159 | What Social Media Gets Wrong About Nutrition

Nutrition Advice Needs More Nuance.

Your patients are hearing a lot online: fix your gut, avoid processed foods, buy organic, take a probiotic, and eat the “right” foods if you want to be healthy.

But nutrition is rarely that simple.

In this episode, I’m joined by Registered Dietitian Manju Karkare to talk about how clinicians can respond to common nutrition questions with more nuance, less fear, and advice that actually fits the patient’s life.

We cover gut health, probiotics, processed foods, organic produce, cultural food traditions, food access, and where integrative and functional nutrition can be helpful without overcomplicating care.

What You’ll Learn:

• The simple gut health framework Manju uses: fiber, fluid, and movement 
•  Why probiotic supplements may have a place, but are not a replacement for feeding the gut microbiome well 
•  How to explain processed and ultra-processed foods without creating more fear or food shame 
•  How to talk about organic produce in a way that is evidence-based, realistic, and budget-conscious 
•  Why asking “Where do you shop?” can completely change the nutrition advice you give 
•  How cultural humility helps clinicians give better, more personalized nutrition recommendations 
•  Why “Tell me more” might be one of the most powerful questions you can ask in a patient visit 

Connect with Manju on Instagram

Join the Obesity Medicine Course and get 16% off with code SWEET16 here

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

The podcast hit 100,000 downloads this week, which is insane. And since you're listening right now, I want you to know that you made that possible. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you. It means more to me than I can really put into words. So as a thank you, and because this week my daughter turned 16, I'm still emotionally recovering from that, I'm running a 16% off promo to the Obesity Medicine Nutrition course. So you can use code SWET16 at examroomnutrition.com slash course to get 16% off and earn 10 and a half continuing education credits while you learn how to feel more confident talking about nutrition and obesity medicine. All right, well, enough celebrating. Welcome back to the Exam Room Nutrition Podcast. I'm your host, Colleen Sloan. I'm a registered dietitian MPA, and today's conversation is basically a breath of fresh air for anyone who's tired of social media scaring our patients from eating every single food. My guest Manju is a registered dietitian who works in integrative and functional nutrition, and she helps us zoom out from the fear-based headlines and look at the whole patient. In this episode, we're starting out with gut health, because it seems like everyone is trying to quote fix their gut, but what does that even mean? Manju gives us a much better way to respond when a patient is convinced that they need probiotics, a cleanse, or the perfect gut healing supplement. Then we talk about fiber, my favorite nutrient, but not in the eat more vegetables kind of way. Manju gives us a simple framework that makes gut health advice feel practical, flexible, and way less overwhelming for patients. We also get into processed foods and why the phrase processed food kills is not only oversimplified, but can actually make our counseling less helpful. And probably my favorite part is how we talk about culture, access, and how to make nutrition advice fit into a person's actual life. Throughout this episode, Manju shares really helpful counseling tips and strategies to make your education really stick. So get comfy or grab your coffee and enjoy my conversation with Menju. Well, Manju, I am so thrilled to have you on the podcast. We have a lot of cool topics we're going to talk about today. So thanks for being here.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

You're welcome. I really appreciate you having me. I enjoy listening to your podcast myself. So it's quite an honor to be a guest.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Yes, thank you. All right. So I want to start with social media. I have a love-hate relationship with social media. And a lot of influencers on social media tell our patients and society at large that we need to worry and focus on one ingredient or one food is toxic and one glucose spike is going to ruin your health. And so I would love to hear from your perspective. What are our patients missing when they focus so narrowly? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:03

And, you know, what a great question. And I think this is something on the minds of almost all healthcare practitioners, the impact social media is having, right? It is great that we have access to information and people can research and learn about things. But I also feel social media is, you know, geared towards very short attention spans. It is about sensational, something that is catchy and things like that. And that's why it kind of tends to be about very singular topics or singular foods, things like that. What they're really missing is the forest for the trees, right? It is not really about one thing. Our bodies don't work like that in isolation. Even the systems in our body don't work by themselves. You know, what is good for your gut isn't necessarily good for something else. And it's really about the overall pattern, what we eat over weeks or months, or 80% of the time versus that one time when you went on a weekend and had a celebration or something. And I will always say that it is about that cumulative effect, something we do all the time. Let's, you know, step back a minute and take a look at the whole picture. Because where your health is actually being shaped is not in that one meal, one thing.

