Dima Salhoobi is the Creator of Nourish and Lift

How did you come up with the idea of Nourish and Lift?

I have always been passionate about the Nourish and Lift idea. My idea is to provide my clients with hands-on experience in nutrition and counseling intervention, by offering the additional bonus of cooking workshops, to involve them in the process of their own wellness.. 

I am very fond of a quote by Benjamin Franklin that best expresses my vision: 

"Tell me and I will forget, teach me and I will remember. Involve me and I will learn." 

Nutrition counseling is not a laid back approach where the counselor gives clients nutritional directives and expects them to follow suit on his/her do’s and don’ts. Clients can and must be involved in the process of refueling and nourishing their bodies to strengthen the connection between healthy eating and healthy living.  

The concept of Nourish and Lift is to provide a supportive environment for people to come together and debate questions with a registered dietitian. On the other hand, it is no less important that clients get a chance to observe and participate in the meal making process and get involved in the excitement of preparing meals that are tasty, healthy, satisfying and nutritious .

Could you give us some background about how this company was launched?

The company was established in 2010. In the beginning, our nutrition private and group counseling sessions focused on nutrition and how to optimize health and well-being via the choices of food we put on the table.

In 2020, amid the pandemic, my clinic opened its doors for a combination of nutrition counseling and cooking classes that included both adults and children.The idea was to have a personal connection with the dietitian and work on optimizing the health and wellness of my clients, by working with prompts and visulas to allow them to visualize the concept behind healthy eating and how it is closely connected to every organ in our body.

Are your recipes based on specific traditions or are they personalized to suit every client's needs?

Meal plans are as varied as the human race. I work with clients from different cultures and backgrounds. So, the recipes are customized according to the client's food preferences, dietary habits and culinary traditions. Simply put, this approach maximizes the benefits of nutrition counseling and ensures that the client will be able to comply with dietary plans.

Do you innovate and experiment with different diets? If so, which success stories are worth mentioning?

Clients usually come to me after having tried all sorts of diets. I personally do not favor one diet over another because people have different dispositions, lifestyles and tastes. So, each diet will work differently for each person. 

In general, I prefer to prescribe balanced meals including carbs, protein and fats, a comprehensive meal plan involving all food groups.

This method is most likely to avoid binge eating of certain eliminated food groups further down the line. If a client craves a certain “forbidden food group”, he might just break the diet when he/she is having a bad day. As a result it would be better to work slowly and consistently to get the nutritional benefit from each food group.

I have many success stories. I counseled a 67 year old patient with high A1c, pre diabetes, and high cholesterol levels. He was very concerned about his abnormal blood levels and wanted to embark on a healthy meal plan to lose weight, sleep better and increase his mobility, as he was having trouble walking.

We worked together for almost six months. My client lost 20 pounds of excess weight, his blood work came back normal, he started to sleep better and he no longer experiences walking difficulties.

Which diet methods are the most popular among your customers?

The Keto diet, which is very strict on carbs and high in fats and protein, as well as the intermittent fasting diet are the most popular. But they are not sustainable for many people. By the time customers come for a consultation, they have tried and tested several diets but have failed because they haven’t been able to follow them consistently. The end result is that after yo-yo dieting and periods of starvation, they give up and gain back the lost weight.

Apart from working with individuals, do you also work with businesses, restaurants, organizations?

Yes, I usually do corporate consulting for businesses, as well as nutrition education presentations and cooking classes for organizations .

What is one thing that helped you in your entrepreneurial journey that you would do over and over again?

Definitely, my drive. I am convinced that to be an entrepreneur, you must have drive, passion and a purpose. When your dream comes to life you become motivated to keep thriving and pushing towards expanding it. I couldn't imagine myself being anything but a Registered Dietitian, because I truly believe in a preventative approach to health and on the importance of food and lifestyle to health and wellbeing.

It is also immensely satisfying to witness my clients’ happiness when they finally reach their goals.

And I realize how fundamental our work is and its immense contribution to the world of health care.

Is there anything else you would like to add or highlight, some anecdote or story to share with our readers?

Nutrition intervention is not a one size fits all approach. I strongly recommend that a person finds a registered dietitian who understands their cultural and culinary background, lifestyle, likes and dislikes. This is crucial to obtain the best nutrition intervention to help them achieve their intended goals .