Good Food, Good Life

Good Food, Good Life

Local nutritionist helps people eat to better health

Posted Jan. 1, 2017

If you live with chronic health issues, from headaches or insomnia to even more serious issues like diabetes, the culprit may be no further than your fork. Torie Borrelli, a San Diego-based integrated holistic nutritionist and wellness consultant, estimates that about 95 percent of health-related problems can be remedied with diet modification.

What does Borrelli see people struggling with the most? “I think that people are scared of fat — especially after the ’90s fad of removing fat from everything — and buy too much into the low-carb trend,” she says. Borrelli notes a recent study that provides evidence that a healthy high-fat diet decreases the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. “About 75 percent of people are walking around dehydrated, and that can cause everything from migraines to acne to sleeplessness. I think people aren’t getting enough sleep, and I’d put the need for sleep right up there with food. And stress — that’s a huge factor.”

Her mission is personal. She recalls being a “sick kid.” Early on she knew there was a connection between what she put into her body and how she felt. Her Mexican and Italian heritage means her life has always revolved around food — good food — so making dietary adjustments proved a challenge. It pushed Borrelli to strive for solutions that were not only healthy but also delicious. Her passion for good food, a love of cooking, and a family background in agriculture led her down an instinctive path to a degree in agriculture and nutrition. Early in her career, Borrelli worked alongside a personalized medicine doctor (“I would see 60 patients a day,” she says). She opted to go out on her own to deliver a more customized, one-on-one experience that offers the greatest chance for individual success. Borrelli launched The Vida Well, a wellness Web site, blog, and consultation service, rooted in her commitment to helping people live well.

Borrelli believes in a diet with supplementation based on genetic and lab tests, which removes much of the guesswork from creating the appropriate protocols, and can improve health. She’ll even do a full pantry makeover. “I really enjoy telling people that it’s not that hard. People get so excited when they see results so quickly,” she says. A moderate approach makes changes manageable. Even Borrelli herself, who names pizza her biggest guilty pleasure, says she adheres to an 80/20 rule, following her own plan 80 percent of the time and allowing herself a little freedom, too. “I love food,” she says. “I’m going to enjoy it and not regret it. If you’re going to do it, enjoy. You’re not making a mistake — you’re human. Enjoy your life.” thevidawell.com

Torie’s Top 5 Health Tips

1. Drink plenty of water. Strive for half your body weight in ounces. Among its many benefits, you are less likely to overeat when hydrated.

2. Stressed? Get outside. Even if it’s for a brisk walk, find a hill and breathe.

3. Choose foods higher in good fat and protein. Avoid eating sugar and carbs.

4. Get adequate sleep. Seven to nine hours! Don’t forget about this one — it’s one of the most important factors in health.

5. Take a moment to be grateful. Even if it’s for one minute it helps, I swear!