Hello! Welcome to Olive Tree Nutrition. I’ve been getting questions on why I chose to name my business Olive Tree Nutrition and what’s my coaching philosophy. This post is for you to get to know me a little more!

The Business Name

I chose Olive Tree Nutrition LLC because it resonates with me on so many levels.

First, it reflects my Mediterranean Middle Eastern roots. I’m originally from Syria, which is a country in the Mediterranean region. Olives and olive oil are pretty much a staple in every household and I grew up enjoying all the wholesome dishes of this Mediterranean region. These include hummus, tabbouleh, falafel, and babaghanouj. Fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, chickpeas, lentils, cheese, zaatar, and olives are everyday foods. Foods are shared with family and friends and enjoyed to the last bite. These foods are so nutritious and delicious. You can read more about the Mediterranean diet here.

Second, the olive tree symbolizes so much. Olive trees are known to grow for hundreds of years producing an abundance of fruit. To me the olive tree symbolizes courage, growth, perseverance, and health.

The roots of the olive tree represent the foundation of our health. Having a strong understanding of nutrition and wellness principles allows us to properly nourish our body and take care of our health.

Just like trees require water and sunlight to grow, we need food to fuel our body. Trees need to be cared for to grow beautifully, and we need to take care of ourselves and love who we are to thrive and do amazing things in this world.

The branches of a tree grow long in different directions and represent the different directions we each take on our journey to health. As we grow we learn to find peace with our food, ourselves, and those around us.

It is my hope that we all live long and healthy lives nourishing our body and heart and finding joy in all that we do.

Third, the numerous research studies on the Mediterranean diet show that this eating pattern can reduce your risk for diabetes, heart diseases, some cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease. It has even been shown to be effective in managing blood sugars for people with diabetes. Adopting some of these eating principles can go a long way to supporting your health and wellness.

Green olives on an olive branch

My Coaching Philosophy

As you may have already guessed I take a holistic, non diet approach to nutrition and wellness. I have a few guiding principles that influence my coaching philosophy.

Intuitive eating

• Intuitive eating is a model of eating that enables you to ditch the diet mentality, make peace with all foods and listen to your body and hunger when making food choices. There are 10 main principles which can be found here.

Health at every size

• This is an approach that emphasizes that weight is not an indicator of health. This means that I don’t focus with my clients on their weight but rather focus on their health behaviors that affect their health. It emphasizes body respect and supporting all aspects of health for wellness.

Mediterranean eating style

• As mentioned earlier there have been numerous studies to support that following a Mediterranean eating pattern can have a positive effect on health outcomes. This eating style also emphasizes mindfulness and social connectedness which are essential to my philosophy.

Evidence based nutrition

• Nutrition is a science and therefore evolves over time. As a Registered Dietitian I dig deep into the science and only provide evidence-based guidelines that work. No fad diets and no quick fixes.

Clients centered care

• All my clients are important to me. I ensure to provide quality customized nutrition plans that support my client’s goals. It is equally important for clients to be involved in their health and communicate with me regularly as we work together on their health journey.

Who do I work with?

I help women break free from diets and discover a mindful and postive approach to eating. Many of my clients are tired from diets, calorie counting, following meal plans and missing out on enjoying their favorite foods. I help my clients heal their relationship with food, learn to trust their body and hunger cues, and develop eating habits that makes them feel well, inside and out. I follow the intuitive eating principles to guide my clients on their wellness journey.

I also specialize in diabetes prevention and management. I work with clients who have Type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, gestational diabetes, or at risk for developing diabetes. I love working with my clients to help them control their blood sugars while finding joy in eating.

As a wife and business owner I know what it’s like to be busy! I love working with clients providing healthy eating tips, meal planning and prep ideas, healthy recipes, and grocery store tactics. There’s always room for improvement!

If you’re interested in nutrition coaching and not sure if we’re the right fit, you can contact me here. I’d love to say hello!

What can you expect from Olive Tree Nutrition?

You can expect blog posts, recipes, and motivational quotes on my website and social media Facebook and Instagram pages. Topics are related to intuitive eating, Mediterranean eating, diabetes health, and nutrition wellness tips.

In addition, I provide coaching packages with a few options to choose from and which can be tailored to your needs. You can see my coaching packages here (may be reimbursed by insurance).

Where can you find me?

If you like the principles of Olive Tree Nutrition and want more, you can find me on Instagram or Facebook. Don’t be shy to leave comments, I love to hear from my readers!