Melissa Alazraki

MS, RDN, CDCES

Specialties:

Diabetes and Prediabetes
Heart and Cardiovascular Health

Patient Populations:

LGBTQIA+, Men, Neurodivergent Patients, Older adults, Patients with ADHD/ADD, Women

About Melissa

Culina Health Registered Dietitian Melissa Alazraki was working in the New York City art world when she realized she needed a career change. The lightbulb went on when she came across the Clinical Nutrition program at New York University, realizing this career would encompass her two passions—food and counseling. More than fifteen years later, she still feels that spark.

Prior to joining Culina Health, Melissa worked in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, most recently using her extensive diabetes knowledge to improve her patient’s outcomes through nutrition and lifestyle modifications at NYU Langone Health.

Melissa employs a warm, empowering, weight-neutral counseling style. She has a MS in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, and completed her dietetic internship at NYU and New York Methodist Hospital. Her speciality areas include pre-diabetes, diabetes, gestational diabetes, and cardiovascular health.

Get to Know Melissa

Favorite thing to purchase at the Farmer’s Market or Grocery Store: In-season fruit from the farmers market — so colorful, sweet and juicy. It’s a feast for the eyes and the stomach!

Grocery shopping tip: Always do a kitchen inventory and count how many nights you’ll need to cook before heading out!

Favorite nutrient-packed snack: Flavored nuts

What’s one small thing someone can do today to work toward a balanced eating pattern/lifestyle?: As you get toward the end of each day, ask yourself “Have I eaten at least one fruit and one vegetable today?” If the answer is no, try to start making your food choices for the rest of the evening accordingly.

What’s your nutrition superpower?: Making vegetables sexy.

How has your cultural culinary heritage shaped your approach to nutrition?: There is a stereotype about Jewish mothers always feeding people; and I have often reflected on how (as a Jewish mother myself) I found a profession where it is my job to make sure people are fed! The idea of making everyone feel cared for and uplifted, partly through making sure they are able to enjoy delicious food that improves their quality of life, is embedded in my DNA as a person and provider.