July 4, 2025 • 38 mins
In this episode of Crunchy Stewardship, host Chrissy Roach interviews dietician Abby Coggins. They discuss integrating Christian faith with nutrition, focusing on how to honor God through food choices and physical health. Abby shares her journey from culinary school to becoming a dietician and explains how her faith guided her career choices. The conversation covers practical advice on meal planning, overcoming unhealthy relationships with food, understanding fad diets, and the role of supplements. Abby emphasizes the importance of gratitude and stewardship in improving health.
Episode Takeaway:
In this episode, featuring Chrissy Rombach interviews dietician, Abby Coggins, who underscores that true stewardship encompasses our entire well-being—spiritual, mental, emotional, financial, and physical—all guided by biblical principles. Abby Coggins emphasizes that honoring God through nutrition means viewing food as a form of stewardship, making conscious and balanced choices, and prioritizing nourishment over fad diets or emotional eating. By taking care of our physical health, we are better able to serve God and our communities.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Crunchy Stewardship
00:59 Introduction to Today's Episode
01:17 Meet Abby Coggins: Dietician and Faith Journey
04:54 Honoring God Through Nutrition
06:30 Scriptural Guidance on Nutrition
07:52 Overcoming Unhealthy Relationships with Food
10:21 Understanding Fad Diets
11:46 Healthy Habits for Busy Families
17:21 Emotions, Stress, and Eating Habits
20:40 Considerations for Fasting and Intermittent Fasting
23:50 Advice for Overwhelmed Eaters
26:28 The Role of Supplements in a Healthy Diet
28:34 Choosing the Right Supplements
33:22 Early Christians and Nourishment
38:07 Final Thoughts and Getting Involved
Links:
Nutrition Counseling with Abby Coggins: https://provider.faynutrition.com/book/abby-coggins/224722
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Chrissy (00:00):
Hello and welcome to Crunchy Stewardship.
(00:03):
My name is Chrissy Rombach.
On this podcast, we arepassionate about learning and
sharing knowledge to equipothers to steward their
spiritual, mental, emotional,financial, and physical health
in order to honor God in everyaspect of their lives.
We take deep dives into what itmeans to steward our lives as
God originally intended for uswith the resources that God has
(00:26):
given us.
We look at topics like food,medicine, finances, mental
health, and tons more through anatural lens and with a biblical
foundation Before we get startedin today's episode, if you've
been enjoying our podcast,please make sure you subscribe
and leave us a five star rating.
This helps other people find ourshow in the future.
And if you're not already signedup for a weekly newsletter, go
(00:49):
ahead and do that by clicking onthe link in the show notes.
So today as we get started inour podcast, yes, it is just me,
Chrissy, Katie is not here withme today because she just moved
to Michigan.
She's unpacking and everythinglike that.
But the show must go on.
So today's podcast is gonna begreat.
(01:10):
Nonetheless.
We are interviewing a friend anddietician Abby Coggins.
She has been a dietician now forseven years, and she's
incredibly experienced in theworld of diet and nutrition and
leading people to honor the Lordwith their nutrition.
So Abby, as we get started, doyou mind just like taking a
(01:31):
minute and introducing yourself?
Tell us where did you grow up?
What initially inspired you tobecome a dietician, and how
exactly has your Christian faithinfluenced you in that journey?
Abby (01:43):
Yeah, so I grew up in North Carolina and yeah, the
road.
To me, becoming a dietician is alittle bit of a long one, but, I
actually started out in culinaryschool, because I thought I
wanted to be a chef and I endedup doing two years of culinary
(02:07):
school and got certified inculinary arts and baking and
pastry.
But while I was there, I, duringmy coursework, I ended up taking
a nutrition class and just fellin love with, the idea of not
only like food and presentingfood and making food taste
really good, but also just like,how does food affect our bodies
(02:32):
and what does it look like tomake really good food, but also
make it nourishing to where it,fuels our bodies.
And, yeah, we're able to, notonly, enjoy a meal, but making
sure that our bodies are gettingwhat it needs.
So My Christian faith definitelyinfluenced that journey because
(02:52):
simultaneously I, during thistime in my life, I was also just
asking the Lord.
I didn't really have peace aboutbecoming a chef necessarily as
far as like a career in the longrun.
Just like the hours and thecrazy schedule, just, I didn't
really feel like it aligned withthe goals I was hoping to
(03:12):
achieve.
And, yeah.
So I just really felt like, theLord put it on my heart to
pursue a different path, which,ended up, in me going to,
starting over in a new city.
And that's kind of wherehonestly my, faith in the Lord,
like really took off in myrelationship with him.
(03:33):
So it wasn't only just like acareer change and a school
change, but also just like atrue heart change and posture to
the Lord.
And so, yeah, so now I, aboutsix or seven years, working in
the field and yeah, it's justbeen an interesting journey and
the Lord has definitely openedup a lot of doors for me along
(03:53):
the way.
As far as job opportunities,career opportunities, you know,
I was able to work as a clinicaldietician for about six years
and then just recently, back inSeptember of 2024, was able to
move more into the nutritioncounseling space, private
practice space, which hashonestly just been a game
(04:16):
changer.
And I love it.
It's a lot of learning.
Um, just.
A new way of doing nutrition anddietetics.
But it's been great.
I feel like I've definitely beenable to challenge myself and
learn a lot of new things.
But yeah, definitely I feel likethe Lord has had his
fingerprints and all of it.
So yeah, it's just been reallycool to see all of that play out
(04:38):
over the past several years.
Chrissy (04:39):
That's awesome.
I love to hear how the Lord haslike guided you in your process
and now you're counseling peopleon how to live their lives to
their fullest potential throughtheir nutrition by using the
foods that God has given them,right?
Abby (04:55):
Yes.
Chrissy (04:56):
Yes.
So, if you were to think aboutwhen you're counseling somebody,
how can Christians honor Godthrough their food choices and
their physical health?
Abby (05:08):
Yeah, I definitely think us as Christians, you know,
definitely viewing food as, aform of stewardship, a form of,
you know, how do we honor God inall the things that we do.
And I definitely believe thatfood plays a big role in that.
It's something that we do everysingle day, three times a day,
(05:31):
if not more.
It's, you know, I think, I don'tknow, it's just such a communal,
space like everyone has to eat.
And I definitely believe, likeas Christians, honoring the Lord
and making sure that we're,treating our bodies well and
giving our bodies what they needto function well.
And so I think just wheneverwe're able to do that and we're
(05:54):
able to take care of ourselvesphysically, it also just
transcends into every otherspace, emotionally, spiritually,
I think we're able to give moreto the Lord and to others that
are in our community whenever weare healthy and happy.
Chrissy (06:13):
Are there any scriptures that guide you in
your philosophy on nutrition andcaring for the body in general?
Abby (06:22):
I would say just kind of like piggybacking off of the
last question, one verse thatcomes to mind is 1 Corinthians
10:31, which says,"So whetheryou eat or drink or whatever you
do, do all to the glory of God."I feel like that one really
sticks out to me as far as likewhenever I think of nutrition
(06:44):
and health and just everythingthat we do in life, doing it all
to the glory of God.
And I don't think that the foodthat we're eating every day,
which consumes a lot of our timeand thoughts and energy, I don't
think that that is separatedfrom, the things that we give
God glory for and the thingsthat we are stewarding in our
(07:07):
lives.
And so I definitely think,putting some thought into what's
going on our plate, and whatwe're putting inside of our
bodies and how we do that andreally steward them well.
Just doing that, giving glory toGod and all of that.
So yeah, I think that would be,one thing that probably, guides
(07:28):
my philosophy on nutrition andjust caring for the body.
Chrissy (07:32):
What role does prayer or spiritual discipline play in
overcoming unhealthyrelationships with food?
Abby (07:40):
Yeah, I definitely think, unhealthy relationships with
food are so common these days.
Anything from just obsessingover diet culture or eating
disorders.
I feel like there's a new faddiet around every corner that we
look, especially on social mediawith, you know, keto or
(08:03):
intermittent fasting, or,there's just so many things out
there I think that can reallylike, you know, not, that
they're all bad, but I think itcan definitely cause us to have
like unhealthy relationshipswith food.