SPEAKER_00 4:33

You know, it is easy to hyperfocus on one thing. And social media does a great job of that. They really make you really scared of that one thing. And I think we've really learned a lot about the interplay between nutrients and our body with the food matrix. And I'm thinking about dairy specifically. You know, years ago, we would say the saturated fat and whole milk is is harmful for your health. And we've really learned that there are so many things that are in there, in the ingredients of dairy itself, that are actually quite beneficial. And the saturated fat is not the same as if you would compare it to bacon or sausage or something like that. So I think that type of education can really help a patient. True. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 5:14

And you you said it right. There isn't one aspect of one food that's, you know, just when research is done, yes, they're isolating specific ingredients, especially for us to learn about that part. But when we eat food, we are not eating an ingredient or whatever parts of it in nutrients in isolation. We eat that as a whole. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 5:41

All right, you mentioned a buzzword. You said gut, and I want to start there. Uh I want to start with gut health. Because this is patients are really focused on this right now. So I would love to hear what do you think patients are getting wrong about their gut health?

SPEAKER_01 5:55

So the fun part about gut health, as you said, it is a buzzword. You know, definitely no doubt about that. Uh, unfortunately, um, the misconception out there is that, okay, I can take this, or I can, you know, have this probiotic or this um concoction of something or these particular ingredients in my smoothie that's going to fix my gut. Right. Um, one of the hardest things I think as registered dietitians, we have to think about is that there isn't a magic pill, or there isn't a magic food for that matter, either. Then sometimes it's helpful to understand how much they already know about gut health because they might be talking about, oh, I need to fix this. I need, I need, I'm talking about gut health, and I know that's it's my gut, everything's in my gut. I'm like, okay, what do you, what, what what does that mean to you? And tell me about what you uh take it as. Is it about um not being able to go to the bathroom every day? Is it about bloating? Is it about not feeling good after you eat certain foods? What is it that to you means it needs to be fixed? And that helps me then uh kind of explain what that could be. Uh, it could be related to a particular food that their body is maybe, you know, not so happy with. Uh, it's okay, everybody's bodies are different. And the whole symbiotic relationship about the microbes in our gut and helping them understand also is like, no, we need the microbes and the microbes need us. So we have to take care of feeding those microbes appropriately. And again, so it's not about fixing the gut, it's really about how we take care of the environment in the gut so that your gut can actually do its function appropriately.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

Yeah, I love how you start with an understanding of what the patient knows or what their definition of whatever statement or claim that they're talking about, because it could be something very different than what you are assuming. So when I mentor students and PAs and talking about nutrition, I always tell them you need to answer a question with another question so that you can gather a lot of information. So you're not just wasting time sharing facts about something. And you guys are talking about two totally different things. So you gave the perfect example of they might say, I need to fix my gut, and you might be thinking, oh, they need probiotics and prebiotics and more fiber. And they're thinking, oh, I bloat after meals, right? So you got to make sure that you are in alignment and you understand what the patient knows and what exactly what their goals are. I know I don't love majority statements, but for most patients, what are some of your favorite like gut health foods that you suggest?

SPEAKER_01 8:42

And, you know, it is so interesting. I recently just wrote optimizing gut health as a resource for dietitians as well as for consumers for the vegetarian nutrition uh DPG as one of the resource uh things. And uh again, you know, looking at it's not one particular food, right? It's a variety of different things. And if I had to just simplify in a phrase, it is always fiber, fluid, and movement. And if with those three words, how it applies to each person could be a little bit different. But we are looking at fiber, not just as are you adding fiber powder, are you adding, you know, it's also a variety of fiber. The soluble and insoluble both are important. And they can come from a variety of sources. So similarly, again, asking the you know, client or the patient first about, you know, what what do you think has fiber? You know, where is so even if I have said those three words to them that it's about fiber fluid and movement, uh, tell me where fiber comes in your diet. You know, what do you think has fiber that you're eating every day? And looking at that variety, helping them understand what are the quantities, what how much do we need? Somebody says, How much should I really have? And I'll say, okay, 25 to 30 grams every day, you know, but most Americans actually don't get even half of that every day. So I wish I could say, okay, I would absolutely put blueberries in that uh thing and spinach, and uh, but instead I leave it as general categories of fiber, fluid, and movement. And I always like to say movement instead of exercise because when people hear, oh, exercise, I'm like, oh, I don't like to go to the gym, or I don't like to do this, or you know, the first gut reaction is what we don't want to do. And instead I say movement. And children, you know, or people who have children, I will say, you know what, just go in the backyard after dinner. Go play with them for a little while instead of just sitting down after dinner. That is movement. That's okay. Same thing with fluids. I will say, oh, I don't like to drink water. I'm like, okay, what do you like to drink? Do you like sparkling water or flavored waters? And there are so many things on the market right now that people can take advantage of.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

So I love those three categories. I think that is a way better approach than like what you had just said. Oh, yes, um, kale and spinach and blueberries and walnuts, because you know what happens when you say those foods, they're gonna say, I don't like those. And like then you're kind of stuck and you wasted a couple minutes of education. And for a primary care PA, that time is precious. So I love the broader categories of fiber, fluids, and movement because then it really allows for a lot of personalization for the patient to then list ones that they do like rather than you just prescribing them some food. So I love that approach, Manju.

