TestaNutrition.com
Evidence-Based Conventional, Complementary and Alternative Nutrition
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we urge you to contact a qualified health care provider.
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About the Nutritionist
Susan Testa, MS, RD
Licensed Nutritionist
Vitamin & Mineral Research

In 1991, Ms. Testa earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in
Nutrition from the State  University of New York College at Buffalo.
Ms. Testa completed her dietetic internship at the University of
Maryland Medical System and obtained Registered Dietitian licenser
in 1992. In 1999, Ms. Testa earned her Master of Science in
Integrative Health Science. Currently, she is attending the Rosalind
Franklin University of Medicine and Science at the Chicago Medical
School for an advanced degree in nutrition education. Formerly, as
associate professor at Capital University of Integrative Medicine in
the District of Columbia, she taught classes in integrative nutrition
and Western herbology. Ms. Testa has lectured at various places including Johns Hopkins and
the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and School of Nursing as well as Baltimore's
community colleges. Presently, Ms. Testa is adjunct professor at University of Marland, College
Park and teaches the application of medical nutrition therapy to undergraduate nutrition
students.  With 17 years of experience in all scopes of nutritional therapy, Ms. Testa currently
specializes in integrative nutrition which is a combination with conventional clinical, alternative
and complementary nutrition. Ms. Testa is committed to providing up-to-date and
comprehensive information on the connection between nutrition and disease that is
scientifically sound to her patients as well as the training of health care professionals.
How Does a Nutritional Therapist Work?

A nutritional therapist is a  health professional who specializes in the area of nutrition, and is
highly trained to provide safe, evidence-based dietary advice and interventions. Nutritional
therapy is the application of nutrition and health science to enable individuals to maximize their
health potential. Nutritional therapy can help alleviate a wide range of conditions and assist in
the recovery from many ill-health situations.

Nutritional therapists assess nutritional status and functional capacity. They recognize that
each person’s needs are unique, depending on a number of factors, from inherited strengths
and weaknesses to the influence of diet, lifestyle and environment. Nutritional therapists work
with clients with chronic health problems and provide advice on disease prevention and
control. The nutritional therapist will take a comprehensive client history and may use
biochemical and other types of clinical assessment to formulate a treatment plan.

How Does Nutrition Work?

Nutrition is a science that studies the relationship between diet and health. Deficiencies,
excesses and imbalances in diet can produce negative impacts on health, which may lead to
diseases as well as psychological and behavioral problems. The science of nutrition attempts
to understand how and why specific dietary aspects influence health.

The human body is made up of chemical compounds such as water, proteins, fats, nucleic
acids such as DNA/RNA, and carbohydrates. These compounds in turn consist of elements
such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, iron,
or zinc.  All of these chemical compounds and elements occur in various forms and
combinations in the human body.

The human body through necessity includes these elements that it eats and absorbs into the
bloodstream and feeds our cells that regulates our organs and the body's systems such as
the nervous system, cardiovascular-circulatory system, endocrine system and gastrointestinal
system. Our cells are the basic living units in our body and require carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins to make energy for the body. The quality and amounts of these nutrients makes a vast
difference in how efficiently our cells can make energy. So it makes sense to state that if our
cells do not have the proper nutrients-compounds then our organs and body systems will not
work at their optimal level.

It is important to consume these compounds/elements in the proper quantity and quality on a
daily basis to build and maintain healthy bodily function. Poor health or imbalance of the body's
systems can be caused by an imbalance of nutrients, either an excess or deficiency, which, in
turn, affects bodily functions cumulatively. For example , because most nutrients are involved in
cell-to-cell signalling, deficiency or excess of various nutrients affects hormonal function
indirectly. Thus, because they largely regulate the expression of genes, hormones represent a
link between nutrition and how our genes are expressed. The strength and nature of this link
are continually under investigation, but recent observations have demonstrated a pivotal role
for nutrition in hormonal activity and function and therefore in health.

About the Nutritionist's Practice Style...

The nutritionist's practice style is based on the science of human physiology. Human
physiology is the science of the mechanical, physical and biochemical functions of body
organs and the cells which they are composed. The principal level of focus is at the level of
organs and systems such as the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, circulatory
system,  gastrointenstinal-digestive system, respiratory system, urinary-kidney system,
respiratory system, immune system, endocrine system, reproductive system and
integumentary system.

Before we  talk about integrative nutrition therapy it first must be understood that there is a vast
difference between general wellness nutrition and nutrition therapy.  General nutrition are
those "general" nutrition guidelines that we all hear on the news, radio and read in magazines
and books.  Some examples of these guidelines would be "increase your fruits and
vegetables, lower your calories, eat less sweets, drink more water".  While these guidelines
aid in almost everyone's health they do not address a person's individual chemistry and make-
up.  General nutrition does not identify the underlying cause or imbalance of that individual
related to his or her current disease state and it does not identify factors that could develop into
a health problem. Just remember that nutrition can be so much more than calories,
carbohydrates, protein and fat.  This is just the tip of the iceberg!

The purpose of integrative nutrition therapy is to correct nutritional deficiencies, restore
biochemical and hormonal balance and optimize the physiological function of organs and
organ systems through the intervention and treatment of conventional, complimentary and
alternative nutritional therapy. One must realize that many serious health conditions develop
over years of undiagnosed and seemingly unrelated symptoms. And as a result we don't go to
the hospital or rush to an urgent doctor's visit until we have developed a full blown health
problem - right? We may  or may not have the symptoms or choose unknowingly to ignore
them for a long time but one day all of the sudden you have been diagnosed with a disease by
your doctor!  The detection and treatment of health issues at their point of earliest symptoms or
even before the symptoms has far better consequences  than waiting until you have the
disease. This is exactly what integrative nutrition therapy is all about! Integrative nutrition
assessments can identify risk factors for a wide variety of health problems long before they
become symptomatic, enabling individuals to take preventive measures to reduce their risk for
cancer, cardiovascular disease and other degenerative conditions. Integrative nutrition therapy
also recognizes the importance of accumulating research evidence about individual patterns
of response to environmental toxins, food additives, and prescription medications.

The leading causes of death in the American population are related to nutrition. Ideally, you
should be getting an annual nutritional risk assessment right along with your annual medical
check-up.  Don't wait until your doctor diagnoses you with a health problem or disease - you
may be on your way to diabetes or heart disease!  When integrative nutrition therapy is
successful, many of the symptoms that are the primary concern of the individual will diminish
in severity and the individual will begin to experience a renewed sense of well being and a
significant increase in health and vitality.
Herb Research
Functional Food Research
What condition can be addressed?

  • AIDS
  • Allergies
  • Alzheimer's Disease
  • Arthritis (Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid and Gout)
  • Cancer
  • Children's Health
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Colds and Flu
  • Chronic Pain
  • Constipation
  • Diabetes
  • Fatigue / Low Energy
  • Female Health Problems
  • Gastrointestinal-Digestive Disorders
  • Headaches
  • Heart Disease
  • High or Low Cholesterol
  • Hypertension
  • Kidney Disorders
  • Male Health
  • Mental Health
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Obesity and Weight Management
  • Osteoporosis
  • Preventive Nutrition
  • Respiratory Conditions
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Sports and Performance Nutrition
  • Stress
  • Vision Disorders