Featured Member: Stacy Leung, RDN, CDN, CLC, CLT, RYT

September 4, 2018

This month's featured member spotlight shines brightly on Stacy Leung, RDN, CDN, CLC, CLT, RYT! Stacy is a New York-based registered dietitian nutritionist, certified leap therapist, and yoga instructor. She also runs Dietitian Designs, an affordable website design service for dietitians. She has constant wanderlust and likes to explore different cultures through eating. Through her travels and experience working with clients, Stacy understands that health is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Thinking holistically by looking at overall lifestyle, she believes everything can fit when kept simple, honest, and joyful. Learn more about her at stacykleung.com or follow her on Instagram @stacykleungrd.

What is your area of practice and how do you incorporate integrative and functional nutrition into your work?

My practice focuses on mindful eating and plant-based health. I like to have my clients take a step back and take an aerial view of their lifestyle. Looking at the overall picture helps me understand which elements of integrative health can be supportive of their well being. As a yoga instructor, some strategies I like to use are breathwork, mindful meditation, and the physical practice of yoga. When I am not working with clients, I help dietitians with website design. I believe every dietitian should have a website they love and that brings out their personality and brand.

What are some of the results you have seen since integrating functional nutrition into your practice area?

I have found that, more often than not, my client’s issues are less food related and more lifestyle related. Some of my clients with GI issues have come to me at a loss of what to do after trying to change their diet with no results. However, after changing a few lifestyle habits, like eating slower and having dedicated bathroom time, or implementing stress-reducing activities like walking on a lunch break and breathing practices, my client’s symptoms improve dramatically. I’m not saying that food and nutrition are irrelevant, but we have to look beyond them sometimes to help our clients. My goal as a dietitian is to uncomplicate clients’ relationships with food and keep eating as joyful and straightforward as possible.

How does your culture influence your work?

Growing up as an Asian American, I ate both Chinese and American food. I remember feeling that some food recommendations provided to me, like those on the food pyramid or eating salad for vegetables, weren’t applicable. Working with clients from different cultural backgrounds, I try my best to understand their cultural cuisine and practices by learning directly from my clients and through supplemental reading. I like to recommend foods that are familiar to them and tailor nutrition recommendations to their lifestyle.

Where have you completed most of your training in integrative and functional nutrition?

There’s so much to learn that I believe training never ends! I recently have been studying western herbalism with The Herbal Academy. I have also attended Ayurveda workshops and completed training on meditation, pranayama (breathing practice), restorative yoga and yoga nidra through Yogamaya in New York.

What advice would you give anyone interested in learning more about integrative and functional nutrition?

Feed your curiosity but be careful not to overwhelm yourself. It’s natural to want to learn everything when diving into an unfamiliar area. Integrative and functional nutrition is like a big willow tree with lots of branches. Explore and find what’s right for you. You’ll know it’s right when you keep wanting to dig deeper and it comes organically. Until then, attend a DIFM webinar or something that seems fun for you - a functional nutrition cooking class, an aromatherapy workshop, a group reiki session, or a yoga class.

We appreciate this wonderful information and advice, Stacy!