You're listening to the Best of VLM episode series featuring the most popular episodes of the Viva la Mami podcast!
In this episode, we welcome Mariana Dineen, a registered dietitian and founder of Elemento Health. She shares the importance of nutrition within the Latino community, especially for mothers striving to adopt a healthier lifestyle while preserving cultural traditions. Mariana emphasizes the significance of cultural relevance in nutrition counseling, overcoming language barriers, and the unique challenges faced by the Latino community in accessing healthcare.
She offers practical strategies for meal planning and managing chronic diseases like diabetes through a cultural lens, stressing the importance of balance and inclusion rather than the elimination of cultural foods. We also touched on the impact of stress on eating habits, particularly for busy Latina moms, and how to address these issues holistically.
Mariana’s commitment to cultural sensitivity in her practice, Elemento Health, underscores her dedication to providing accessible and empathetic nutrition care. If you've ever felt shame about your cultural foods or struggled to find a healthcare provider who truly gets you, this episode is for you.
For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode125
Key topics covered:
- Breaking down barriers to accessing nutrition care for Latinas
- Making traditional dishes healthier while preserving cultural roots
- Managing stress eating and emotional relationships with food
- Practical meal planning strategies for busy mamas
- Culturally sensitive approaches to managing conditions like diabetes
Connect with Mariana from Elemento Health!
- Email: mariana@elementohealth.com
- Instagram: @elemento_health
- Website: elementohealth.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Samson Q2U Microphone (00:00):
Hello.
You are listening to the best ofVLM episode series, which
showcases some of the mostpopular episodes of the Viva.
Mommy podcast.
This episode is one of those.
If you enjoy what you hear, makesure you subscribe and don't
forget to rate the show andwrite a review on apple podcasts
(00:21):
so that other mommies, like youcan find this podcast.
Out, let's get into the episode.
When was the last time ahealthcare provider made you
feel seen?
Heard?
And understood.
For many Latinas navigatingnutrition advice while
(00:42):
maintaining our culturalidentity can feel impossible.
Should we give up our beloved30?
Yes.
And replace our traditionaldishes with Keno bowls.
Well today, we're diving deepinto these questions with
Mariana.
Dineen a Latina dietician.
Who's revolutionizing how ourcommunity approaches nutrition.
(01:02):
Mariana Deneen is a proud Latinadietitian, mother of three, and
the founder of elemental health.
Born and raised in Monterey,Mexico, Mariana moved to New
York in 2009 to pursue hermaster's in clinical nutrition
at NYU.
She lived and worked in New Yorkuntil 2018.
When she relocated to Houstonfor two years before finally
(01:25):
settling in Chicago in 2020.
As part of a bi-cultural familywith a non-Latino husband.
Mariana embraces both hercultural roots and her family's
diverse background.
And this episode, Mariannashares the importance of
nutrition within the Latinacommunity, especially for my
mass striving to adopt ahealthier lifestyle.
(01:47):
While preserving culturaltraditions.
Marianna emphasizes on thesignificance of cultural
relevance in nutrition,counseling, overcoming language
barriers, and the uniquechallenges faced by the Latino
community in accessinghealthcare.
She offers practical strategiesfor meal planning and managing
chronic diseases like diabetesthrough a cultural lens,
(02:11):
stressing the importance ofbalance and inclusion rather
than elimination of culturalfoods.
Mariana's approach aims toempower families, to maintain
their identity while pursuinghealth goals.
We also touched on the impact ofstress on eating habits,
particularly for busy Latinamoms.
(02:31):
And how to address these issuesholistically.
Mariana's personal commitment tocultural sensitivity in her
practice.
Elemental health.
Underscores her dedication toproviding accessible and
empathetic nutrition care.
If you've ever felt shame aboutyour cultural foods or struggled
to find a healthcare providerwho truly gets you this episode
(02:54):
is for you.
So please tune in.
As we listen to insights, tips,and reassurance from a fellow
Latina who is a dietician.
Mariana Denene from elementalhealth.
Jessica (04:13):
Hola, hola, Mariana.
How are you?
Mariana (04:16):
Good.
How are you?
I'm so happy to be here.
Jessica (04:19):
Yes, I'm happy to be with you as well.
I Love that you approached meone day when we were in Luna y
Cielo in Chicago.
And, uh, we talked about, youknow, kind of like your
expertise and I'm like, I got tobring this mujer over here
because I think it's soimportant to talk about
nutrition and how and what thislooks like in our comunidad.
(04:43):
And especially as mamas, we arekind of trying to do things than
the way that we grew up,especially for us who are
second.
First, even for like one and ahalf generation, uh, living in,
in the United States, like wewant to do something different,
but sometimes we don't know howto really approach, uh, a
(05:04):
different lifestyle than the waythat we, uh, grew up when it
comes to nutrition.
So I'm going to love thisconversation here with you
because I think it's also goingto be important for me to learn
as I'm, um, you know, as youshare your expertise.
But before we delve into theconversation, if you can
introduce yourself to ourlisteners and that way we can
(05:25):
get started.
Mariana (05:27):
Yeah, definitely.
So my name is Mariana.
I am a Latina dietitian.
I am a mom of three and Icurrently live in Chicago with
my husband and my threechildren.
Uh, but my roots go back toMonterrey, Mexico, where I was
born and I was raised as theoldest of three sisters.
So, uh, my parents live inMexico.
(05:48):
My middle sister lives in Mexicoand all my extended family live
in Mexico.
My little sister.
lived in New York.
I'll tell you how that happened.
It has to do with me.
Uh, but yeah, so I was born andraised in Mexico and growing up,
I don't know why I always wantedto come to live in the United
(06:10):
States and actually to go tocollege in the United States.
But my parents were, were notvery excited about the idea of
me.
Going to college in the UnitedStates.
So I kind of set my sights ongradual school instead.
And actually I had no idea thatI wanted to study nutrition.
I remember like being in highschool and like having zero
(06:33):
clues of what I wanted to dowith, with my life and like in a
professional way.
And it was actually my mother,my mom that brought me all the
information and all thebrochures and introduced me.
To nutrition.
So fast forward to 2007.
I moved with four friends to NewYork City, and this was a total
turning point with me.
(06:53):
So I did my undergraduate, um,degree in Mexico, um, on
nutrition.
Um, so I was like, okay, well,I'm not going to go to college
there, but I'm Going to go tograduate school.
I was so determined to furthermy studies and really, I was
very passionate about that.
So I moved to New York City in2007 with four friends and I was
(07:14):
doing an internship at LenoxHill Hospital.
And this experience, these fourmonths, really solidified my
goal to move there for graduateschool.
And I was so determined to DoNew York and only New York and
go to that clinical nutritionprogram that I applied to one
school and one school only.
Um, so I had like a one trackmind.
(07:36):
It was New York or nothing.
And it was probably super riskyand very stupid, but.
I got accepted to NYU.
Oh, great.
I moved to New York in 2009 andI completed my master's in
clinical nutrition and I beganmy career over there.
So, um, yeah, that's a littlebit about how I got started in
(07:56):
nutrition.
I've worked in inpatient, solike hospitals, outpatient,
community settings, privatepractice settings.
Um, and actually in New York waswhere I met my husband and we
were in New York till 2018.
And then, so from New York wemoved to Houston for two years,
we were in Houston for two yearsand we actually moved to Houston
(08:19):
because I wanted to be close tofamily.
Um, that was super, and closerto my family in Mexico.
And my husband's parents,they're from New York, but they
moved to Texas, to Houston whenmy husband was about 15 years
old.
So my husband traveled Mondaythrough Thursday.
(08:39):
every single week.
And it was really, really hard.
Like I remember having to go tothe pharmacy at like 3 a.
m.
because like my Sophia, whowasn't even three years old,
like wouldn't start vomiting andI was pregnant and like a lot of
things like made, made us moveto Houston.
Um, but yeah, and then in 2020,in the middle of the pandemic,
(09:03):
my husband gets a job offer.
in Chicago.
And he's like, well, we're nowmoving to Chicago.
So we drove from Houston.
It took us two days to get here.
Um, I was 30 weeks pregnant.
I was so scared of Ovid.
Um, I brought a port a pottywith us.
So like port a potty and likeFebreeze and a lot of toilet
(09:24):
paper.
Um, so yeah.
And then in 2023, I finally tooka big leap of faith.
It started earlier because I hadto start with all the
credentialing process.
And.
Register as an LLC, but then in2023, I finally started seeing,
seeing clients, patients andElemental Health was born.
(09:44):
So it's been really anincredible journey from
Monterrey to New York City toHouston and now Chicago.
So
Jessica (09:54):
yeah, that's a little bit.
Yeah.
Thanks so much for sharing.
And as a fellow pandemic mom, Iknow that it's.
That time in our lives was sodifferent and stressful and
isolating because no one beforeus experienced either being
pregnant or giving birth orraising kids in the midst of a
(10:17):
pandemic.
Mariana (10:18):
It's hard.
Jessica (10:19):
So, yeah.
Yeah.
My heart goes out to you becauseI totally understand, um, how
that feeling was and not tomention when you couldn't even
be with your family members, youknow?
So.
Mariana (10:29):
I know.
No.
Like, yeah.
So, all my sisters and I werepregnant at the same time and we
couldn't see each otherpregnant.
So, we, we all have four yearolds, um, so my sister, my
middle sister, Rebecca, has twingirls.
And then I had.
Victoria, who's also a friend,and my sister, Paulina, has
another four year old, and like,we couldn't see each other,
(10:51):
like, we couldn't see each otherpregnant, and like, you know, we
all live, like, my sister livesin New York, I live in Chicago,
um, so my youngest sister endedup marrying my husband's best
friend, that's why they're,that's why they're in New York.
But yeah, it was like really,really,
Jessica (11:08):
really hard.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, it is.
It is.
Yeah.
And we grew up thinking like, Ohyeah, we're gonna, you know,
even the baby shower aspect,like there's just little things.
Okay.
We couldn't really celebrate ourpregnancy, you know, and I was
you and your two sisters.
Oh my gosh.
That's awesome.
I'm also Um, too.
(11:30):
So, uh, and I'm the oldest aswell, so I'm too, yeah.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
No, that's great.
So how really has your personaljourney influenced your approach
to nutrition counseling?
You gave us a full background,uh, but in particularly like
with helping families in termsof finding that balance between
(11:53):
cultural traditions and thenhealth.
Fee nutrition, like what reallyled you to this journey?
Mariana (12:00):
So I'm gonna get a little bit personal and I'm
going to speak very honestly.
So, yeah, no judging, no,please, this is safe space.
But my personal journey isreally, uh, that hard, and I'm
actually very proud to sharethis.
So it's a li, it's like.
I'm very proud to share thateven though it might come up as
(12:21):
a surprise.
Uh, but so eating growing up andeven after graduating and
working as a dietitian, I feltthis unspoken pressure to fit
into the white world, um, as ifit was the only way to achieve
success.
NYU, it was me and another girlfrom Venezuela, and like, You,
(12:48):
it was just us, you know?
Um, but as I grew and Iexperienced life and honestly
with the encouragement of myhusband, my husband is not
Latino.
My husband is very white, but hewould like for him, it was just
mind blowing.
To see that I didn't focus mycareer, you know, and like in my
(13:11):
community that I've alwayswanted to like break into that
world.
So honestly, like just life anda lot of things and his
encouragement, I realized that.
that leaving my roots behinddidn't bring the fulfillment
that I was looking for.
So I discovered thatreconnecting with my culture and
not that like I left my culturebehind, I'm just talking in a
(13:33):
professional way.
Um, cause I honestly, like, it'snot like I completely left my
culture, but that reconnectingwith my, my culture and
embracing my heritage in what Ido professionally, was really my
true passion and my purpose.
So now I see my culture and myheritage as a superpower and
(13:55):
this shift has made me superpassionate about helping others
maintain this identity whilepursuing the health goals.
I think that in my practice atElemental Health I approach
counseling with a very bigcommitment to show families that
they do not have to choosebetween.
