Viva la Mami

103. How to Honor Your Cultural Foods While Meeting Your Health Goals with Mariana Dineen

• Jessica Cuevas • Season 4 • Episode 103

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In this episode, we welcome Mariana Dineen, a registered dietitian and founder of Elemento Health. She shares the importance of nutrition within the Latino community, especially for mothers striving to adopt a healthier lifestyle while preserving cultural traditions. Mariana emphasizes the significance of cultural relevance in nutrition counseling, overcoming language barriers, and the unique challenges faced by the Latino community in accessing healthcare.

She offers practical strategies for meal planning and managing chronic diseases like diabetes through a cultural lens, stressing the importance of balance and inclusion rather than the elimination of cultural foods. We also touched on the impact of stress on eating habits, particularly for busy Latina moms, and how to address these issues holistically.

Mariana’s commitment to cultural sensitivity in her practice, Elemento Health, underscores her dedication to providing accessible and empathetic nutrition care. If you've ever felt shame about your cultural foods or struggled to find a healthcare provider who truly gets you, this episode is for you.

For detailed show notes, visit vivalamami.com/episode103

Key topics covered:

  • Breaking down barriers to accessing nutrition care for Latinas
  • Making traditional dishes healthier while preserving cultural roots
  • Managing stress eating and emotional relationships with food
  • Practical meal planning strategies for busy mamas
  • Culturally sensitive approaches to managing conditions like diabetes

Connect with Mariana from Elemento Health!

Feeling overwhelmed by navigating cultural expectations and modern parenting as a Latina mom? Join Balanced Madrehood, Viva la Mami's signature coaching program designed to empower Latina moms to create a more balanced and fulfilling madrehood journey.  Head over to vivalamami.com/balanced-madrehood to learn more!

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When was the last time a healthcare provider made you feel seen? Heard? And understood. For many Latinas navigating nutrition advice while maintaining our cultural identity can feel impossible. Should we give up our beloved 30? Yes. And replace our traditional dishes with Keno bowls. Well today, we're diving deep into these questions with Mariana. Dineen a Latina dietician. Who's revolutionizing how our community approaches nutrition. Mariana Deneen is a proud Latina dietitian, mother of three, and the founder of elemental health. Born and raised in Monterey, Mexico, Mariana moved to New York in 2009 to pursue her master's in clinical nutrition at NYU. She lived and worked in New York until 2018. When she relocated to Houston for two years before finally settling in Chicago in 2020. As part of a bi-cultural family with a non-Latino husband. Mariana embraces both her cultural roots and her family's diverse background. And this episode, Marianna shares the importance of nutrition within the Latina community, especially for my mass striving to adopt a healthier lifestyle. While preserving cultural traditions. Marianna emphasizes on the significance of cultural relevance in nutrition, counseling, overcoming language barriers, and the unique challenges faced by the Latino community in accessing healthcare. She offers practical strategies for meal planning and managing chronic diseases like diabetes through a cultural lens, stressing the importance of balance and inclusion rather than elimination of cultural foods. Mariana's approach aims to empower families, to maintain their identity while pursuing health goals. We also touched on the impact of stress on eating habits, particularly for busy Latina moms. And how to address these issues holistically. Mariana's personal commitment to cultural sensitivity in her practice. Elemental health. Underscores her dedication to providing accessible and empathetic nutrition care. If you've ever felt shame about your cultural foods or struggled to find a healthcare provider who truly gets you this episode is for you. So please tune in. As we listen to insights, tips, and reassurance from a fellow Latina who is a dietician. Mariana Denene from elemental health.

Jessica:

Hola, hola, Mariana. How are you?

Mariana:

Good. How are you? I'm so happy to be here.

Jessica:

Yes, I'm happy to be with you as well. I Love that you approached me one day when we were in Luna y Cielo in Chicago. And, uh, we talked about, you know, kind of like your expertise and I'm like, I got to bring this mujer over here because I think it's so important to talk about nutrition and how and what this looks like in our comunidad. And especially as mamas, we are kind of trying to do things than the way that we grew up, especially for us who are second. First, even for like one and a half generation, uh, living in, in the United States, like we want to do something different, but sometimes we don't know how to really approach, uh, a different lifestyle than the way that we, uh, grew up when it comes to nutrition. So I'm going to love this conversation here with you because I think it's also going to be important for me to learn as I'm, um, you know, as you share your expertise. But before we delve into the conversation, if you can introduce yourself to our listeners and that way we can get started.

Mariana:

