Michele Peters MS, RDN, IFNCP
Meet Michele Peters
My love of food and cooking began at an early age, learning beside my Lebanese grandmother. I enjoyed preparing meals for my family and treasured the camaraderie and exchanges that took place around the dinner table.
After graduating college I found cooking allowed me the flexibility to work and travel. My desire to expand my knowledge led me to the Culinary Institute of America to earn an associates degree. More travel and cooking ensued which eventually led me to volunteering aboard the maiden voyage of a tall ship that was providing medical care to the residents of the remote atolls of the Marshall Islands.
Influence
It was during this year in the Marshall Islands that I witnessed the detrimental health consequences the western diet could have on a population. The Marshallese have one of the highest rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes in the world. I decided to learn more about the role that food played in the development of these chronic, debilitating conditions.
I went on to earn my Masters in Nutrition and completed the didactic internship to become a Registered Dietician Nutritionist.
Food
Food and its ability to nourish and unite us has always been a central theme in my life. While earning credentialing in integrative and functional nutrition I came to understand how powerful our food choices are, and that food is information to our cells. What we eat and other lifestyle factors have the ability to send signals to our genes. These signals will then either positively or negatively impact the expression of various genes. The choices we make on a daily basis impact our health and well being. A “whole food as medicine” approach is central to my dogma and recommendations. As an integrative and functional nutritionist I am always searching for the root cause of any imbalance and what we can do to correct and restore balance for optimal health.
I am grateful for all I have learned throughout my journey and eager to share my love for food and nutrition and to help everyone feel their best.