#BEYOUROWN MEETS JESSICA LORIN ELIZONDO

Jessica Lorin Elizondo is the clinical nutritionist at Corrective Chiropractic. She is a certified nutritional consultant (CNC) and has also been certified through Applied Nutritional Analysis. Jessica wholeheartedly believes in the body’s ability to heal from the inside out and utilises alternative and holistic methods for supporting the body’s natural function, such as nutrition response testing, blood work, and saliva testing.

As the nutritionist on staff, she works one-on-one with clients to understand and support her or his nutritional needs so each person can function at an optimal level.  She sees clients who range from in-the-womb to the elderly. Jessica also loves to walk alongside pregnant moms during that special season of life, as well as those wanting to have a baby. Giving the body proper nutrition prior to conceiving and while carrying a child is so important so Jessica will work with women to give them the best support possible!

Hey, Jessica, can you introduce yourself to us?

Hi everyone! My name is Jessica, and I am a clinical nutritionist in Atlanta, GA. Some of my favorite techniques to use with clients are Nutrition Response Testing (i.e. Muscle Testing), functional blood work analysis, and saliva testing analysis. I love meeting people and partnering alongside them on their health journeys. After all, we have all been created to live full and fulfilling lives. So my goal is to help everyone thrive and be their healthiest selves!

Can you tell us a little bit about you and your career background?

For sure! My career began in an unexpected way. I studied Anthropology in college, focusing on the issue of sex trafficking in our culture, and I desired to move to Atlanta to help fight it here because Atlanta has the highest sex trafficking rate in our country. Another passion that grew was my love for food and it’s power to be used to heal the body. Long story short, I landed a job in a chiropractic office with an open-minded boss who said, “I have no nutrition program, but if you come run my office for me, you can start to create your own.” Now, five years later, I have my own practice within the office. It’s been a huge blessing.

Can you talk to us about your own personal health journey and how you discovered the healing power of certain foods?

My journey to a practitioner started like many others’ – from a personal experience. Growing up in my teen and college years, I battled indigestion, acne, hormone imbalance, and weight fluctuations. But I thought I was eating correctly. Little did I know, my body was all out of whack, and I needed some serious detox. Through many years of learning and partnering with incredible holistic practitioners, my body is finally feeling balanced and vibrant!

Why do you think so many of us believe that eating well, both nutritionally and tastefully is a chore?

Fueling the body well can certainly be a great deal of work. And it takes intentionality and preparation. However, as I explain it to my clients, we can either invest now or pay later, both time-wise and financially. Either way, we are going to have to put in some kind of effort – either with good food and personal care OR with doctors visits and medical bills. It’s a matter of priority and how we want to pay.

Also, eating well and practicing healthy lifestyles can be fun! Grab your best friend or family member and a great playlist on a weekend, and chop all those veggies for the week!

Can you talk to us about how you are teaching us about the powerful effect food has on our bodies and how you are encouraging us to maintain a healthier, more fruitful way of living.

Absolutely! Speaking and teaching about food is one of my greatest passions because people can dramatically change the trajectory of their health journeys with simple modifications and steps. I use a few outlets to do so,

1. My clinical nutrition practice in Atlanta, GA

2. My IG and blog over on @more_than_food and also online at www.morethanfoodnutrition.com

3. Speaking engagements at different companies & homes. In the office, we look at the body’s needs from a physiological perspective and learn what is needed for the best detox and organ support, nutritionally. So we see food as a means of fuel and energy. With MTF, I explain simple recipes and food swaps people can make to start altering their perspectives on what a healthy eating lifestyle looks like.

The goal is to make health easily accessible to all. Lastly, for the speaking engagements, we discuss food myths and ways to switch up typical health habits for a more vibrant life.

Can you talk to us about the Heal Program you offer?

In the office, we utilise a testing method called Nutrition Response Testing (NRT), which is a non-invasive technique that analyzes the function and state of the body. We also use other tests as needed, such as blood work, saliva testing, etc. Then, once we discover a root cause, we use foods and herbs to help detox and nutritionally support the physiology of the body. Other ways of helping people create change include a variety of Kitchen Detoxes, Grocery Shopping Tours, Prenatal and Breastfeeding Support, and Speaking opportunities at offices, homes, and organizations.

Any challenging times you have had to overcome? When were they and how did you learn to overcome them?

Professionally, I have definitely experienced some challenges, especially working in this field. When I partner with people’s health, unfortunately, it is not as linear as “Oh, this is wrong, so take this, and don’t eat that.” In today’s world, health is complex and layered, so there have been some cases that have really challenged me in ways I haven’t ever experienced. These moments really test my faith in the body’s innate nature to heal itself. Thankfully, I have the best mentors and a team of supporters who are vital players on my team when cases like this are presented.

Which methods are you using to build your audience and expand your network?

Social media is key in this current culture, so we are working to build and Instagram and Facebook following with the goal of reaching more people. The more people we are able to reach, the more health information can get into the hands of our neighbors. The healthier our neighbors are, the stronger our community gets. And when we have strong communities, everyone prospers.

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date?

One of the best pieces of advice is from my dad- he said, “Always focus on the client and what’s best for her/him. If you always put the person first (rather than the business, money, etc.), people will be changed, and your business will grow exponentially. Because it’s always about the people.” And so right he’s been.

That sounds right in our eyes too! What would you tell your 18-year-old self?

I would tell my 18-year-old self to keep the faith, to keep walking the path created just for me to walk. And trust in God’s plan, though it will be drastically different than you ever imagined-but so much better!

Now then, what does success look like in your eyes?

To me, success means understanding our own purposes, pursuing them with a whole heart, and seeing the world change because of it.

What does #BEYOUROWN mean to you?

#BEYOUROWN is a call to stay in our lanes, doing the work we have been designed to do. And to do it with love, passion, and excitement! How neat that we are all here for a common goal of bettering the world, and we each get to do so in such different ways.

Lastly, what is next for you 2018?

2018 is proving to be an exciting year already! I plan to keep supplying resources, recipes, and information to folks about living the healthiest lives they can. We are also doing some new and neat testing techniques in the office, as well, that are working to truly get to the bottom of the health epidemics that are impacting people’s lives. I am looking forward to the new adventures it has in store!

Instagram: @more_than_food

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIAmgEPrU1vuOL81JSqaKdA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morethanfood1/

Website: http://www.morethanfoodnutrition.com