Ashley (A to Z) Zipfel is a registered dietician who sees diet and nutrition as key factors both in our physical health and in how we deal with daily stress. But she knows we are all different, and she does not prescribe the same recipe for everyone.
At A to Z Holistic Nutrition, her health coaching is based on understanding her clients inside and out and working in partnership with them to find diets and practices that best suit their needs. Among the things she considers with her clients are habits, exercise, mindset, environment, and stress level, in addition to diet. Early on, Ashley does food-sensitivity testing. That leads to LEAP, a diet plat catered to each client’s needs.
Among her areas of expertise are: weight management, nutrition across the lifespan, women’s health, gastrointestinal disorders, and navigating the complex world of a gluten-free diet. Her health coaching – a collaboration on a client’s unique goals – includes making positive choices; building better habits; reducing anxiety; finding balance; boosting your passion, enthusiasm, and sense of purpose; and “making simple positives changes related to food.”
In her holistic approach, Ashley recognizes that some people might be well-served by care that goes beyond diet, nutrition, and coaching.
“Many people I come in contact with are leery about health care in general and mental health in particular. I don’t to do mental health – I do coaching. Mental health has a taboo. I’m kind of a go-between who can work in tandem with a therapist. And for clients who may benefit from a particular expertise, Ashley has a network of other “holistic minded” practitioners.
She also notes that “there is a psychological side to nutrition.” Habits, for example. She says many people are looking to change how they do things – not necessarily focused on losing weight, but being in better shape and feeling good. “We dive into simple habit changes, she says. “What are you eating? How do you do little things you’ve always done? Tweaking can make a big difference. You can totally change a lot of things in your life with one little change that affects other things.”
After earning an undergraduate degree in Communication and Business from The Ohio State University, Ashley received a postgraduate degree in Dietetics from University of Cincinnati. She also served a one-year Dietetic Internship at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton. Through more than 200 hours in continuing education, Ashley gained extensive training in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, food sensitivities, and Health Coaching methods and techniques centered around habit change.
Web Chick recently updated the website for A to Z Holistic Nutrition – and is now a client and fan of A to Z care.