And just like anything in life Ithink that we struggle with or
we find difficult or a challengeor something that's, having a
lot of space in our minds towhere we can't, think about
(08:25):
other things.
I definitely think, surrenderingthat to the Lord, in prayer.
I think, yeah, just coming tothe Lord in prayer and just
asking him for help in thatarea.
It can definitely help surrendersome of those thought patterns
around food.
And I think whenever we, findtime to sit with the Lord and to
(08:48):
sit in his presence, we're ableto really find our identities
first in him.
And I think that that's a keypart in, our Christian faith and
journey, is finding our identityfirst in him and, not worrying
about, every little thing.
And not letting you know howmuch we weigh or what we look
(09:13):
like, or, all of those thingsdictate our identities.
and I think If we can kind ofstart in that place of just
sitting with the Lord andlearning about him, that so we
can know ourselves better,helps, to navigate some of those
negative thought patterns aroundfood and how we choose the foods
(09:35):
that we eat.
Chrissy (09:37):
You mentioned fad diets.
Can you just real quick, givelike a blanket overview of what
is a fad diet and what inparticular is important to keep
in mind if somebody were to bethinking about trying one of
them?
Abby (09:53):
Yeah.
I think I would define a faddiet as.
Something that has, a lot ofpopularity for a moment in time.
So, whether it be like theAtkins diet or the keto diet or
the carnivore diet, or the likefruit only diet or just like a
raw diet or of people onlyeating like raw fruits and
(10:16):
vegetables.
I feel like most fad dietsusually try and exclude one
particular food group.
So whether it's like an emphasison limiting carbohydrates or an
emphasis on, just very, veryhigh protein usually I feel like
that's what you see in fad dietsis it's not a very well balanced
(10:40):
approach.
And what I mean by balanced ismaking sure that we're pulling
from all of the macronutrients,so proteins, fats, and
carbohydrates.
So having an equal balance ofall of those things is very
important.
And so, yeah, that's kind of howI would define a fad diet.
Chrissy (10:58):
Okay, next question.
Can you suggest healthy habitsfor busy families who struggle
to find time to eat well?
Abby (11:06):
Yeah, definitely.
I feel like I have a lot ofclients who are busy moms that
are trying to feed families andeven, my clients that are not
moms, even just like as a singleperson, it can be really hard
with busy schedules to find timeto eat healthy and to prioritize
(11:27):
cooking and preparation andyeah.
So typically, I think one of thefirst things that I try to do is
identify the barriers, like whatare the barriers to eating
healthy?
What does that look like?
Is it lack of time?
(11:48):
Is it lack of knowing what toeat or, just lack of preparing?
And so really just like startingthere.
Sometimes I think with busyfamilies and especially moms who
are trying to cook for families.
It can be really hard ifeveryone has like a different
preference or food aversions orthings like that.
So I think identifying thebarriers is the first solution.
(12:12):
And then coming up with justlike small sustainable steps of,
okay, what does it look like tocreate some sort of a meal plan?
And so oftentimes I'll justrecommend setting aside a couple
of hours on a weekend to createa list of the meals for the next
(12:32):
week, and whether it be batchpreparing some things, whether
it be just like cooking someproteins like chicken or beef or
turkey, and having those thingslike ready to go and having like
vegetables and everything kindof cut and chopped ahead of
time.
And so really, I feel like itjust depends on the person or
(12:52):
the family and how they like toeat or how they structure their
weeks.
But definitely like prioritizinghaving a plan going into the
week,'cause I definitely feellike that sets you up for
success, even if it's notperfect, just having a plan is
better than not having one atall.
And.
(13:13):
Another recommendation that Iwould give someone would be to
just always have like freshfruits and vegetables ready to
go washed, cut, prepared in thefridge for grab and go snacks.
Just'cause like life does getbusy, it gets crazy, but I think
having something there that's,you know, nutrient dense that
you can just grab and go,definitely can be a game
(13:36):
changer.
And then also just utilizingthings like, slow cookers,
instant pot, sheet pan meals.
I think all of those types ofthings, you know, trying not to
over complicate it, but, comingup with like easy solutions to
get past the barriers, I thinkis key.
So not feeling like you have tohave this five star elaborate
(13:57):
meal on the table every night,but it can just be something as
simple as, chicken, broccoli anda sweet potato.
So yeah, and you can dress thatup and make it really nice.
And then, yeah, I think justlike also, you know, for moms
that are trying to get healthyfood on the, on their kids'
plates, I think involving thekids and inviting them into the
(14:18):
process of going to the grocerystore and having them come with
you or whether it be to thefarmer's market and you make it
like a family event, to wherethe kids are involved, they're
seeing the food that's beingbought and then inviting them
into the kitchen to help youprepare it, help you make it.
I think for kids when you invitethem in on the process and they
see what's being made, they'reusually more likely to eat the
(14:42):
fruits and the vegetables andthose things, because they have
some buy-in.
So those would be a few of mysuggestions.
Chrissy (14:49):
So Max and I have actually, done some of those
things.
I have a, as some of youlisteners know, I am big on my
shopping lists and my budget andeverything like that.
So every week on Tuesdays inparticular,'cause Tuesday is the
day that I'm off of work, andmost of the time, not
consistently, but most of thetime I'm off of work on Tuesdays
(15:11):
and I will literally take.
Like two hours of my morning,I'll go through and create all
the meals for the next week.
And then I look at the sales andthe coupons that each grocery
store is having.
And sometimes I even like planmy meals around those sales and
coupons so that I don't end upgoing over budget when I wanna
make like a super fancy meal andthings like that.
(15:32):
And then I'll actually go lookat the websites for all three
grocery stores that I go to andfind the best price for each
food.
And it turns into a game for mesometimes of like, okay.
How do I get the best qualityfood for the cheapest prices and
stay within budget?
And let me tell you, it can bekind of difficult sometimes, but
it's really fun if you make itinto a game.
(15:52):
And especially I think getting,kids involved and saying, okay,
well little Sally's gonna createthe meal on Monday and then
Jimmy's gonna create the meal onTuesday.
And to have each kid createtheir own meal for a day of the
week to be able to actually beinvolved in the meal planning.
I think that's really great inlike actually getting their
buy-in also, right?
Abby (16:13):
Yeah, absolutely.
I would say you're a step at thestep ahead of the game.
Chrissy (16:17):
Step ahead with no children.
Yeah
Abby (16:19):
No, that's awesome.
Chrissy (16:21):
Okay, so next question.
How do emotions and stressaffect eating habits?
Abby (16:28):
Yeah, I would say that is a big one.
I feel like for most people ouremotions and stress affect our
eating habits.
Whether that be, throughavoiding food and not eating it,
or I feel like a lot of timeswhenever people get really
stressed or sad or they'rehappy, I don't know.
(16:53):
I think just like so manyemotions surround our food
choices, which is not alwaysnecessarily a negative thing.
I think, using food as, I mean,anytime you think about a big
celebration, there's usuallysome sort of like food at the
center piece of that.
(17:14):
So I don't think it's allnegative necessarily.
But I do think sometimes, likewhenever we're sad or upset, or
really stressed, I think we cantend to navigate towards the
foods that bring us comfort,which doesn't usually tend to be
nutrient dense foods.
Chrissy (17:33):
And that's not me and my, my mac and cheese and
Chick-fil-A,
Abby (17:38):
Which is so good.
And I don't think it's like badnecessarily to do that like once
in a while, you know, if you'vehad a stressful day, but I
definitely think.
Sometimes if we navigate towardsthat more often than not,
whenever we're stressed, usuallyI feel like it leads to more
stress because we're notnourishing our bodies 9 times
(18:01):
outta 10.
After eating those things, youreally don't feel as good as you
thought you might in the moment.
It might feel good to like justhave that thing, to satisfy an
emotion or have the comfortthere.
But I think in the long run, itdoesn't make us feel good
physically.
So I think sometimes just like,whenever we're having a
(18:22):
stressful moment or you know,we're really sad or upset, I
think sometimes just pausing andgetting outside or going on a
walk, can definitely help withthat.
So that's one thing I try to doin my counseling sessions is
just identify stress points ofwhat are the things that stress
us out and what are our copingstrategies for those things?
