Healthful Living San Diego

Healthful Living San Diego Master of Science in Integrative Nutrition. Nutritionist, Certified GAPS Practitioner, BCHN®️ This is what Nutritional Therapy does in the 21st century.

“Let food by thy medicine, and medicine be thy food” (Hippocrates 460 B.C.) is one of the fundamental principles that Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, used to help people maintain optimal health. As a holistic discipline used for thousands of years, Nutritional Therapy is now being rediscovered by modern culture. This system of healing is based on the belief that food, the way nature i

ntended, provides our bodies with the materials necessary to achieve optimal health. Our bodies are constantly exposed to environmental toxins, lack of sunshine and exercise, prepackaged foods stripped of all their real nutrients, and stress. In our fast-paced world, eating is often considered as a nuisance, something that interrupts our busy lives. We have to “eat fast”, maybe while working at the desk, or driving around, hence the poor choices we make (fast-food, drive-thrus, 90 second microwave meals), sacrificing the quality of the food we eat in the name of convenience. Nutritional Therapy will help you embrace food for what it should be, our sustenance, and will teach you how to wisely nourish yourself and your loved ones.

“Sugar feeds cancer” is one of the most oversimplified statements in oncology nutrition.Yes, many tumors demonstrate inc...
09/09/2026

“Sugar feeds cancer” is one of the most oversimplified statements in oncology nutrition.
Yes, many tumors demonstrate increased glucose uptake — the biological principle behind FDG-PET imaging.
But cancer metabolism is remarkably adaptable.
Depending on tumor type, genetics and the surrounding environment, cancer cells may utilize glucose, glutamine, fatty acids and other substrates.
So eliminating dietary sugar does not simply “starve” a tumor.
The more useful conversation is about metabolic health:
How are glucose and insulin regulated?
Is the person maintaining adequate nutrition?
Are they preserving muscle?
Are dietary changes supporting — or compromising — treatment tolerance?
Cancer metabolism is complicated.
Cancer nutrition should be too.
Reference:
Hanahan D. Hallmarks of Cancer: New Dimensions. Cancer Discovery. 2022;12(1):31–46.
doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-21-1059

What if cancer treatment resistance isn’t only about the tumor?A recent review published in Cells explores an important ...
09/04/2026

What if cancer treatment resistance isn’t only about the tumor?

A recent review published in Cells explores an important concept in cancer metabolism: the relationship between the tumor AND the metabolic environment of the person.

Tumors don’t exist in isolation.

They exist within a complex biological system influenced by factors such as:

• Nutritional status
• Glucose and lipid metabolism
• The gut microbiome
• Aging and cellular senescence
• Stress and neuroendocrine signaling
• Physical activity
• Circadian biology
• Immune-metabolic function

And this relationship goes both ways.

Cancer and cancer therapies can also alter the host environment—affecting metabolism, immune function, muscle mass, cellular senescence, and more.

This is what makes the concept of host–tumor metabolic crosstalk so interesting.

It also reinforces something I believe is essential in supportive oncology care:

We are not treating a tumor in isolation.

We are supporting a whole person whose metabolic, immune, neurological, and nutritional systems are continuously interacting with both the disease and its treatment.

These relationships are complex, highly individualized, and still being investigated. Nutrition and lifestyle strategies are not replacements for cancer treatment.

But supporting nutrition, metabolic health, movement, sleep, stress regulation, circadian health, and preservation of lean body mass deserves a meaningful place in truly integrative cancer care.

Perhaps the future of precision oncology requires us to look in two directions:

What vulnerabilities exist within the tumor?

AND

How can we support a more resilient host environment during treatment?

That second question deserves much more attention.

Reference:
Wang J, Wu H, Wang T, Nie M. Metabolic Crosstalk Between Host and Tumor as a Circuit of Resilience in Cancer Therapy. Cells. 2026;15(11):1008.

A 2024 ISOM article proposes an MSCC framework (mitochondrial–stem cell connection) and a “hybrid orthomolecular protoco...
07/10/2026

A 2024 ISOM article proposes an MSCC framework (mitochondrial–stem cell connection) and a “hybrid orthomolecular protocol” for cancer metabolism and cancer stem cell biology.

Link: https://isom.ca/article/targeting-the-mitochondrial-stem-cell-connection-in-cancer-treatment-a-hybrid-orthomolecular-protocol/

Look at the multi-component nature of the protocol: metabolic strategies (ketogenic-style approaches and fasting), nutrients (vitamin C discussed including IV use, vitamin D with lab-guided dosing, zinc), and repurposed/off-label medication categories.

Patient takeaway: If you’re considering a plan that mixes high-dose supplements, fasting or ketogenic-style nutrition, and off-label medications, don’t start it on your own. Ask your oncology team for guidance and make sure there’s a safety plan first, especially for kidney function, blood sugar, electrolytes, and medication–supplement interaction risk, then use labs to guide any next steps.