They're cultural identity andthey health and health.
(14:18):
I think there's amisunderstanding that you cannot
enjoy the foods that you grew upwith and the, and the foods that
have super deep meaning andconnection to make those strides
towards the health goal.
So I'm helping my clients buildsmall.
(14:38):
But sustainable habits that fitinto their lives seamlessly and
like their lives as a whole,right, as a mother, as a family,
as an entrepreneur, as a Latina,as everything.
Um, and all this while honoringboth the cultural roots that
they have and also theirwellness goal.
So I think that shift for me washumongous.
(15:01):
And I bring that Into work everyday because it really, it really
changed me, it really switchedme and I was actually at UIC
about three weeks ago at aconference called, and I love
the title of the conference, sothe title of the conference was
The Healing Power of Our Rootsand it was organized by MOLA.
MOLA stands for MedicalOrganization for Latino
(15:24):
Advancement and it's a nonprofit, um, of all the
healthcare professionals, mostlydoctors, but that are all
working towards health equity.
And it was super emotionalbecause they brought patients to
like the, the podium and theywere asking about their
experiences and like all thesepeople talking about how it's
(15:47):
super hard for them to connectand to trust and to find a care
because unfortunately there's alack of representation in the,
in the medical community.
So like hearing this and thenlike, you know, like knowing
that I, I.
niche there that I'm helping mycommunity like brought me to
(16:10):
tears.
So I think that by nurturingboth health and culture, I, I
hope to help families see thattheir traditions are a source
not only of nourishment, butalso of strength and pride.
And that's super important.
Jessica (16:27):
Yes.
And it's all about culturalrelevance.
See, you know, where we are, areexperts in specific areas, you
know, or subject matter experts,but also how do we bring
empathy, understanding, youknow, when it comes to our
culture and especially assomeone that can represent our
(16:50):
community that board, see, wealready feel very, uh,
vulnerable.
We get white coat syndrome infront of medical experts in
front of, you know, people whowill.
essentially talk to us about ourhealth.
And sometimes we don't reallyknow why professionals are
telling us, well, no comastortillas, you know, don't eat
(17:11):
tortillas.
These are really bad for you,you know, this.
And I think becausestatistically, yes, you know,
Latinos, we are more prone togetting diabetes than other, you
know, populations.
But there's also history behindthat, right?
There's colonialism, there'spoverty, there's, you know, lack
(17:35):
of resources and healthcare.
And so when you really thinkabout all of those systems that
have been put in place, and thenwe have medical experts that are
basically shaming us, blamingus.
For the foods that we eat,that's not really a connection
there.
It's more than that.
And so I applaud you forrealizing this because a lot of
(17:59):
times we grew up trying to fitin or trying to conform to the
mainstream culture and society.
But, um, I'm glad that you havefound this balance between what
You can bring as an expert, butalso how you can empathize with
the people that you work with aswell.
Mariana (18:16):
One point I, I almost felt ashamed accepting this,
like I can't accept this, likewhatever, you know, but I think
I see it differently now.
Like I'm very proud.
And again, I want to likereiterate that I never, it's not
like I.
I didn't leave my culture like Iam who I am, you know, um, and
I'm very proud of that.
(18:36):
It was just professionally.
I thought that professionally Ineeded to break into that world
to be successful and to berespected.
And now I know that that is, Iwas wrong.
I was totally wrong.
And I think that that switchhas, I, I don't, I don't think I
would have ever started myprivate practice if I had never.
(18:59):
And if I had never made thatswitch, I would probably still
be dreaming and trying to do.
And, and I would have neverstarted.
So
Jessica (19:08):
super powerful.
Absolutely.
I was just going to say that,like kudos to you.
You should be proud of yourself.
And it did take a lot of soulsearching, a lot of figuring out
a lot, but you're doing it.
And so now that you primarilywork with people within our
community, that What have younoticed that are significant
(19:30):
barriers for the Latinacommunity as they face
accessing, uh, nutrition care?
What are some of those barriers?
Mariana (19:39):
Unfortunately, there's a little bit too many barriers,
there's too many barriers, but Ireally would envision Elemental
Health as like, we want Latinosand Hispanics to break through
those barriers and hopefully oneday we can reach that many
people.
So that, again, they can breakthrough all those barriers, but
(20:00):
I would say the first one andone of the biggest ones is, is
language, uh, because not allhealthcares are bilingual or
culturally aware.
So when nutrition advice isdelivered in English.
and without a cultural context,it can feel disconnected and it
can be very hard to apply.
And if it's hard to apply, thenit's not going to lead to
(20:22):
improved health outcomes.
Um, and that's super importantbecause food is very tied to our
culture and our identity.
So if the care that they arereceiving doesn't align with
their language and with theirculture, like, that care might
feel irrelevant or evendisrespectful.
(20:45):
So we are trying to bridge thisgap by providing services in
Spanish and English.
Spanish half and half and reallyfocus on that cultural relevance
guidance.
And I always joke about like, weeven provide service in
Spanglish, but it's like 100percent true, like I have a
(21:07):
client from Ecuador and weliterally go back and forth,
English and Spanish.
And then we, like, I rememberthe day that I first met her, we
were joking about how growing upher in Ecuador and me in Mexico,
we would use words like Like, Igrew up, I remember my dad hated
that so much.
(21:27):
I would be at school and I wouldbe like, ay, no printear la
tarea, or like, things likethat.
But yeah, so language is a bigone.
And then the other one, andunfortunately, some Latino
communities are, everywhere,it's just not Latinos, right?
But there might be somefinancial constraints.
finding dietitians that acceptinsurance.
(21:49):
And that identify as Hispanicand Latinas is a very
challenging, I remember when Iwas in New York, there was this
dietician that I like aspired tobe like her, and she was
charging 10, 000.
10, 000 for nutrition services.
Oh my God.
Um, and you had to like make apayment right then and there.
(22:10):
It was, it was 10 appointments,right?
That you like distributed overthe course of whatever, two
months or three months, I don'tknow, maybe two appointments a
month, but like 10, 000, likewho is able to pay 10, 000?
Very small, And even right now,like I, the other day, before I
(22:31):
started this, the other day Iwas talking to this dietician
turned into a business coach andshe helps dietitians build very
high ticket nutrition programs.
And some dietitians were likecharging 10, I mean, 7, 000 or
15, 000 for like, whatever, anine month nutrition program.
So.
It's super challenging, andhonestly, I went back and forth
(22:55):
a lot with the acceptinginsurance because I've heard
horror stories.
And like, the administrativeburden, and then the very low
reimbursement rates.
Unfortunately, many dieticianschoose not to accept insurance,
but I was like, I don't care.
Like, I found my passion.
I found my calling.
Like.
(23:16):
I am prioritizing accessibilityand believing I, I truly
believe, and I want everyHispanic and every Latino to
believe that they deserve highquality nutrition care from an
expert.
Not from like the TikTok orfrom, I don't know.
So we're, we're acceptinginsurance and we are expanding
(23:38):
hopefully very soon.
And we are going to.
Be taking Medicare and Medicaid.
So we are accepting insurance toremove these financial barriers
and ensure that this veryessential service is within
reach.
And then I also know thatthere's a lot of people out
there without insurance.
Um, and again, who can pay for$7,000 or$15,000 or$10,000?
(24:01):
So.
On top of insurance, we have,we, um, offer very affordable
membership prices, but like, wedon't even talk about those.
I go straight to insurance, andI want to say that like 95 to 98
percent of our clients pay zerodollars.
out of pocket.
So
Jessica (24:20):
that is awesome.
And kudos to you for thinkingabout our community that because
we already have this perceptionthat if you go to a nutritionist
or a dietitian, you know, youhave to pay out of pocket or
it's not accessible because ofthe cost.
And the fact that you offerinsurance, and obviously it's a
(24:41):
lot of work on your end on theback end, But the fact that
you're doing this for thecommunity, I mean, speaks so
much about you.
So thank you.
And I'll be sure to share
Mariana (24:52):
your practice and everything.
A lot of, a lot of people arevery surprised when I tell them
that insurance covers nutrition.
Not all plans.
It obviously depends on, onevery plan, but it does cover.
And like I said, 99, 95 to 98, Ihaven't like actually done like
a formal statistic or whatever,but a lot of people pay 0 out of
(25:15):
pocket.
Um, but yeah, and I mean, thereare many others.
I would say that also mistrustin healthcare is a big one,
especially for Latinos.
Um, there was actually a studyin 2022 from the Pew Research
Center and um, they stated likethe study said that about half
(25:38):
of Hispanic adults reportedfeeling that they have not been
treated fairly in the healthcaresystem because of their race or
their ethnicity.
And that same study found thatthree in 10 Hispanic adults feel
that healthcare providers failto explain things.
the, in a way that theyunderstand.
So this mistrust and thiscommunication gap can lead to,
(26:05):
to, to many people beinghesitant and reaching out for,
for professional care, and thenyou see them relying on like the
quick fixes that they saw ontech talk and like getting all
the misinformation.
So, um, we, I always tell myclients.
Um, I don't know what to callthem.
Clients or patients.
I always go back and forth thatwe are not just about providing
(26:27):
evidence based care, but wereally want to create a space
where they feel seen, they feelheard, they feel understood,
like they are with family.
And I feel that us Latinos are,are known for that, like,
warmth, you know, that like, um,So that warmth and that
(26:50):
understanding and that genuineconnection that we have in our
community and that is a veryimportant part in creating
behavior change or like healingor, or support, you know?
So, um, and then another onethat you might be very familiar
with is all our familycommitments are a super big
(27:12):
thing in the, our community.
Marianismo.
Are you familiar withMarianismo?
We juggle so many demanding workschedules.
Some, some of the jobs areoffering very limited, very, uh,
limited benefits and notflexible.
So it can be very hard toprioritize nutrition care.
(27:33):
And then on top of that, what Iwas talking about, all our, uh,
family obligations and We asLatinos are known to prioritize
caring for other people and notus.
So like then we and our healthare, are like at the expense of
our own health.
Um, so yeah, we are trying toalso break through this barrier
(27:57):
by providing virtual health.
So we are 100 percent virtual.
Um, and I know that a lot ofpeople.
are kind of like, hesitant aboutvirtual.
And many, many of those that areolder, maybe are not very tech
savvy.
Uh, but I had a client, I wouldsay about four months ago, she
(28:18):
came to us, she was referred fordiabetes, older.
And she like had no idea.
So I was like, okay, son,daughter, a tío, a prima,
cousin, who?
So I actually said, Oh, my son.
So I like got connected with herson and she didn't even have an
email.
So he created an email for herand he helped us set everything
(28:40):
up for her.
And now I meet virtually withher without a single problem.
Like she opens her phone, sheopens her app.
And we, we meet.
Jessica (28:49):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Yeah.
How do you guide Latinas or justlike your patients or clients in
general in making traditionaldishes healthier while
preserving their cultural roots?
And how does this look like onan emotional side of things?
Because you mentioned how theyhave to change their mindset as
(29:13):
well.
And so how does that look like?
Mariana (29:15):
There has to be, mindset is, is super, super big
and maybe we do have to makesome tweaks and some changes and
it, this is going to depend onthe patient and their health
goals and their metabolic healthand everything, right?
But I also really want to talkabout that our goal isn't to
erase these cultural traditionsand these ingredients.
(29:39):
I feel, I would feel very guiltyin a way, like, I do change and
I do make some tweaks.
Like, I don't know if the otherday you saw that we posted a
mole recipe.
And, um, I mean, it was not thetraditional way that it was
cooked, but it had the sameingredients and same flavors,
you know?
So my first goal I would say isto always highlight the richness
(30:03):
and the diversity of our food,uh, while challenging that very
narrow.
Western centric view of whathealthy food, food looks like.
And because our food carries alot of history, it carries a lot
of connection, and carries a lotof meaning.
And, I don't know, it's kind ofscary to think that if we erase
(30:25):
or we replace these foods, thiscould lead to a loss of cultural
heritage, um, which is why I tryto avoid a one size fits all.