(18:45):
'Cause I think the more that wecan get our coping strategies
away from food relatedactivities, the better off we'll
be.
'cause then we can just likemake more sound decisions
involving our food.
And again, not that we can'thave mac and cheese.
I think every, every wellbalanced diet should include
that every once in a while.
Chrissy (19:05):
I actually did find Annie's mac and cheese is not
too horrible.
Abby (19:09):
Okay.
Chrissy (19:09):
In comparison to the other options.
Abby (19:11):
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, I'm all for that.
But I think if we can not dothose things in stressful
moments, I think it'll help kindof heal relationships with food.
Chrissy (19:22):
That's good.
And it, it definitely takes timealso, for sure.
It's not a quick fix.
Okay.
What should somebody considerbefore starting a fast,
especially if they have healthconditions?
Abby (19:36):
Yeah, I definitely think, if you have a health condition
such as diabetes.
Whether that be like type one ortype two, or just any kind of,
health condition where yourblood sugars are very unstable
or can drop pretty quickly.
I think definitely important toconsult your doctor or
(19:58):
healthcare provider justsurrounding, what that would
look like as far as.
You know, not having food forhours or days, because it can be
dangerous if you needmedications to manage your blood
sugars.
So I definitely think just likeconsulting your healthcare
provider before going into likea multiple day fast, can
(20:21):
definitely be helpful andrecommended.
Chrissy (20:25):
Now, what about for intermittent fasting?
That is, I think one of thosebig fad diets right now is
everybody is super intointermittent fasting and
everything like that.
What are the pros and cons ofintermittent fasting from both a
physical health perspective anda spiritual health perspective?
Abby (20:44):
Yeah, I would say yeah, intermittent fasting, has
definitely come on to the scene.
And there's definitely researchout there to support, you know,
the pros of that.
Which could be like, cellularhealth, so like strengthening
the mitochondria.
So whether that be like an 18hour fast, you know, that's
(21:09):
typically inclusive of your timesleeping.
So, stopping food at a certaintime, having 18 hours, while
you're sleeping sometime in theevening, and then hours when
you're sleeping, and then hoursin the morning where you're not
eating, and then having a fourto six hour eating window during
the day, those types of thingscan, help with, cellular
(21:31):
function and regeneration, aswell as like mitochondrial
health.
So there's definitely studiesout there that support that.
And I think the cons ofintermittent fasting is, you
know, it's not for everyone Thatdoesn't always fit everyone's
schedule.
I think especially if you are,if you have like a very high
functioning job, like if you'rea doctor or a surgeon or someone
(21:55):
who has to like really be ontheir A game, in the early hours
of the morning, I definitelythink like having, a well
balanced breakfast can be themove.
Especially with, I thinkresearch is also showing that
intermittent fasting for longperiods of time, is also maybe
not the most beneficial forwomen who are trying to balance
their hormones.
(22:16):
And so, yeah, I definitelythink, three balanced meals per
day can be the way to go.
Yeah.
Chrissy (22:24):
Cool.
What advice would you givesomeone who feels guilty or
overwhelmed trying to quoteunquote eat right?
Abby (22:32):
I would usually say for someone just feeling stressed or
guilty or overwhelmed.
Just around food and figuringout what to eat, when to eat,
how to best, you know, use foodto nourish their bodies.
And, I would just say like,letting go of the idea of this
has to be perfect.
(22:52):
Right.
So just starting out with,typically whenever I meet with
clients.
Usually what I'll do is at theend of our session, after kind
of going through, what theirtypical meal patterns look like,
what their lifestyle and habitslook like, I always start out
with three small goals.
And so I think just like smallsustainable changes.
(23:14):
So looking at it from aperspective of like, it doesn't
need to be perfect.
But we want to create alifestyle change.
And so I think just like settingthree small goals of, just the
basics, you know, like, are weeating balanced meals?
Are we having our recommendedservings of fruits and
(23:35):
vegetables?
Are we getting enough fiber inin our day?
Are we hydrating properly?
And so those are just some oflike the key points that I'll
try to touch on during a sessionwith someone.
And then we always just set,like, if someone's not eating
any fruits or vegetables allday, I would never recommend.
Alright, you need five servingsof vegetables and four servings
of fruit.
(23:56):
We would always just start outwith okay, every day, can you
have a serving of fruit and oneserving of vegetables?
Can you drink 40 ounces of waterconsistently every day?
Chrissy (24:07):
I, I think that is the biggest struggle with my
husband.
I will buy so much fruit and hedoesn't touch it.
Yeah, not at all.
I say, babe, what'd you eat fora snack today?
Yogurt.
Did you know there's an apple inthere?
Oh yeah.
And Oh, it's so hard.
Yeah.
I'm like, just an apple a day.
He goes, how about we start withan apple every other day?
Yeah.
Abby (24:27):
Yeah.
And I think sometimes that'swhat people need is just the
basics and to set those smallgoals of, yeah, maybe it is an
apple every other day versus anapple every day, you know?
And then.
Whenever people get to thatpoint where they're doing that
consistently and they're notthinking about it, then we up it
and increase it to slowly createthose changes.
(24:50):
So kind of like habit.
Habit stacking.
Chrissy (24:52):
Habit forming is great.
Very difficult to do, but in thelong run, very beneficial.
Yeah.
Overall.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay, so switching gears alittle bit, we're gonna look at
supplements now.
Can you define supplements andwhat role should they ideally
play in a healthy diet?
Abby (25:11):
Yeah, I would say, yeah, I mean, just kind of in the word,
you know, I definitely thinksupplements should be something
that we use to supplement ourdiet.
So, whenever we think about ahealthy diet, we really need to
look at, not only macronutrientslike we talked about a little
bit earlier, of having abalanced meal of proteins, fats,
(25:35):
and carbohydrates, but alsomaking sure that those foods are
micronutrient dense.
So making sure that they have alot of the vitamins and the
minerals and those things thatour body needs to function at a
cellular level.
And so.
Yeah, I think it's definitelyimportant to have all of those
things in the diet, butunfortunately, I feel like even,
(25:57):
with our best efforts to have avery nutrient dense diet,
oftentimes people will bedeficient in certain things.
And so I think it's totally okayto use supplements in that
regard to supplement our diet.
And if you go get testing doneand see that you're deficient in
(26:20):
certain things, I think that'swhenever we should kind of
introduce supplements is to fillin the gaps.
Because 9 times outta 10, evenwhen we're trying our best,
we're usually not gonna beperfect or able to hit every
single little thing, and that'sokay.
And I feel like that's kind ofwhere supplements come into
play.
Chrissy (26:38):
So not to rely on as the primary form of nutrients.
But as a secondary form inaddition to the food that we're
already eating.
Abby (26:46):
Yeah, absolutely.
Chrissy (26:48):
The high quality food.
Mm-hmm.
What are some red flags thatpeople should watch for when
they are choosing a supplement?
Abby (26:55):
Yeah, I definitely think, I think first and foremost
before even like looking to goget supplements.
Again, just to like reiteratethis, I think getting tested for
nutrient deficiencies should bestep one.
So getting with your healthcareprovider, getting tested for,
you know.
Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, likeyour B vitamins.
(27:16):
I think getting tested for allof those things just to see
where the deficiencies liebefore we start to add all of
these things.
But then I definitely think whenthe time comes and you're
picking supplements, definitely,making sure that supplements are
third party tested is veryimportant.
So like USP or NSF, would besome things to kind of look out
(27:38):
for.
Chrissy (27:39):
Sorry, can you identify those USP and NSF?
Abby (27:44):
So NSF stands for National Sanitation Foundation, which
just provides certifications,for different supplements, just
ensuring, certifies themanufacturing facilities, just
making sure that there's goodmanufacturing practices
involved.
And it does, typically, thistesting process would include,
(28:05):
just label claim reviews.
So making sure that whateverthey say on their product,
there's, you know.
Whatever is inside the bottlebacks that, and then there, this
usually includes a toxicologyreview and a contaminant review.
And USP stands for United StatesPharmacopia, which is a
(28:25):
scientific non-profitorganization that sets quality
standards for medicines, dietarysupplements and foods.