SPEAKER_01 11:47

Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

All right, let's talk about probiotics because this is another really common thing. It kind of waxes and wanes with popularity in social media. And so I'm curious, where do those fit in? And I first want to hear probiotic supplements. Where where do you where do they fit in? Do you think patients should take them? Or are we really over-relying on them?

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Um, uh, first of all, again, having worked in gut health for a long time, I will say probiotics do have a place. Okay. And there are so many very specific strains that we now know research about and a variety of different conditions, um, you know, including glucose management, right? We know a lot more about a very specific strain or probiotic that it can help beyond just the gut health part. But it is important to help people understand that probiotics are also a supplement. It's supplement, not replacement. You know, you can act, you we have microbes in our gut already. For some reason, all the healthy ones may not be there right now, or we may have to re-inoculate. And then, yes, again, that's another place where probiotics will have a place to kind of get started in that. But then to keep them alive once they are re-inoculated, we have to again focus on that fiber. Because sometimes I break it down to as simple as, like, you know, we have a symbiotic relationship with these microbes in our gut. They depend on us to feed them the right kind of things so they can survive there and continue to help us. But they're not just gonna be there. So just taking a probiotic and never actually eating any good, they're just gonna get washed out. They're not actually gonna make a home in your gut. And so we have to help them live there. So, yes, probiotics may have a place, but then it is still up to us to make sure that we can actually feed them appropriately so that they will continue to live there.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

Yeah, it's I think it's a really great explanation because I think some patients just think like, I'll just take two capsules a day and I'm good. And it's far more complicated than that. And, you know, the research on probiotics is very fascinating. So we could, if you guys are interested in an entire probiotic episode, send me a message at Exam Room Nutrition and we can kind of break down probiotics a little bit more deeply uh in a future episode. But Menju, I want to talk a little bit about processed foods. I think the phrase processed food kills uh became very popularized and there was a lot of fear placed behind it thanks to the Meg Tyson Super Bowl ad. And so, you know, now they're just labeled as bad across the board. If it's processed, it's got to be bad. So I'm really curious to understand how do you help patients move from that like all or nothing thinking?

SPEAKER_01 14:34

Yeah, and it is very common, right? Most of the times, just like we were talking earlier, they're either fixated on one particular food or one particular supplement or one particular concept, right? In terms of oh-processed. And similar to what we were talking about earlier, I do have to step back a little bit and ask, what does processed foods mean to you? You know, have you heard the term process versus ultra-process? What does that look like to you? What are some of the foods that you think might be part of your routine intake that might be processed? And people will sometimes even say things like, oh, I don't want to buy any canned food because it's all processed. And I would have to say, okay, well, let's think about that. You know, not all processing is bad for us. There is some processing that is actually good for our health, like pasteurization of milk, for example. Or, you know, the canned foods are not all necessarily bad. So canned beans are actually phenomenal and they are such a convenient source of good quality protein that also comes with fiber, right? And trying to help uh elevate some processed foods. All processing is not bad. And sometimes even talking about, you know, our cooking at home every day is processing the food. We have to process some foods in order to make them edible. It is when a food that has been completely turned into something else, and you can't even tell what was the actual original ingredient in this. Yeah, I I can think about that being ultra-processed, maybe. And again, it is looking back at the pattern, overall intake, uh, the frequency of just because you ate chips one time or once a week doesn't mean that your intake of ultra-processed foods is extremely high. Uh, looking at the overall pattern is so much more important. And it's not binary. And it's not whether it's processed or ultra-processed, right? As dietitians, we are really um helping our clients move away from good versus bad, or this is healthy, or this is not. It's not just black and white like that. So just trying to walk away from the binary part about oh, processed is bad and all processing is bad, uh, helping people understand that part.

