How Vanessa Rissetto (MS, RD, CDN) Is Changing Nutrition: Her Story and Mission.

“When you're Black, when you're a woman, when you're a daughter of immigrants,... there's…, a narrative in your head,... You always have to perform, and… you're always looking at what other people are thinking about you, but you don't need to do that, because no one's thinking about you, they're just thinking about themselves. So just do good work.” (Vanessa Rissetto)

This Conversation is about food and a deep dive into who a Dietitian is. Ms. Vanessa Rissetto, a registered Dietician and founder of Culina Health, highlights the facts often overlooked or misconstrued about the profession.

Ms. Rissetto's interest in food is captured in a story of her earlier years. As the daughter of an immigrant mother, the discourse of traditional home-cooked meals versus what a young Ms. Rissetto felt should encapsulate her diet was resolved in a lesson that displayed the power that food can hold. 

“ In college, I gained 50 pounds, because I was autonomous…,, and I could eat whatever the Bronx had to offer…: And then I came back home, and I was eating rice and beans, and plantains, and whatever my mom was cooking… and I lost all of this weight,...This sparked a curiosity about the impact food could make in one's life,” She said.

Her journey to becoming a dietician was founded on a reflection of her experience with food.

 “ I just thought that nutrition was prevention, because it seemed like most of the things that are wrong with people could be fixed if we just understood food…: I just honestly… want to do good work. I want people to be well. I want to be able to help people.”

Sometimes, amidst the pressure in medical education, we forget the people aspect, and we harp on the numbers and achievements because of the long, arduous road ahead,

“You became a dietitian to help people. That needs to be your North Star… go be the best dietitian that you could be so that patients can understand how to be well.”

“...you cannot possibly be looking at all of what other people are doing…I do not care about the brand deal that you're doing, I do not care that you're on television…because there is plenty of room for all of us…”

“...what I do care about is that people come into care, that people exercise their insurance benefits so that they can see a dietitian and get access to that care.”

“...If it doesn't facilitate that, then I don't want to do it.” (Vanessa Risseto)

With social media projecting more and more differing solutions and diets to consumers,  people aren't getting clear answers on what culinary health means.. How can one implement culinary health on a day-to-day basis that is actually sustainable? 

“... it's important for people to understand, you don't have to meal-prep and have perfectly portioned containers of salad that are gonna wilt by Friday. But…what you should do is be present in your own life.”

“Understand what your week looks like, and also… how much money do you have at the end of the week? What is… important to you? What are the goals? It takes, like, 10 minutes.”

“...it doesn't need to be 35 ingredients” (Vanessa Rissetto)

Just internalize that,

“… it's gonna be healthy, it's gonna be good, it's gonna be cost-effective, it just might require, like, two steps instead of… just one” (Vanessa Rissetto)

The meal prepping culture can feel overwhelming, and I know a lot of people can find it hard to follow through on their goals. Ms. Rissetto's approach suggests a more simplified plan, recognizing you can incorporate one or two healthier options into your meals, rather than hammering oneself with strict rules without catering to the individual.

(Full transparency, I did some Instagram snooping to add to our conversation)

On Ms. Vanessa Rissetto’s Instagram feed, there is a video in which she mentions that the famous gym rule stating that one must eat at least a gram of protein per one's body weight is actually untrue. I am just as curious as you all to hear more!

“The research…does not actually say that that's gonna help you lose weight…Understand the logic. When we eat the right amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrate at every single meal, the right amount for us, for our bodies… then yes… But it's a nuanced thing…It's based on your weight in kilograms, and your activity factor… all of that. 

“And, if you're eating 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight, you're likely overeating calories, actually.”

“Stop it… You probably need… somewhere between, like, 80 and 110 grams of protein a day, if you're just a regular person… So, you can just have, like, a 4-6 ounce piece of chicken for dinner and lunch, and, you know, breakfast,… we can figure it out, based on your preferences, and you'll hit the targets….” (Vanessa Rissetto)

VITALS prides itself on the mission to uncover deeper experiences in healthcare, things that maybe don't make the papers. Ms. Rissetto's career and in building her business, Culina Health, has seen many phases, and I feel that is very important in this conversation.

“I think the hardest part was when I got cancer… I'm at the top, I'm at the height, I'm doing it, and now I have cancer, like, how am I gonna do this? How am I gonna keep going? What does it mean? Are people gonna think that I can do this work?”

“...That was tough… So, I fundraised while I was sick…and dropped my salary so that I could really ensure that all the 119 people that work for me were still getting paid.”

Ms. Risetto's experience on the patient side is one that I firmly believe adds even more depth to her journey.

“I have awesome healthcare providers…” she said, 

“ I have never experienced bias in this realm, and I know that the reason why is because I am a clinician, and all my friends are doctors, and from the time that I got diagnosed until the time that I got care… my friends mobilized many things for me very, very quickly…I'm very at ease because of the connections that I have, and I want that for other people…And so… that's the work that we do.” (Vanessa Rissetto)

Something else many people aren't aware of is that,

“I see a lot of patients all the time,  for free…. People see me, and then they'll message me, and I'll just be like, okay. I want to see patients, and..., that's the good work that I want to keep doing. So… I'll see them, and I do that, and I get them the outcomes that they need, and it makes me feel really good that I was able to help someone who thought that they couldn't get the help that they needed, and they got it from me.” ( Vanessa Risseto)

Such commendable work is a reflection of Vanessa Rissetto's character and where her heart lies in the work that she does. One that is focused on providing solutions to anyone who needs it.

Did you know that you can see a dietician and it is covered by insurance? Yes, the same one you pay for all your other ailments! Yet, nutrition is still underutilized, underfunded, and undervalued in healthcare. Why?

“ Because our governing body, when all allied health professionals went to the table to protect the license, dietetics didn't do it. This confuses the market. Do I… do I go to a nutritionist? Do I go to a dietitian? Do I use my insurance? Do I spend $10,000? Where am I getting the best stuff? So that's why people don't know that they should use us, they have the benefit…” (Vanessa Rissetto)

If you are someone feeling overwhelmed by food or by your  health, Ms. Rissetto wants you to,

“Take a breath and know that you can all call me. You can send me an email, vanessa@culinahealth.com. I will talk to you. I will give you one hour of my time, and I will help direct you. …You can go see a dietitian… go ask the questions. You are allowed to ask. Don't feel shame around that.” (Vanessa Rissetto)

Not 10 steps, just one. 

I am ever so grateful to Ms. Vanessa Rissetto for taking time out of her busy schedule to speak with me, and for giving VITALS an invigorating story to tell. 

View the full interview below, which highlights many more interesting points.

We hope to bring more invigorating conversations to your screen soon!

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/2b661b_6543effc719f4333931e007541cfb24d/720p/mp4/file.mp4