Nutrition-In-Sight, LLC

10/13/2026

Another ‘theme-bundle’ delivery for you as I continue the ‘catch-up’ marathon (I should be caught up by the end of the year, lol). These articles are a combo of recent research, interpretation of results, tips, insight and what practical application may look in your life, from a variety of experts. Share, save, use as a resource, repeat.
Tiny sneak peek snippet previews of my contributions with article 🔗 below:

Prebiotic sodas 🥤, beneficial or sugar sweetened beverages with a 😇 health halo?

Monique Richard, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition-In-Sight, said this study is useful for raising awareness that the word ‘prebiotic’ on products like soda may be marketed to suggest it does more than the evidence supports. Richard wasn’t involved in the study.

“This study reveals important information about the nutritional composition of these products despite their ‘health halo’ image as ‘good-for-you’ and encourages us to remain curious about the benefits, or lack thereof, of drinking a prebiotic soda,” she told Healthline.

“When a can says ‘prebiotic,’ ‘fiber,’ ‘gut health,’ or ‘plant-based,’ it can be very easy to mentally translate that into ‘healthy,’ ‘good for me,’ and ‘need to buy now.’”

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/prebiotic-sodas-may-contain-higher-sugar-less-fiber-than-advertised -does-prebiotic-actually-mean

🧠 Artificial sweeteners associated with memory decline

“The new findings add to a pattern of concerns, not causations, that may be associated with intake of artificial sweeteners,” Richard commented. “The end result may signal caution and conscientiousness — not conclusivity — and it reinforces my usual guidance to individuals and families to prioritize whole foods and savor Mother Nature’s sweeteners sparingly when necessary.”

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/several-sugar-substitutes-linked-faster-cognitive-decline-thinking-memory-aging -look-at-sugar-substitutes-effect-on-brain-health

🥗 If the Cyclospora outbreak is over but fear is still inhibiting produce consumption

Monique Richard, a registered dietitian nutritionist, noted that fear over outbreaks can often sow confusion and misunderstandings.

“People hear ‘outbreak’ related to produce and then overgeneralize current risk to drastically reduce or discontinue eating fruits and vegetables altogether,” she told Healthline.

“Don’t let one contaminated product keep you from eating an entire food group. The key is to stay informed about recalls, avoid products specifically identified by public health officials, and continue enjoying a colorful variety of produce prepared and consumed in a variety of ways,” Richard said.

Thank you Corrie Pelc Healthline Medical News Today for including me

A new study shows that prebiotic sodas may contain higher sugar levels and lower fiber levels than advertised. Experts say prebiotic sodas may offer some gut health benefits, but they won't meet all of your prebiotic needs.

10/11/2026

Another 3-week dietetic rotation immersion successfully completed with me by intern, Chelsey Jenkins; way to go Chelsey, you rocked it!! Chelsey contributed to a bevy of varied activities within Nutrition-In-Sight & its continued collaboration with the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council that included:
-scaling a recipe to make 300 samples for a pop-up farmer’s market for students and their families at Lamar Elementary (a grant program that helps serve low-income families and communities by increasing access to fresh produce and ways to incorporate it, at no cost for families)- the comments we heard from the kids was music 🎶 to a dietitian’s ear 👂while they shared with their friends and parents the treasures and requests- ‘I want 🫑 peppers!’ “Look, I got a cabbage!”; “I have 🫜 beets and cabbage”; “I got some okra.”; kids were eating peppers on the spot, liked the granola bake and one girl verbalized that this recipe was FIVE 🌟 and came back for seconds.
-educational pamphlet creation including activities, recipes and tips on seasonal eating to accompany their pop-up farmer’s market efforts, and more…
Back at the office, we supported clients with:
-Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS)
-Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
-Mindful eating
-Hashimoto’s
-Diabetes
-Hypertension
-Cardiovascular health
-Weight mgmt.
-Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)
-pediatric nutrition
-and more…
-Participated in an interview with a Syracuse university grad student, chatted IFN/IFM resources, research, hubs, and more.






Chelsey Jenkins

09/10/2026

Another ‘theme-bundle’ delivery for you as I continue the ‘catch-up’ marathon (I’m slowly getting there, lol). These articles are a combo of recent research, interpretation of results, tips, insight and what practical application may look in your life, from a variety of experts. Share, save, use as a resource, repeat.
Tiny sneak peek snippet previews of my contributions with article 🔗 below:

🍽️ Do repeat meals impact weight loss?