So that is, like, one of my mainthings.
Um, so, Yeah, encouragingfamilies, encouraging women to
see that our foods are valuableand are essential and knowing,
(30:48):
and we need to know that ourmeals are nourishing, not only
in ingredients, but also in theconnection that they foster
across generation.
And I think that is so powerful.
Um, but then, so the other thingthat I try to really Accentuate
or make people see, cause one ofthe biggest barriers that we see
(31:12):
is that there is a lot of unfairlabeling.
Of our cultural foods asunhealthy or fattening.
Um, you were talking abouttortillas.
So for tortillas or tamales orarroz con frijoles, they have
some very negative labels, eventhough they offer a lot of
valuable nutrition and someonethat has diabetes, we might need
(31:35):
to make some changes and sometweaks totally, but.
They offer, like I was saying,they offer valuable nutrition.
And if you balance them and youtake a look at portions, like
you might not have to.
change the flavors or change therecipe, right?
(31:55):
So we really work with ourclients to reframe that mindset,
showing families and showingwomen that these dishes can be
enjoyed as part of a healthydiet.
So that we shouldn't be judgingfood on like very arbitrary
standards, that it is really theimportant thing when it comes to
foods and our dishes.
(32:16):
It's going to be about variety.
So, maybe you don't eat thatevery single day, or like for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner,and it's going to be about
balance, so how can you balancethat plate, and how can you
balance those ingredients, um,to better control your blood
sugar levels, or yourcholesterol, or your weight, um,
and enjoyment, because that isalso a very important part of,
(32:38):
of health.
And then, something that we alsotalk about is that it's always
about adding.
Not subtracting.
What can you add?
What can you add?
How can you balance?
So, I don't know, example, soenchiladas.
Instead of like, I'm thinking oflike the enchilada plate that I
(32:58):
would get at a quermes and itwould be like seven enchiladas,
you know?
Maybe instead of like the sevenenchiladas, you can serve the
enchiladas.
You can go for two enchiladasand serve that alongside beans
that are going to provide a lotof fiber and a lot of protein.
And then you're going to addavocado.
Or crema and salsa that isadding more nutrition and you're
(33:19):
gonna serve that maybe with likevery generous portions of greens
or a salad or something.
So it's really about thosetweaks but taking into
consideration everything that Imentioned before.
And I really try to focus onempowering through knowledge,
(33:39):
never restricting.
So that goes back to like Whatcan we add?
What can we add?
Instead of what can we takeaway?
What can we take away?
Right.
So, educating these moms,educating these families that on
the benefits of the foods thatthey already enjoy, but yeah,
(34:00):
like how can we make those smalladjustments by adding?
By understanding how thesenutrients work in your body and
how can they work in favor oragainst your favor?
Um, and all this because, Ithink you mentioned it before,
food is much more than justnutrients.
It's connection, it's tradition,it's identity.
(34:22):
And I think it's very, veryimportant that these dishes, um,
we can still enjoy these dishesthat have negative labels on
them.
And they are not negative.
I also want to like, you know,reiterate that, um, in a mindful
way so that we can continue tocelebrate that heritage and that
(34:43):
connection.
One, without guilt, and thereshouldn't be guilt, but also
without compromising our healthand our goals.
And it's a very individualizedprocess, like it looks different
for everyone.
And like that blows my mindbecause I say that a lot, it's
personalized, it's personalized,but then when I actually sit,
With a, with a client and Ilisten to them and like we put a
(35:06):
plan together.
I'm like blown away by howdifferent every nutrition plan
looks.
Um, and because it depends on somany things.
It depends on their, theirlifestyle and their culture.
I
Jessica (35:19):
mean their preferences.
Right.
Um, so and also like their,their upbringing, you know,
there can be some with the waythat they perceive food to food.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's well, I'm glad that youwork with them individually.
And, and I love how youmentioned that they shouldn't
like remove, uh, those to addon.
(35:42):
And it definitely shifts adifferent mindset because you're
not trying to erase, you know,the, the traditional foods.
And I, and that has always beenthe thing when you're working
with a nutritionist that isn'tunderstanding of our culture,
right?
Like our food is part of ourculture.
I mean, it's what identifies us.
If you go around Mexico.
(36:03):
You know, like Monterrey, I knowthat y'all love your meats, the
deer meat.
I would eat.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And when I, and she loves me netas you know, so there's
different types of foods withinour, you know, not just all
within Latin America, but it'llcome again, even in specific
regions too.
So it's an identity that wehave.
(36:26):
And, and so, yeah, I love howyou're saying like, it's more so
about how can you add moreversus like removing it.
Remove.
Yeah.
And so how does like stressimpact eating habits really for
busy Latina moms as far as whatdoes that role play really with
nutrition in supporting liketheir mental health and
(36:49):
specifically during theirpostpartum period or when they
are very stressed it's abouttheir motherhood journeys like
can you tell us a little bitmore about how that can impact
their way I see I
Mariana (37:02):
seen this A lot, a lot, a lot, a lot.
And one of the things that Ilike to point out is like,
people come to me superoverwhelmed sometimes thinking
that they need to do a completeoverhaul of their diet and their
lives and everything.
And when I make them focus onthe tiny steps that they need to
(37:22):
take every day, I always tellthem like, Think about your goal
and that goal is like at the topof the tallest mountain of the
world.
Like, now forget about thetallest mountain of the world.
Like, I don't want you to thinkabout that.
I want you to think about thedaily steps.
Like, that helps a lot with thestress.
But yeah, stress has a humongousimpact on our eating habits and
(37:43):
this can push us towardsbehaviors that don't align with
our health goals.
So for many people, I don't knowif that this happens to you, but
for many people, stressincreases cravings.
It could also be the other wayaround.
It could like totally like youhave no appetite.
And these cravings are a way ofour brain searching for quick
(38:06):
energy for pleasure and tocounter the stress that we're
feeling.
So Um, and like I said, for manyother people, stress actually
suppresses the appetite, andthis could lead to skipped meals
and inconsistent eatingpatterns, and that could
accentuate stress even more, um,but, um, but yeah, so stress
(38:26):
eating, stress eating can betied to emotional eating, but
first, I really want, because Ifeel like there's a very
negative connotation aboutemotional eating, and so I
really want to say thatemotional eating is a complete.
natural response and it many andin many ways is a part of
normal, Uh, Normal eating.
(38:48):
So a lot of studies show thatalmost everyone emotionally eats
from time to time, especiallyin, in, in, in like in stress
and Research again suggests thatemotional eating can be
completely different normalcoping mechanism when managed
mindfully.
So the problem is when emotionaleating becomes a primary way to
(39:13):
handle stress or difficultemotion, and then it starts to
impact both your physical andyour mental health because with
emotional eating, you can getinto like a really bad cycle
that can like, guilt and shameand then you go into the cycle
again.
So, but like, think about it.
Like, I don't know, like, uh,uh, arroz con leche, no?
(39:36):
Or a caldo.
Like I would think of thosefoods like would bring joy and
comfort.
So like, yeah, like it's totallyokay.
And that it's, there's evidencethat indulging in familiar foods
that are comforting.
Um, can trigger, I mean, canlike help with easing the
feelings, no?
(39:56):
So, um, I really like to startwith that because there's a lot
of shame and there's a lot ofguilt around those things.
And I feel that if we don'ttackle those feelings first,
it's going to be hard to, tomanage all those things.
So first of all, we need torecognize those patterns and
(40:17):
then offer realistic strategiesTo, I don't know, maybe it
involves prepping easy ornutrient dense snacks or
practice mindful eating to help.
And again, all to like bringmore awareness and more balance.
But these, either if you're likestress eating or skipping meals,
(40:40):
and this is because as momswe're so stressed, postpartum is
a very demanding period.
So we're prioritizing the needsof others always.
So this is leaving us withlittle energy for, for healthy
choices.
And this lack of nourishment orlike overeating can like, Lead
(41:01):
to fatigue and can lead to moodswings.
So we need to really buildstress related eating techniques
and build awareness of ourtriggers and our emotions around
food.
So in short, I feel thatunderstanding our patterns and
approaching them with kindnessand practical solutions can go a
(41:24):
long way in creating a healthierresponse to stress.
Jessica (41:29):
I can definitely see how Even with food, right, we
don't really think about food.
I mean, sometimes we think aboutfood as like, yes, it's fuel for
our bodies, but.
If we're under stressful, youknow, circumstances when we are
either craving or not wantingfood, it, it, it's so
interesting how it ultimatelyimpacts our way of being, you
(41:52):
know, whether it's, this is whenmom rage comes into play.
This is when overstimulationcomes into play when we feel
dysregulated.
And for many of us, we don'teven sleep, like, especially
during the postpartum period.
You know, period.
And so the fact that we're notnourishing our bodies, it, it
all interconnects with theissues that ultimately play with
(42:15):
our physical, mental, emotionalhealth.
Mariana (42:20):
Yeah, totally.
Totally.
Yeah.
It, I, it.
I mean, I'm way past the newbornstage, but last night was one of
those nights that I likeprobably slept for four hours
because I'm telling you thateveryone's at the doctor and
everyone is having my son hascrew.
But yeah, no, it's it's super,super, super important.
Yeah, yeah, it is.
Jessica (42:41):
And so speaking of my mass, right, and how busy our
lives can be.
I know that a lot of times andeven for myself, I'm like trying
to figure out What to bring onthe table or what are some easy
meals that I can do?
And I'll be honest, like, youknow, we, we rarely cook, um,
(43:05):
you know, as the comidaMexicana, like we, I already
feel intimidated by it.
I often lead it to my mom, mygrandma, whenever they come
visit us from Mexico or wheneverwe go to Mexico, it's like,
okay, this is our opportunity toeat these meals.
But then again, I'm like, no, Ineed to bring that back.
And that way our kids can seethe whole process, right?
(43:27):
And how it's made, not just onceit's ready.
Um, right, right.
You know, whether it fits Latinocuisines or just whatever type
foods that you eat at home, likewhat are some good strategies in
terms of meal planning that canbe easier for, for moms,
especially when we're on the goor even a stay at home moms, you
(43:48):
know, we just want to make surethat it's simplified that way.
We don't have to clean all thedishes.
Mariana (43:54):
Totally.
I always, yes, I see myself as avery lazy.
I love to cook, but I can bevery lazy when it comes to
cooking.
And I don't think, okay, so no,it's probably not lazy.
I just have a million otherresponsibilities.
I'm going back and forth and Ijust want something quick that
is easy to clean.
(44:15):
And it's.
Yeah, quick and easy.
Um, I feel that he, there is noright or wrong strategy here
because meal planning or mealprepping or whatever really
depends on each mom and her, herfamily needs and her lifestyle.
So there is no one size fits allapproach.
I personally, I don't like mealprepping.
Like I cannot spend a Sunday andmeal prep.
(44:38):
So I, but this is me, right?
So, and I never tried to likeshove.
The way things that I do to myclients, but I prefer, I do meal
plan.
So like I make a list.
Okay.
So like on Monday, picadillo, onTuesday, tostadas, things like
that.
So I like to meal plan bydeciding what I'm making for
dinner each night, but I focuson very easy, like five
(45:03):
ingredient, 20 minute, 20 minuterecipes.
But like if we're going to betalking about meal prepping,
like one of the things that Ialways suggest is batch cooking
ingredients.
So you can choose a few stapleseach week.
I don't know, beans, rice,quinoa, and you cook them in
bulk.
And then you can like throweasy, different meals quickly.
(45:24):
So for example, you can like, Idon't know, you're cooking beans
and you can use them in soups orin salads or, um, it's a side
dish for breakfast or, or thingslike that.
Um, another thing that I like tosuggest, and I, I, I use this
very often, I don't batch cookhonestly, but one pot or one pot
or a sheet pan dishes.
(45:45):
So.
Minimal cleanup.