Yeah, definitely. So my name is Mariana. I am a Latina dietitian. I am a mom of three and I currently live in Chicago with my husband and my three children. Uh, but my roots go back to Monterrey, Mexico, where I was born and I was raised as the oldest of three sisters. So, uh, my parents live in Mexico. My middle sister lives in Mexico and all my extended family live in Mexico. My little sister. lived in New York. I'll tell you how that happened. It has to do with me. Uh, but yeah, so I was born and raised in Mexico and growing up, I don't know why I always wanted to come to live in the United States and actually to go to college in the United States. But my parents were, were not very excited about the idea of me. Going to college in the United States. So I kind of set my sights on gradual school instead. And actually I had no idea that I wanted to study nutrition. I remember like being in high school and like having zero clues of what I wanted to do with, with my life and like in a professional way. And it was actually my mother, my mom that brought me all the information and all the brochures and introduced me. To nutrition. So fast forward to 2007. I moved with four friends to New York City, and this was a total turning point with me. So I did my undergraduate, um, degree in Mexico, um, on nutrition. Um, so I was like, okay, well, I'm not going to go to college there, but I'm Going to go to graduate school. I was so determined to further my studies and really, I was very passionate about that. So I moved to New York City in 2007 with four friends and I was doing an internship at Lenox Hill Hospital. And this experience, these four months, really solidified my goal to move there for graduate school. And I was so determined to Do New York and only New York and go to that clinical nutrition program that I applied to one school and one school only. Um, so I had like a one track mind. It was New York or nothing. And it was probably super risky and very stupid, but. I got accepted to NYU. Oh, great. I moved to New York in 2009 and I completed my master's in clinical nutrition and I began my career over there. So, um, yeah, that's a little bit about how I got started in nutrition. I've worked in inpatient, so like hospitals, outpatient, community settings, private practice settings. Um, and actually in New York was where I met my husband and we were in New York till 2018. And then, so from New York we moved to Houston for two years, we were in Houston for two years and we actually moved to Houston because I wanted to be close to family. Um, that was super, and closer to my family in Mexico. And my husband's parents, they're from New York, but they moved to Texas, to Houston when my husband was about 15 years old. So my husband traveled Monday through Thursday. every single week. And it was really, really hard. Like I remember having to go to the pharmacy at like 3 a. m. because like my Sophia, who wasn't even three years old, like wouldn't start vomiting and I was pregnant and like a lot of things like made, made us move to Houston. Um, but yeah, and then in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, my husband gets a job offer. in Chicago. And he's like, well, we're now moving to Chicago. So we drove from Houston. It took us two days to get here. Um, I was 30 weeks pregnant. I was so scared of Ovid. Um, I brought a port a potty with us. So like port a potty and like Febreeze and a lot of toilet paper. Um, so yeah. And then in 2023, I finally took a big leap of faith. It started earlier because I had to start with all the credentialing process. And. Register as an LLC, but then in 2023, I finally started seeing, seeing clients, patients and Elemental Health was born. So it's been really an incredible journey from Monterrey to New York City to Houston and now Chicago. So

Jessica:

yeah, that's a little bit. Yeah. Thanks so much for sharing. And as a fellow pandemic mom, I know that it's. That time in our lives was so different and stressful and isolating because no one before us experienced either being pregnant or giving birth or raising kids in the midst of a pandemic.

Mariana:

It's hard.

Jessica:

So, yeah. Yeah. My heart goes out to you because I totally understand, um, how that feeling was and not to mention when you couldn't even be with your family members, you know? So.

Mariana:

I know. No. Like, yeah. So, all my sisters and I were pregnant at the same time and we couldn't see each other pregnant. So, we, we all have four year olds, um, so my sister, my middle sister, Rebecca, has twin girls. And then I had. Victoria, who's also a friend, and my sister, Paulina, has another four year old, and like, we couldn't see each other, like, we couldn't see each other pregnant, and like, you know, we all live, like, my sister lives in New York, I live in Chicago, um, so my youngest sister ended up marrying my husband's best friend, that's why they're, that's why they're in New York. But yeah, it was like really, really,

Jessica:

really hard. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Yeah, it is. It is. Yeah. And we grew up thinking like, Oh yeah, we're gonna, you know, even the baby shower aspect, like there's just little things. Okay. We couldn't really celebrate our pregnancy, you know, and I was you and your two sisters. Oh my gosh. That's awesome. I'm also Um, too. So, uh, and I'm the oldest as well, so I'm too, yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. No, that's great. So how really has your personal journey influenced your approach to nutrition counseling? You gave us a full background, uh, but in particularly like with helping families in terms of finding that balance between cultural traditions and then health. Fee nutrition, like what really led you to this journey?

Mariana:

So I'm gonna get a little bit personal and I'm going to speak very honestly. So, yeah, no judging, no, please, this is safe space. But my personal journey is really, uh, that hard, and I'm actually very proud to share this. So it's a li, it's like. I'm very proud to share that even though it might come up as a surprise. Uh, but so eating growing up and even after graduating and working as a dietitian, I felt this unspoken pressure to fit into the white world, um, as if it was the only way to achieve success. NYU, it was me and another girl from Venezuela, and like, You, it was just us, you know? Um, but as I grew and I experienced life and honestly with the encouragement of my husband, my husband is not Latino. My husband is very white, but he would like for him, it was just mind blowing. To see that I didn't focus my career, you know, and like in my community that I've always wanted to like break into that world. So honestly, like just life and a lot of things and his encouragement, I realized that. that leaving my roots behind didn't bring the fulfillment that I was looking for. So I discovered that reconnecting with my culture and not that like I left my culture behind, I'm just talking in a professional way. Um, cause I honestly, like, it's not like I completely left my culture, but that reconnecting with my, my culture and embracing my heritage in what I do professionally, was really my true passion and my purpose. So now I see my culture and my heritage as a superpower and this shift has made me super passionate about helping others maintain this identity while pursuing the health goals. I think that in my practice at Elemental Health I approach counseling with a very big commitment to show families that they do not have to choose between. They're cultural identity and they health and health. I think there's a misunderstanding that you cannot enjoy the foods that you grew up with and the, and the foods that have super deep meaning and connection to make those strides towards the health goal. So I'm helping my clients build small. But sustainable habits that fit into their lives seamlessly and like their lives as a whole, right, as a mother, as a family, as an entrepreneur, as a Latina, as everything. Um, and all this while honoring both the cultural roots that they have and also their wellness goal. So I think that shift for me was humongous. And I bring that Into work every day because it really, it really changed me, it really switched me and I was actually at UIC about three weeks ago at a conference called, and I love the title of the conference, so the title of the conference was The Healing Power of Our Roots and it was organized by MOLA. MOLA stands for Medical Organization for Latino Advancement and it's a non profit, um, of all the healthcare professionals, mostly doctors, but that are all working towards health equity. And it was super emotional because they brought patients to like the, the podium and they were asking about their experiences and like all these people talking about how it's super hard for them to connect and to trust and to find a care because unfortunately there's a lack of representation in the, in the medical community. So like hearing this and then like, you know, like knowing that I, I. niche there that I'm helping my community like brought me to tears. So I think that by nurturing both health and culture, I, I hope to help families see that their traditions are a source not only of nourishment, but also of strength and pride. And that's super important.

