Decades ago public health authorities referred to American children as being overfed and under nourished. The troubling trends of recent decades of childhood type 2 diabetes underscores the crisis in childhood diet and nutrition that U.S. public health authorities are seeking to counter with the help of private companies, nutrition practioners, media and NGO’s.
Among these private nutrition experts addressing this issue, Lia Ribas has offered an innovative approach focused on personalized and holistic nutrition plans. Ribas’ methods take into account a child’s specific needs, including diet, lifestyle changes, and nutritional supplementation. Ribas’ collaborations with U.S. companies are currently in the developmental stage to spread the education and practice of this approach to underserved communities.
As a functional nutritionist, Ribas is dedicated to working with functional foods, exercises, and routines that prevent and aid in the treatment of diseases. She believes in prevention, early assessment, and optimal disease management, and focuses on promoting healthy development in children to ensure a better future.
Ribas has gained recognition for her ability to connect with her young patients and her efforts make a point of involving parents and guardians in the nutrition assessment process at every stage. Her approach has proven to be successful over the years, with many of her patients experiencing dramatic improvements in their health and weight.
Ribas’ passion for leveraging health through nutrition began over a decade ago during her four years of nutrition and health sciences in Brazil. She credits a valuable course on metabolic biochemistry and clinical correlations and interpretation of biochemical tests, which she took with noted biochemist Professor Henrique Freire Soares, for sparking her interest.
After college, Ribas co-founded the project “Healthy Calorie,” which later became the name of a successful nutrition clinic. Her approach to nutrition includes a variety of detox diets, custom nutrition plans, and a holistic approach to health and wellness that helps her clients take control of their lives and make lasting changes.
The ongoing issues and public health concerns of childhood malnutrition continue to cry out for remediation, but with a passion for transforming the lives of children and their families, experts like Ribas are applying their expertise to this issue and the initial results seem promising.
