Rooted Dietetics

Hi, I’m Lauren—a soon-to-be dietitian with two dogs, one husband, and a deep passion for understanding how food impacts our bodies. For me, clearing the mind often starts by getting your hands dirty—literally.

The Journey of Rooted: Rooted has been in the making for three years, inspired by my experiences working on various farms. It began in my grandparents’ backyard, New Zealand natives whose culture is inextricably connected to their gardens. This expanded into my adult life in urban and rural farms based out of Philadelphia and Hawai’i. Before diving into the world of agriculture, I spent seven years in the nonprofit sector. I aggregated data, researched federal policies, wrote and managed grants, and organized fundraisers. My work was meaningful, but always felt like a wrong fit.

Working on an urban farm in North Philadelphia was my first professional farm. It was located in an area with the highest childhood obesity rate in the country. The farm’s mission was to reclaim abandoned land and establish a farm. The farm ensured food autonomy, promoted financial freedom, and reestablished a safe community. Growing food locally meant less reliance on the unhealthy options available in urban food deserts.

In Hawai’i, I worked on a rural farm that served as an agricultural education hub for native Hawaiian farmers. We provided organic certification education, high school internships, and hosted experts in pig farming, among other initiatives. I then worked with the Hawaiian Homelands Act, connecting native Hawaiians to their land and aiding in education about their land rights.

This experience helped me to realize how critical our connection to land is. Not just any land, but land native to our ancestors. The respect this brings to the earth, farming techniques, and how we view and eat food is indescribable.

A Shift in Focus: Although I was passionate about policy and its power to create positive change, the 2020 lockdowns led me to reassess my priorities. During that time, I faced personal health challenges that made me rethink everything. Food, something I loved deeply, was making me sick. After two years of uncertainty, I discovered I had Celiac disease, which changed my life. This discovery also introduced me to the world of dietetics.

A New Passion: Dietetics became a spiritual journey for me, offering a profound understanding of the world’s intricacies. I was amazed at how humans have decoded the universe down to its elemental interactions. Learning about the relationships between elements, energy attractions, and how these tiny reactions affect our bodies was life altering. Dietetics unlocked the mysteries of the universe for me—suddenly, food wasn’t scary anymore. It became clear that food is medicine, a personal relationship that every being on Earth shares.

The Vision for Rooted: With Rooted, my goal is to bridge the gap between food and understanding. I dreamed of establishing a medical nutrition therapy farm—a place that combines agricultural education, nutrition therapy, and mindfulness. When I met my husband, a combat veteran, the concept evolved further.

Veterans are a dynamic group, facing hardships that often continue long after their service. As someone with C-PTSD, I understand the long and oftentimes painful therapeutic journey that comes with such a diagnoses. For me, farming has always been an escape, and coincidentally, it’s been the same for my husband. He found a unique sense of peace in working with horses, goats, cows, and chickens.

Together, we expanded Rooted’s mission to include the therapeutic benefits of agriculture, especially for military members and their families. Our farm offers a serene escape where those diagnosed with illnesses can find both education and peace. We provide individual and group nutrition education sessions, both indoors and outdoors, to support you every step of the way as you navigate a new diagnosis.