Jessica:

Yes. And it's all about cultural relevance. See, you know, where we are, are experts in specific areas, you know, or subject matter experts, but also how do we bring empathy, understanding, you know, when it comes to our culture and especially as someone that can represent our community that board, see, we already feel very, uh, vulnerable. We get white coat syndrome in front of medical experts in front of, you know, people who will. essentially talk to us about our health. And sometimes we don't really know why professionals are telling us, well, no comas tortillas, you know, don't eat tortillas. These are really bad for you, you know, this. And I think because statistically, yes, you know, Latinos, we are more prone to getting diabetes than other, you know, populations. But there's also history behind that, right? There's colonialism, there's poverty, there's, you know, lack of resources and healthcare. And so when you really think about all of those systems that have been put in place, and then we have medical experts that are basically shaming us, blaming us. For the foods that we eat, that's not really a connection there. It's more than that. And so I applaud you for realizing this because a lot of times we grew up trying to fit in or trying to conform to the mainstream culture and society. But, um, I'm glad that you have found this balance between what You can bring as an expert, but also how you can empathize with the people that you work with as well.

Mariana:

One point I, I almost felt ashamed accepting this, like I can't accept this, like whatever, you know, but I think I see it differently now. Like I'm very proud. And again, I want to like reiterate that I never, it's not like I. I didn't leave my culture like I am who I am, you know, um, and I'm very proud of that. It was just professionally. I thought that professionally I needed to break into that world to be successful and to be respected. And now I know that that is, I was wrong. I was totally wrong. And I think that that switch has, I, I don't, I don't think I would have ever started my private practice if I had never. And if I had never made that switch, I would probably still be dreaming and trying to do. And, and I would have never started. So

Jessica:

super powerful. Absolutely. I was just going to say that, like kudos to you. You should be proud of yourself. And it did take a lot of soul searching, a lot of figuring out a lot, but you're doing it. And so now that you primarily work with people within our community, that What have you noticed that are significant barriers for the Latina community as they face accessing, uh, nutrition care? What are some of those barriers?

Mariana:

Unfortunately, there's a little bit too many barriers, there's too many barriers, but I really would envision Elemental Health as like, we want Latinos and Hispanics to break through those barriers and hopefully one day we can reach that many people. So that, again, they can break through all those barriers, but I would say the first one and one of the biggest ones is, is language, uh, because not all healthcares are bilingual or culturally aware. So when nutrition advice is delivered in English. and without a cultural context, it can feel disconnected and it can be very hard to apply. And if it's hard to apply, then it's not going to lead to improved health outcomes. Um, and that's super important because food is very tied to our culture and our identity. So if the care that they are receiving doesn't align with their language and with their culture, like, that care might feel irrelevant or even disrespectful. So we are trying to bridge this gap by providing services in Spanish and English. Spanish half and half and really focus on that cultural relevance guidance. And I always joke about like, we even provide service in Spanglish, but it's like 100 percent true, like I have a client from Ecuador and we literally go back and forth, English and Spanish. And then we, like, I remember the day that I first met her, we were joking about how growing up her in Ecuador and me in Mexico, we would use words like Like, I grew up, I remember my dad hated that so much. I would be at school and I would be like, ay, no printear la tarea, or like, things like that. But yeah, so language is a big one. And then the other one, and unfortunately, some Latino communities are, everywhere, it's just not Latinos, right? But there might be some financial constraints. finding dietitians that accept insurance. And that identify as Hispanic and Latinas is a very challenging, I remember when I was in New York, there was this dietician that I like aspired to be like her, and she was charging 10, 000. 10, 000 for nutrition services. Oh my God. Um, and you had to like make a payment right then and there. It was, it was 10 appointments, right? That you like distributed over the course of whatever, two months or three months, I don't know, maybe two appointments a month, but like 10, 000, like who is able to pay 10, 000? Very small, And even right now, like I, the other day, before I started this, the other day I was talking to this dietician turned into a business coach and she helps dietitians build very high ticket nutrition programs. And some dietitians were like charging 10, I mean, 7, 000 or 15, 000 for like, whatever, a nine month nutrition program. So. It's super challenging, and honestly, I went back and forth a lot with the accepting insurance because I've heard horror stories. And like, the administrative burden, and then the very low reimbursement rates. Unfortunately, many dieticians choose not to accept insurance, but I was like, I don't care. Like, I found my passion. I found my calling. Like. I am prioritizing accessibility and believing I, I truly believe, and I want every Hispanic and every Latino to believe that they deserve high quality nutrition care from an expert. Not from like the TikTok or from, I don't know. So we're, we're accepting insurance and we are expanding hopefully very soon. And we are going to. Be taking Medicare and Medicaid. So we are accepting insurance to remove these financial barriers and ensure that this very essential service is within reach. And then I also know that there's a lot of people out there without insurance. Um, and again, who can pay for$7,000 or$15,000 or$10,000? So. On top of insurance, we have, we, um, offer very affordable membership prices, but like, we don't even talk about those. I go straight to insurance, and I want to say that like 95 to 98 percent of our clients pay zero dollars. out of pocket. So