I know that I probably should benot using so much aluminum foil,
but I like cover that thing somuch aluminum foil so that I can
just like scrunch it up andthrow it away and I don't have
to like clean.
Yeah.
Uh, but yeah, this is going tosave so much time on cleaning
and cooking, and it's going toallow you to prep a meal with
(46:07):
minimal fuss.
So the other, last week, and itwas actually our first time
doing it, last week I didColombian stew.
Have you done it?
No.
So Colombian stew, the easiestthing, most delicious.
So in the pot, four potatoes,peeled and cut into chunks, four
tomatoes, cut into chunks, Oneonion sliced.
(46:31):
Um, the recipe, the originalrecipe calls for like one whole
chicken, like cut into eight orI think like four chicken legs,
but I just use chicken thighs.
So two packs of chicken thighs.
So it was like around threepounds of meat, no water.
You don't need anything.
Salt and pepper, bay leaf, andyou put it in the instant pot
for 25 minutes and the tomatoescreate like the, the base of
(46:55):
the, like el caldo, the juice.
And it was so delicious.
So.
Easy, one pot, sheet pan dishes.
What else?
Double and freeze the recipelater or something.
I used to do that a lot when mykids were younger.
I don't do that so much.
So like, I would double, I dodouble recipes.
I just always eat them forlunch.
(47:17):
I don't freeze them anymore, butI, I know one of my clients,
it's like a soup, she's a soupperson.
Have you seen those likesilicone humongous, like square.
It's like an ice cube, but it'slike this big, so she'll make a,
she'll make a double batch ofwhatever she's doing and then
the rest of the recipe she putsthem into the, they're huge.
(47:38):
They're like this.
They're so small.
Yeah.
I think I've seen them before.
Instead of being like a tiny icecube, um, and she does that.
So, and then also, um.
So really, so a lot of peoplewant nutrition to be very sexy
and like, you know, this like,it's not sexy.
It's not rocket science.
So we need to remember thatsimple meals are okay, that you
(48:00):
don't need to like cook thissuper extravagant dinner or
breakfast or lunch.
So.
I always like to remind them,um, of that too.
Jessica (48:10):
Hmm.
Mariana (48:10):
But it, it is really going to depend on, on their
preference.
Like I said, I don't like tomeal prep.
I know people that love to mealprep and have like a chicken, a
bean and like different types ofproteins and I, I don't know.
I can't, yeah.
I
Jessica (48:26):
don't know why.
Yeah.
We did that for two weeks andwe're like, yeah, no, this is
too much No.
And for us, like, we like to.
We don't like to repeat the samefood tambien, so it didn't work
out for us, uh, but what worksfor us is like, you know, very
minimal, quick meals, which I
Mariana (48:48):
So you were saying that you don't cook that much
Mexican, so like, what do youguys cook?
What do you make?
Jessica (48:53):
Yeah, so we, we mostly make gomo pastas, like quinoa
bowls, Mediterranean.
Um, I don't know.
I just feel like, well, the I,for me, I prefer a recipe, like
I need to follow a recipe y soy,a recipe.
Yeah.
Creative.
And then my husband is the onewahoo cooks primarily ole.
(49:15):
Doesn't really, yeah, we don'treally cook Mexican food.
And, you know, we have amazingcooks.
Like I grew up with amazingcooks, but it's, I think it's
because those recipes haven'tbeen passed down where I'm not
sure like where to go.
Mariana (49:33):
I feel that sometimes those recipes can be very
intimidating.
And they can, like, seem likethey have a million steps or,
um, yeah, it's gonna takeforever.
But, I mean, it doesn't have to,like I said, I don't know if you
saw, but, um, we posted a recipethat we did mole.
And it is a mole that took me,um, Three minutes to make again,
(49:58):
I hope like my grandmother andmy great grandmother is not
listening and like comes likewants to like strangle me
because I'm not doing it, youknow, the way that she did, but
like, I don't have the time tolike cook from scratch and like,
you know, go by the chile secoand like do everything from
scratch.
(50:19):
So.
Jessica (50:20):
Yeah, and I think that's part of it that I feel
intimidated because I would seeall these mujeres, you know,
spend hours and hours in thekitchen, but I'm like, no, this
isn't, this isn't me.
I have other priorities, likeyou said, and it's about finding
that balance.
And I think that creativity.
And I also, you know, when I goto like Pinterest or something,
(50:43):
these are meals that wereprepared from non Latinos that
have a lot of Westernized orSouthwest kind of influences.
And I'm like, no, like we don'tuse cumin as much, you know?
Um, and so.
Mariana (51:00):
I think balance, you mentioned balance, that's
another big thing.
So, and I, I do that a lot and Irecommend that a lot.
So the other day I was doing,are you familiar with
veracruzana?
Yes.
Okay.
So I was doing pescado and supereasy.
But I was like, okay, so if I'mgoing to do Veracruzana, I don't
(51:22):
have time and I don't want tohonestly to like also make rice
from scratch.
So I buy a lot of like frozenpre cooked rice that I just put
in the microwave for threeminutes and it's ready.
Um, so it's trying to find thoselittle things that work for each
person individually.
Jessica (51:41):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
You should probably make arecipe book.
Mariana (51:46):
I would love to.
A lot of people have.
Recommended and suggested thatthey're like, I can't wait for
your, for your recipe book tocome out, maybe one day.
Jessica (51:54):
Simplified recipes.
Because yeah, we're all busy.
We're all busy.
Yeah.
And so looking at conditionslike, you know, diabetes, high
blood pressure, all of thesethings that yes, statistically
speaking affect our community,how does elemental health, like
(52:15):
really approach these chronicdiseases?
in terms of managing theirnutrition through that cultural
lens.
I
Mariana (52:23):
really think that the most important part is using a
culture centered approach,especially in diabetes.
And using a culture centeredapproach means that instead of
applying, again, it's verypersonalized, but instead of
applying a one size fits alladvice, we are building our
guidance and our nutrition plan.
Even around the specific beliefsand the values and even the
(52:44):
experiences of whoever we areproviding the services.
So what does this look like?
So in the Latino culture, many,and not everyone, obviously, but
many people have very uniquebeliefs about what.
What caused diabetes and how tomanage it.
And these beliefs around healthcan be very personal.
So for example, many peoplebelieve that a strong emotional
(53:08):
situation, I dunno if you'veheard the word Yes.
Um, and they believe that thiscan can bring diabetes.
So when a healthcare provider.
is acknowledging these beliefsand they're not dismissing them,
uh, but instead showing respectand understanding by honoring
(53:30):
them.
We are creating a more trustingand open relationship with our
clients.
And I think that is a cornerstore of creating behavior
change and then improving healthoutcomes.
Um, I also think it's superimportant again, obviously the
nutrition information, but wedon't want to fall in the expert
(53:51):
trap and just be like giving outinformation.
So instead of only relying ontechnical explanations.
In a culture centered approach,we would also consider how
patients understand their ownhealth within their own lives
and within their own culture.
So I don't know, if someonebelieves that emotional health
affects diabetes and it does,maybe we would be adding stress
(54:15):
management or offer, offeringother mindful techniques
alongside the nutrition care.
And this is going to make itmore relatable and more relevant
and that's, again, that's goingto be very important for them
to.
apply the information and forthem to accept that information.
So, rather than assuming thatall solutions are going to be
(54:35):
the same, this approach is goinginvolves creating strategies
that come from within theculture itself.
So for example, this is also, wesee this also, and you know that
family plays a very central rolein someone's life.
So including the family in thecare, uh, in the care plan for
managing diabetes, like that ispart of an effective diabetes
(55:00):
management.
So in a sense, a culturecentered approach means that me
as a healthcare provider, as adietician, I'm not imposing the
generic advice, instead I'malways working with my clients,
with my patients and respectingthem and building upon the
patient's own experiences andtheir cultural background.
(55:21):
So I think that that is asimportant, sometimes like that's
how I start building thatrapport and that trust with them
because if we don't have thatand if they don't feel seen and
heard and they don't feel likethey're at home.
Uh, like our tagline isnutrition that feels like at
home.
(55:42):
So I think that is super, superimportant, especially because
diabetes is a very complex andvery multifaceted disease that
is associated with substantialemotional distress.
So it's not only going to beabout the nutrition advice and
the carbs and the tortillas andthe tamales and add this and add
that.
So I always tell my, my patientsit starts with nutrition, but
(56:05):
it's not only about nutrition.
Wow.
Jessica (56:07):
That's awesome.
This definitely gave a differentperspective about this issue,
but also like ways in whichpeople can manage it.
through a different lens thanjust like the food.
It's more within oneself.
Mariana (56:23):
It's everything.
It has to be everythingtogether.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Jessica (56:27):
And, and you're right.
I mean, it makes it more of asustainable approach rather than
a quick solution.
And not delving into the actualproblem or issue.
And I think, yeah, that'sawesome.
Mariana (56:42):
And then I, I really feel that I'm super proud of the
trust that we are building andthe relationships that we are
creating with our patients.
And like, we hear that all thetime and that trust is going to
help us be a better team.
So it's not me telling them whatto do.
Um, it's us being a team andworking together.
(57:05):
And like, yeah, it's always usworking together.
Jessica (57:07):
Yeah,
Mariana (57:08):
that's awesome.
Jessica (57:10):
So this is a Viva La Mami question that I often ask
Mamas on the show.
So my question to you is, howare you redefining motherhood?
Oh
Mariana (57:19):
my god, I'm gonna have to think about this one.
But I'm gonna have to say, and Ihope I'm not, like, bringing too
many trapos sucios al aire.
I don't know how to, I don'tknow how to say it in English.
I might have to say it inSpanish.
Um, but maybe healing traumathat has been passed on from,
(57:40):
like, my great grandmother to mygrandmother and my mom.
And thankfully, I was able to,like, catch On it.
And I remember when I moved toChicago, I mean, I had moved so
much and I moved here pregnantCOVID and like, I gave birth and
I was like, I think I'm goingthrough like postpartum
(58:01):
depression.
Like I have to reach out tosomeone.
And through that session, I kindof realized that like, maybe
there was a little bit too muchof that, like, you know how it
is like generational spilling.
And I decided that I didn'twant.
So I was like, okay, I'm reallycommitted to this and not
(58:22):
bringing it over to my children.
So I continued with therapy andI've like talked about it with
like my sisters about how to usthat's like super important.
I don't know.
I also coming to mind, I thinkgrowing up in a very
conservative.
In terms of like MexicanCatholic, there were a lot of
(58:43):
taboos and a lot of things thatyou couldn't talk to your family
or your parents or like youdidn't talk about mental health.
Um, and I really want to changethat with my own family.
I want my children to be able tohave, I want, I want to be a
safe place for my children totalk about like literally
(59:04):
anything.
So I would say that those werethe two things that.
Came to mind.
And working on that, um, youknow, that maybe generational
things that are past, like yourmom, your grandmother, to your
mom, to you, and then creating asafe place and eliminating all
that taboos.
(59:25):
So that.
They can come to me and I alwaystell them like in this house,
you will never get in troublefor telling the truth.
No matter how bad it is.
Like, you're gonna get introuble if you lie to me.
Like, so I might be disappointedand I might Whatever, but you're
never going to get in troublefor telling the truth or for
(59:46):
asking a question.
Like, there is no, what's theword, like, not, oh, that's not
appropriate or you can't talk tome about that, you know?
Right.
Jessica (59:54):
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's awesome that you aredoing that and that you are
allowing the sense of opennessand like a safe space because a
lot of us didn't grow up withthat.
A lot of us couldn't.
I did not.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm glad that at least inour generation, we're breaking
those sort of generationalcurses that we grew up with.
(01:00:17):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Well, Mariana, where can peopleconnect with you and follow you?
How can they start working withyou, especially for those that
are looking for a culturallysensitive, understanding Latina
nutritionist?
Mariana (01:00:34):
So they can email me.
My email is Mariana atElementoHealth.
com.
They can also reach us atInstagram.
Our Instagram handle is Elementounderscore health.