“The goal is not to eat the same foods every day, but to create consistent patterns with built-in variety,” Richard explained.
“Keep in mind, being flexible and truly understanding what your body needs and how that translates into foods, meals, and dietary patterns will be something that will save time in the long run and won’t occupy precious real estate in your brain rent-free any longer. What will you do with that space and time?!” she said.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/eating-same-meals-repeat-more-weekends-may-help-lose-more-weight -for-building-sustainable-food-habits

🧠 Does intermittent fasting lead to fewer food thoughts?

“Constantly monitoring, counting, and evaluating food choices can create what some refer to as ‘food noise’ — persistent thoughts about food, eating, and restriction,” Richard said. “It could also include self-judgment, criticism, and/or shame and guilt around food choices.”
“Reducing mental preoccupation with food may allow people to reconnect with internal hunger and fullness cues, but also satisfaction, a combination I often observe is missing in many individuals’ daily intake.”

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/intermittent-fasting-vs-calorie-counting-which-is-best-for-weight-loss -fasting-led-to-fewer-thoughts-about-food

🥑 🫒 🥜 Type 2 Diabetes-can the keto diet send it into remission?

“The best nutrition plan is the one that works for your biology and your life,” Richard added.

“As with most things in nutrition, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The goal isn’t just to lower blood sugar — it’s also to support long-term health, quality of life, and sustainable habits. If someone is considering a ketogenic approach, I always emphasize doing so with guidance from a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and healthcare team, especially because medications often need to be adjusted,” she advised.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/keto-type-2-diabetes-remission

💜 Heart disease risk in perimenopause

“One of the most important things I tell women is that it is not the time to ‘eat less,’ but to eat more strategically. As with all stages of life, if we want to flourish, we must nourish,” she emphasized.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/why-perimenopause-may-be-the-best-time-to-act-on-heart-disease-risk

🍎 🥗 Is there a “best” for fruits and vegetables when it comes to protecting heart health?

“The goal isn’t to focus on eating one nutrient, or specific group of antioxidants. It’s to create, enjoy, and savor colorful, varied, plant-rich meals and beverages, with intention and love, often, to ensure delivery of thousands of compounds working together in harmony with nature and your body in ways nutrition science is still discovering.”
Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/5-a-day-which-fruit-and-veg-are-best-for-heart-health-and-why

Thank you Corrie Pelc and Medical News Today and Healthline

A recent study found that "yo-yo dieters" may lose weight with intermittent fasting. The study compared intermittent fasting with calorie counting and found that people following fasting protocols thought about food less often.

08/20/2026

Another ‘theme-bundle’ delivery for you as I continue the ‘catch-up’ marathon lol.These articles are a combo of recent research, interpretation, tips, insight and what practical application may look in your life. Tiny sneak peek snippets with article 🔗 below:

⏰ Intermittent Fasting

“Keep in mind as well that there are no ‘hard and fast rules’ or ‘right way’ to an individual’s eating pattern,” Richard continued. “Bringing judgment, unnecessary stress, and rigidity into our lives around feeding and nourishing our bodies is counterproductive to health. Time-restricted eating is not about eating less but about eating to complement your body’s internal clock and support functionality.”

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/time-restricted-eating-early-window-best-metabolism

“Think of overnight fasting as metabolic housekeeping — your body needs uninterrupted time to reset,” Richard said. “Keep in mind, metabolic health is built on rhythm, quality, and consistency, not extremes. We also can not address what we don’t know. Tap into the expertise and resources of an RDN and healthcare team to find what would work best for you and your needs.”

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/fasting-stopping-eating-3-hours-before-bed-help-improve-heart-cardiovascular-health -of-eating-may-be-as-important-as-quality

💊 🌿 Supplements/Longevity

“I also encourage consumers to do their research and ask tough, challenging questions to these manufacturers, while having a healthy dose of optimistic skepticism,” Richard continued. “Be cautious in products that have a laundry list of ingredients and/or benefits. More is not always better. Throwing everything but the kitchen sink into a product may not address some deeper root cause issues.”

“Spend your hard-earned money in the produce aisle, learning new cooking skills, seeing a credentialed practitioner for nutrition services, or upgrading kitchen appliances,” Richard added.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/longevity-supplement-improves-vascular-aging-markers-clinical-trial-novos-magnesium-ginger-root

“I encourage clients to think ‘food first, supplements second, as necessary’,” Richard said. “Multivitamins can help fill nutrient gaps, but they cannot replicate the complex matrix of nutrients, fiber, and bioactive compounds found in whole foods that support healthy aging.”
“Healthy aging starts with what is on your plate from what was purchased in the grocery store, at the farmer’s market, or harvested from the land, not from a bottle in the supplement aisle,” Richard advised. “Prioritize investing your dollars on colorful produce and a good pair of walking shoes and then on appropriate supplements as needed and recommended by an RDN and/or your healthcare team.”