Jessica:

that is awesome. And kudos to you for thinking about our community that because we already have this perception that if you go to a nutritionist or a dietitian, you know, you have to pay out of pocket or it's not accessible because of the cost. And the fact that you offer insurance, and obviously it's a lot of work on your end on the back end, But the fact that you're doing this for the community, I mean, speaks so much about you. So thank you. And I'll be sure to share

Mariana:

your practice and everything. A lot of, a lot of people are very surprised when I tell them that insurance covers nutrition. Not all plans. It obviously depends on, on every plan, but it does cover. And like I said, 99, 95 to 98, I haven't like actually done like a formal statistic or whatever, but a lot of people pay 0 out of pocket. Um, but yeah, and I mean, there are many others. I would say that also mistrust in healthcare is a big one, especially for Latinos. Um, there was actually a study in 2022 from the Pew Research Center and um, they stated like the study said that about half of Hispanic adults reported feeling that they have not been treated fairly in the healthcare system because of their race or their ethnicity. And that same study found that three in 10 Hispanic adults feel that healthcare providers fail to explain things. the, in a way that they understand. So this mistrust and this communication gap can lead to, to, to many people being hesitant and reaching out for, for professional care, and then you see them relying on like the quick fixes that they saw on tech talk and like getting all the misinformation. So, um, we, I always tell my clients. Um, I don't know what to call them. Clients or patients. I always go back and forth that we are not just about providing evidence based care, but we really want to create a space where they feel seen, they feel heard, they feel understood, like they are with family. And I feel that us Latinos are, are known for that, like, warmth, you know, that like, um, So that warmth and that understanding and that genuine connection that we have in our community and that is a very important part in creating behavior change or like healing or, or support, you know? So, um, and then another one that you might be very familiar with is all our family commitments are a super big thing in the, our community. Marianismo. Are you familiar with Marianismo? We juggle so many demanding work schedules. Some, some of the jobs are offering very limited, very, uh, limited benefits and not flexible. So it can be very hard to prioritize nutrition care. And then on top of that, what I was talking about, all our, uh, family obligations and We as Latinos are known to prioritize caring for other people and not us. So like then we and our health are, are like at the expense of our own health. Um, so yeah, we are trying to also break through this barrier by providing virtual health. So we are 100 percent virtual. Um, and I know that a lot of people. are kind of like, hesitant about virtual. And many, many of those that are older, maybe are not very tech savvy. Uh, but I had a client, I would say about four months ago, she came to us, she was referred for diabetes, older. And she like had no idea. So I was like, okay, son, daughter, a tío, a prima, cousin, who? So I actually said, Oh, my son. So I like got connected with her son and she didn't even have an email. So he created an email for her and he helped us set everything up for her. And now I meet virtually with her without a single problem. Like she opens her phone, she opens her app. And we, we meet.

Jessica:

That's awesome. That's awesome. Yeah. How do you guide Latinas or just like your patients or clients in general in making traditional dishes healthier while preserving their cultural roots? And how does this look like on an emotional side of things? Because you mentioned how they have to change their mindset as well. And so how does that look like?

Mariana:

There has to be, mindset is, is super, super big and maybe we do have to make some tweaks and some changes and it, this is going to depend on the patient and their health goals and their metabolic health and everything, right? But I also really want to talk about that our goal isn't to erase these cultural traditions and these ingredients. I feel, I would feel very guilty in a way, like, I do change and I do make some tweaks. Like, I don't know if the other day you saw that we posted a mole recipe. And, um, I mean, it was not the traditional way that it was cooked, but it had the same ingredients and same flavors, you know? So my first goal I would say is to always highlight the richness and the diversity of our food, uh, while challenging that very narrow. Western centric view of what healthy food, food looks like. And because our food carries a lot of history, it carries a lot of connection, and carries a lot of meaning. And, I don't know, it's kind of scary to think that if we erase or we replace these foods, this could lead to a loss of cultural heritage, um, which is why I try to avoid a one size fits all. So that is, like, one of my main things. Um, so, Yeah, encouraging families, encouraging women to see that our foods are valuable and are essential and knowing, and we need to know that our meals are nourishing, not only in ingredients, but also in the connection that they foster across generation. And I think that is so powerful. Um, but then, so the other thing that I try to really Accentuate or make people see, cause one of the biggest barriers that we see is that there is a lot of unfair labeling. Of our cultural foods as unhealthy or fattening. Um, you were talking about tortillas. So for tortillas or tamales or arroz con frijoles, they have some very negative labels, even though they offer a lot of valuable nutrition and someone that has diabetes, we might need to make some changes and some tweaks totally, but. They offer, like I was saying, they offer valuable nutrition. And if you balance them and you take a look at portions, like you might not have to. change the flavors or change the recipe, right? So we really work with our clients to reframe that mindset, showing families and showing women that these dishes can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet. So that we shouldn't be judging food on like very arbitrary standards, that it is really the important thing when it comes to foods and our dishes. It's going to be about variety. So, maybe you don't eat that every single day, or like for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it's going to be about balance, so how can you balance that plate, and how can you balance those ingredients, um, to better control your blood sugar levels, or your cholesterol, or your weight, um, and enjoyment, because that is also a very important part of, of health. And then, something that we also talk about is that it's always about adding. Not subtracting. What can you add? What can you add? How can you balance? So, I don't know, example, so enchiladas. Instead of like, I'm thinking of like the enchilada plate that I would get at a quermes and it would be like seven enchiladas, you know? Maybe instead of like the seven enchiladas, you can serve the enchiladas. You can go for two enchiladas and serve that alongside beans that are going to provide a lot of fiber and a lot of protein. And then you're going to add avocado. Or crema and salsa that is adding more nutrition and you're gonna serve that maybe with like very generous portions of greens or a salad or something. So it's really about those tweaks but taking into consideration everything that I mentioned before. And I really try to focus on empowering through knowledge, never restricting. So that goes back to like What can we add? What can we add? Instead of what can we take away? What can we take away? Right. So, educating these moms, educating these families that on the benefits of the foods that they already enjoy, but yeah, like how can we make those small adjustments by adding? By understanding how these nutrients work in your body and how can they work in favor or against your favor? Um, and all this because, I think you mentioned it before, food is much more than just nutrients. It's connection, it's tradition, it's identity. And I think it's very, very important that these dishes, um, we can still enjoy these dishes that have negative labels on them. And they are not negative. I also want to like, you know, reiterate that, um, in a mindful way so that we can continue to celebrate that heritage and that connection. One, without guilt, and there shouldn't be guilt, but also without compromising our health and our goals. And it's a very individualized process, like it looks different for everyone. And like that blows my mind because I say that a lot, it's personalized, it's personalized, but then when I actually sit, With a, with a client and I listen to them and like we put a plan together. I'm like blown away by how different every nutrition plan looks. Um, and because it depends on so many things. It depends on their, their lifestyle and their culture. I

Jessica:

mean their preferences. Right. Um, so and also like their, their upbringing, you know, there can be some with the way that they perceive food to food. Yeah. Yeah. It's well, I'm glad that you work with them individually. And, and I love how you mentioned that they shouldn't like remove, uh, those to add on. And it definitely shifts a different mindset because you're not trying to erase, you know, the, the traditional foods. And I, and that has always been the thing when you're working with a nutritionist that isn't understanding of our culture, right? Like our food is part of our culture. I mean, it's what identifies us. If you go around Mexico. You know, like Monterrey, I know that y'all love your meats, the deer meat. I would eat. Yeah. Yeah. And when I, and she loves me net as you know, so there's different types of foods within our, you know, not just all within Latin America, but it'll come again, even in specific regions too. So it's an identity that we have. And, and so, yeah, I love how you're saying like, it's more so about how can you add more versus like removing it. Remove. Yeah. And so how does like stress impact eating habits really for busy Latina moms as far as what does that role play really with nutrition in supporting like their mental health and specifically during their postpartum period or when they are very stressed it's about their motherhood journeys like can you tell us a little bit more about how that can impact their way I see I

Mariana:

