MONROE, CT — Tracy Iannotta’s fifth grade science teacher sparked her interest in nutrition, when she was growing up on Long Island. A registered dietitian of over 20 years, she recently opened her own practice, Westminster Nutrition Counseling, at the Center at Elm Street Crossing, 324 Elm St., Suite 203A.

“It’s really about helping people,” she said during an interview with The Sun. “I had a passion for healthy foods and taking care of my body since I was little, so when choosing a career, a dietitian was a natural fit.”

“The reason I opened this practice is because I have a desire to help women going through menopause and perimenopause,” Iannotta said. “There’s a lot of hormonal fluctuation that can affect our bodies during that transition and there are foods that can help women that many don’t know about.”

“Food is medicine,” she continued. “The bountiful plant foods are like nature’s pharmacy and they can help us manage inflammation, prevent chronic disease and strengthen our immune system.”

Iannotta said she hopes to start a perimenopause support group in the future.

“I’m currently focusing on women’s health, but with my broad experience in the field I can help anyone prevent and manage a chronic condition,” she said.

Being a registered dietitian means Iannotta has gone through rigorous training and credentialing to practice nutrition. Because there is so much misinformation on the internet, she said it’s important to seek advice from a trained clinical expert to help develop an individualized nutrition plan that is right for you.

She has worked in a variety of patient care settings, including hospitals, outpatient cancer centers, outpatient weight loss and bariatric surgery, corporate wellness, and outpatient preventative medicine.

Over the past two decades, Iannotta said she worked in oncology with cancer patients, who wanted to learn to eat in ways to prevent their cancer from returning.

“I truly enjoy educating my clients and helping them to leverage the power of good nutrition by translating the complex science of food and nutrition into a plan that is easy to understand and implement,” Iannotta said.

Rather than implementing a “cookie cutter approach,” Iannotta said she works closely with her clients to develop a personalized plan that’s right for them.

She works for Culture of Fit, a corporate wellness company that offers fitness and mental health programs for employees, but Fay Nutrition empowered her to branch out to simultaneously run her own practice.

Fay Nutrition sources patients for dietitians through its platform, processes health insurance, and enables them to offer virtual visits. Iannotta has been doing virtual visits since October and has opened her office on Elm Street in the beginning of January.

Asked how she came up with the name Westminster Nutrition Counseling, Iannotta said, “I like to honor my late mother-in-law and that’s the name of the street where she lived most of her adult life.”

‘No magic bullet’

When it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, Iannotta said there’s no magic bullet, adding that and a healthy diet go hand-in-hand.

“Start with the lowest hanging fruit,” she said. “Cut out some bad foods. Sometimes it takes several weeks and months.”

Iannotta teaches “mindful eating” and being more aware of the portions you eat.

She held up a guide showing the hand rule for portion control.

A fist is equal to one cup and is good for a portion of rice, fruits and vegetables. A fingertip is equal to a teaspoon and can be used for a portion of fats like mayonnaise or butter, according to the guide. The palm, equal to three ounces, is good for a portion of protein like red meat or chicken.

The thumb is equal to two tablespoons and is a portion of dairy and butter in the hand rule. A cupped hand, equal to half a cup or one ounce, is a good measure for a portion of snacks, like nuts or dried fruits.

As people get older, they often lose their body’s signal that tells them when they’re full, according to Iannotta.

“Instead of eating food in moderation, we let it take us off course,” she said. “We’re human. We can eat and enjoy our foods. It’s not an all or nothing approach. It’s about balance and moderation.”

A plant based diet

“We teach people about the hunger scale,” Iannotta said. “Our bodies will tell us what we truly need if we listen.”

She said an often ignored ingredient is fiber.

“I focus on fiber,” Iannotta said. “Most Americans only get 10 grams a day and you should at least get 25 grams. Look for at least five grams in cereals and pastas per serving and three for a slice of bread.”

Iannotta said to look at the ingredients in grams.

She said people should strive for a more plant-based diet, which leans more heavily on plant foods with less animal protein.

For example, Iannotta said someone could have “a nice colorful plate of salad” with a slice of steak on it. She said one-third or less of your plate should be for animal protein.

Iannotta also said most people should drink more water than they do. “A lot of issues can be solved by drinking more water,” she said. “Headaches and fatigue can be from dehydration.”

During one’s initial appointment at Westminster Nutrition Counseling, Iannotta goes through her client’s medical, weight and nutrition history, and anthropometrics (height and weight), as well as their typical dietary habits.

“We develop an initial plan based on this assessment of a person’s nutritional needs and then we encourage ongoing weekly or biweekly followups to continue to implement or refine the individualized plan and nutrition goals,” she explained.

“I like translating the complex science of nutrition into easy and practical ways they can implement and understand,” she said of her clients. “It’s really exciting to have a new challenge and I’m excited to collaborate with other physicians in this office as well.”

Iannotta is networking through doctors and local community groups. She shares her office with Tonya Cremin, DO, Osteopathic Medicine & Auricular Acupuncture; Dr. Nicole Maksymiw, Primary Health of Connecticut; and Deena Nealon, APRN, Fairfield Health and Wellness Solutions LLC.

For information about Westminster Nutrition Counseling and to schedule virtual bookings and in-person appointments, visit its website. Office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and virtual hours are set by appointment.

You can also follow Westminster Nutrition Counseling on Instagram.

“It’s exciting to teach people about the power of nutrition and how our foods can make such an impact on our health and well-being overall,” Iannotta said. “I just enjoy helping and working with people one-on-one.”

All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.