SPEAKER_00 17:10

It's so complicated, the terminology of like a processed food. And really, even nutrition researchers don't always agree on what qualifies as a processed, ultra-processed, minimum, minimally processed. So when social media tries to make it less complex, they're oversimplifying something that's that's very, very challenging. And I actually had a PhD dietitian come on, she's a nutrition researcher on the podcast in episode 148. That would be a great one for you guys to listen to after this one if you want to dig a little bit deeper into processing, because she unpacked the Nova classification system that we have. And even within that, it's complicated. And some incredibly healthy foods are quote unquote processed. And then I'm um fascinated with this because, like you had said, Manju, it really depends on the patient. You have to personalize it because there are some ultra-processed foods that I actually recommend for some of my teen athletes because they're a great source of quick carbohydrates for them, right? So it really depends on the patient, on their situation, on their physical activity levels, like on so many things.

SPEAKER_01 18:17

And there are different needs, like you said, but beyond needs, it's also access. What do you have access to? I always ask my patients, where do they shop? You know, where do they get food? How often do they get food? Um, that matters. And access is such a big part of this as well.

SPEAKER_00 18:37

I'm so glad you went there because I feel like I've been saying this in like every recent episode is that uh social media and honestly, unfortunately, our politicians right now, there's a very elitist opinion about nutrition and recommendations have become very almost like only high society people can afford it. We forget that there are a lot of our patients, Americans in poverty. And so when we are recommending certain foods that they don't even have access to, the amount of shame and guilt that they can feel is very damaging. And so I love that question of where do you shop? I also love screening for food insecurity because really your nutrition recommendations have to meet the patient where they are. You know, also thinking about what do they have in their house? Do they have a microwave? Do they have a refrigerator? Do they have a stove, an oven? Not everyone has these, and we can't just assume they have these conveniences to be able to prepare. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

And you know, when quinoa was the big thing, if you remember, uh, I remember my clients asking me about so, so what is it? Like, how do you? I'm like, okay, you know what? That is not like the only health food, okay? There are a lot of other whole grains you can eat. It doesn't have to be just, or when kale had its moment, right? It's again, these singular foods when they all of a sudden they take on, right now, I think proteins the media angel. Uh, I'm kind of waiting for fiber to have its media moment at some point. I don't know when that will be, but uh maybe it's just not as, you know, sensational enough. Uh I tell my clients all the time, like, there are very few people in the United States that may have protein deficiency, okay? Yes. That is just not a thing. Um, but I'm not saying that you don't need protein, but it there isn't a deficiency of it. What there is a deficiency of for sure is fiber. I know it's not, it's not as, you know, sexy to talk about fiber on social media, but maybe one day it will have its moment.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

Yep. So it had a brief moment um called fiber maxing. So that I was like, okay, well, fiber is getting the spotlight, but like in the complete wrong way. And everybody's having like bloating and gas and feels so uncomfortable. I'm like, of course, you just ate 30 grams of fiber in like a minute. That's not how we're recommending you to have fiber.

SPEAKER_01 21:03

Honestly, the whole max concept, yes, it doesn't matter whether it's fiber or something else. We don't need to max it in one meal, right? It yes, we need all of them, but it doesn't have to come all in one uh or in just one smoothie or one something. We don't need to overdo any one nutrient.

SPEAKER_00 21:25

Exactly. So, in talking about access, I get this question, and honestly, it's debated all the time, and I'm actually very passionate about this and how I answer this question is should I be buying organic? So I would love to hear your perspective on how you answer this with your patients.

SPEAKER_01 21:43

My honest and evidence based answer is that eating more fruits and vegetables matters far more than whether they're organic. The data doesn't show that there is a significant health benefit. It. Okay. There are people who are very sensitive. And I work with people who have food allergies or food sensitivities or they have some very significant gut-related issues. Okay. Where even small variations are really going to cause significant side effects. Okay. Maybe there are some foods we can take a look at and say if you absolutely have to buy organic, I would focus on these. Even for organic foods, there are certain number of herbicides and pesticides and things that are approved. It doesn't mean it is free of that food still needs to be washed. It still needs to food safety is still important, whether it's organic or not. And if you absolutely would feel better by buying something organic, focus on the things that you're going to eat raw and you're going to eat them as a whole. So buying organic bananas, does it really matter? I'm like, you're going to peel the banana. Buying organic onions. I'm like, okay, you're not really eating the onion peel. So helping people understand where they want to really put their resources. I think, you know, especially recently, everything has become more and more expensive, including food cost. So we all want to be really thoughtful about making sure that our dollar goes further. And again, access uh at the same time, making sure that the person's resources or the limited resources they have are still they're able to use to provide them proper nutrition. So it's not always just about organic or not, but also really looking at, you know, what does that really mean in the overall dietary pattern?