Um, or our website, we also havea form in our website that they
can fill out.
Our website is ElementoHealth.
com.
Um, or they can text me or theycan call me.
Jessica (01:00:58):
That's great.
Well, Marina, thank you so muchfor being here.
I appreciate you sharing yourexpertise and this ultimately
validates that we are not alonein this, that there are people
like you who are supporting usin our journeys, specifically
when it comes to food and tokeep on with our cultural foods,
(01:01:18):
because again, that's just partof us and our identity and There
shouldn't be any shame or, youknow, removal of these foods
that ultimately make us who weare.
So, yes, thank you so much forbeing here.
Mariana (01:01:33):
Thank you so much for having me here.
And yeah, super, super happythat I was able to be a guest
here.
Hello.
You are listening to the best ofVLM episode series, which
showcases some of the mostpopular episodes of the Viva.
Mommy podcast.
This episode is one of those.
If you enjoy what you hear, makesure you subscribe and don't
forget to rate the show andwrite a review on apple podcasts
(00:21):
so that other mommies, like youcan find this podcast.
Out, let's get into the episode.
When was the last time ahealthcare provider made you
feel seen?
Heard?
And understood.
For many Latinas navigatingnutrition advice while
(00:42):
maintaining our culturalidentity can feel impossible.
Should we give up our beloved30?
Yes.
And replace our traditionaldishes with Keno bowls.
Well today, we're diving deepinto these questions with
Mariana.
Dineen a Latina dietician.
Who's revolutionizing how ourcommunity approaches nutrition.
(01:02):
Mariana Deneen is a proud Latinadietitian, mother of three, and
the founder of elemental health.
Born and raised in Monterey,Mexico, Mariana moved to New
York in 2009 to pursue hermaster's in clinical nutrition
at NYU.
She lived and worked in New Yorkuntil 2018.
When she relocated to Houstonfor two years before finally
(01:25):
settling in Chicago in 2020.
As part of a bi-cultural familywith a non-Latino husband.
Mariana embraces both hercultural roots and her family's
diverse background.
And this episode, Mariannashares the importance of
nutrition within the Latinacommunity, especially for my
mass striving to adopt ahealthier lifestyle.
(01:47):
While preserving culturaltraditions.
Marianna emphasizes on thesignificance of cultural
relevance in nutrition,counseling, overcoming language
barriers, and the uniquechallenges faced by the Latino
community in accessinghealthcare.
She offers practical strategiesfor meal planning and managing
chronic diseases like diabetesthrough a cultural lens,
(02:11):
stressing the importance ofbalance and inclusion rather
than elimination of culturalfoods.
Mariana's approach aims toempower families, to maintain
their identity while pursuinghealth goals.
We also touched on the impact ofstress on eating habits,
particularly for busy Latinamoms.
(02:31):
And how to address these issuesholistically.
Mariana's personal commitment tocultural sensitivity in her
practice.
Elemental health.
Underscores her dedication toproviding accessible and
empathetic nutrition care.
If you've ever felt shame aboutyour cultural foods or struggled
to find a healthcare providerwho truly gets you this episode
(02:54):
is for you.
So please tune in.
As we listen to insights, tips,and reassurance from a fellow
Latina who is a dietician.
Mariana Denene from elementalhealth.
Jessica (04:13):
Hola, hola, Mariana.
How are you?
Mariana (04:16):
Good.
How are you?
I'm so happy to be here.
Jessica (04:19):
Yes, I'm happy to be with you as well.
I Love that you approached meone day when we were in Luna y
Cielo in Chicago.
And, uh, we talked about, youknow, kind of like your
expertise and I'm like, I got tobring this mujer over here
because I think it's soimportant to talk about
nutrition and how and what thislooks like in our comunidad.
(04:43):
And especially as mamas, we arekind of trying to do things than
the way that we grew up,especially for us who are
second.
First, even for like one and ahalf generation, uh, living in,
in the United States, like wewant to do something different,
but sometimes we don't know howto really approach, uh, a
(05:04):
different lifestyle than the waythat we, uh, grew up when it
comes to nutrition.
So I'm going to love thisconversation here with you
because I think it's also goingto be important for me to learn
as I'm, um, you know, as youshare your expertise.
But before we delve into theconversation, if you can
introduce yourself to ourlisteners and that way we can
(05:25):
get started.
Mariana (05:27):
Yeah, definitely.
So my name is Mariana.
I am a Latina dietitian.
I am a mom of three and Icurrently live in Chicago with
my husband and my threechildren.
Uh, but my roots go back toMonterrey, Mexico, where I was
born and I was raised as theoldest of three sisters.
So, uh, my parents live inMexico.
(05:48):
My middle sister lives in Mexicoand all my extended family live
in Mexico.
My little sister.
lived in New York.
I'll tell you how that happened.
It has to do with me.
Uh, but yeah, so I was born andraised in Mexico and growing up,
I don't know why I always wantedto come to live in the United
(06:10):
States and actually to go tocollege in the United States.
But my parents were, were notvery excited about the idea of
me.
Going to college in the UnitedStates.
So I kind of set my sights ongradual school instead.
And actually I had no idea thatI wanted to study nutrition.
I remember like being in highschool and like having zero
(06:33):
clues of what I wanted to dowith, with my life and like in a
professional way.
And it was actually my mother,my mom that brought me all the
information and all thebrochures and introduced me.
To nutrition.
So fast forward to 2007.
I moved with four friends to NewYork City, and this was a total
turning point with me.
(06:53):
So I did my undergraduate, um,degree in Mexico, um, on
nutrition.
Um, so I was like, okay, well,I'm not going to go to college
there, but I'm Going to go tograduate school.
I was so determined to furthermy studies and really, I was
very passionate about that.
So I moved to New York City in2007 with four friends and I was
(07:14):
doing an internship at LenoxHill Hospital.
And this experience, these fourmonths, really solidified my
goal to move there for graduateschool.
And I was so determined to DoNew York and only New York and
go to that clinical nutritionprogram that I applied to one
school and one school only.
Um, so I had like a one trackmind.
(07:36):
It was New York or nothing.
And it was probably super riskyand very stupid, but.
I got accepted to NYU.
Oh, great.
I moved to New York in 2009 andI completed my master's in
clinical nutrition and I beganmy career over there.
So, um, yeah, that's a littlebit about how I got started in
(07:56):
nutrition.
I've worked in inpatient, solike hospitals, outpatient,
community settings, privatepractice settings.
Um, and actually in New York waswhere I met my husband and we
were in New York till 2018.
And then, so from New York wemoved to Houston for two years,
we were in Houston for two yearsand we actually moved to Houston
(08:19):
because I wanted to be close tofamily.
Um, that was super, and closerto my family in Mexico.
And my husband's parents,they're from New York, but they
moved to Texas, to Houston whenmy husband was about 15 years
old.
So my husband traveled Mondaythrough Thursday.
(08:39):
every single week.
And it was really, really hard.
Like I remember having to go tothe pharmacy at like 3 a.
m.
because like my Sophia, whowasn't even three years old,
like wouldn't start vomiting andI was pregnant and like a lot of
things like made, made us moveto Houston.
Um, but yeah, and then in 2020,in the middle of the pandemic,
(09:03):
my husband gets a job offer.
in Chicago.
And he's like, well, we're nowmoving to Chicago.
So we drove from Houston.
It took us two days to get here.
Um, I was 30 weeks pregnant.
I was so scared of Ovid.
Um, I brought a port a pottywith us.
So like port a potty and likeFebreeze and a lot of toilet
(09:24):
paper.
Um, so yeah.
And then in 2023, I finally tooka big leap of faith.
It started earlier because I hadto start with all the
credentialing process.
And.
Register as an LLC, but then in2023, I finally started seeing,
seeing clients, patients andElemental Health was born.
(09:44):
So it's been really anincredible journey from
Monterrey to New York City toHouston and now Chicago.
So
Jessica (09:54):
yeah, that's a little bit.
Yeah.
Thanks so much for sharing.
And as a fellow pandemic mom, Iknow that it's.
That time in our lives was sodifferent and stressful and
isolating because no one beforeus experienced either being
pregnant or giving birth orraising kids in the midst of a
(10:17):
pandemic.
Mariana (10:18):
It's hard.
Jessica (10:19):
So, yeah.
Yeah.
My heart goes out to you becauseI totally understand, um, how
that feeling was and not tomention when you couldn't even
be with your family members, youknow?
So.
Mariana (10:29):
I know.
No.
Like, yeah.
So, all my sisters and I werepregnant at the same time and we
couldn't see each otherpregnant.
So, we, we all have four yearolds, um, so my sister, my
middle sister, Rebecca, has twingirls.
And then I had.
Victoria, who's also a friend,and my sister, Paulina, has
another four year old, and like,we couldn't see each other,
(10:51):
like, we couldn't see each otherpregnant, and like, you know, we
all live, like, my sister livesin New York, I live in Chicago,
um, so my youngest sister endedup marrying my husband's best
friend, that's why they're,that's why they're in New York.
But yeah, it was like really,really,
Jessica (11:08):
really hard.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, it is.
It is.
Yeah.
And we grew up thinking like, Ohyeah, we're gonna, you know,
even the baby shower aspect,like there's just little things.
Okay.
We couldn't really celebrate ourpregnancy, you know, and I was
you and your two sisters.
Oh my gosh.
That's awesome.
I'm also Um, too.
(11:30):
So, uh, and I'm the oldest aswell, so I'm too, yeah.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
No, that's great.
So how really has your personaljourney influenced your approach
to nutrition counseling?
You gave us a full background,uh, but in particularly like
with helping families in termsof finding that balance between
(11:53):
cultural traditions and thenhealth.
Fee nutrition, like what reallyled you to this journey?
Mariana (12:00):
So I'm gonna get a little bit personal and I'm
going to speak very honestly.
So, yeah, no judging, no,please, this is safe space.
But my personal journey isreally, uh, that hard, and I'm
actually very proud to sharethis.
So it's a li, it's like.
I'm very proud to share thateven though it might come up as
(12:21):
a surprise.
Uh, but so eating growing up andeven after graduating and
working as a dietitian, I feltthis unspoken pressure to fit
into the white world, um, as ifit was the only way to achieve
success.
NYU, it was me and another girlfrom Venezuela, and like, You,
(12:48):
it was just us, you know?
Um, but as I grew and Iexperienced life and honestly
with the encouragement of myhusband, my husband is not
Latino.
My husband is very white, but hewould like for him, it was just
mind blowing.
To see that I didn't focus mycareer, you know, and like in my
(13:11):
community that I've alwayswanted to like break into that
world.
So honestly, like just life anda lot of things and his
encouragement, I realized that.
that leaving my roots behinddidn't bring the fulfillment
that I was looking for.
So I discovered thatreconnecting with my culture and
not that like I left my culturebehind, I'm just talking in a
(13:33):
professional way.
Um, cause I honestly, like, it'snot like I completely left my
culture, but that reconnectingwith my, my culture and
embracing my heritage in what Ido professionally, was really my
true passion and my purpose.
So now I see my culture and myheritage as a superpower and
(13:55):
this shift has made me superpassionate about helping others
maintain this identity whilepursuing the health goals.
I think that in my practice atElemental Health I approach
counseling with a very bigcommitment to show families that
they do not have to choosebetween.
They're cultural identity andthey health and health.
(14:18):
I think there's amisunderstanding that you cannot
enjoy the foods that you grew upwith and the, and the foods that
have super deep meaning andconnection to make those strides
towards the health goal.
So I'm helping my clients buildsmall.
(14:38):
But sustainable habits that fitinto their lives seamlessly and
like their lives as a whole,right, as a mother, as a family,
as an entrepreneur, as a Latina,as everything.
Um, and all this while honoringboth the cultural roots that
they have and also theirwellness goal.
So I think that shift for me washumongous.
(15:01):
And I bring that Into work everyday because it really, it really
changed me, it really switchedme and I was actually at UIC
about three weeks ago at aconference called, and I love
the title of the conference, sothe title of the conference was
The Healing Power of Our Rootsand it was organized by MOLA.
