Naturally Nourished By Tara
As a yoga-teaching dietitian, I take a whole-body approach to wellness. I am dedicated to guiding my clients towards optimal health with clarity and joy. From personal and professional experiences, I learned that the road to wellness is often meandering, and is one that requires curiosity, self-compassion, and empowerment.
In 2017, I completed my MS in Human Nutrition and, shortly after, in 2018, I became a Registered Dietitian. Prior to my current job in virtual wellness, I served as a clinical dietitian in oncology and women’s health at a leading Charlotte hospital. Presently, in addition to my private practice, I work as a Registered Dietitian for a virtual wellness company that focuses on lifestyle modification and behavior change for the prevention and management of chronic illness.
My road to nutrition, however,
was not a straight path!
After graduating from high school in New Jersey, I attended Elon University where I obtained a BA in international studies with a minor in political science and Arabic. I truly believe I chose this degree because I was destined to journey to the Middle East. It was during my time abroad, at the University of Jordan and traveling to neighboring countries, such as Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Dubai, and Palestine, that I began to realize that food is more than something we put on our plates. I was given the rare opportunity to immerse myself in a culture that has been utilizing food to celebrate tradition, enhance community, and heal the body for centuries.
Shortly after college, I accepted a position in Washington, D.C. working for an educational non-profit serving national and international students. While employed in D.C., I uncovered my passion for nutrition and decided to transform my career.
The pivot from Arabic to apples was a drastic shift; however, the universe continued to provide
enticing opportunities to serve as stepping stones along my path.
In August 2015, I committed to a year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA developing wellness programs for an underserved community in Charleston, SC. By the time my tenure as a VISTA concluded, I had already decided on my next big adventure: obtain my MS in human nutrition and become an allied health professional. I graduated from Winthrop University in December 2017, completed my dietetic rotations in October 2018 and passed the registered dietitian exam in December 2018.
It was quite the journey, indeed! And now, as a Registered Dietitian, I am so grateful for the opportunity to use nutrition as a therapeutic tool for transforming lives. Health truly begins on our plates!
