It’s been 15 years since Robin Hutchinson launched Healthy Nest Nutrition (HNN), a private nutrition therapy practice in Denver. Robin’s vision to help people eat better to feel better unfolded with a new degree in holistic nutritional therapy. With all three children happily at school, Robin was hard at work from 8:30am. to 2:30 p.m. for years. Then she would run to pick up the kids, carpool and make dinner. It’s been a very busy few years. Since then we have been working towards an evolution in personalized nutrition.
Food as medicine
It took a minute to connect the dots and learn how to talk about food as medicine, but this became a cornerstone of the practice. There are a few other important guiding principles that have made Healthy Nest stand the test of time. Personalized nutrition is key. No one’s life is the same as the next. Their body needs, schedules, likes and dislikes, etc. they are different and this translates into different food needs. Also, meeting people where they are and pushing them for more delicious homemade real food is key. The concept of food as fuel — and also honored for its cultural significance — recognizing that we use food for many things, including celebrations.
We’ve realized that it’s not about making perfect food choices all the time, but more about spending time and being happy about the sweet and savory foods that aren’t perfect, but definitely feed us in other ways. Combine these important factors and it’s a gentle way to create food changes that most people respond to nicely.
A change in focus
In the early years, the practical focus was on women and health, weight loss + maintenance, digestive health and family nutrition. Fast forward to today, with a small team of dedicated food-obsessed nutrition researchers—still led by Robin—and three kids in college or beyond, Healthy Nest is busy. And now, as Robin grew and matured, so did her curiosities. With no more picky eaters to talk about in the house, the emphasis has shifted slightly to what he’s currently struggling with. Midlife health and wellness, especially weight loss and maintenance during menopause, is the focus. The issue of weight is still such an issue for MANY people, but we also focus on staying strong in mind and body and aging gracefully.
Weight loss evolved
Using technology to guide personalized nutritional priorities, getting help in the kitchen in many different forms, tracking body numbers – all kinds of numbers from exercise, to circulating glucose to tests like cholesterol panels, hormones and HbA1C – we have the same precision with the food as possible for the best possible results. We don’t lose sight of the fact that food is supposed to be fun, delicious and easy. If we just looked at the numbers, we would feel like robots. So keeping the yum is part of our special sauce. We’ve gotten pretty good at finding a comprehensive approach that includes detailed plans for the omnivore, vegetarian, and pescatarian. We continue to lose weight in a big and positive way.
Tests
Many times, people come to us with stubborn weight loss or wanting more energy, more focus and clarity, more memory, more sleep and less bloating. Changing foods can help with all of these things. Sometimes, food changes alone will help, but they won’t solve the entire problem. Sometimes you need more information. That’s what the Healthy Nest tests are for. There are fantastic sophisticated food sensitivity panels, detailed hormone panels, micronutrient testing and comprehensive microbiome panels that we can use.
Vitamins + Supplements
Also, there are bioavailable supplement answers for hormone health and balance, gut bacteria re-inoculation and support, micronutrient targeting, digestive aid, and general feel-good. We tend to recommend supplements as an additional workhorse to be used in addition to food changes.
So in 15 years, we’ve learned a lot and adapted to Robin’s focus and customer needs. We’re still talking about weight loss and weight maintenance in a meaningful way. We also talk about other age-related issues, because many of them are affected by nutrition in positive and negative ways. And we STILL believe that finding your best diet is a gift worth a lifetime.
We love solving your problems with food changes. Let us help you eat differently and for better health. Reach out for a free consultation to see if Healthy Nest Nutrition is right for you.