MOLA stands for MedicalOrganization for Latino
(15:24):
Advancement and it's a nonprofit, um, of all the
healthcare professionals, mostlydoctors, but that are all
working towards health equity.
And it was super emotionalbecause they brought patients to
like the, the podium and theywere asking about their
experiences and like all thesepeople talking about how it's
(15:47):
super hard for them to connectand to trust and to find a care
because unfortunately there's alack of representation in the,
in the medical community.
So like hearing this and thenlike, you know, like knowing
that I, I.
niche there that I'm helping mycommunity like brought me to
(16:10):
tears.
So I think that by nurturingboth health and culture, I, I
hope to help families see thattheir traditions are a source
not only of nourishment, butalso of strength and pride.
And that's super important.
Jessica (16:27):
Yes.
And it's all about culturalrelevance.
See, you know, where we are, areexperts in specific areas, you
know, or subject matter experts,but also how do we bring
empathy, understanding, youknow, when it comes to our
culture and especially assomeone that can represent our
(16:50):
community that board, see, wealready feel very, uh,
vulnerable.
We get white coat syndrome infront of medical experts in
front of, you know, people whowill.
essentially talk to us about ourhealth.
And sometimes we don't reallyknow why professionals are
telling us, well, no comastortillas, you know, don't eat
(17:11):
tortillas.
These are really bad for you,you know, this.
And I think becausestatistically, yes, you know,
Latinos, we are more prone togetting diabetes than other, you
know, populations.
But there's also history behindthat, right?
There's colonialism, there'spoverty, there's, you know, lack
(17:35):
of resources and healthcare.
And so when you really thinkabout all of those systems that
have been put in place, and thenwe have medical experts that are
basically shaming us, blamingus.
For the foods that we eat,that's not really a connection
there.
It's more than that.
And so I applaud you forrealizing this because a lot of
(17:59):
times we grew up trying to fitin or trying to conform to the
mainstream culture and society.
But, um, I'm glad that you havefound this balance between what
You can bring as an expert, butalso how you can empathize with
the people that you work with aswell.
Mariana (18:16):
One point I, I almost felt ashamed accepting this,
like I can't accept this, likewhatever, you know, but I think
I see it differently now.
Like I'm very proud.
And again, I want to likereiterate that I never, it's not
like I.
I didn't leave my culture like Iam who I am, you know, um, and
I'm very proud of that.
(18:36):
It was just professionally.
I thought that professionally Ineeded to break into that world
to be successful and to berespected.
And now I know that that is, Iwas wrong.
I was totally wrong.
And I think that that switchhas, I, I don't, I don't think I
would have ever started myprivate practice if I had never.
(18:59):
And if I had never made thatswitch, I would probably still
be dreaming and trying to do.
And, and I would have neverstarted.
So
Jessica (19:08):
super powerful.
Absolutely.
I was just going to say that,like kudos to you.
You should be proud of yourself.
And it did take a lot of soulsearching, a lot of figuring out
a lot, but you're doing it.
And so now that you primarilywork with people within our
community, that What have younoticed that are significant
(19:30):
barriers for the Latinacommunity as they face
accessing, uh, nutrition care?
What are some of those barriers?
Mariana (19:39):
Unfortunately, there's a little bit too many barriers,
there's too many barriers, but Ireally would envision Elemental
Health as like, we want Latinosand Hispanics to break through
those barriers and hopefully oneday we can reach that many
people.
So that, again, they can breakthrough all those barriers, but
(20:00):
I would say the first one andone of the biggest ones is, is
language, uh, because not allhealthcares are bilingual or
culturally aware.
So when nutrition advice isdelivered in English.
and without a cultural context,it can feel disconnected and it
can be very hard to apply.
And if it's hard to apply, thenit's not going to lead to
(20:22):
improved health outcomes.
Um, and that's super importantbecause food is very tied to our
culture and our identity.
So if the care that they arereceiving doesn't align with
their language and with theirculture, like, that care might
feel irrelevant or evendisrespectful.
(20:45):
So we are trying to bridge thisgap by providing services in
Spanish and English.
Spanish half and half and reallyfocus on that cultural relevance
guidance.
And I always joke about like, weeven provide service in
Spanglish, but it's like 100percent true, like I have a
(21:07):
client from Ecuador and weliterally go back and forth,
English and Spanish.
And then we, like, I rememberthe day that I first met her, we
were joking about how growing upher in Ecuador and me in Mexico,
we would use words like Like, Igrew up, I remember my dad hated
that so much.
(21:27):
I would be at school and I wouldbe like, ay, no printear la
tarea, or like, things likethat.
But yeah, so language is a bigone.
And then the other one, andunfortunately, some Latino
communities are, everywhere,it's just not Latinos, right?
But there might be somefinancial constraints.
finding dietitians that acceptinsurance.
(21:49):
And that identify as Hispanicand Latinas is a very
challenging, I remember when Iwas in New York, there was this
dietician that I like aspired tobe like her, and she was
charging 10, 000.
10, 000 for nutrition services.
Oh my God.
Um, and you had to like make apayment right then and there.
(22:10):
It was, it was 10 appointments,right?
That you like distributed overthe course of whatever, two
months or three months, I don'tknow, maybe two appointments a
month, but like 10, 000, likewho is able to pay 10, 000?
Very small, And even right now,like I, the other day, before I
(22:31):
started this, the other day Iwas talking to this dietician
turned into a business coach andshe helps dietitians build very
high ticket nutrition programs.
And some dietitians were likecharging 10, I mean, 7, 000 or
15, 000 for like, whatever, anine month nutrition program.
So.
It's super challenging, andhonestly, I went back and forth
(22:55):
a lot with the acceptinginsurance because I've heard
horror stories.
And like, the administrativeburden, and then the very low
reimbursement rates.
Unfortunately, many dieticianschoose not to accept insurance,
but I was like, I don't care.
Like, I found my passion.
I found my calling.
Like.
(23:16):
I am prioritizing accessibilityand believing I, I truly
believe, and I want everyHispanic and every Latino to
believe that they deserve highquality nutrition care from an
expert.
Not from like the TikTok orfrom, I don't know.
So we're, we're acceptinginsurance and we are expanding
(23:38):
hopefully very soon.
And we are going to.
Be taking Medicare and Medicaid.
So we are accepting insurance toremove these financial barriers
and ensure that this veryessential service is within
reach.
And then I also know thatthere's a lot of people out
there without insurance.
Um, and again, who can pay for$7,000 or$15,000 or$10,000?
(24:01):
So.
On top of insurance, we have,we, um, offer very affordable
membership prices, but like, wedon't even talk about those.
I go straight to insurance, andI want to say that like 95 to 98
percent of our clients pay zerodollars.
out of pocket.
So
Jessica (24:20):
that is awesome.
And kudos to you for thinkingabout our community that because
we already have this perceptionthat if you go to a nutritionist
or a dietitian, you know, youhave to pay out of pocket or
it's not accessible because ofthe cost.
And the fact that you offerinsurance, and obviously it's a
(24:41):
lot of work on your end on theback end, But the fact that
you're doing this for thecommunity, I mean, speaks so
much about you.
So thank you.
And I'll be sure to share
Mariana (24:52):
your practice and everything.
A lot of, a lot of people arevery surprised when I tell them
that insurance covers nutrition.
Not all plans.
It obviously depends on, onevery plan, but it does cover.
And like I said, 99, 95 to 98, Ihaven't like actually done like
a formal statistic or whatever,but a lot of people pay 0 out of
(25:15):
pocket.
Um, but yeah, and I mean, thereare many others.
I would say that also mistrustin healthcare is a big one,
especially for Latinos.
Um, there was actually a studyin 2022 from the Pew Research
Center and um, they stated likethe study said that about half
(25:38):
of Hispanic adults reportedfeeling that they have not been
treated fairly in the healthcaresystem because of their race or
their ethnicity.
And that same study found thatthree in 10 Hispanic adults feel
that healthcare providers failto explain things.
the, in a way that theyunderstand.
So this mistrust and thiscommunication gap can lead to,
(26:05):
to, to many people beinghesitant and reaching out for,
for professional care, and thenyou see them relying on like the
quick fixes that they saw ontech talk and like getting all
the misinformation.
So, um, we, I always tell myclients.
Um, I don't know what to callthem.
Clients or patients.
I always go back and forth thatwe are not just about providing
(26:27):
evidence based care, but wereally want to create a space
where they feel seen, they feelheard, they feel understood,
like they are with family.
And I feel that us Latinos are,are known for that, like,
warmth, you know, that like, um,So that warmth and that
(26:50):
understanding and that genuineconnection that we have in our
community and that is a veryimportant part in creating
behavior change or like healingor, or support, you know?
So, um, and then another onethat you might be very familiar
with is all our familycommitments are a super big
(27:12):
thing in the, our community.
Marianismo.
Are you familiar withMarianismo?
We juggle so many demanding workschedules.
Some, some of the jobs areoffering very limited, very, uh,
limited benefits and notflexible.
So it can be very hard toprioritize nutrition care.
(27:33):
And then on top of that, what Iwas talking about, all our, uh,
family obligations and We asLatinos are known to prioritize
caring for other people and notus.
So like then we and our healthare, are like at the expense of
our own health.
Um, so yeah, we are trying toalso break through this barrier
(27:57):
by providing virtual health.
So we are 100 percent virtual.
Um, and I know that a lot ofpeople.
are kind of like, hesitant aboutvirtual.
And many, many of those that areolder, maybe are not very tech
savvy.
Uh, but I had a client, I wouldsay about four months ago, she
(28:18):
came to us, she was referred fordiabetes, older.
And she like had no idea.
So I was like, okay, son,daughter, a tío, a prima,
cousin, who?
So I actually said, Oh, my son.
So I like got connected with herson and she didn't even have an
email.
So he created an email for herand he helped us set everything
(28:40):
up for her.
And now I meet virtually withher without a single problem.
Like she opens her phone, sheopens her app.
And we, we meet.
Jessica (28:49):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Yeah.
How do you guide Latinas or justlike your patients or clients in
general in making traditionaldishes healthier while
preserving their cultural roots?
And how does this look like onan emotional side of things?
Because you mentioned how theyhave to change their mindset as
(29:13):
well.
And so how does that look like?
Mariana (29:15):
There has to be, mindset is, is super, super big
and maybe we do have to makesome tweaks and some changes and
it, this is going to depend onthe patient and their health
goals and their metabolic healthand everything, right?
But I also really want to talkabout that our goal isn't to
erase these cultural traditionsand these ingredients.
(29:39):
I feel, I would feel very guiltyin a way, like, I do change and
I do make some tweaks.
Like, I don't know if the otherday you saw that we posted a
mole recipe.
And, um, I mean, it was not thetraditional way that it was
cooked, but it had the sameingredients and same flavors,
you know?
So my first goal I would say isto always highlight the richness
(30:03):
and the diversity of our food,uh, while challenging that very
narrow.
Western centric view of whathealthy food, food looks like.
And because our food carries alot of history, it carries a lot
of connection, and carries a lotof meaning.
And, I don't know, it's kind ofscary to think that if we erase
(30:25):
or we replace these foods, thiscould lead to a loss of cultural
heritage, um, which is why I tryto avoid a one size fits all.
So that is, like, one of my mainthings.
Um, so, Yeah, encouragingfamilies, encouraging women to
see that our foods are valuableand are essential and knowing,
(30:48):
and we need to know that ourmeals are nourishing, not only
in ingredients, but also in theconnection that they foster
across generation.
And I think that is so powerful.
Um, but then, so the other thingthat I try to really Accentuate
or make people see, cause one ofthe biggest barriers that we see
(31:12):
is that there is a lot of unfairlabeling.
Of our cultural foods asunhealthy or fattening.
Um, you were talking abouttortillas.
