Nutrition As Therapy Team

Southern California Nutrition Experts

Welcome

Nutrition As Therapy has been in business since 2007. We have the experience to help our clients reach their goals. We make eating healthy a fun and delicious experience.

Our areas of expertise include: Weight management, high blood pressure management, high cholesterol/triglyceride management, nutrition for pregnancy, diabetes, teen/child/infant nutrition, vegan/vegetarian, nutrition for optimal health, disordered eating including compulsive & emotional overeating.

Our approach to good nutrition encompasses not only education but also lifestyle, genetic and environmental factors. We address each person as a whole, assessing possible emotional and physiological influences as to why an issue may be occurring. Our philosophy promotes plant-based, wholesome eating using natural food, organic supplementation if applicable, exercise, support, and goal-setting to assist our clients in achieving their health goals.

Change is not easy, we know — so we move with you at your pace with understanding and encouragement at every step of the way. We can assist you in achieving your health goals! Call us to make your first appointment!

Contact Us

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Our Mission Statement

Nutrition As Therapy exists for the purpose of educating and empowering people on an individual, community and global level to want to choose plant-based nutrition for optimal , individual, and planetary health.

As Registered Dietitians, we recognize the significance of not only educating on food for improved clinical outcomes but also illuminating the profound impact these choices have on animal welfare and environmental sustainability.

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Please refer to the following link to discover how your food choices impact animals and how you can make a difference.

Please refer to the following link to discover how your food choices affect your planet and how you can make a difference.

Testimonials

I am very happy with the results I am getting at Nutrition As Therapy. Thanks to my RDs’ help I stay motivated and look forward to continue maintaining my results. Using their tools I am able to stick to portions recommended. My starting weight was 230 and I have lost 13 pounds within the 2 months that I have started the counseling.

I love my dietitian; she is honest with me, patient, and encouraging. When I have obstacles or lapse, I am grateful to her because she is understanding and helps me get back on track. I have been losing 1 pound a week by following the eating schedule she recommended for me and by keeping track of my food. My starting weight was 194 and my most recent weight is 166. I have lost 28 pounds.

testimonial-af

(AF) has lost 78 pounds since his first consult with us. He had been diagnosed with Renal Insufficiency Stage 2 and now has normal renal (kidney function). His glucose and LDL cholesterol have also gone down and he has been able to get off some of his medications. He still wants to lose 30 more pounds and further improve his health. He states that all of our nutritionists have been very helpful and that in the end it's the individual that needs to make the changes. He eats very plant-based now and eats beans and veggies and has left the bacon, cheese, and other fatty animal foods by the wayside. Congrats AF, keep up the great work !!

testimonial-march2018

I was referred by my primary doctor to be seen by your nutritionist specialist, Deidre Paulson. On September, my weight was 141 lbs, but since then, I have lost 14 lbs and as of January 5th, my A1C dropped to 6.3 and my sugar levels are now between 101 and 125. I'm so thankful for my nutritionist for helping me achieve my goal. I'm proud of myself for the accomplishment. It's been hard, but I also know that I need to continue if I want to be healthy and also feel better about myself.

xochdogg

I used to weigh 344lb, then started with Nutrition As Therapy, and my therapist was and is still very supportive of me. I changed my eating habits and started to power walk and exercise EVERY DAY since Nov 10th 2017. I have lost a total of 84 lbs and I feel great!! I am proud of MYSELF and with the support of my therapist Basia, I did it!

Irene Verdusco

My name is Irene Verdusco, and I was recommended to Nutrition as Therapy by Dr. Kevin Pham from Chaperce. I was having a lot of back, knee, and feet pain frombeing at 190 lbs which I am now to 125 lbs. I am in the best shape of my life, able to do a lot more and feeling great. Nutrition as Therapy has truly changed my life. All dietitians and staff are the best that I have ever had. I recommend them to anyone whoneeds help with weight loss and nutrition.

Jose Garcia Valadez

Mr. Garcia has been seeing us since February 2023, has lost 28 lbs, and is still working at it!

"I feel great!
I am thankful to Nutrition AsTherapy for the recipes to keep me on track. I appreciated the accountability and helping to set goals that are appropriate for me. I am adjusting to a new lifestyle, not just following another diet. Feeling grateful!"

María B.

