Jenna Volpe, RDN, LD, IFNCP, CLT

Hey there! I’m Jenna- an integrative and functional registered dietitian, herbalist, former IBS sufferer, gut health specialist, health writer, author of Herbalism for the Health & Nutrition Professional, and the founder of Whole-istic Living.

I’ve been working in the field of clinical nutrition since 2007 and have been practicing as a registered and licensed dietitian since 2011. (Time flies!)

After going through my own gut-healing journey (and learning lots of lessons the hard way), I started Whole-istic Living in 2014 as a way to bridge the gaps between holistic & conventional healthcare and to help change the trajectory of healthcare for the better.

I love helping our 1-1 clients, readers, online Holistic Gut Repair Roadmap students, and other healthcare professionals how to navigate, address, and overcome gut health issues through a fusion of integrative nutrition, holistic lifestyle changes, and evidence-based herbalism.

I believe learning how to make more informed choices is the key to improving your quality of life and ultimately becoming more empowered.

I also don’t see health as the “end goal” but rather as the beginning, or our foundation which gives every other facet of life legs to stand on. (If we aren’t healthy in mind, body, and spirit, we can accomplish and enjoy very little of what life has to offer!)

My Story

It all started with a cup of tea

I entered the world of nutrition at age 16, while volunteering at a hospital coffee shop after school.  One day, an elderly man ordered a cup of green tea and we began chatting.  Before I knew it, I was being educated on the incredible power of green tea and how it was valued in Japan for preventing lung cancer among many who smoked.

When I got home that evening, (instead of doing my homework) I spent hours reading up on antioxidants, polyphenols and cancer prevention (typical teenage hobby, yes I know!).

Something clicked, and my adolescent mind was blown.  Why had I not heard about this sooner, and why was everyone not drinking green tea?!

If only I could thank this man for being the first catalyst in my career path so many years ago.

I knew without a doubt I had made the right decision when I chose to pursue an education and career in nutrition.

The “wounded healer”

Everything was great until my early 20’s, when I developed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), leaky gut, heartburn, a slew of sudden-onset food allergies (oral allergy syndrome), food sensitivities, lactose intolerance, and an autoimmune condition called “eosinophilic esophagitis“.

Certain foods I had been taught were “healthy” seemed to make everything worse for my symptoms.

Prilosec, lactaid pills, endoscopies and restrictive elimination diets (out of desperation) were just not cutting it.  I felt helpless and pretty frustrated that I wasn’t able to resolve this on my own after so many years of training in the health and nutrition field.

As time passed, more adverse food reactions developed to the point where I became scared to eat anything I didn’t prepare myself, not knowing how my body would react.  Living this way was not sustainable.

At my wit’s end, in 2013 I swallowed my pride (as a dietitian) and began working with a holistic nutrition consultant who taught me all about leaky gut and how to repair my gut barrier (and rebalance my gut microbiome) with nutrition and holistic lifestyle changes.

Low and behold, within about a year:  gut issues subsided, food allergies AND seasonal allergies started to disappear (confirmed via annual RAST skin testing and blood testing at an allergy clinic), bloodwork normalized (no more iron deficiency anemia or vitamin B12 deficiencies)…

And best of all: I stopped having to go in for an annual endoscope with dilation (which I used to need, in order to keep my esophagus from clogging with scar tissue!).

Spoiler alert: I’ve been in remission from IBS, leaky gut, and GERD since 2014.  (And I intend on keeping it that way!)

Again, through first-hand experiences as a “wounded healer” my mind was blown, and my level of understanding that “food is medicine” was seriously upgraded.  I’m eternally grateful for this journey as it was major catalyst in my career path to becoming a gut health dietitian nutrtionist!