So for tortillas or tamales orarroz con frijoles, they have
some very negative labels, eventhough they offer a lot of
valuable nutrition and someonethat has diabetes, we might need
(31:35):
to make some changes and sometweaks totally, but.
They offer, like I was saying,they offer valuable nutrition.
And if you balance them and youtake a look at portions, like
you might not have to.
change the flavors or change therecipe, right?
(31:55):
So we really work with ourclients to reframe that mindset,
showing families and showingwomen that these dishes can be
enjoyed as part of a healthydiet.
So that we shouldn't be judgingfood on like very arbitrary
standards, that it is really theimportant thing when it comes to
foods and our dishes.
(32:16):
It's going to be about variety.
So, maybe you don't eat thatevery single day, or like for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner,and it's going to be about
balance, so how can you balancethat plate, and how can you
balance those ingredients, um,to better control your blood
sugar levels, or yourcholesterol, or your weight, um,
and enjoyment, because that isalso a very important part of,
(32:38):
of health.
And then, something that we alsotalk about is that it's always
about adding.
Not subtracting.
What can you add?
What can you add?
How can you balance?
So, I don't know, example, soenchiladas.
Instead of like, I'm thinking oflike the enchilada plate that I
(32:58):
would get at a quermes and itwould be like seven enchiladas,
you know?
Maybe instead of like the sevenenchiladas, you can serve the
enchiladas.
You can go for two enchiladasand serve that alongside beans
that are going to provide a lotof fiber and a lot of protein.
And then you're going to addavocado.
Or crema and salsa that isadding more nutrition and you're
(33:19):
gonna serve that maybe with likevery generous portions of greens
or a salad or something.
So it's really about thosetweaks but taking into
consideration everything that Imentioned before.
And I really try to focus onempowering through knowledge,
(33:39):
never restricting.
So that goes back to like Whatcan we add?
What can we add?
Instead of what can we takeaway?
What can we take away?
Right.
So, educating these moms,educating these families that on
the benefits of the foods thatthey already enjoy, but yeah,
(34:00):
like how can we make those smalladjustments by adding?
By understanding how thesenutrients work in your body and
how can they work in favor oragainst your favor?
Um, and all this because, Ithink you mentioned it before,
food is much more than justnutrients.
It's connection, it's tradition,it's identity.
(34:22):
And I think it's very, veryimportant that these dishes, um,
we can still enjoy these dishesthat have negative labels on
them.
And they are not negative.
I also want to like, you know,reiterate that, um, in a mindful
way so that we can continue tocelebrate that heritage and that
(34:43):
connection.
One, without guilt, and thereshouldn't be guilt, but also
without compromising our healthand our goals.
And it's a very individualizedprocess, like it looks different
for everyone.
And like that blows my mindbecause I say that a lot, it's
personalized, it's personalized,but then when I actually sit,
With a, with a client and Ilisten to them and like we put a
(35:06):
plan together.
I'm like blown away by howdifferent every nutrition plan
looks.
Um, and because it depends on somany things.
It depends on their, theirlifestyle and their culture.
I
Jessica (35:19):
mean their preferences.
Right.
Um, so and also like their,their upbringing, you know,
there can be some with the waythat they perceive food to food.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's well, I'm glad that youwork with them individually.
And, and I love how youmentioned that they shouldn't
like remove, uh, those to addon.
(35:42):
And it definitely shifts adifferent mindset because you're
not trying to erase, you know,the, the traditional foods.
And I, and that has always beenthe thing when you're working
with a nutritionist that isn'tunderstanding of our culture,
right?
Like our food is part of ourculture.
I mean, it's what identifies us.
If you go around Mexico.
(36:03):
You know, like Monterrey, I knowthat y'all love your meats, the
deer meat.
I would eat.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And when I, and she loves me netas you know, so there's
different types of foods withinour, you know, not just all
within Latin America, but it'llcome again, even in specific
regions too.
So it's an identity that wehave.
(36:26):
And, and so, yeah, I love howyou're saying like, it's more so
about how can you add moreversus like removing it.
Remove.
Yeah.
And so how does like stressimpact eating habits really for
busy Latina moms as far as whatdoes that role play really with
nutrition in supporting liketheir mental health and
(36:49):
specifically during theirpostpartum period or when they
are very stressed it's abouttheir motherhood journeys like
can you tell us a little bitmore about how that can impact
their way I see I
Mariana (37:02):
seen this A lot, a lot, a lot, a lot.
And one of the things that Ilike to point out is like,
people come to me superoverwhelmed sometimes thinking
that they need to do a completeoverhaul of their diet and their
lives and everything.
And when I make them focus onthe tiny steps that they need to
(37:22):
take every day, I always tellthem like, Think about your goal
and that goal is like at the topof the tallest mountain of the
world.
Like, now forget about thetallest mountain of the world.
Like, I don't want you to thinkabout that.
I want you to think about thedaily steps.
Like, that helps a lot with thestress.
But yeah, stress has a humongousimpact on our eating habits and
(37:43):
this can push us towardsbehaviors that don't align with
our health goals.
So for many people, I don't knowif that this happens to you, but
for many people, stressincreases cravings.
It could also be the other wayaround.
It could like totally like youhave no appetite.
And these cravings are a way ofour brain searching for quick
(38:06):
energy for pleasure and tocounter the stress that we're
feeling.
So Um, and like I said, for manyother people, stress actually
suppresses the appetite, andthis could lead to skipped meals
and inconsistent eatingpatterns, and that could
accentuate stress even more, um,but, um, but yeah, so stress
(38:26):
eating, stress eating can betied to emotional eating, but
first, I really want, because Ifeel like there's a very
negative connotation aboutemotional eating, and so I
really want to say thatemotional eating is a complete.
natural response and it many andin many ways is a part of
normal, Uh, Normal eating.
(38:48):
So a lot of studies show thatalmost everyone emotionally eats
from time to time, especiallyin, in, in, in like in stress
and Research again suggests thatemotional eating can be
completely different normalcoping mechanism when managed
mindfully.
So the problem is when emotionaleating becomes a primary way to
(39:13):
handle stress or difficultemotion, and then it starts to
impact both your physical andyour mental health because with
emotional eating, you can getinto like a really bad cycle
that can like, guilt and shameand then you go into the cycle
again.
So, but like, think about it.
Like, I don't know, like, uh,uh, arroz con leche, no?
(39:36):
Or a caldo.
Like I would think of thosefoods like would bring joy and
comfort.
So like, yeah, like it's totallyokay.
And that it's, there's evidencethat indulging in familiar foods
that are comforting.
Um, can trigger, I mean, canlike help with easing the
feelings, no?
(39:56):
So, um, I really like to startwith that because there's a lot
of shame and there's a lot ofguilt around those things.
And I feel that if we don'ttackle those feelings first,
it's going to be hard to, tomanage all those things.
So first of all, we need torecognize those patterns and
(40:17):
then offer realistic strategiesTo, I don't know, maybe it
involves prepping easy ornutrient dense snacks or
practice mindful eating to help.
And again, all to like bringmore awareness and more balance.
But these, either if you're likestress eating or skipping meals,
(40:40):
and this is because as momswe're so stressed, postpartum is
a very demanding period.
So we're prioritizing the needsof others always.
So this is leaving us withlittle energy for, for healthy
choices.
And this lack of nourishment orlike overeating can like, Lead
(41:01):
to fatigue and can lead to moodswings.
So we need to really buildstress related eating techniques
and build awareness of ourtriggers and our emotions around
food.
So in short, I feel thatunderstanding our patterns and
approaching them with kindnessand practical solutions can go a
(41:24):
long way in creating a healthierresponse to stress.
Jessica (41:29):
I can definitely see how Even with food, right, we
don't really think about food.
I mean, sometimes we think aboutfood as like, yes, it's fuel for
our bodies, but.
If we're under stressful, youknow, circumstances when we are
either craving or not wantingfood, it, it, it's so
interesting how it ultimatelyimpacts our way of being, you
(41:52):
know, whether it's, this is whenmom rage comes into play.
This is when overstimulationcomes into play when we feel
dysregulated.
And for many of us, we don'teven sleep, like, especially
during the postpartum period.
You know, period.
And so the fact that we're notnourishing our bodies, it, it
all interconnects with theissues that ultimately play with
(42:15):
our physical, mental, emotionalhealth.
Mariana (42:20):
Yeah, totally.
Totally.
Yeah.
It, I, it.
I mean, I'm way past the newbornstage, but last night was one of
those nights that I likeprobably slept for four hours
because I'm telling you thateveryone's at the doctor and
everyone is having my son hascrew.
But yeah, no, it's it's super,super, super important.
Yeah, yeah, it is.
Jessica (42:41):
And so speaking of my mass, right, and how busy our
lives can be.
I know that a lot of times andeven for myself, I'm like trying
to figure out What to bring onthe table or what are some easy
meals that I can do?
And I'll be honest, like, youknow, we, we rarely cook, um,
(43:05):
you know, as the comidaMexicana, like we, I already
feel intimidated by it.
I often lead it to my mom, mygrandma, whenever they come
visit us from Mexico or wheneverwe go to Mexico, it's like,
okay, this is our opportunity toeat these meals.
But then again, I'm like, no, Ineed to bring that back.
And that way our kids can seethe whole process, right?
(43:27):
And how it's made, not just onceit's ready.
Um, right, right.
You know, whether it fits Latinocuisines or just whatever type
foods that you eat at home, likewhat are some good strategies in
terms of meal planning that canbe easier for, for moms,
especially when we're on the goor even a stay at home moms, you
(43:48):
know, we just want to make surethat it's simplified that way.
We don't have to clean all thedishes.
Mariana (43:54):
Totally.
I always, yes, I see myself as avery lazy.
I love to cook, but I can bevery lazy when it comes to
cooking.
And I don't think, okay, so no,it's probably not lazy.
I just have a million otherresponsibilities.
I'm going back and forth and Ijust want something quick that
is easy to clean.
(44:15):
And it's.
Yeah, quick and easy.
Um, I feel that he, there is noright or wrong strategy here
because meal planning or mealprepping or whatever really
depends on each mom and her, herfamily needs and her lifestyle.
So there is no one size fits allapproach.
I personally, I don't like mealprepping.
Like I cannot spend a Sunday andmeal prep.
(44:38):
So I, but this is me, right?
So, and I never tried to likeshove.
The way things that I do to myclients, but I prefer, I do meal
plan.
So like I make a list.
Okay.
So like on Monday, picadillo, onTuesday, tostadas, things like
that.
So I like to meal plan bydeciding what I'm making for
dinner each night, but I focuson very easy, like five
(45:03):
ingredient, 20 minute, 20 minuterecipes.
But like if we're going to betalking about meal prepping,
like one of the things that Ialways suggest is batch cooking
ingredients.
So you can choose a few stapleseach week.
I don't know, beans, rice,quinoa, and you cook them in
bulk.
And then you can like throweasy, different meals quickly.
(45:24):
So for example, you can like, Idon't know, you're cooking beans
and you can use them in soups orin salads or, um, it's a side
dish for breakfast or, or thingslike that.
Um, another thing that I like tosuggest, and I, I, I use this
very often, I don't batch cookhonestly, but one pot or one pot
or a sheet pan dishes.
(45:45):
So.
Minimal cleanup.
I know that I probably should benot using so much aluminum foil,
but I like cover that thing somuch aluminum foil so that I can
just like scrunch it up andthrow it away and I don't have
to like clean.
Yeah.
Uh, but yeah, this is going tosave so much time on cleaning
and cooking, and it's going toallow you to prep a meal with
(46:07):
minimal fuss.
So the other, last week, and itwas actually our first time
doing it, last week I didColombian stew.
Have you done it?
No.
So Colombian stew, the easiestthing, most delicious.
So in the pot, four potatoes,peeled and cut into chunks, four
tomatoes, cut into chunks, Oneonion sliced.
(46:31):
Um, the recipe, the originalrecipe calls for like one whole
chicken, like cut into eight orI think like four chicken legs,
but I just use chicken thighs.