The past four days I have been in Portland to celebrate commencement. This week has brought so much gratitude into my he...
06/14/2026

The past four days I have been in Portland to celebrate commencement. This week has brought so much gratitude into my heart. Being able to recognize this milestone, and reflect on my own graduation from the Doctor of Integrative Health program in 2025, felt full circle in the best way.

I also got to witness something I never take for granted: the growth of so many wonderful students. It was such a joy to see faculty and staff in person, and to meet faculty I’ve only known through Zoom until now. Catching up face-to-face reminded me how real and connected this community truly is.

And then there were the hugs. Seeing friends, students, and especially all the kiddos who come by class just to say hi, those big hugs gave me the biggest heart-full moment of the day.

What an honor and privilege to serve this amazing community at American College of Healthcare Sciences American College of Healthcare Sciences celebrating the next chapter with learners who show up with courage, curiosity, and heart.

Food-as-medicine isn’t just a slogan. This Massachusetts Medicaid policy evaluation suggests medically tailored meals ca...
06/04/2026

Food-as-medicine isn’t just a slogan. This Massachusetts Medicaid policy evaluation suggests medically tailored meals can reduce acute care use and total healthcare costs.

A new open-access evaluation in Nature Medicine examined medically tailored meal (MTM) receipt within Massachusetts Medicaid, using matched comparators across 11 health systems (1,866 MTM recipients; 1,372 comparators).

Key findings (6-month program period):

- 31% fewer hospitalizations (aIRR 0.69, 95% CI 0.58–0.82)
- 20% fewer ED visits (aIRR 0.80, 95% CI 0.72–0.89)
- Cost reductions offset ~98% of program costs during enrollment

This is systems-level evidence that MTM can shift the outcomes we care about in care delivery, fewer admissions, fewer ED visits, and measurable cost impact.

When nutrition is implemented as a targeted, clinically integrated intervention, it behaves like a real therapeutic pathway, not optional “wellness.”

https://lnkd.in/ettKN2VU

A few months ago, I had the privilege of graduating as a Certified Advanced Integrative Metabolic Specialist (CAIMS) thr...
06/01/2026

A few months ago, I had the privilege of graduating as a Certified Advanced Integrative Metabolic Specialist (CAIMS) through Metabolic Regen.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn from the most respected minds in the field of integrative metabolic health and terrain support in oncology. The depth of knowledge, clinical experience, and commitment to advancing patient-centered care within this community has been truly inspiring.

This training further strengthened my understanding of the complex interactions between metabolism, nutrition, the tumor microenvironment, and the body’s terrain, while reinforcing the importance of individualized, evidence-informed support for those navigating cancer and chronic illness.

Learning never stops, and I am honored to continue growing alongside such dedicated practitioners who share a passion for helping individuals build resilience and optimize health.

Thank you to the team and all the incredible instructors and colleagues who made this experience so meaningful.

Honored to present at the IFM AIC conference and contribute to the conversation on personalized, terrain-centered appr...
05/28/2026

Honored to present at the IFM AIC conference and contribute to the conversation on personalized, terrain-centered approaches to metabolic balance, detoxification pathways, and integrative care. Grateful to connect with so many brilliant clinicians and practitioners dedicated to advancing root-cause medicine and patient-centered healing.

Also… if anyone was wondering whether I’m Italian… I think the hand gestures during my presentation answered that question pretty quickly. 🇮🇹😂 Apparently, I explain CYP450 pathways with my entire body.

Wonderful to be at and excited for the opportunity to familiarize myself with the technology before my presentation to...
05/27/2026

Wonderful to be at and excited for the opportunity to familiarize myself with the technology before my presentation tomorrow!

I will be presenting Thursday at 9:55 AM in Screen 1. If you are attending the conference, please stop by and say hello, I would love to connect.

Next week, I’ll be attending in San Diego. This conference is a meaningful opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogu...
05/23/2026

Next week, I’ll be attending in San Diego. This conference is a meaningful opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogue around chronic disease, prevention, and the evolving landscape of whole-person care.

I’m especially excited to present my poster:

CYP450 Enzymes in Drug Metabolism and Personalized Medicine
Presented by Francesca Orlando-Baldwin, DSc, MS

I look forward to connecting with colleagues and sharing this work.

A recent scoping review in breast cancer survivorship found that higher fiber intake, along with greater fruit and veget...
05/21/2026

A recent scoping review in breast cancer survivorship found that higher fiber intake, along with greater fruit and vegetable consumption, was among the dietary patterns most consistently associated with better recurrence and survival outcomes. Another study found that higher dietary fiber intake was associated with a lower risk of cancer cachexia, a serious syndrome marked by involuntary weight and muscle loss.

Fiber is not a cure for cancer. But it may be a meaningful part of the terrain: supporting gut health, metabolic stability, immune signaling, and inflammation balance during treatment and survivorship.

Most people still fall short of fiber targets, which makes this one of the most practical food-based strategies to emphasize clinically.

Food-first ways to increase fiber include:

fruits and vegetables
legumes
whole grains
nuts and seeds
In oncology support, I look for interventions that are both biologically plausible and clinically grounded. Fiber fits that frame well.

PMID: 41918182
PMID: 41727197

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