My name is María B. I have received nutrition therapy with the dietitian for more or less 10 months and she has helped me a lot to achieve my goals in losing weight and learning to eat healthy, I hope by the end of this year to reach my ideal weight. At the moment I have lost 69 pounds and my health has It has improved significantly.

magnolia

About Magnolia

Magnolia Vela is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist with over 23 years of experience. She holds a Master's Degree in Nutritional Science from Cal State Long Beach and completed her nutrition/dietetic internship through the University of Northern Colorado. Being of Colombian descent she acknowledges the cultural diversity present amongst clients and appreciates each client for the unique individual that they are. She has always been of the entrepreneurial spirit and started off teaching classes to the latino prenatal population in Los Angeles. She then became the staff RD for Talbert Medical and Universal Care. Shortly thereafter she opened her business otherwise known as Nutrition As Therapy and began counseling clients as she partnered with local doctors and medical groups who were proactive and saw the cost-effectiveness of offering medical nutrition therapy (MNT) to their patients. She now has a team of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists that assist her with client therapy. Her goal is to offer clients a thorough and positive experience while they are in counseling from food preparation demonstrations to simple exercise classes where people can experience "hands-on" learning.

"She exhibits a nurturing, yet professional demeanor along with excellent communication skills, which allow her to demonstrate her exceptional knowledge of foods as they affect health. As a business owner, Magnolia is devoted to her patients and takes great satisfaction in counseling them on how to live a healthy lifestyle. She approaches patient counseling with a gentleness and concern that is tangible, has managed to surround herself with great, skilled staff that are just as caring and that would explain why her practice is thriving. Genuine service with integrity is what she provides and it is a successful mentality to have. She truly cares about people and wants them to be empowered every time they leave the office. I have had the opportunity to see her in a business setting as well as a social setting and I can truly say that Magnolia is a person who is excited about life, optimistic about almost everything, and empathizes with people. I would highly recommend her to anyone. She makes a difference.

"Magnolia is highly knowledgeable in health and nutrition and I would highly recommend anyone who needs health and nutrition counseling to utilize her staff's expertise. Communicates very well, presents herself professionally and has an exceptional knowledge in foods and their nutritional contributions as they affect diet and any desireable lifestyle."

Our Registered Dietitian Nutrition Team

food & nutrition experts

Our Administration Team

Fabiana Alvarado

Quality Systems Analyst

What makes us different from other RD offices?

Services

What services are provided?

As Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) we can help you improve your medical condition(s) by assisting you with ABCs:

A - A1C - If diabetes is present we can help you to reach a HgbA1C range of 6% – 6.5% depending on MD or your goals by assisting with eating pattern improvements.

B - Blood Pressure - By choosing more nutrient-dense foods, ensuring adequate calcium intake, monitoring sodium intake, and addressing weight loss needs if necessary while assessing other lifestyle factors, we can assist in reaching a more desirable blood pressure range.

C - Cholesterol - By making easy food swaps, we can work with you to lower LDL and triglycerides, and maintain or elevate HDL.

The above can also lead to more desirable BMI ranges. We also assist those who are in the pre-diabetes state to prevent/delay diabetes, assist with Chronic Kidney (CKD) disease, Liver disease, Asthma, Cancer, Celiac disease, Arthritis, COPD, Constipation, CAD, Cystic Fibrosis, Erectile Dysfunction, Gout, Thyroid issues, Fibromyalgia, Gastritis, Anemia, Osteoarthritis, Protein-Calorie Malnutrition, Stroke, Pancreatitis, Food Allergies and Sensitivities, IBS, Underweight, Malnutrition, Gestational diabetes, Childhood and teen overweight and obesity, Disordered eating, and all other medical conditions that can be improved by specific eating patterns.

Other Services Offered

Telehealth consults – see and speak to your dietitian through a computer, tablet or smartphone and complete your consult in the convenience of your own home.

Home consults for tube feeding or homebound patients.

Charities

Nutrition As Therapy donates substantial monthly contributions to help these organizations:

https://www.chrf.org/help.php ! Half goes for food for the children and the other half goes for them to have clean water.

We also give monthly donations to https://www.spcai.org/ !

Children's Hunger Relief Fund - Home Page - Saving Children is What We Do
https://chrf.org

SPCA International I Global Animal Rescue
https://www.spcai.org

Locations

Alhambra Office

801 W Valley Blvd, Suite 206
Alhambra, CA 91803

Culver City

9696 Culver Blvd., Suite 301
Culver City, CA 90232

Encino

17835 Ventura Blvd., Suite 307
Encino, CA 91316

Newport Beach

833 Dover Drive, Suite #33
Newport Beach, CA 92663

Hollywood

1763 North Gower Street
Hollywood, CA 90028

Mansfield, TX

990 Hwy 287
Mansfield, TX 76063

Long Beach

6285 E Spring Street, Suite 284
Long Beach, CA 90808

Riverside

6185 Magnolia, Suite 27
Riverside, CA 90808

San Diego

302 Washington Street #809
San Diego, CA 92103

Contact Us

Magnolia Vela, MS, RD, CDCES

(866) 403-6068

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