Some fun facts about Jenna

Outside my world of all things food, herbs and health, a few things that may surprise you about me:

• I’m a follower of and believer in Jesus. I love seeing how my life unfolds as I continue to follow His word and guidance.
• I’m a wife, stepmom, and fur baby mama to 2 dogs and a cat who I adore with all of my heart!
• Reading, writing, and learning (especially at coffee shops) are three of my favorite things to do outside of being with family & friends.
• I’m most in my element in the sun and near water, at the beach or by a lake/river.
• I can play the piano upside-down and backwards.  Ask me about it some time. 🙂
• I jumped out of a plane (8000 feet!).
• I’m an empath!  In other words, I’m very sensitive to the emotions and energies of people around me.  I used to struggle with it, but now I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Our Philosophy

Food is meant to be enjoyed

We’re foodies over here at Whole-istic Living! We believe food is meant to be enjoyed, from a place of reverence and empowerment.

We can (and should) be able to “eat to live” and love what we’re eating. (It doesn’t have to be one or the other!)

A diverse diet made up of real, tasty, minimally-processed, nutrient-dense food (the way nature intended) combined with balance, moderation, sustainability, intuitive eating practices, mindfulness, movement, and living in alignment with nature.

It all starts with clarity

As a health-conscious “wounded healers”, I’ve come to realize that unfortunately, healthy eating isn’t always enough.

Many health-conscious individuals are often finding themselves up against things like stress/trauma, genetic variants, mold exposure, gut infections, one too many rounds of antibiotics, heavy metal exposures (like aluminum and mercury), viruses, and other environmental factors outside of their control that may throw a wrench into their path.

As a result, unexpected, undeserved chronic health burdens and wonky symptoms may arise in these cases, if the underlying imbalances are left unchecked.

That’s why my team and I believe it’s important to have CLARITY on what’s causing your symptoms, which will then lead you to uncover which approaches (and which foods & herbs) work best for your body. (This is something we teach about in our online programs- and we also help our 1-1 clients to crack their code!)

Having clarity is necessary so you can then address any imbalances holistically, from all angles.

Mindset is key

At Whole-istic Living, we believe that cultivating a holistic mindset is the foundation on which your healing journey (or your clients’ healing journeys) can stand.

You can’t resolve long-standing health issues without first having a deep conviction, patience, resilience, delayed gratification, and most importantly – self-love & a sense of self-worth.

That’s why we love 1-1 and group coaching – it helps integrate the KNOWING (integrative, holistic, and functional nutrition and herbal medicine protocols) with the DOING (implementation and consistency) – and that’s where the rubber meets the road.

One size doesn’t fit all

My team and I are big believers in the concept of bio-individuality.

In other words, one size doesn’t fit all!   As the old saying goes, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.”  What works well for some people could be harmful for others.

Your gut microbiome (the ecosystem of microbes in your gut) is as unique as your fingerprint.  And the state of your microbiome is what essentially determines everything from your food preferences to your digestive patterns and immune function, to the state of your mental health, the types of foods you can/can’t tolerate, and SO much more.

And don’t get us started on your genetics! 😎

You (or your clients) need more than a handout with a list of foods to eat and avoid.  More than a 60-minute token consultation. More than a cookie-cutter diet.  More than a “pill for every ill”.

In order to truly heal, we believe you need a holistic, multi-dimensional, exceptionally customized lifestyle plan that will meet you where you’re at, and address underlying health imbalances from ALL angles – starting upstream, and working from the inside out.

Restrictive diets and one-off interventions are not the answer

Reductionist thinking has unfortunately led many to believe that simply cutting foods out of their diet is going to be enough to heal.

Or that their problems all boil down to “one thing”.

These beliefs are simply not true.  We are complex.  We need a holistic-multi-dimensional approach to resolving longstanding health issues.

Cutting foods out of your diet is not enough, and focusing on subtraction without the proper addition of nourishing, supportive foods/herbs/supplements is just a recipe for nutritional deficiencies and other problems!

Next steps

If our approach and philosophy resonates with you, we’d LOVE to help pave the road for you and be a part of your journey!

Whether you’re suffering from gut issues or you’re a clinician feeling stuck with some difficult cases, let us save you years of frustration and wasted time throwing spaghetti at the wall.

Got questions?

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page and if you can’t find what you’re looking for over there, reach out and learn more about how we can work together. 🙂