When I started my practice, I never imagined the importance of product and book recommendations to my clients. Changing one’s dietary and lifestyle habits is hard, especially at first, and it’s amazing the power the right product can have on making those changes less scary. When you show someone who has been eating a primarily fast food diet how to make meal preparation easier or provide someone who would benefit from removing certain foods with a resource for pleasure rich alternatives, it makes a profound difference on how they are able to follow through, so they may experience the differenc ..read more

Whether you have health concerns that benefit from a modified diet or you just want to incorporate some whole food, nutrient dense options into your traditional holiday gathering, this resource has something for you. I personally know it can feel isolating to come to the holiday table knowing how seemingly innocuous ingredients in the foods offered may impact the time you have with your loved ones. For some they can trigger autoimmune symptoms, headaches, pain, or digestive discomfort. But, taking care of your health does not mean having to sacrifice flavor, pleasure, and connection. What you ..read more

It’s quite common for clients to cringe when handing me their food journals, explaining how “this isn’t normal for me, because…” they were celebrating a birthday, a holiday, or were on vacation. A couple of things come to mind when this happens: 1) They are used to their choices being judged, even if only by themselves, 2) They think of food as good or bad, and/or 3) There is a scarcity mindset around some foods. While I understand that choices made at these times may not be indicative of how they might eat with access to a kitchen or when not having to consider other people’s time and energy ..read more

Listen here for Maida’s interview on Steph Gaudreau’s Listen to Your Body podcast ..read more

Almost every day, someone asks me what I think of a particular dietary protocol, program, or app. “What do you think about intermittent fasting?” “Do you think there’s anything to eating according to your blood type?” “What do you think about this app?” My answer is almost always, “It depends.” As my certification was earned in a program that emphasizes bio-individual nutrition, I don’t believe there is one right way for everyone to eat. There is not one list of Always, Never, and Sometimes foods. There is not one right macronutrient balance or caloric intake for your body every day, much less ..read more

When faced with the idea of eliminating a particular food or category of food from their diets, folks often voice concern about traveling, birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions. Can these occasions still be as special and pleasurable, while they are supporting their health concerns? To that I say, I believe they can be even more enjoyable. Recently, some photos popped up of my children at Legoland in Florida. When I realized these scenes were unfamiliar to me, I asked, “Where was I?” Then, I remembered. I was in the ER with a migraine headache that had resisted all efforts to be dul ..read more

My name is Maida Ference. I’m 49 years old, the wife of a career soldier, mother to two teenagers, and a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. This is the story of how I overcame decades of food addiction, discovered the joy of knowing and nourishing my body without shame or judgement, and was led to my passion for empowering others to improve their quality of life. I grew up in a big, loving Mexican family and food was at the center. My most cherished memories were punctuated with food: Fried burritos my cousins picked up to take to the drive-in movies, hopping in my favorite uncle’s ..read more