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/daily-multivitamin-delays-biological-aging-months-cosmos-trial

☕️ “Moderate coffee intake has been associated with reduced risk of several chronic diseases and may play a role in longevity,” Richard shares.

https://www.eatingwell.com/drink-slows-biological-aging-11967154

Thank you Corrie Pelc and Allison Knott Medical News Today& EatingWell

When following a time-restricted eating regime, having an earlier eating window may work best for metabolic health, a new study has found.

08/17/2026

What an honor to be added to the IFNA faculty & advisory board and contribute to the vast, extensive IFN curricula; it was a deep, and laborious lol, labor of love from so many of us including Kathie Swift Sheila Soraya Dean, the IFNA team, reviewers, interns, and advisory board. What a pleasure to collaborate and add to practitioners’ toolkits in this way!! 🙏Thank You!!

08/11/2026

‘Theme-bundling’ cont’d, a BULK BUNDLE for your reading reference lol

If cognitive health, dementia risk or overall brain function are on your mind (😉), these articles may be of interest. Important study findings, tips, insight and info in each piece; sneak peek snippets and 🔗 for each below:

☕️ Potential Benefits of Coffee & Tea Related to Dementia Risk

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/1-3-cups-caffeinated-tea-coffee-a-day-may-help-reduce-dementia-risk

Richard said it’s important to remember that no single beverage or nutrient is a “magic bullet” — a broader dietary pattern matters most for the brain and overall health.
“We’re also learning about the benefits of supporting mitochondrial health, the role of senolytic cells, and how addressing those with functional foods, activity, sleep, and other modalities may influence cognitive health,” Richard added. “Brain health is built over decades, not days, and nutrition is one of the most accessible tools we have.”

🥘 🥗 Cooking Related to Dementia Risk

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cooking-at-least-one-meal-at-home-weekly-may-cut-dementia-risk -practical-everyday-activity-to-lower-dementia-risk

Richard reminded readers that cooking at home doesn’t mean everything must be made from scratch, harvested from the garden, and take hours to curate — use shortcuts strategically. For example, she said it can mean simply putting a few things together and heating them to the appropriate temperature,
“Remember that it is never too late to learn something new or increase your culinary acumen, especially when these skills are so vital to autonomy, pleasure, and overall health and wellbeing,” Richard said.
“Cooking is one of the few daily activities that engages the brain, the body, and nutrition all at once. It literally feeds your brain and saves you dollars and cents, now that makes sense!”

🍽️ Dietary Patterns That May Reduce Cognitive Decline

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/best-diet-lower-cognitive-decline-risk-comparing-6-diets-aging

“We have observed that even moderate adherence to these types of dietary patterns have been linked to benefits in cognitive outcomes. Compounds such as phenolics and flavonoids support the structural integrity of neurons by reducing microglial overactivation, a process linked to age-related brain shrinkage,” she detailed.

“In other words, these foods may help maintain the actual physical scaffolding of your brain over time,” Richard continued.

“Being MINDful is a multi-pronged approach. Brain food is not only about assessing the amount and source of nutritional fuel, but also taking inventory of social media consumption and screen time, quality and meaningful relationships, as well as environmental toxin exposure (plastics, pollution etc.,) time connecting with nature, nurturing a spiritual practice and how you care for your needs.”

– Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN

“The gut-brain axis is an emerging and exciting area in dementia research,” Richard continued. “Your fork is one of your most powerful brain-health tools to help build, or even possibly restore, cognitive resilience, building a foundation bite by bite, meal by meal.”

🍽️ 🥗 🥕 Plant-Based Diets Related to Protection Against Alzheimer’s

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/high-quality-plant-diets-protect-against-alzheimers-even-started-late-life

“We can’t control every risk factor for cognitive decline, but what we put on our plate and in our body are two of the most consistent and powerful influences we have to mitigate risk, and increase the probability to enhance feeling good and enjoying being alive,” Richard added

🧠 High-Fat, High-Sugar Diets May Affect Brain Health Later in Life

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/high-fat-high-sugar-diet-may-leave-lasting-changes-on-brain-eating-later-in-life

Richard said that while she lets her clients and patients know that their diet early in life, including their mother and father’s diet preconception, and whether they were breastfed or formula fed, influences the gut, today’s choices still matter — it’s never too late to improve your internal ecosystem.

“While early-life nutrition influences microbial colonization and neural development, the microbiome remains dynamic across the lifespan,” Richard told MNT. “Dietary diversity and fiber intake are consistently associated with greater microbial diversity in adults, which can support metabolic and cognitive resilience.”