And so this would, this testingwould usually verify that the
supplement contains theingredients listed on the label
and that the ingredients are atthe stated potency and that it's
free also from contaminants andthat it dissolves properly.
Chrissy (28:46):
You know, that's actually really good to hear
because so many times I've heardyou can't trust the things that
are on a supplement label.
'cause, they're not likefollowed by the FDA and so
there's no way to guarantee thatwhat's on the label is actually
what you're getting.
But you're saying with thesetwo, the NSF and the USP
(29:06):
standards, they actually do havewhat's on the label inside the
supplement.
Abby (29:12):
Yes.
So I think, yeah, just makingsure that those are present.
Chrissy (29:17):
So these are green flags
Abby (29:18):
on the label, green flags,
Chrissy (29:19):
green flags to look out for.
Abby (29:20):
Yes.
And I would also just say too, Ithink whenever you're looking
for, a multivitamin, which Itypically recommend a
multivitamin.
For most people, just, I thinkit can help kind of like cover
the gaps for things that wemight have deficiencies in.
So I definitely think wheneverlooking for a multivitamin, I
think making sure that it hasmethylated B vitamins,
(29:42):
especially for folate, somethylated folate, and then a
methylated B12.
I think those things, those twothings are super important,
especially if you're trying toget pregnant or lactating.
I think having those methylatedB vitamins is crucial.
'Cause sometimes there's acertain gene mutation that if
you are not able to processfolate correctly, you won't
(30:06):
absorb that.
And so the methylated version ofthat is crucial.
And I think just like methylatedB vitamins in general I think
are good for everyone.
I think they just absorb better.
And so I think just if you'regonna spend your money on
something, just get the betterquality version.
Chrissy (30:22):
And folic acid is not the same as methylated B folate,
correct?
Abby (30:28):
Yes.
Okay.
It's diff, I mean, same vitamin.
It's
Chrissy (30:31):
It's just processed differently into your body.
Abby (30:33):
It's already broken down.
Chrissy (30:33):
Your body can absorb the methylated better than the
folic acid.
Abby (30:36):
Yeah.
Chrissy (30:37):
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
That's how I understood it.
Abby (30:39):
Yes.
Chrissy (30:40):
Are there any vitamins or minerals that the general
population is often deficientin?
Abby (30:47):
Yeah, I would say the two most common that I usually see,
would be Vitamin D and VitaminB12.
I feel like those two areusually the most common
micronutrients that need to besupplemented.
Especially B12 if you're veganor vegetarian.
Or the elderly population can bereally low in B12.
(31:08):
So this is why I usually justlike recommend a multivitamin
because you're able to coversome of those gaps.
And sometimes even with amultivitamin, you know, you
could still be deficient.
And that's why I think gettingthese things checked,'cause you
might need a little bit extra ofone thing.
But yeah, I would say definitelyVitamin D and Vitamin B12.
Sometimes women can typically belower in iron.
(31:28):
So just something to kind ofkeep an eye out on and get
checked for.
Chrissy (31:34):
Great.
How do you think earlyChristians approached healing
and nourishment and what can welearn from them?
Abby (31:42):
Yeah, I definitely think, whenever we think of, I guess
early Christians, would wedefine that as like,
Chrissy (31:47):
like New Testament, Christians, new Testament first,
the Book of Acts.
Abby (31:51):
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Yeah, so I would say, yeah, itdefinitely probably follows more
of like an Eastern medi.
I mean, they were, you know, inthe Middle East, so I definitely
think it follows more of like anEastern medicine practice where,
you really are looking at foodsas your, primary source of
(32:13):
healing and help.
And so I definitely think, justviewing our relationship with
food like that as okay, this isnot just something that I am not
just like eating, I guess, forenjoyment, but eating also as a
form of taking care of ourbodies, kind of like we talked
about earlier, like stewardingour bodies well.
(32:36):
And I know now, you know, in2025 in the US we're definitely
more of a culture that's focusedon western medicine'cause that's
where we live is in the west andI think that things are slowly
starting to shift in theopposite direction towards more
like holistic, integrative, howdo we use like herbs and
(32:57):
supplements and things like thatto help heal certain things
versus just jumping straight tothe pharmacy.
I think we're heading back inthat direction a little bit, but
there's just certain thingsthat.
Might feel a little bit out ofour control, like the way that
our food is processed or grownor, so I think just like having,
the time and the energy and theeffort to looking at where our
(33:19):
food is coming from, where it'ssourced from, because a lot of
us are not, we don't havegardens, we're not growing our
own food.
So I think, it is a cool way.
I think probably, I mean, Idon't know.
I'm assuming the early, likethere was probably markets that
they went to and they wereprobably either if they weren't
growing their own fruits andvegetables, there were markets
(33:43):
where they were going and liketalking to people and you know,
it was more of a communal.
I think even like getting yourgroceries was probably more of a
communal aspect, as well as theway that their meals were
shared.
I feel like there was probably aheavier emphasis on, you know,
sitting around the table andenjoying your meals without
(34:06):
distraction, which I think canbe so crucial for our physical
health and not only our physicalhealth, but our emotional health
and our spiritual health.
So I think sitting around atable and giving thanks to the
Lord for the food that is infront of us and then enjoying
that with our friends and ourfamilies.
(34:27):
And I think that invites, alevel of communication that
might not happen, at any otherpoint during the day.
And so I think that can bereally healing for a lot of
people is yeah, sit around atable and enjoy a meal with
friends and family.
Chrissy (34:43):
That's great.
Alright, as we bring thisinterview to a close, I have one
last question.
What is one piece of advice thatyou would give to Christians who
want to improve their health asan act of worship?
Abby (34:58):
Yeah, I think, I think starting from.
A place of gratitude mm-hmm.
Is definitely, you know, onepiece of advice that I would
give for someone who's wantingto just improve their health,
especially as Christians.
Like how do we do that as a formof worship?
And I think, looking at it froma perspective of, wow, I'm so
(35:19):
grateful that God has given me.
This life and this opportunityto be here on earth.
And I think just to do thethings that he's called us to do
here.
And yeah, giving thanks to Himjust for, you know, having our
health and, honoring him in theway of just eating foods that
(35:42):
help to steward our bodies andto help them function well and
to do the things here on Earththat he's called us to do.
We need the nourishment to dothat.
So I definitely think, startingfrom a place of gratitude of I
don't have to do this, but likeI get to do this.
Chrissy (35:58):
That's great.
That's great.
Well, thank you so much forcoming on Crunchy Stewardship
today.
I've really enjoyed interviewingyou and learning about diet and
nutrition and ways that we canuse it as a form of worship.
For our listeners, if they'reinterested in meeting with a
dietician or potentially meetingwith you, is there a way that
(36:20):
they can, sign up to havedietician?
How do you say it?
Dietary counseling?
Abby (36:27):
Yeah, diet nutrition counseling.
Nutri.
Nutrition counseling.
Yeah.
Chrissy (36:31):
Is there a way that they can sign up to get
nutrition counseling with you orone of your colleagues or
anything like that?
And, yeah.
How can they get involved ingetting their health to a better
place?
Abby (36:41):
Yeah.
I currently work with a platformcalled Fay Nutrition, F-A-Y, and
I can give you my booking linkif you wanted to.
Chrissy (36:51):
Yeah.
Abby (36:52):
Post that.
Chrissy (36:52):
We'll put the website link, below, somewhere in the
description box.
Abby (36:56):
Yeah, definitely.
So that's one way to getinvolved.
And yeah, on that platform youcan see a variety of different
dieticians with differentspecialties.
But yeah, I accept insurance, soanyone that has Blue Cross Blue
Shield, Aetna, there's a longlist of things.
UnitedHealthcare, I acceptpretty much all insurances
(37:17):
except for Tricare.
Or like I, no Medicaid, noMedicare, but other than that, I
pretty much accept every otherinsurance provider.
So yeah, it's free.
It's usually covered by yourinsurance.
So I think it's this like hiddengem that not a lot of people
know about.
Like, you know, if you can meetwith a dietician Even if it's
just once a month, I feel likeit's helpful to have those like
(37:38):
check-ins just to see like wheream I?
