mesh my medicines together into one world. It is the best route if you are done with feeling unwell in your body, want more than just the one-size-fits all health plan, and would like some accountability to be fabulous. My toolkit of tests allows me to dig deeper into the root cause of an individual's dysfunction expressing itself as symptoms and disease and create a healing protocol tailored to you!
 
Out of office, I am most likely exploring our backyard with my energetic one-year-old, meditating (or accidentally napping) in my sauna blanket, painting, listening to podcasts, treating myself to Pilates or yoga, or getting coached on kettlebells by my husband.

JULIA

FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIONIST

I’m a Certified Nutritionist with additional training in functional testing and solutions for imbalances in digestion, metabolic function, and blood chemistry. I also specializes in addressing pain and inflammation as I suffered myself for years with joint pain and inflammation from a combination of poor diet and burning the candle at both ends. 

From my years of clinical work, I have learned that utilizing the right testing for your symptoms and goals provides the key information needed to create a custom protocol that will expedite your healing. My clients cite my non-judgemental, responsive, and genuine approach as also making a big difference in their success. 

When I’m not engaged with my client work, I am enjoying all that life has to offer including yoga, Pilates, walking my dogs, growing herbs and traveling with my husband and 3 young adult children.

Bonnie

FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIONIST

HI! I’m Erica and I am the Client Coordinator at Nutritional Zest. I am excited to be a part of the team, assisting all of you on your wellness journey!

I strive to live a holistic lifestyle and have suffered with chronic health issues made better with lifestyle changes, a clean diet, supplementation, physical and mental health, and dedication! 

I spend a lot of my free time hanging out with my 2 children and husband, exploring the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I also enjoy hiking with friends, foraging, studying herbalism, reading the next great novel, gardening, yoga, and taking care of my growing collection of indoor plants! 


ERICA 

Client Coordinator

With the years of education I received, plus my personal experiences, I developed the Nutritional Zest Way that has yielded amazing results with the countless individuals I’ve seen.

Our goal is to change your  relationship with food, balance your body and help you live up to your full potential by: 

• Finding foods that work for   
  your body.
• Healing the gut, digestion, 
  metabolism, hormones &
  correcting nutrient imbalances
• Moving and exercising
• Managing stress with simple   
  daily practices
• Implementing a short-term 
  supplement 
protocol to jump
  start your healing (if needed)
• Learning how to eat consciously & 

  make peace with food
• Clinical Lab Testing, for Food 
  Sensitivity/ Allergy, Parasite, 
  Hormone, GI Health

The
Nutritional
Zest Way

LET'S TALK!

Let's create the perfect plan for you and get you living the way you were meant to live.

My passion
for holistic nutrition grew from my own personal health journey. 

LEARN MORE

Education

Nutritional Therapy Association

Nutritional Therapy Institute

BioIndividual Nutrition Institute

Northeastern University

Focus on nutrition science and therapeutic diet application

Registered Nurse

Restorative Wellness Solutions

Functional lab 
testing and results interpretation