seen this A lot, a lot, a lot, a lot. And one of the things that I like to point out is like, people come to me super overwhelmed sometimes thinking that they need to do a complete overhaul of their diet and their lives and everything. And when I make them focus on the tiny steps that they need to take every day, I always tell them like, Think about your goal and that goal is like at the top of the tallest mountain of the world. Like, now forget about the tallest mountain of the world. Like, I don't want you to think about that. I want you to think about the daily steps. Like, that helps a lot with the stress. But yeah, stress has a humongous impact on our eating habits and this can push us towards behaviors that don't align with our health goals. So for many people, I don't know if that this happens to you, but for many people, stress increases cravings. It could also be the other way around. It could like totally like you have no appetite. And these cravings are a way of our brain searching for quick energy for pleasure and to counter the stress that we're feeling. So Um, and like I said, for many other people, stress actually suppresses the appetite, and this could lead to skipped meals and inconsistent eating patterns, and that could accentuate stress even more, um, but, um, but yeah, so stress eating, stress eating can be tied to emotional eating, but first, I really want, because I feel like there's a very negative connotation about emotional eating, and so I really want to say that emotional eating is a complete. natural response and it many and in many ways is a part of normal, Uh, Normal eating. So a lot of studies show that almost everyone emotionally eats from time to time, especially in, in, in, in like in stress and Research again suggests that emotional eating can be completely different normal coping mechanism when managed mindfully. So the problem is when emotional eating becomes a primary way to handle stress or difficult emotion, and then it starts to impact both your physical and your mental health because with emotional eating, you can get into like a really bad cycle that can like, guilt and shame and then you go into the cycle again. So, but like, think about it. Like, I don't know, like, uh, uh, arroz con leche, no? Or a caldo. Like I would think of those foods like would bring joy and comfort. So like, yeah, like it's totally okay. And that it's, there's evidence that indulging in familiar foods that are comforting. Um, can trigger, I mean, can like help with easing the feelings, no? So, um, I really like to start with that because there's a lot of shame and there's a lot of guilt around those things. And I feel that if we don't tackle those feelings first, it's going to be hard to, to manage all those things. So first of all, we need to recognize those patterns and then offer realistic strategies To, I don't know, maybe it involves prepping easy or nutrient dense snacks or practice mindful eating to help. And again, all to like bring more awareness and more balance. But these, either if you're like stress eating or skipping meals, and this is because as moms we're so stressed, postpartum is a very demanding period. So we're prioritizing the needs of others always. So this is leaving us with little energy for, for healthy choices. And this lack of nourishment or like overeating can like, Lead to fatigue and can lead to mood swings. So we need to really build stress related eating techniques and build awareness of our triggers and our emotions around food. So in short, I feel that understanding our patterns and approaching them with kindness and practical solutions can go a long way in creating a healthier response to stress.

Jessica:

I can definitely see how Even with food, right, we don't really think about food. I mean, sometimes we think about food as like, yes, it's fuel for our bodies, but. If we're under stressful, you know, circumstances when we are either craving or not wanting food, it, it, it's so interesting how it ultimately impacts our way of being, you know, whether it's, this is when mom rage comes into play. This is when overstimulation comes into play when we feel dysregulated. And for many of us, we don't even sleep, like, especially during the postpartum period. You know, period. And so the fact that we're not nourishing our bodies, it, it all interconnects with the issues that ultimately play with our physical, mental, emotional health.

Mariana:

Yeah, totally. Totally. Yeah. It, I, it. I mean, I'm way past the newborn stage, but last night was one of those nights that I like probably slept for four hours because I'm telling you that everyone's at the doctor and everyone is having my son has crew. But yeah, no, it's it's super, super, super important. Yeah, yeah, it is.

Jessica:

And so speaking of my mass, right, and how busy our lives can be. I know that a lot of times and even for myself, I'm like trying to figure out What to bring on the table or what are some easy meals that I can do? And I'll be honest, like, you know, we, we rarely cook, um, you know, as the comida Mexicana, like we, I already feel intimidated by it. I often lead it to my mom, my grandma, whenever they come visit us from Mexico or whenever we go to Mexico, it's like, okay, this is our opportunity to eat these meals. But then again, I'm like, no, I need to bring that back. And that way our kids can see the whole process, right? And how it's made, not just once it's ready. Um, right, right. You know, whether it fits Latino cuisines or just whatever type foods that you eat at home, like what are some good strategies in terms of meal planning that can be easier for, for moms, especially when we're on the go or even a stay at home moms, you know, we just want to make sure that it's simplified that way. We don't have to clean all the dishes.

Mariana:

Totally. I always, yes, I see myself as a very lazy. I love to cook, but I can be very lazy when it comes to cooking. And I don't think, okay, so no, it's probably not lazy. I just have a million other responsibilities. I'm going back and forth and I just want something quick that is easy to clean. And it's. Yeah, quick and easy. Um, I feel that he, there is no right or wrong strategy here because meal planning or meal prepping or whatever really depends on each mom and her, her family needs and her lifestyle. So there is no one size fits all approach. I personally, I don't like meal prepping. Like I cannot spend a Sunday and meal prep. So I, but this is me, right? So, and I never tried to like shove. The way things that I do to my clients, but I prefer, I do meal plan. So like I make a list. Okay. So like on Monday, picadillo, on Tuesday, tostadas, things like that. So I like to meal plan by deciding what I'm making for dinner each night, but I focus on very easy, like five ingredient, 20 minute, 20 minute recipes. But like if we're going to be talking about meal prepping, like one of the things that I always suggest is batch cooking ingredients. So you can choose a few staples each week. I don't know, beans, rice, quinoa, and you cook them in bulk. And then you can like throw easy, different meals quickly. So for example, you can like, I don't know, you're cooking beans and you can use them in soups or in salads or, um, it's a side dish for breakfast or, or things like that. Um, another thing that I like to suggest, and I, I, I use this very often, I don't batch cook honestly, but one pot or one pot or a sheet pan dishes. So. Minimal cleanup. I know that I probably should be not using so much aluminum foil, but I like cover that thing so much aluminum foil so that I can just like scrunch it up and throw it away and I don't have to like clean. Yeah. Uh, but yeah, this is going to save so much time on cleaning and cooking, and it's going to allow you to prep a meal with minimal fuss. So the other, last week, and it was actually our first time doing it, last week I did Colombian stew. Have you done it? No. So Colombian stew, the easiest thing, most delicious. So in the pot, four potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks, four tomatoes, cut into chunks, One onion sliced. Um, the recipe, the original recipe calls for like one whole chicken, like cut into eight or I think like four chicken legs, but I just use chicken thighs. So two packs of chicken thighs. So it was like around three pounds of meat, no water. You don't need anything. Salt and pepper, bay leaf, and you put it in the instant pot for 25 minutes and the tomatoes create like the, the base of the, like el caldo, the juice. And it was so delicious. So. Easy, one pot, sheet pan dishes. What else? Double and freeze the recipe later or something. I used to do that a lot when my kids were younger. I don't do that so much. So like, I would double, I do double recipes. I just always eat them for lunch. I don't freeze them anymore, but I, I know one of my clients, it's like a soup, she's a soup person. Have you seen those like silicone humongous, like square. It's like an ice cube, but it's like this big, so she'll make a, she'll make a double batch of whatever she's doing and then the rest of the recipe she puts them into the, they're huge. They're like this. They're so small. Yeah. I think I've seen them before. Instead of being like a tiny ice cube, um, and she does that. So, and then also, um. So really, so a lot of people want nutrition to be very sexy and like, you know, this like, it's not sexy. It's not rocket science. So we need to remember that simple meals are okay, that you don't need to like cook this super extravagant dinner or breakfast or lunch. So. I always like to remind them, um, of that too.