You know?
Yeah.
Um, and yeah, just to have thataccountability.
Chrissy (37:46):
Great.
I love it.
Thanks, Abby.
Abby (37:48):
Yeah, absolutely.
Chrissy (37:49):
All right.
Well, I will make sure to putAbby's website in the
description link below so thatyou can go and click on it and
get involved in her company andin dietary counseling, to make
sure to get your nutrition backon track so that you can honor
the Lord with your body and yourmind, and your soul and your
(38:12):
food.
So, before we end today, thankyou all for tuning into our
conversation.
Make sure you subscribe and joinus over on our Facebook group
where we are continuing theconversation.
Our Facebook group is calledCrunchy Christian Mamas on a
Budget.
We would love to hear whatresonated with you on this
podcast and continue thisconversation.
(38:32):
So we'll see you over there.
Until next time, I'm Chrissy andthanks for listening to Crunchy
Stewardship.
Hello and welcome to Crunchy Stewardship.
(00:03):
My name is Chrissy Rombach.
On this podcast, we arepassionate about learning and
sharing knowledge to equipothers to steward their
spiritual, mental, emotional,financial, and physical health
in order to honor God in everyaspect of their lives.
We take deep dives into what itmeans to steward our lives as
God originally intended for uswith the resources that God has
(00:26):
given us.
We look at topics like food,medicine, finances, mental
health, and tons more through anatural lens and with a biblical
foundation Before we get startedin today's episode, if you've
been enjoying our podcast,please make sure you subscribe
and leave us a five star rating.
This helps other people find ourshow in the future.
And if you're not already signedup for a weekly newsletter, go
(00:49):
ahead and do that by clicking onthe link in the show notes.
So today as we get started inour podcast, yes, it is just me,
Chrissy, Katie is not here withme today because she just moved
to Michigan.
She's unpacking and everythinglike that.
But the show must go on.
So today's podcast is gonna begreat.
(01:10):
Nonetheless.
We are interviewing a friend anddietician Abby Coggins.
She has been a dietician now forseven years, and she's
incredibly experienced in theworld of diet and nutrition and
leading people to honor the Lordwith their nutrition.
So Abby, as we get started, doyou mind just like taking a
(01:31):
minute and introducing yourself?
Tell us where did you grow up?
What initially inspired you tobecome a dietician, and how
exactly has your Christian faithinfluenced you in that journey?
Abby (01:43):
Yeah, so I grew up in North Carolina and yeah, the
road.
To me, becoming a dietician is alittle bit of a long one, but, I
actually started out in culinaryschool, because I thought I
wanted to be a chef and I endedup doing two years of culinary
(02:07):
school and got certified inculinary arts and baking and
pastry.
But while I was there, I, duringmy coursework, I ended up taking
a nutrition class and just fellin love with, the idea of not
only like food and presentingfood and making food taste
really good, but also just like,how does food affect our bodies
(02:32):
and what does it look like tomake really good food, but also
make it nourishing to where it,fuels our bodies.
And, yeah, we're able to, notonly, enjoy a meal, but making
sure that our bodies are gettingwhat it needs.
So My Christian faith definitelyinfluenced that journey because
(02:52):
simultaneously I, during thistime in my life, I was also just
asking the Lord.
I didn't really have peace aboutbecoming a chef necessarily as
far as like a career in the longrun.
Just like the hours and thecrazy schedule, just, I didn't
really feel like it aligned withthe goals I was hoping to
(03:12):
achieve.
And, yeah.
So I just really felt like, theLord put it on my heart to
pursue a different path, which,ended up, in me going to,
starting over in a new city.
And that's kind of wherehonestly my, faith in the Lord,
like really took off in myrelationship with him.
(03:33):
So it wasn't only just like acareer change and a school
change, but also just like atrue heart change and posture to
the Lord.
And so, yeah, so now I, aboutsix or seven years, working in
the field and yeah, it's justbeen an interesting journey and
the Lord has definitely openedup a lot of doors for me along
(03:53):
the way.
As far as job opportunities,career opportunities, you know,
I was able to work as a clinicaldietician for about six years
and then just recently, back inSeptember of 2024, was able to
move more into the nutritioncounseling space, private
practice space, which hashonestly just been a game
(04:16):
changer.
And I love it.
It's a lot of learning.
Um, just.
A new way of doing nutrition anddietetics.
But it's been great.
I feel like I've definitely beenable to challenge myself and
learn a lot of new things.
But yeah, definitely I feel likethe Lord has had his
fingerprints and all of it.
So yeah, it's just been reallycool to see all of that play out
(04:38):
over the past several years.
Chrissy (04:39):
That's awesome.
I love to hear how the Lord haslike guided you in your process
and now you're counseling peopleon how to live their lives to
their fullest potential throughtheir nutrition by using the
foods that God has given them,right?
Abby (04:55):
Yes.
Chrissy (04:56):
Yes.
So, if you were to think aboutwhen you're counseling somebody,
how can Christians honor Godthrough their food choices and
their physical health?
Abby (05:08):
Yeah, I definitely think us as Christians, you know,
definitely viewing food as, aform of stewardship, a form of,
you know, how do we honor God inall the things that we do.
And I definitely believe thatfood plays a big role in that.
It's something that we do everysingle day, three times a day,
(05:31):
if not more.
It's, you know, I think, I don'tknow, it's just such a communal,
space like everyone has to eat.
And I definitely believe, likeas Christians, honoring the Lord
and making sure that we're,treating our bodies well and
giving our bodies what they needto function well.
And so I think just wheneverwe're able to do that and we're
(05:54):
able to take care of ourselvesphysically, it also just
transcends into every otherspace, emotionally, spiritually,
I think we're able to give moreto the Lord and to others that
are in our community whenever weare healthy and happy.
Chrissy (06:13):
Are there any scriptures that guide you in
your philosophy on nutrition andcaring for the body in general?
Abby (06:22):
I would say just kind of like piggybacking off of the
last question, one verse thatcomes to mind is 1 Corinthians
10:31, which says,"So whetheryou eat or drink or whatever you
do, do all to the glory of God."I feel like that one really
sticks out to me as far as likewhenever I think of nutrition
(06:44):
and health and just everythingthat we do in life, doing it all
to the glory of God.
And I don't think that the foodthat we're eating every day,
which consumes a lot of our timeand thoughts and energy, I don't
think that that is separatedfrom, the things that we give
God glory for and the thingsthat we are stewarding in our
(07:07):
lives.
And so I definitely think,putting some thought into what's
going on our plate, and whatwe're putting inside of our
bodies and how we do that andreally steward them well.
Just doing that, giving glory toGod and all of that.
So yeah, I think that would be,one thing that probably, guides
(07:28):
my philosophy on nutrition andjust caring for the body.
Chrissy (07:32):
What role does prayer or spiritual discipline play in
overcoming unhealthyrelationships with food?
Abby (07:40):
Yeah, I definitely think, unhealthy relationships with
food are so common these days.
Anything from just obsessingover diet culture or eating
disorders.
I feel like there's a new faddiet around every corner that we
look, especially on social mediawith, you know, keto or
(08:03):
intermittent fasting, or,there's just so many things out
there I think that can reallylike, you know, not, that
they're all bad, but I think itcan definitely cause us to have
like unhealthy relationshipswith food.
And just like anything in life Ithink that we struggle with or
we find difficult or a challengeor something that's, having a
lot of space in our minds towhere we can't, think about
(08:25):
other things.
I definitely think, surrenderingthat to the Lord, in prayer.
I think, yeah, just coming tothe Lord in prayer and just
asking him for help in thatarea.
It can definitely help surrendersome of those thought patterns
around food.
And I think whenever we, findtime to sit with the Lord and to
(08:48):
sit in his presence, we're ableto really find our identities
first in him.
And I think that that's a keypart in, our Christian faith and
journey, is finding our identityfirst in him and, not worrying
about, every little thing.
And not letting you know howmuch we weigh or what we look
(09:13):
like, or, all of those thingsdictate our identities.
and I think If we can kind ofstart in that place of just
sitting with the Lord andlearning about him, that so we
can know ourselves better,helps, to navigate some of those
negative thought patterns aroundfood and how we choose the foods
(09:35):
that we eat.
