Today’s super informed guest on the podcast is Vanessa Rissetto MS, RD, CDN, the co-founder of Culina Health. Her magic lies in her realistic and personalized approach to nutrition with science as her first love. She's most interested in helping clients take an active role in their health journey through personalized lifestyle plans backed by evidence-based, science-driven nutrition counseling, adult weight management, and building a better relationship with food.

We start our conversation touching on the role of Culina Health in today’s medical world and how the rapid need for telehealth services created huge opportunities, and challenges, for the new company. The world is still changing on a daily basis it seems, but we have innovators like Vanessa to thank for keeping us in mind as it does.

Vanessa’s perspective on the space ranges from the past, where vast differences in family culture made for a different at-home eating experience in most cases, to the present, where shame and fear too often poison the well of wellness – even toward the future, where she encourages us to take small steps toward a cleaner life with actionable tips for doing so.

Her main advice is sound, and it always will be – sometimes simple is better! Especially when time is limited, opting for something that is easy, quick, and nourishing for your family is totally possible; you just have to know where to look (Hint: not Instagram).

You will learn about...

Launching Culina Health during the pandemic
Meeting the moment with telehealth
The Bon Appetit article that started it all
Villainous roles that shame and failure play in diet culture
Breaking down emotional eating
Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable
Fighting human nature
Pros and cons of most Instagram recipes
Sustainable eating habits
Quick tips for getting nutrients – it doesn’t have to be fancy
Cultural shifts that have changed how we eat
Big picture on healthy eating
Culina’s mission and what’s next

Resources:

Article: “There’s a Nutrition Divide in This Country. So I Became a Dietitian.”
Instagram: @vanessarissettord
Culina Health: culinahealth.com
Instagram: @culinahealth

Connect with Kelly:

kellyleveque.com
Instagram: @bewellbykelly
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bewellbykelly

Be Well By Kelly is produced by Crate Media.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Democracy Now! 2025-11-10 Monday

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Democracy Now! 2025-11-10 Monday

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