Jessica:

Hmm.

Mariana:

But it, it is really going to depend on, on their preference. Like I said, I don't like to meal prep. I know people that love to meal prep and have like a chicken, a bean and like different types of proteins and I, I don't know. I can't, yeah. I

Jessica:

don't know why. Yeah. We did that for two weeks and we're like, yeah, no, this is too much No. And for us, like, we like to. We don't like to repeat the same food tambien, so it didn't work out for us, uh, but what works for us is like, you know, very minimal, quick meals, which I

Mariana:

So you were saying that you don't cook that much Mexican, so like, what do you guys cook? What do you make?

Jessica:

Yeah, so we, we mostly make gomo pastas, like quinoa bowls, Mediterranean. Um, I don't know. I just feel like, well, the I, for me, I prefer a recipe, like I need to follow a recipe y soy, a recipe. Yeah. Creative. And then my husband is the one wahoo cooks primarily ole. Doesn't really, yeah, we don't really cook Mexican food. And, you know, we have amazing cooks. Like I grew up with amazing cooks, but it's, I think it's because those recipes haven't been passed down where I'm not sure like where to go.

Mariana:

I feel that sometimes those recipes can be very intimidating. And they can, like, seem like they have a million steps or, um, yeah, it's gonna take forever. But, I mean, it doesn't have to, like I said, I don't know if you saw, but, um, we posted a recipe that we did mole. And it is a mole that took me, um, Three minutes to make again, I hope like my grandmother and my great grandmother is not listening and like comes like wants to like strangle me because I'm not doing it, you know, the way that she did, but like, I don't have the time to like cook from scratch and like, you know, go by the chile seco and like do everything from scratch. So.

Jessica:

Yeah, and I think that's part of it that I feel intimidated because I would see all these mujeres, you know, spend hours and hours in the kitchen, but I'm like, no, this isn't, this isn't me. I have other priorities, like you said, and it's about finding that balance. And I think that creativity. And I also, you know, when I go to like Pinterest or something, these are meals that were prepared from non Latinos that have a lot of Westernized or Southwest kind of influences. And I'm like, no, like we don't use cumin as much, you know? Um, and so.

Mariana:

I think balance, you mentioned balance, that's another big thing. So, and I, I do that a lot and I recommend that a lot. So the other day I was doing, are you familiar with veracruzana? Yes. Okay. So I was doing pescado and super easy. But I was like, okay, so if I'm going to do Veracruzana, I don't have time and I don't want to honestly to like also make rice from scratch. So I buy a lot of like frozen pre cooked rice that I just put in the microwave for three minutes and it's ready. Um, so it's trying to find those little things that work for each person individually.

Jessica:

That's awesome. That's awesome. You should probably make a recipe book.

Mariana:

I would love to. A lot of people have. Recommended and suggested that they're like, I can't wait for your, for your recipe book to come out, maybe one day.

Jessica:

Simplified recipes. Because yeah, we're all busy. We're all busy. Yeah. And so looking at conditions like, you know, diabetes, high blood pressure, all of these things that yes, statistically speaking affect our community, how does elemental health, like really approach these chronic diseases? in terms of managing their nutrition through that cultural lens. I

Mariana:

really think that the most important part is using a culture centered approach, especially in diabetes. And using a culture centered approach means that instead of applying, again, it's very personalized, but instead of applying a one size fits all advice, we are building our guidance and our nutrition plan. Even around the specific beliefs and the values and even the experiences of whoever we are providing the services. So what does this look like? So in the Latino culture, many, and not everyone, obviously, but many people have very unique beliefs about what. What caused diabetes and how to manage it. And these beliefs around health can be very personal. So for example, many people believe that a strong emotional situation, I dunno if you've heard the word Yes. Um, and they believe that this can can bring diabetes. So when a healthcare provider. is acknowledging these beliefs and they're not dismissing them, uh, but instead showing respect and understanding by honoring them. We are creating a more trusting and open relationship with our clients. And I think that is a corner store of creating behavior change and then improving health outcomes. Um, I also think it's super important again, obviously the nutrition information, but we don't want to fall in the expert trap and just be like giving out information. So instead of only relying on technical explanations. In a culture centered approach, we would also consider how patients understand their own health within their own lives and within their own culture. So I don't know, if someone believes that emotional health affects diabetes and it does, maybe we would be adding stress management or offer, offering other mindful techniques alongside the nutrition care. And this is going to make it more relatable and more relevant and that's, again, that's going to be very important for them to. apply the information and for them to accept that information. So, rather than assuming that all solutions are going to be the same, this approach is going involves creating strategies that come from within the culture itself. So for example, this is also, we see this also, and you know that family plays a very central role in someone's life. So including the family in the care, uh, in the care plan for managing diabetes, like that is part of an effective diabetes management. So in a sense, a culture centered approach means that me as a healthcare provider, as a dietician, I'm not imposing the generic advice, instead I'm always working with my clients, with my patients and respecting them and building upon the patient's own experiences and their cultural background. So I think that that is as important, sometimes like that's how I start building that rapport and that trust with them because if we don't have that and if they don't feel seen and heard and they don't feel like they're at home. Uh, like our tagline is nutrition that feels like at home. So I think that is super, super important, especially because diabetes is a very complex and very multifaceted disease that is associated with substantial emotional distress. So it's not only going to be about the nutrition advice and the carbs and the tortillas and the tamales and add this and add that. So I always tell my, my patients it starts with nutrition, but it's not only about nutrition. Wow.

Jessica:

That's awesome. This definitely gave a different perspective about this issue, but also like ways in which people can manage it. through a different lens than just like the food. It's more within oneself.

Mariana:

It's everything. It has to be everything together. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Jessica:

And, and you're right. I mean, it makes it more of a sustainable approach rather than a quick solution. And not delving into the actual problem or issue. And I think, yeah, that's awesome.

Mariana:

And then I, I really feel that I'm super proud of the trust that we are building and the relationships that we are creating with our patients. And like, we hear that all the time and that trust is going to help us be a better team. So it's not me telling them what to do. Um, it's us being a team and working together. And like, yeah, it's always us working together.

Jessica:

Yeah,

Mariana:

that's awesome.

Jessica:

So this is a Viva La Mami question that I often ask Mamas on the show. So my question to you is, how are you redefining motherhood? Oh

Mariana:

my god, I'm gonna have to think about this one. But I'm gonna have to say, and I hope I'm not, like, bringing too many trapos sucios al aire. I don't know how to, I don't know how to say it in English. I might have to say it in Spanish. Um, but maybe healing trauma that has been passed on from, like, my great grandmother to my grandmother and my mom. And thankfully, I was able to, like, catch On it. And I remember when I moved to Chicago, I mean, I had moved so much and I moved here pregnant COVID and like, I gave birth and I was like, I think I'm going through like postpartum depression. Like I have to reach out to someone. And through that session, I kind of realized that like, maybe there was a little bit too much of that, like, you know how it is like generational spilling. And I decided that I didn't want. So I was like, okay, I'm really committed to this and not bringing it over to my children. So I continued with therapy and I've like talked about it with like my sisters about how to us that's like super important. I don't know. I also coming to mind, I think growing up in a very conservative. In terms of like Mexican Catholic, there were a lot of taboos and a lot of things that you couldn't talk to your family or your parents or like you didn't talk about mental health. Um, and I really want to change that with my own family. I want my children to be able to have, I want, I want to be a safe place for my children to talk about like literally anything. So I would say that those were the two things that. Came to mind. And working on that, um, you know, that maybe generational things that are past, like your mom, your grandmother, to your mom, to you, and then creating a safe place and eliminating all that taboos. So that. They can come to me and I always tell them like in this house, you will never get in trouble for telling the truth. No matter how bad it is. Like, you're gonna get in trouble if you lie to me. Like, so I might be disappointed and I might Whatever, but you're never going to get in trouble for telling the truth or for asking a question. Like, there is no, what's the word, like, not, oh, that's not appropriate or you can't talk to me about that, you know? Right.

Jessica:

Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome that you are doing that and that you are allowing the sense of openness and like a safe space because a lot of us didn't grow up with that. A lot of us couldn't. I did not. Yeah. Yeah, I'm glad that at least in our generation, we're breaking those sort of generational curses that we grew up with. Yeah, that's awesome. Well, Mariana, where can people connect with you and follow you? How can they start working with you, especially for those that are looking for a culturally sensitive, understanding Latina nutritionist?

Mariana:

So they can email me. My email is Mariana at ElementoHealth. com. They can also reach us at Instagram. Our Instagram handle is Elemento underscore health. Um, or our website, we also have a form in our website that they can fill out. Our website is ElementoHealth. com. Um, or they can text me or they can call me.

Jessica:

That's great. Well, Marina, thank you so much for being here. I appreciate you sharing your expertise and this ultimately validates that we are not alone in this, that there are people like you who are supporting us in our journeys, specifically when it comes to food and to keep on with our cultural foods, because again, that's just part of us and our identity and There shouldn't be any shame or, you know, removal of these foods that ultimately make us who we are. So, yes, thank you so much for being here.

Mariana:

Thank you so much for having me here. And yeah, super, super happy that I was able to be a guest here.