Chrissy (09:37):
You mentioned fad diets.
Can you just real quick, givelike a blanket overview of what
is a fad diet and what inparticular is important to keep
in mind if somebody were to bethinking about trying one of
them?
Abby (09:53):
Yeah.
I think I would define a faddiet as.
Something that has, a lot ofpopularity for a moment in time.
So, whether it be like theAtkins diet or the keto diet or
the carnivore diet, or the likefruit only diet or just like a
raw diet or of people onlyeating like raw fruits and
(10:16):
vegetables.
I feel like most fad dietsusually try and exclude one
particular food group.
So whether it's like an emphasison limiting carbohydrates or an
emphasis on, just very, veryhigh protein usually I feel like
that's what you see in fad dietsis it's not a very well balanced
(10:40):
approach.
And what I mean by balanced ismaking sure that we're pulling
from all of the macronutrients,so proteins, fats, and
carbohydrates.
So having an equal balance ofall of those things is very
important.
And so, yeah, that's kind of howI would define a fad diet.
Chrissy (10:58):
Okay, next question.
Can you suggest healthy habitsfor busy families who struggle
to find time to eat well?
Abby (11:06):
Yeah, definitely.
I feel like I have a lot ofclients who are busy moms that
are trying to feed families andeven, my clients that are not
moms, even just like as a singleperson, it can be really hard
with busy schedules to find timeto eat healthy and to prioritize
(11:27):
cooking and preparation andyeah.
So typically, I think one of thefirst things that I try to do is
identify the barriers, like whatare the barriers to eating
healthy?
What does that look like?
Is it lack of time?
(11:48):
Is it lack of knowing what toeat or, just lack of preparing?
And so really just like startingthere.
Sometimes I think with busyfamilies and especially moms who
are trying to cook for families.
It can be really hard ifeveryone has like a different
preference or food aversions orthings like that.
So I think identifying thebarriers is the first solution.
(12:12):
And then coming up with justlike small sustainable steps of,
okay, what does it look like tocreate some sort of a meal plan?
And so oftentimes I'll justrecommend setting aside a couple
of hours on a weekend to createa list of the meals for the next
(12:32):
week, and whether it be batchpreparing some things, whether
it be just like cooking someproteins like chicken or beef or
turkey, and having those thingslike ready to go and having like
vegetables and everything kindof cut and chopped ahead of
time.
And so really, I feel like itjust depends on the person or
(12:52):
the family and how they like toeat or how they structure their
weeks.
But definitely like prioritizinghaving a plan going into the
week,'cause I definitely feellike that sets you up for
success, even if it's notperfect, just having a plan is
better than not having one atall.
And.
(13:13):
Another recommendation that Iwould give someone would be to
just always have like freshfruits and vegetables ready to
go washed, cut, prepared in thefridge for grab and go snacks.
Just'cause like life does getbusy, it gets crazy, but I think
having something there that's,you know, nutrient dense that
you can just grab and go,definitely can be a game
(13:36):
changer.
And then also just utilizingthings like, slow cookers,
instant pot, sheet pan meals.
I think all of those types ofthings, you know, trying not to
over complicate it, but, comingup with like easy solutions to
get past the barriers, I thinkis key.
So not feeling like you have tohave this five star elaborate
(13:57):
meal on the table every night,but it can just be something as
simple as, chicken, broccoli anda sweet potato.
So yeah, and you can dress thatup and make it really nice.
And then, yeah, I think justlike also, you know, for moms
that are trying to get healthyfood on the, on their kids'
plates, I think involving thekids and inviting them into the
(14:18):
process of going to the grocerystore and having them come with
you or whether it be to thefarmer's market and you make it
like a family event, to wherethe kids are involved, they're
seeing the food that's beingbought and then inviting them
into the kitchen to help youprepare it, help you make it.
I think for kids when you invitethem in on the process and they
see what's being made, they'reusually more likely to eat the
(14:42):
fruits and the vegetables andthose things, because they have
some buy-in.
So those would be a few of mysuggestions.
Chrissy (14:49):
So Max and I have actually, done some of those
things.
I have a, as some of youlisteners know, I am big on my
shopping lists and my budget andeverything like that.
So every week on Tuesdays inparticular,'cause Tuesday is the
day that I'm off of work, andmost of the time, not
consistently, but most of thetime I'm off of work on Tuesdays
(15:11):
and I will literally take.
Like two hours of my morning,I'll go through and create all
the meals for the next week.
And then I look at the sales andthe coupons that each grocery
store is having.
And sometimes I even like planmy meals around those sales and
coupons so that I don't end upgoing over budget when I wanna
make like a super fancy meal andthings like that.
(15:32):
And then I'll actually go lookat the websites for all three
grocery stores that I go to andfind the best price for each
food.
And it turns into a game for mesometimes of like, okay.
How do I get the best qualityfood for the cheapest prices and
stay within budget?
And let me tell you, it can bekind of difficult sometimes, but
it's really fun if you make itinto a game.
(15:52):
And especially I think getting,kids involved and saying, okay,
well little Sally's gonna createthe meal on Monday and then
Jimmy's gonna create the meal onTuesday.
And to have each kid createtheir own meal for a day of the
week to be able to actually beinvolved in the meal planning.
I think that's really great inlike actually getting their
buy-in also, right?
Abby (16:13):
Yeah, absolutely.
I would say you're a step at thestep ahead of the game.
Chrissy (16:17):
Step ahead with no children.
Yeah
Abby (16:19):
No, that's awesome.
Chrissy (16:21):
Okay, so next question.
How do emotions and stressaffect eating habits?
Abby (16:28):
Yeah, I would say that is a big one.
I feel like for most people ouremotions and stress affect our
eating habits.
Whether that be, throughavoiding food and not eating it,
or I feel like a lot of timeswhenever people get really
stressed or sad or they'rehappy, I don't know.
(16:53):
I think just like so manyemotions surround our food
choices, which is not alwaysnecessarily a negative thing.
I think, using food as, I mean,anytime you think about a big
celebration, there's usuallysome sort of like food at the
center piece of that.
(17:14):
So I don't think it's allnegative necessarily.
But I do think sometimes, likewhenever we're sad or upset, or
really stressed, I think we cantend to navigate towards the
foods that bring us comfort,which doesn't usually tend to be
nutrient dense foods.
Chrissy (17:33):
And that's not me and my, my mac and cheese and
Chick-fil-A,
Abby (17:38):
Which is so good.
And I don't think it's like badnecessarily to do that like once
in a while, you know, if you'vehad a stressful day, but I
definitely think.
Sometimes if we navigate towardsthat more often than not,
whenever we're stressed, usuallyI feel like it leads to more
stress because we're notnourishing our bodies 9 times
(18:01):
outta 10.
After eating those things, youreally don't feel as good as you
thought you might in the moment.
It might feel good to like justhave that thing, to satisfy an
emotion or have the comfortthere.
But I think in the long run, itdoesn't make us feel good
physically.
So I think sometimes just like,whenever we're having a
(18:22):
stressful moment or you know,we're really sad or upset, I
think sometimes just pausing andgetting outside or going on a
walk, can definitely help withthat.
So that's one thing I try to doin my counseling sessions is
just identify stress points ofwhat are the things that stress
us out and what are our copingstrategies for those things?
(18:45):
'Cause I think the more that wecan get our coping strategies
away from food relatedactivities, the better off we'll
be.
'cause then we can just likemake more sound decisions
involving our food.
And again, not that we can'thave mac and cheese.
I think every, every wellbalanced diet should include
that every once in a while.
Chrissy (19:05):
I actually did find Annie's mac and cheese is not
too horrible.
Abby (19:09):
Okay.
Chrissy (19:09):
In comparison to the other options.
Abby (19:11):
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, I'm all for that.
But I think if we can not dothose things in stressful
moments, I think it'll help kindof heal relationships with food.
Chrissy (19:22):
That's good.
And it, it definitely takes timealso, for sure.
It's not a quick fix.
Okay.
What should somebody considerbefore starting a fast,
especially if they have healthconditions?
Abby (19:36):
Yeah, I definitely think, if you have a health condition
such as diabetes.
