Meet your Nutritionist
Molly Aloia, MS in Nutrition & Integrative Medicine Research
My name is Molly Aloia and I graduated from The National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, with a dual Master’s degree in Nutrition and Integrative Medicine Research. I have a passion for all things nutrition and research, spanning from global nutrition and community based participatory research to individualized, customary nutritional advice backed by scientific research.
My background and interests have always been rooted in health and wellness. Early in life I came across the Latin phrase, “Mens sana in corpore sano”, which translates to “a sound mind in a sound body”. Believing that optimal health is a healthy mind and body, I pursued my undergraduate training in Kinesiology: Health and Human Performance. As a former Division I college athlete and Division II college coach, nutrition and movement have been deeply instilled in my foundation. My passion for holistic nutrition began when I was 26, two years after I was diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure (now referred to as insufficiency). By the time I was 24, I was already menopausal. My entire adult life has been this way, I stopped having my period when I was 18. I experienced fatigue, brain fog, high blood sugar, anxiety, gastrointestinal issues, memory issues, and difficulty with athletic endurance and muscle mass (our hormones do a lot for us).
I set aside my rackets and dove into addressing my health. I began viewing nutrition from a holistic lens and utilized food as medicine. After doing an elimination diet protocol, within a few weeks, my anxiety and insomnia had subsided, my blood sugar was leveled, and my brain fog began decreasing. The following years, I began supporting my adrenals to help with stress, prioritized rest, and cultivated a more positive relationship with food. I have been shy (and still very much am) about sharing my story and diagnosis, it often made me feel isolated experiencing these symptoms at the ripe young age of 18. Yet, as I remind myself why I wanted to become a nutritionist in the first place, I realize my story is what has shaped my passion.
I decided to further my education in the area of nutrition and research in Portland, Oregon. My graduate studies at NUNM introduced me to a wide range of educational training and global research experiences that allowed me to live in West Africa and Central America. These experiences broadened my understanding of the impact of global food systems and policies on individual health outcomes, sustainable agriculture practices that provide solutions for food access, and the healing properties of traditional diets. This cultivated my belief in providing customary health and wellness advice that is also founded in holistic principals. I look forward to exploring these holistic principals with you!
