Welcome to Beautifully Nutty!

My name is Melanie and I am a Registered Dietitian (RD) from the Twin Cities in Minnesota.

melanie in the kitchen

I have a passion for food, health and fitness. I am out to prove that a healthy lifestyle is attainable in this beautifully nutty world we live in, and that it can be fun and delicious too.

I love developing healthy recipes and experimenting in the kitchen. When I am in the kitchen, I am in my comfort zone. I am all about whole food living but have a spot in my heart for sweet treats, so I make sure to make room for some fun treats here and there.

The intention of Beautifully Nutty is not to advise “what to eat” and “what not to eat.” I do not promote the idea of completely cutting out any of your favorite foods from your diet (unless you have allergies or sensitivities of course), but rather I promote living with the mentality everything in moderation. Therefore, as a dietitian I hope to never say a food is bad or good or that you can’t eat this or that. I want you to enjoy life and enjoy food that gives you energy and nurtures your body.

salmon

I like to move it move it

I love being active. I try to include some type of physical activity into almost every day. I enjoy running, dancing, walking, biking, hiking, yoga, Zumba, kickboxing, strength training, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, etc.; anything that gets my body moving. I continue to explore other fitness activities and try to mix it up so I don’t get bored!

hale to the bird

A little more about me.

At the age of 12, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. I have dealt with flares and then periods of remission over and over again. I have tried handfuls of different medications, experimented with special diets, but I still haven’t quite figured it out.

Until recent years, I have been very shy about sharing this piece of my life with others. It always embarrassed me especially in my teen years. During my most recent flare, I decided that it was time to own it; after all, it’s part of who I am. I want to share my experience with this disease in the hope that I can help others out there who may be dealing with it, or know someone who is.

As a dietitian, I immediately started experimenting with my diet to see if making changes to my daily intake could help with symptoms. I began with a low-fiber, low-residue diet but with no signs of improvement and serious cravings for raw veggies, I ended that experiment. I went back to my normal diet full of veggies, fruits, low fat dairy, lean proteins, and nut butters. The symptoms remained the same as they had been on the low-fiber, but I wasn’t getting “better”.

My husband brought home a book for me to read called “Breaking the Vicious Cycle,” which explains the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and all of the science behind the theory. At that point I dove into the SCD which you can read about here. My symptoms did improve and since then I have adapted the diet to better fit my life and my personal disease state (each person is different after all).

Currently, I follow a mostly gluten-free diet because that’s what helps my body function at it’s best. I have adapted my diet to work for me just as I would do for any one of you. I monitor how my body responds to different foods and stressors, and make adjustments as needed. Watching what I eat helps me to regulate my symptoms, and I have learned so much about myself and my body in the process.

Mama Life

Mama bear to three beautiful, healthy, and crazy busy boys. My life is my family and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

“Beautifully Nutty”

In this busy and nutty world, full of ups and downs, challenges, and celebrations, we can  journey towards our healthiest and best life. While enjoying great food, activity, love, and life,  we can find a healthy balance that is attainable.

And it is a beautiful thing.

engagement photos

Welcome to Beautifully Nutty!

This Post Has 16 Comments

  1. Min

    Hi, Melanie! I’m so happy to meet another person who’s just as passionate about eating healthy and finding balance in life as I am! You’re absolutely right! Everything in moderation! After having struggled with an eating disorder for many many years, I am well on my way to becoming an RD in hopes of helping others discover the healing power of food ;). I clicked on the link to read more about the SCD diet, but it doesn’t seem to be working. I look forward to following you on your journey!

    1. Melanie

      It’s so great to meet you! Were you at HLS? Thanks for updating me on that link! When I converted over to self-hosting a lot of my links didn’t transfer. So happy you are on your way to becoming an RD! It is an amazing profession.

      1. Min

        Yes, I was! You were there too? Aww…wish I could’ve met you!

        1. Melanie

          Yes I was…I actually think we may have met! It was such a whirlwind of a weekend. I hope we can meet again someday! Maybe at another conference?!

  2. Dana

    Cute blog , Melanie! Just stopping by. Dana is a great name! 🙂

    1. Melanie

      Thanks for stopping by! Stop by again! 🙂

    1. Melanie

      Thank you so much! I truly appreciate you saying that. Have a great day!! 🙂

  3. J

    Hello

    I’m very impressed by your blog. I am experiencing severe IBS and possibly chrons/colitis (waiting for results). I’m exhausted and truly utterly fatigued and hormonally destroyed that even walking is a labor of exhaustion. I alternate between mainly constipation and then diarrhea. Truthfully I’m a “good” eater, but not. I eat a lot of dark chocolate for one. I am uncertain if I need to be “easy” (i.e. simple rice, simple oats, simple mashed potatoes, etc) or if I need to stop my high-fat obsession and embark on new territory. I do not presently eat grains or legumes out of fear they will only worsen the ibs and bloating. Does that make sense? A blogger referred me to your site and to Carrots n’cake. I like both. I wonder if you have had more success with “clean” or “scd”? If you think its possible to cope with these conditions without grains/legumes, etc? I’m really very lost and confused. While I cannot work with you (wow that you are RD though, very impressed!), I’d love to talk as a fellow sufferer who is quite confused. I would like to do some kind of detox period since I’ve taken to very poor overeating/binging habits due to depression, but am unsure how to figure that in sensibly. Anyway, your recipes look great. I do hope you might email me? Thanks.

  4. anna

    Just came across your blog and will definitely be following along! Love how the name came about 🙂
    anna recently posted…Food For LifeMy Profile

  5. Rachel Spencer

    Hi Melanie!
    just discovered your blog and I think you and your blog are just fantastic ! I am currently studying a Bachelor of Health Science with my major being Nutrition and with plans to do my masters in Dietetics once I am done !
    I love finding dieticians who understand it is a lifestyle change and not about a diet ! Your recipes are amazing too !
    Lots of love all the way from Australia xoxo

    1. Melanie

      Way to go!! I’m so glad you found my blog! Lots of love back at ya down under! xoxo

  6. Sarah

    Melanie, I just stumbled upon your site as I did a Google search for “egg salad without mayo” … and I’m so glad I did! I’ve been struggling with dietary issues for the last few years, and they seem to be getting worse. It’s something so few people talk about (GI problems), but I think they are quite common. I applaud your candor and love your site!

    1. Melanie

      Thank you, Sarah! GI issues are not fun and not pretty and you’re right, not many people are willing to talk about them even though so many people area dealing with them!I hope you can find some delicious and tummy-pleasing recipes on my site!

  7. kelly

    Melanie,
    Just found your site… thanks for speaking up. I’ve been dealing with UC since a nasty exposure to toxic mold. All sorts of yes, nasty stories and life experiences later I’m still here and I’m back on SCD… the ONLY thing that saved my life while living in a horrendously moldy home for 2 and half years. This blog looks cathartic and helped me feel like I wasn’t alone.

    Thanks!

    Kelly

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