Whether that be like type one ortype two, or just any kind of,
health condition where yourblood sugars are very unstable
or can drop pretty quickly.
I think definitely important toconsult your doctor or
(19:58):
healthcare provider justsurrounding, what that would
look like as far as.
You know, not having food forhours or days, because it can be
dangerous if you needmedications to manage your blood
sugars.
So I definitely think just likeconsulting your healthcare
provider before going into likea multiple day fast, can
(20:21):
definitely be helpful andrecommended.
Chrissy (20:25):
Now, what about for intermittent fasting?
That is, I think one of thosebig fad diets right now is
everybody is super intointermittent fasting and
everything like that.
What are the pros and cons ofintermittent fasting from both a
physical health perspective anda spiritual health perspective?
Abby (20:44):
Yeah, I would say yeah, intermittent fasting, has
definitely come on to the scene.
And there's definitely researchout there to support, you know,
the pros of that.
Which could be like, cellularhealth, so like strengthening
the mitochondria.
So whether that be like an 18hour fast, you know, that's
(21:09):
typically inclusive of your timesleeping.
So, stopping food at a certaintime, having 18 hours, while
you're sleeping sometime in theevening, and then hours when
you're sleeping, and then hoursin the morning where you're not
eating, and then having a fourto six hour eating window during
the day, those types of thingscan, help with, cellular
(21:31):
function and regeneration, aswell as like mitochondrial
health.
So there's definitely studiesout there that support that.
And I think the cons ofintermittent fasting is, you
know, it's not for everyone Thatdoesn't always fit everyone's
schedule.
I think especially if you are,if you have like a very high
functioning job, like if you'rea doctor or a surgeon or someone
(21:55):
who has to like really be ontheir A game, in the early hours
of the morning, I definitelythink like having, a well
balanced breakfast can be themove.
Especially with, I thinkresearch is also showing that
intermittent fasting for longperiods of time, is also maybe
not the most beneficial forwomen who are trying to balance
their hormones.
(22:16):
And so, yeah, I definitelythink, three balanced meals per
day can be the way to go.
Yeah.
Chrissy (22:24):
Cool.
What advice would you givesomeone who feels guilty or
overwhelmed trying to quoteunquote eat right?
Abby (22:32):
I would usually say for someone just feeling stressed or
guilty or overwhelmed.
Just around food and figuringout what to eat, when to eat,
how to best, you know, use foodto nourish their bodies.
And, I would just say like,letting go of the idea of this
has to be perfect.
(22:52):
Right.
So just starting out with,typically whenever I meet with
clients.
Usually what I'll do is at theend of our session, after kind
of going through, what theirtypical meal patterns look like,
what their lifestyle and habitslook like, I always start out
with three small goals.
And so I think just like smallsustainable changes.
(23:14):
So looking at it from aperspective of like, it doesn't
need to be perfect.
But we want to create alifestyle change.
And so I think just like settingthree small goals of, just the
basics, you know, like, are weeating balanced meals?
Are we having our recommendedservings of fruits and
(23:35):
vegetables?
Are we getting enough fiber inin our day?
Are we hydrating properly?
And so those are just some oflike the key points that I'll
try to touch on during a sessionwith someone.
And then we always just set,like, if someone's not eating
any fruits or vegetables allday, I would never recommend.
Alright, you need five servingsof vegetables and four servings
of fruit.
(23:56):
We would always just start outwith okay, every day, can you
have a serving of fruit and oneserving of vegetables?
Can you drink 40 ounces of waterconsistently every day?
Chrissy (24:07):
I, I think that is the biggest struggle with my
husband.
I will buy so much fruit and hedoesn't touch it.
Yeah, not at all.
I say, babe, what'd you eat fora snack today?
Yogurt.
Did you know there's an apple inthere?
Oh yeah.
And Oh, it's so hard.
Yeah.
I'm like, just an apple a day.
He goes, how about we start withan apple every other day?
Yeah.
Abby (24:27):
Yeah.
And I think sometimes that'swhat people need is just the
basics and to set those smallgoals of, yeah, maybe it is an
apple every other day versus anapple every day, you know?
And then.
Whenever people get to thatpoint where they're doing that
consistently and they're notthinking about it, then we up it
and increase it to slowly createthose changes.
(24:50):
So kind of like habit.
Habit stacking.
Chrissy (24:52):
Habit forming is great.
Very difficult to do, but in thelong run, very beneficial.
Yeah.
Overall.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay, so switching gears alittle bit, we're gonna look at
supplements now.
Can you define supplements andwhat role should they ideally
play in a healthy diet?
Abby (25:11):
Yeah, I would say, yeah, I mean, just kind of in the word,
you know, I definitely thinksupplements should be something
that we use to supplement ourdiet.
So, whenever we think about ahealthy diet, we really need to
look at, not only macronutrientslike we talked about a little
bit earlier, of having abalanced meal of proteins, fats,
(25:35):
and carbohydrates, but alsomaking sure that those foods are
micronutrient dense.
So making sure that they have alot of the vitamins and the
minerals and those things thatour body needs to function at a
cellular level.
And so.
Yeah, I think it's definitelyimportant to have all of those
things in the diet, butunfortunately, I feel like even,
(25:57):
with our best efforts to have avery nutrient dense diet,
oftentimes people will bedeficient in certain things.
And so I think it's totally okayto use supplements in that
regard to supplement our diet.
And if you go get testing doneand see that you're deficient in
(26:20):
certain things, I think that'swhenever we should kind of
introduce supplements is to fillin the gaps.
Because 9 times outta 10, evenwhen we're trying our best,
we're usually not gonna beperfect or able to hit every
single little thing, and that'sokay.
And I feel like that's kind ofwhere supplements come into
play.
Chrissy (26:38):
So not to rely on as the primary form of nutrients.
But as a secondary form inaddition to the food that we're
already eating.
Abby (26:46):
Yeah, absolutely.
Chrissy (26:48):
The high quality food.
Mm-hmm.
What are some red flags thatpeople should watch for when
they are choosing a supplement?
Abby (26:55):
Yeah, I definitely think, I think first and foremost
before even like looking to goget supplements.
Again, just to like reiteratethis, I think getting tested for
nutrient deficiencies should bestep one.
So getting with your healthcareprovider, getting tested for,
you know.
Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, likeyour B vitamins.
(27:16):
I think getting tested for allof those things just to see
where the deficiencies liebefore we start to add all of
these things.
But then I definitely think whenthe time comes and you're
picking supplements, definitely,making sure that supplements are
third party tested is veryimportant.
So like USP or NSF, would besome things to kind of look out
(27:38):
for.
Chrissy (27:39):
Sorry, can you identify those USP and NSF?
Abby (27:44):
So NSF stands for National Sanitation Foundation, which
just provides certifications,for different supplements, just
ensuring, certifies themanufacturing facilities, just
making sure that there's goodmanufacturing practices
involved.
And it does, typically, thistesting process would include,
(28:05):
just label claim reviews.
So making sure that whateverthey say on their product,
there's, you know.
Whatever is inside the bottlebacks that, and then there, this
usually includes a toxicologyreview and a contaminant review.
And USP stands for United StatesPharmacopia, which is a
(28:25):
scientific non-profitorganization that sets quality
standards for medicines, dietarysupplements and foods.
And so this would, this testingwould usually verify that the
supplement contains theingredients listed on the label
and that the ingredients are atthe stated potency and that it's
free also from contaminants andthat it dissolves properly.
Chrissy (28:46):
You know, that's actually really good to hear
because so many times I've heardyou can't trust the things that
are on a supplement label.
'cause, they're not likefollowed by the FDA and so
there's no way to guarantee thatwhat's on the label is actually
what you're getting.
But you're saying with thesetwo, the NSF and the USP
(29:06):
standards, they actually do havewhat's on the label inside the
supplement.
Abby (29:12):
Yes.
So I think, yeah, just makingsure that those are present.
Chrissy (29:17):
So these are green flags
Abby (29:18):
on the label, green flags,
Chrissy (29:19):
green flags to look out for.
Abby (29:20):
Yes.
And I would also just say too, Ithink whenever you're looking
for, a multivitamin, which Itypically recommend a
multivitamin.