🫒 Olive Oil & Cognitive Function

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/extra-virgin-olive-oil-better-preserve-cognitive-function-refined-study-gut-microbiome

When talking about cold-pressed olive oil versus refined olive oil, the biggest difference comes down to processing methods and the preservation of beneficial compounds, said Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition-In-Sight.

“Cold-pressed extra-virgin or virgin olive oil (EVOO, VOO) is mechanically pressed from olives without heat or chemical refining,” Richard explained to MNT. “Therefore, it retains vital compounds such as polyphenols, antioxidants, and vitamins that support anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. ‘Refined’ or ‘regular’ olive oil is often processed with heat and industrial refining, which can remove many beneficial antioxidants during processing.”

Thank you Corrie Pelc and Medical News Today for continuing to provide important information to the public.

A new study suggests that cooking just one meal at home per week can reduce dementia risk in older people by up to 67%.

08/06/2026

Since ‘catching-up’ on posting interviews, articles, publications, etc., seems perpetually elusive I’m going to do a little ‘theme-bundling;’ a few, or several, articles at a time with similar topics for ease of reference and to catch-up to current contributions, faster.
For those sick of scrolling media with confusing/negative/false/💩 messaging & info, but need some fast facts, tips, insight, expertise, evidenced-based science and real resources, feel free to click, read, share, save etc.,

Vitamin D:
It may be easier for most people to get adequate vitamin D in sunny 😎 summer months, but absorption, conversion and sufficient levels are much more nuanced, complex and individualized than most realize. Vitamin D is also one of the most underrated, and often misunderstood, contributors to health and wellbeing, especially related to immune resiliency and cognitive health.

A couple pieces on vitamin D, snippet previews and 🔗 below:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-vitamin-d-in-pregnancy-could-offer-a-head-start-for-better-cognitive-health -best-to-increase-vitamin-D-intake-during-Expert-advice
“Vitamin D continues to be one of the most common nutrient insufficiencies I see as an RDN,” Richard said.

“Food-first recommendations remain an important priority, but it can be difficult to obtain adequate vitamin D from food alone depending on the dietary pattern, access and body’s ability to absorb, convert and use,” she noted.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/low-vitamin-d-increase-respiratory-infection-risk-hospitalization -s-the-link-between-vitamin-D-and-respiratory-tract-infections

“The takeaway isn’t that vitamin D prevents infections — it’s that deficiency is a risk factor we can identify and address,” Richard added. “That’s where nutrition science and clinical care intersect.”

Thank you Corrie Pelc and Medical News Today for including me.

Researchers have found a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and a higher rate of hospitalization for respiratory tract infections such as colds and pneumonia.

08/05/2026

Have you had a chance to listen to this edition of The Root Cause Medicine Podcast yet? Thank you Stephenson with Nutrishify for highlighting the NIFM SOP and spotlighting the podcast and our work!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-root-cause-medicine-podcast/id1589219026?i=1000774359374

06/30/2026

2025 was jam-packed with publications and media-I’m about 6-8 months behind in sharing & posting, as you may have seen 😬.

This project was a comprehensive and collaborative labor of love to document updated changes (advances, research, competency considerations, etc.) within integrative and functional nutrition (IFN) and continue to support advances in dietetics and RDNs’ role in whole-person health.

Sudha, Holly and I were recently asked to chat about it on Fullscript’s Podcast ‘Root Cause Medicine,’ where we break it down- what it is, why it’s important, bust some misconceptions and have some fun as well. Check it out!

Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-root-cause-medicine-podcast/id1589219026?i=1000774359374

This particular consensus publication was 2+ years in the making. It continues to be a work in progress as the field evolves, but is a beneficial foundation for practitioners to refer to at any level of competency.
Sudha, Kristi and I would like to thank the numerous experts, reviewers, contributors and researchers who helped make this possible along with our teams from the Commission on Dietetic Registration and Academy with special thanks to the entire Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine Dietetic Practice Group.
The Revised 2025 Scope and Standards of Practice for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists in Nutrition in Integrative and Functional Medicine (NIFM) was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in December of 2025 in addition to an overview of key changes.

Podcast Episode · The Root Cause Medicine Podcast · June 26 · 39m

06/26/2026

Two different articles and studies but similar points of clarity, and each packed with valuable insight, info and tips (plus I am continuing to play catch-up on posting, so here ya go).

“The components of our meals matter to our molecules — let’s make the best choices we can,” said Richard.

UPFs and Crohn’s:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ultra-processed-foods-and-crohns-disease-link

Soybean oil:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/soybean-oil-may-contribute-to-obesity-new-study-shows -can-I-reduce-my-soybean-oil-intake

Thank you Corrie Pelc and Medical News Today for including me in these important pieces.

New research shows that diets high in ultra-processed foods may be connected to a higher risk of Crohn's disease.