So two packs of chicken thighs.
So it was like around threepounds of meat, no water.
You don't need anything.
Salt and pepper, bay leaf, andyou put it in the instant pot
for 25 minutes and the tomatoescreate like the, the base of
(46:55):
the, like el caldo, the juice.
And it was so delicious.
So.
Easy, one pot, sheet pan dishes.
What else?
Double and freeze the recipelater or something.
I used to do that a lot when mykids were younger.
I don't do that so much.
So like, I would double, I dodouble recipes.
I just always eat them forlunch.
(47:17):
I don't freeze them anymore, butI, I know one of my clients,
it's like a soup, she's a soupperson.
Have you seen those likesilicone humongous, like square.
It's like an ice cube, but it'slike this big, so she'll make a,
she'll make a double batch ofwhatever she's doing and then
the rest of the recipe she putsthem into the, they're huge.
(47:38):
They're like this.
They're so small.
Yeah.
I think I've seen them before.
Instead of being like a tiny icecube, um, and she does that.
So, and then also, um.
So really, so a lot of peoplewant nutrition to be very sexy
and like, you know, this like,it's not sexy.
It's not rocket science.
So we need to remember thatsimple meals are okay, that you
(48:00):
don't need to like cook thissuper extravagant dinner or
breakfast or lunch.
So.
I always like to remind them,um, of that too.
Jessica (48:10):
Hmm.
Mariana (48:10):
But it, it is really going to depend on, on their
preference.
Like I said, I don't like tomeal prep.
I know people that love to mealprep and have like a chicken, a
bean and like different types ofproteins and I, I don't know.
I can't, yeah.
I
Jessica (48:26):
don't know why.
Yeah.
We did that for two weeks andwe're like, yeah, no, this is
too much No.
And for us, like, we like to.
We don't like to repeat the samefood tambien, so it didn't work
out for us, uh, but what worksfor us is like, you know, very
minimal, quick meals, which I
Mariana (48:48):
So you were saying that you don't cook that much
Mexican, so like, what do youguys cook?
What do you make?
Jessica (48:53):
Yeah, so we, we mostly make gomo pastas, like quinoa
bowls, Mediterranean.
Um, I don't know.
I just feel like, well, the I,for me, I prefer a recipe, like
I need to follow a recipe y soy,a recipe.
Yeah.
Creative.
And then my husband is the onewahoo cooks primarily ole.
(49:15):
Doesn't really, yeah, we don'treally cook Mexican food.
And, you know, we have amazingcooks.
Like I grew up with amazingcooks, but it's, I think it's
because those recipes haven'tbeen passed down where I'm not
sure like where to go.
Mariana (49:33):
I feel that sometimes those recipes can be very
intimidating.
And they can, like, seem likethey have a million steps or,
um, yeah, it's gonna takeforever.
But, I mean, it doesn't have to,like I said, I don't know if you
saw, but, um, we posted a recipethat we did mole.
And it is a mole that took me,um, Three minutes to make again,
(49:58):
I hope like my grandmother andmy great grandmother is not
listening and like comes likewants to like strangle me
because I'm not doing it, youknow, the way that she did, but
like, I don't have the time tolike cook from scratch and like,
you know, go by the chile secoand like do everything from
scratch.
(50:19):
So.
Jessica (50:20):
Yeah, and I think that's part of it that I feel
intimidated because I would seeall these mujeres, you know,
spend hours and hours in thekitchen, but I'm like, no, this
isn't, this isn't me.
I have other priorities, likeyou said, and it's about finding
that balance.
And I think that creativity.
And I also, you know, when I goto like Pinterest or something,
(50:43):
these are meals that wereprepared from non Latinos that
have a lot of Westernized orSouthwest kind of influences.
And I'm like, no, like we don'tuse cumin as much, you know?
Um, and so.
Mariana (51:00):
I think balance, you mentioned balance, that's
another big thing.
So, and I, I do that a lot and Irecommend that a lot.
So the other day I was doing,are you familiar with
veracruzana?
Yes.
Okay.
So I was doing pescado and supereasy.
But I was like, okay, so if I'mgoing to do Veracruzana, I don't
(51:22):
have time and I don't want tohonestly to like also make rice
from scratch.
So I buy a lot of like frozenpre cooked rice that I just put
in the microwave for threeminutes and it's ready.
Um, so it's trying to find thoselittle things that work for each
person individually.
Jessica (51:41):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
You should probably make arecipe book.
Mariana (51:46):
I would love to.
A lot of people have.
Recommended and suggested thatthey're like, I can't wait for
your, for your recipe book tocome out, maybe one day.
Jessica (51:54):
Simplified recipes.
Because yeah, we're all busy.
We're all busy.
Yeah.
And so looking at conditionslike, you know, diabetes, high
blood pressure, all of thesethings that yes, statistically
speaking affect our community,how does elemental health, like
(52:15):
really approach these chronicdiseases?
in terms of managing theirnutrition through that cultural
lens.
I
Mariana (52:23):
really think that the most important part is using a
culture centered approach,especially in diabetes.
And using a culture centeredapproach means that instead of
applying, again, it's verypersonalized, but instead of
applying a one size fits alladvice, we are building our
guidance and our nutrition plan.
Even around the specific beliefsand the values and even the
(52:44):
experiences of whoever we areproviding the services.
So what does this look like?
So in the Latino culture, many,and not everyone, obviously, but
many people have very uniquebeliefs about what.
What caused diabetes and how tomanage it.
And these beliefs around healthcan be very personal.
So for example, many peoplebelieve that a strong emotional
(53:08):
situation, I dunno if you'veheard the word Yes.
Um, and they believe that thiscan can bring diabetes.
So when a healthcare provider.
is acknowledging these beliefsand they're not dismissing them,
uh, but instead showing respectand understanding by honoring
(53:30):
them.
We are creating a more trustingand open relationship with our
clients.
And I think that is a cornerstore of creating behavior
change and then improving healthoutcomes.
Um, I also think it's superimportant again, obviously the
nutrition information, but wedon't want to fall in the expert
(53:51):
trap and just be like giving outinformation.
So instead of only relying ontechnical explanations.
In a culture centered approach,we would also consider how
patients understand their ownhealth within their own lives
and within their own culture.
So I don't know, if someonebelieves that emotional health
affects diabetes and it does,maybe we would be adding stress
(54:15):
management or offer, offeringother mindful techniques
alongside the nutrition care.
And this is going to make itmore relatable and more relevant
and that's, again, that's goingto be very important for them
to.
apply the information and forthem to accept that information.
So, rather than assuming thatall solutions are going to be
(54:35):
the same, this approach is goinginvolves creating strategies
that come from within theculture itself.
So for example, this is also, wesee this also, and you know that
family plays a very central rolein someone's life.
So including the family in thecare, uh, in the care plan for
managing diabetes, like that ispart of an effective diabetes
(55:00):
management.
So in a sense, a culturecentered approach means that me
as a healthcare provider, as adietician, I'm not imposing the
generic advice, instead I'malways working with my clients,
with my patients and respectingthem and building upon the
patient's own experiences andtheir cultural background.
(55:21):
So I think that that is asimportant, sometimes like that's
how I start building thatrapport and that trust with them
because if we don't have thatand if they don't feel seen and
heard and they don't feel likethey're at home.
Uh, like our tagline isnutrition that feels like at
home.
(55:42):
So I think that is super, superimportant, especially because
diabetes is a very complex andvery multifaceted disease that
is associated with substantialemotional distress.
So it's not only going to beabout the nutrition advice and
the carbs and the tortillas andthe tamales and add this and add
that.
So I always tell my, my patientsit starts with nutrition, but
(56:05):
it's not only about nutrition.
Wow.
Jessica (56:07):
That's awesome.
This definitely gave a differentperspective about this issue,
but also like ways in whichpeople can manage it.
through a different lens thanjust like the food.
It's more within oneself.
Mariana (56:23):
It's everything.
It has to be everythingtogether.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Jessica (56:27):
And, and you're right.
I mean, it makes it more of asustainable approach rather than
a quick solution.
And not delving into the actualproblem or issue.
And I think, yeah, that'sawesome.
Mariana (56:42):
And then I, I really feel that I'm super proud of the
trust that we are building andthe relationships that we are
creating with our patients.
And like, we hear that all thetime and that trust is going to
help us be a better team.
So it's not me telling them whatto do.
Um, it's us being a team andworking together.
(57:05):
And like, yeah, it's always usworking together.
Jessica (57:07):
Yeah,
Mariana (57:08):
that's awesome.
Jessica (57:10):
So this is a Viva La Mami question that I often ask
Mamas on the show.
So my question to you is, howare you redefining motherhood?
Oh
Mariana (57:19):
my god, I'm gonna have to think about this one.
But I'm gonna have to say, and Ihope I'm not, like, bringing too
many trapos sucios al aire.
I don't know how to, I don'tknow how to say it in English.
I might have to say it inSpanish.
Um, but maybe healing traumathat has been passed on from,
(57:40):
like, my great grandmother to mygrandmother and my mom.
And thankfully, I was able to,like, catch On it.
And I remember when I moved toChicago, I mean, I had moved so
much and I moved here pregnantCOVID and like, I gave birth and
I was like, I think I'm goingthrough like postpartum
(58:01):
depression.
Like I have to reach out tosomeone.
And through that session, I kindof realized that like, maybe
there was a little bit too muchof that, like, you know how it
is like generational spilling.
And I decided that I didn'twant.
So I was like, okay, I'm reallycommitted to this and not
(58:22):
bringing it over to my children.
So I continued with therapy andI've like talked about it with
like my sisters about how to usthat's like super important.
I don't know.
I also coming to mind, I thinkgrowing up in a very
conservative.
In terms of like MexicanCatholic, there were a lot of
(58:43):
taboos and a lot of things thatyou couldn't talk to your family
or your parents or like youdidn't talk about mental health.
Um, and I really want to changethat with my own family.
I want my children to be able tohave, I want, I want to be a
safe place for my children totalk about like literally
(59:04):
anything.
So I would say that those werethe two things that.
Came to mind.
And working on that, um, youknow, that maybe generational
things that are past, like yourmom, your grandmother, to your
mom, to you, and then creating asafe place and eliminating all
that taboos.
(59:25):
So that.
They can come to me and I alwaystell them like in this house,
you will never get in troublefor telling the truth.
No matter how bad it is.
Like, you're gonna get introuble if you lie to me.
Like, so I might be disappointedand I might Whatever, but you're
never going to get in troublefor telling the truth or for
(59:46):
asking a question.
Like, there is no, what's theword, like, not, oh, that's not
appropriate or you can't talk tome about that, you know?
Right.
Jessica (59:54):
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's awesome that you aredoing that and that you are
allowing the sense of opennessand like a safe space because a
lot of us didn't grow up withthat.
A lot of us couldn't.
I did not.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm glad that at least inour generation, we're breaking
those sort of generationalcurses that we grew up with.
(01:00:17):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Well, Mariana, where can peopleconnect with you and follow you?
How can they start working withyou, especially for those that
are looking for a culturallysensitive, understanding Latina
nutritionist?
Mariana (01:00:34):
So they can email me.
My email is Mariana atElementoHealth.
com.
They can also reach us atInstagram.
Our Instagram handle is Elementounderscore health.
Um, or our website, we also havea form in our website that they
can fill out.
Our website is ElementoHealth.
com.
Um, or they can text me or theycan call me.
Jessica (01:00:58):
That's great.
Well, Marina, thank you so muchfor being here.
I appreciate you sharing yourexpertise and this ultimately
validates that we are not alonein this, that there are people
like you who are supporting usin our journeys, specifically
when it comes to food and tokeep on with our cultural foods,
(01:01:18):
because again, that's just partof us and our identity and There
shouldn't be any shame or, youknow, removal of these foods
that ultimately make us who weare.
So, yes, thank you so much forbeing here.
Mariana (01:01:33):
Thank you so much for having me here.
And yeah, super, super happythat I was able to be a guest
here.
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Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.