For most people, just, I thinkit can help kind of like cover
the gaps for things that wemight have deficiencies in.
So I definitely think wheneverlooking for a multivitamin, I
think making sure that it hasmethylated B vitamins,
(29:42):
especially for folate, somethylated folate, and then a
methylated B12.
I think those things, those twothings are super important,
especially if you're trying toget pregnant or lactating.
I think having those methylatedB vitamins is crucial.
'Cause sometimes there's acertain gene mutation that if
you are not able to processfolate correctly, you won't
(30:06):
absorb that.
And so the methylated version ofthat is crucial.
And I think just like methylatedB vitamins in general I think
are good for everyone.
I think they just absorb better.
And so I think just if you'regonna spend your money on
something, just get the betterquality version.
Chrissy (30:22):
And folic acid is not the same as methylated B folate,
correct?
Abby (30:28):
Yes.
Okay.
It's diff, I mean, same vitamin.
It's
Chrissy (30:31):
It's just processed differently into your body.
Abby (30:33):
It's already broken down.
Chrissy (30:33):
Your body can absorb the methylated better than the
folic acid.
Abby (30:36):
Yeah.
Chrissy (30:37):
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
That's how I understood it.
Abby (30:39):
Yes.
Chrissy (30:40):
Are there any vitamins or minerals that the general
population is often deficientin?
Abby (30:47):
Yeah, I would say the two most common that I usually see,
would be Vitamin D and VitaminB12.
I feel like those two areusually the most common
micronutrients that need to besupplemented.
Especially B12 if you're veganor vegetarian.
Or the elderly population can bereally low in B12.
(31:08):
So this is why I usually justlike recommend a multivitamin
because you're able to coversome of those gaps.
And sometimes even with amultivitamin, you know, you
could still be deficient.
And that's why I think gettingthese things checked,'cause you
might need a little bit extra ofone thing.
But yeah, I would say definitelyVitamin D and Vitamin B12.
Sometimes women can typically belower in iron.
(31:28):
So just something to kind ofkeep an eye out on and get
checked for.
Chrissy (31:34):
Great.
How do you think earlyChristians approached healing
and nourishment and what can welearn from them?
Abby (31:42):
Yeah, I definitely think, whenever we think of, I guess
early Christians, would wedefine that as like,
Chrissy (31:47):
like New Testament, Christians, new Testament first,
the Book of Acts.
Abby (31:51):
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Yeah, so I would say, yeah, itdefinitely probably follows more
of like an Eastern medi.
I mean, they were, you know, inthe Middle East, so I definitely
think it follows more of like anEastern medicine practice where,
you really are looking at foodsas your, primary source of
(32:13):
healing and help.
And so I definitely think, justviewing our relationship with
food like that as okay, this isnot just something that I am not
just like eating, I guess, forenjoyment, but eating also as a
form of taking care of ourbodies, kind of like we talked
about earlier, like stewardingour bodies well.
(32:36):
And I know now, you know, in2025 in the US we're definitely
more of a culture that's focusedon western medicine'cause that's
where we live is in the west andI think that things are slowly
starting to shift in theopposite direction towards more
like holistic, integrative, howdo we use like herbs and
(32:57):
supplements and things like thatto help heal certain things
versus just jumping straight tothe pharmacy.
I think we're heading back inthat direction a little bit, but
there's just certain thingsthat.
Might feel a little bit out ofour control, like the way that
our food is processed or grownor, so I think just like having,
the time and the energy and theeffort to looking at where our
(33:19):
food is coming from, where it'ssourced from, because a lot of
us are not, we don't havegardens, we're not growing our
own food.
So I think, it is a cool way.
I think probably, I mean, Idon't know.
I'm assuming the early, likethere was probably markets that
they went to and they wereprobably either if they weren't
growing their own fruits andvegetables, there were markets
(33:43):
where they were going and liketalking to people and you know,
it was more of a communal.
I think even like getting yourgroceries was probably more of a
communal aspect, as well as theway that their meals were
shared.
I feel like there was probably aheavier emphasis on, you know,
sitting around the table andenjoying your meals without
(34:06):
distraction, which I think canbe so crucial for our physical
health and not only our physicalhealth, but our emotional health
and our spiritual health.
So I think sitting around atable and giving thanks to the
Lord for the food that is infront of us and then enjoying
that with our friends and ourfamilies.
(34:27):
And I think that invites, alevel of communication that
might not happen, at any otherpoint during the day.
And so I think that can bereally healing for a lot of
people is yeah, sit around atable and enjoy a meal with
friends and family.
Chrissy (34:43):
That's great.
Alright, as we bring thisinterview to a close, I have one
last question.
What is one piece of advice thatyou would give to Christians who
want to improve their health asan act of worship?
Abby (34:58):
Yeah, I think, I think starting from.
A place of gratitude mm-hmm.
Is definitely, you know, onepiece of advice that I would
give for someone who's wantingto just improve their health,
especially as Christians.
Like how do we do that as a formof worship?
And I think, looking at it froma perspective of, wow, I'm so
(35:19):
grateful that God has given me.
This life and this opportunityto be here on earth.
And I think just to do thethings that he's called us to do
here.
And yeah, giving thanks to Himjust for, you know, having our
health and, honoring him in theway of just eating foods that
(35:42):
help to steward our bodies andto help them function well and
to do the things here on Earththat he's called us to do.
We need the nourishment to dothat.
So I definitely think, startingfrom a place of gratitude of I
don't have to do this, but likeI get to do this.
Chrissy (35:58):
That's great.
That's great.
Well, thank you so much forcoming on Crunchy Stewardship
today.
I've really enjoyed interviewingyou and learning about diet and
nutrition and ways that we canuse it as a form of worship.
For our listeners, if they'reinterested in meeting with a
dietician or potentially meetingwith you, is there a way that
(36:20):
they can, sign up to havedietician?
How do you say it?
Dietary counseling?
Abby (36:27):
Yeah, diet nutrition counseling.
Nutri.
Nutrition counseling.
Yeah.
Chrissy (36:31):
Is there a way that they can sign up to get
nutrition counseling with you orone of your colleagues or
anything like that?
And, yeah.
How can they get involved ingetting their health to a better
place?
Abby (36:41):
Yeah.
I currently work with a platformcalled Fay Nutrition, F-A-Y, and
I can give you my booking linkif you wanted to.
Chrissy (36:51):
Yeah.
Abby (36:52):
Post that.
Chrissy (36:52):
We'll put the website link, below, somewhere in the
description box.
Abby (36:56):
Yeah, definitely.
So that's one way to getinvolved.
And yeah, on that platform youcan see a variety of different
dieticians with differentspecialties.
But yeah, I accept insurance, soanyone that has Blue Cross Blue
Shield, Aetna, there's a longlist of things.
UnitedHealthcare, I acceptpretty much all insurances
(37:17):
except for Tricare.
Or like I, no Medicaid, noMedicare, but other than that, I
pretty much accept every otherinsurance provider.
So yeah, it's free.
It's usually covered by yourinsurance.
So I think it's this like hiddengem that not a lot of people
know about.
Like, you know, if you can meetwith a dietician Even if it's
just once a month, I feel likeit's helpful to have those like
(37:38):
check-ins just to see like wheream I?
You know?
Yeah.
Um, and yeah, just to have thataccountability.
Chrissy (37:46):
Great.
I love it.
Thanks, Abby.
Abby (37:48):
Yeah, absolutely.
Chrissy (37:49):
All right.
Well, I will make sure to putAbby's website in the
description link below so thatyou can go and click on it and
get involved in her company andin dietary counseling, to make
sure to get your nutrition backon track so that you can honor
the Lord with your body and yourmind, and your soul and your
(38:12):
food.
So, before we end today, thankyou all for tuning into our
conversation.
Make sure you subscribe and joinus over on our Facebook group
where we are continuing theconversation.
Our Facebook group is calledCrunchy Christian Mamas on a
Budget.
We would love to hear whatresonated with you on this
podcast and continue thisconversation.
(38:32):
So we'll see you over there.
Until next time, I'm Chrissy andthanks for listening to Crunchy
Stewardship.
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