Finding Symptom Relief Through Nutrition: Tedd’s Story

For decades, Tedd struggled with gastrointestinal symptoms, allergies, and fatigue. Despite eliminating foods that made him feel sick, trying different medications, and visiting several doctors, nothing seemed to help. Then a friend suggested he see a dietitian at Culina Health. 

After meeting with Culina Health CEO and registered dietitian Vanessa Rissetto, MS, RDN, Tedd finally started to see positive results. In this interview, Tedd discusses how working with a dietitian has helped him find long-lasting symptom relief. 

What challenges or goals initially brought you to Culina Health?

I’ve suffered from allergies for about 40 years but I had never gone to a dietitian. I just always went to a doctor for testing, and at times was prescribed drugs or told to stay off certain foods. The mantra always was “If it bothers you, don’t eat it.” But as time has gone on and the sensitivities have multiplied, it’s just gotten very challenging. It was actually a referral from a friend that sent me to Culina Health and it’s made a world of difference. 

What else have you tried in the past, and how did working with a Culina Health dietitian compare?

I’ve been avoiding foods that I have sensitivities to, but I learned that I’m actually gluten-intolerant. I thought eating more gluten-free foods was good for me, but since working with my dietitian I’ve learned that many of them are processed. In moderation, they’re fine, but I was eating too much of it and that was upsetting my system as well. 

Medications have also been helpful, but I had never received any advice about what to eat or what not to eat before, other than to avoid things that bothered me. My dietitian asks more thorough questions than doctors, and I send her pictures of what I’m eating so we can modify my diet based on that. 

What surprised you most about working with a registered dietitian?

As somebody that’s dealt with health issues for so long, I didn’t expect anything. So what surprised me most was to have a lot of success. I’ve always waited for the “aha moment” and I never expected the problem to be the type of food that I’m eating. 

“Seeking professional help can make a massive difference. Working with somebody who’s knowledgeable about what you’re putting in your body has really made a big difference for me and I didn’t expect that.”

Other than providing education and nutrition counseling, what are some ways that your registered dietitian has supported you with your GI issues and allergies?

She referred me to a phenomenal gastroenterologist who actually believes that I have Celiac disease and was just misdiagnosed 15 years ago. It’s good to know because it makes me even more determined to make sure that I don’t make an error when choosing what to eat. 

What are some big lifestyle changes that you’ve made since you started meeting with a registered dietitian?

The dietary changes were pretty big for me. I’m more cautious about the vegetables I eat — eating non-starchy vegetables instead of starchy vegetables has made a big difference. And overall just eating more fruits and vegetables. Maybe it’s logical, but I’ve finally gotten an enormous amount of relief. 

What’s your favorite part about working with a nutrition expert? Did your dietitian do anything on a daily or weekly basis that you found especially helpful?

Sending pictures of what I eat all day long makes me feel more accountable. Secondly, it’s made me more aware of the choices I make. Now I think about something before I eat it, whereas before I might’ve just eaten it. 

What challenges have you faced with nutrition coaching?

Going out to eat is still a major challenge. I actually have a business card now that lists my allergies, which is a good thing because the restaurant takes it more seriously. But half the time when I leave a restaurant I still feel lousy. So I try to replicate the same advice I get for eating at home as I do when I’m eating at a restaurant — like being more cognizant of the type of vegetables I eat, cutting back on carbohydrates, and cutting back on alcohol. 

What is something you’ve learned about nutrition that you think needs to be common knowledge?

Seeking professional help can make a massive difference. Working with somebody who’s knowledgeable about what you’re putting in your body has really made a big difference for me and I didn’t expect that. When you try to do this with the medical community, that’s not really the right place to look. I just never understood that there’s another resource that could make a difference.  

What advice do you have for someone who’s seeing a registered dietitian for the first time?

Be open minded. Don’t have preconceived notions. Listen. Give it a try and give it a little time. It takes a little trial and error at first to really get it right. I would say that within two or three weeks I was definitely on the right path. 

Interested in Working With a Registered Dietitian for Allergies or Gut Health?

At Culina Health, we believe that everyone deserves affordable, quality nutrition care from a credentialed nutrition expert. We pair patients with registered dietitians for personalized, science-based virtual nutrition care that is culturally affirming. We offer non-judgmental, sustainable, and multilingual support in all specialties, and we honor all patient backgrounds. Culina Health is proud to be clinician, women, and BIPOC owned. Start today.