SPEAKER_00 23:57

Yeah, it brings it back to you can't just say, oh, yes, organic is better. Everyone needs organic, or no, it's not. And I get very upset when I see arguments online that, you know, you must have organic. Well, if the person cannot afford organic produce, I would rather they buy traditional apples, oranges, grapes, whatever produce they want, then not. Or to feel ashamed for buying traditional, conventional produce. There's no reason for that. The evidence does not say that organic is nutritionally superior. And I think that's what patients need to understand. If you want to, you can afford it, and you feel better eating organic, by all means, go for it. But do not put that on someone else who cannot afford it or maybe has to put their funds to something else. Traditional conventional produce is just as good. Well, in keeping in line with the topic of food access, a lot of nutrition advice also doesn't account for culture and cultural differences. Especially, I would say, the new dietary guidelines and the upside-down pyramid. Um, I actually did an entire episode on this with a round table of registered dietitians. And we had a great conversation talking about the new guidelines. And so it's episode 146, when culture is erased from nutrition guidelines. And I would love, Manju, your kind of outlook on that. And how do you ensure that your recommendations really do fit within someone's life?

SPEAKER_01 25:22

Yeah. First of all, I asked a lot of questions. Okay. And what does your typical day look like? You know, walk me through your day. What does your family eat? So, really thinking about that gives me an idea also about who else is in the family. Because in certain cultures, there are multi-generational families. And it is very well proven that when there are multi-generational families, usually the elders in the family, their food choices usually are reflected in the meals that are served. Um, that is pretty common. But when you understand about okay, so what are the family meals, what foods bring you comfort or connection? You know, that kind of tells me a little bit more about their sometimes traditional uh foods or some food customs around it. And I even ask about, and I mentioned to you this earlier about who does the shopping, who does the cooking kind of things, right? Because that also tells me how much, you know, effort or how much time does one have, you know, who's who do we need to be talking about, reading the labels and things like that? Because the person who's shopping obviously needs to be involved. And then to the traditions and customs point. Are there specific meal traditions? Are there customary foods that are eaten maybe at certain times of the year or some festivals or uh holidays or birthday celebrations, even, right? It doesn't always have to be something related to a particular uh religious custom or something like that. But every family sometimes has things. My family growing up, my kids had a birthday week. So the entire birthday week, they got to choose their menu. And every day for the whole week, they could have meals of their choice, right? It was just something we did as a family. There can be traditions like that. Not everybody has cake, for example, on a birthday. And one of my favorite phrases, and people who have heard me, I've done a lot of talks on cultural humility and you know, been on different cultural panels and things like that. My favorite question is always, tell me more. So when someone starts telling something and I really want them to elaborate on that, um, I'm always saying, okay, tell me more about that. Again, learning more about the person, about their uh routines, and just that tell me more, right? I can create almost a story about this person in my head or a picture. Culture isn't just about where I came from, or I eat only Indian food, or I eat uh vegetarian. So it's not just about like someone is from a different country, just really where they are and how their family traditions and customs have an impact. Uh, it's just I I love to hear the story, and I feel that it also builds a better connection with the person and builds that trust uh in me as a provider so that I can really meet them where they are.

SPEAKER_00 28:36

That was so beautifully said. And that tell me more question not only gives you really good information so that your advice can be very personalized for them, but also helps the client feel seen. You know, we go through this life and it's so easy to just be dismissed all the time, but really allowing someone to share more than just a 24-hour dietary food recall, really share about what their life looks like outside of your clinic walls. Oh gosh, that just makes them feel so seen, heard, validated. And like you said, like they can trust you. So I love your approach so much. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 29:12

And I would rather help someone make one meaningful shift that really works, you know, for their actual life, rather than again give a perfect meal plan and like, okay, this is exactly what it is, you know, it's all that's not gonna be sustainable.

SPEAKER_00 29:28

And probably not very joyful. I also remind people we also need to like enjoy our life. And that includes the food and the people that we eat those foods with. So I love that. Definitely. Okay, you work in integrative and functional nutrition, and this is sort of like a divide amongst evidence-based practitioners, and often it's a big C between us of like, you know, you're just talking about herbs, and nothing you recommend is, you know, based on science. And then the opposite is like, you only are very reactive, you don't do any preventative medicine at all. And so there's just this bicker back and forth. And I so I would love if you can, you know, educate me a little bit on what parts of functional nutrition, functional medicine do you think are actually really helpful and do have some evidence behind it? And then, and then where do you think it's overcomplicated or maybe even a little bit salesy and kind of preying on individuals who have certain symptoms that are promised to be, you know, fixed? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:30

Um, I'm so glad you asked that because uh I am the incoming chair for dietitians in integrative and functional medicine DPG. But I realize more and more that most dietitians actually do practice some form of integrative, maybe not functional, but integrative uh nutrition, right? Because we really do think about the whole person. And it is the whole person health part that is very much, you know, the integrative part. Now, functional does get a little bit more nuanced where then they're you're looking at the functional qualities of specific foods, or there are specific different tests that go beyond, you know, your usual normal metabolic panel and things like that. But the strengths are real, right? The emphasis on certain food qualities or attention to the gut-brain uh connection. We've talked a lot about the gut health. Really looking at all lifestyle factors, what is their social life like? What is their gut function like? What is their stress? What is their sleep? What are their are there any environmental stressors? Uh so looking at like the whole picture, right? And those lifestyle factors really putting them all together rather than each individual one of them. Um, most dietitians already do that part, right? And then that there is also evidence aligned, right? Some of the things that may have come through customs and traditions and things like that, where there may not, uh, we may not have known the evidence. And I'll tell you a funny story. For example, turmeric. Turmeric has become like the uh, you know, star of supplements uh lately, right? And growing up, my grandmother, uh, you know, we never had band-aids. We if we fell, we did something or bruises, you know, on our knees or elbows or whatever. She would quickly open her spice jar, put a dab of turmeric on it, and boom, off we went. You know, we never got infections, this, that. We were always out playing. And later did I learn, you know, going into nutrition school and doing my master's, whatnot, the anti-inflammatory properties of, right? Now, so did I know the science then? Did my grandmother actually know maybe, maybe not. My grandmother went to school only up to seventh grade. But it was known, right? So it some things may have been handed down from generation to generation because they had known medicinal or functional properties. Uh, similar to that, um, there are other mind-body modalities, which are also part of the integrative and functional nutrition aspect, because we're looking at the whole person. We're looking at the stress management. Learning yoga growing up, I had no idea about all this research there actually exists already. Okay. But yeah, there is a lot of research now available, even though it is a thousands-year-old modality that was used by, you know, lots of uh civilizations actually. And I'm just picking yoga because that's what I know. But I know there are a lot of, you know, tai Chi and you know, uh Qigong and many other modalities that have thousands and thousands and thousands of years of practice and experience. Now, is it the typical randomized controlled, double-blinded, whatever, whatever trial, uh, you know, it maybe not that way, because some human trials are not possible. And they're unethical, actually, some of them. Uh, but that doesn't mean there isn't evidence, right? And then do no harm is obviously the first part, right? Is it actually harmful? And when people actually come to me and talk to me about supplements, there have been times when I have asked people, you know, there is no need for you to take that. You're unnecessarily adding things for your body to have to process these. So integrative and functional dietitian doesn't mean that you, oh, you're gonna just write a whole list of tests and um, you know, supplements and things like that. Integrative and functional nutrition personalizes things even more. Because a lot of times what has happened is the clients have already done what we call conventional. Okay, I'm using air quotes here because um that's where the tension is between conventional and right. But I always say it's not conventional or integrative. I like to look at it as conventional and integrative. Medications are sometimes necessary, but it doesn't mean that you know you don't take this and you just take these supplements. And it's there may be some things that will help in addition, but it may not take place of your medications. I think sometimes it's easy for us to, oh, that must not be, you know, I'm thinking just because I don't know enough about it. Yeah. No.

SPEAKER_00 35:36

But that's that doesn't mean it's not, uh, there is no evidence. Manju, I love your passion for nutrition and I love your approach to working with clients. I've just learned so much from you. So thank you so much. Now, if people want to connect with you offline or even work with you, where would you send them?

SPEAKER_01 35:52

I have an Instagram handle uh at ManjuRD. Uh, I also have a website, nutritionallyyours nc.com. Uh, and I have also recently started uh working with Nourish to help broaden my reach across the states since I'm now licensed in 14 different states.

SPEAKER_00 36:13

Awesome. So I will absolutely link down to all of that down below. So definitely get connected with Manju. But thank you so much for sharing your insights today, Manju. It's been a pleasure. Thank you, Colleen. I appreciate having this conversation. And thank you guys for carving out some time for nutrition today. I will see you next week.