We will review your completed health forms and food diary. We will perform Autonomic Response Testing (ART) and a Heart Rate Variability (HRV) test to measure the function of the autonomic nervous system. At the end of this appointment you will be given nutrition and supplement recommendations.

Autonomic Response Testing (ART) is a biofeedback system that measures your body’s response to different stimuli.

With ART, changes in the ANS are measured through muscle tone. We will be performing this muscle test at your initial consultation to determine what stressors are affecting your body the most.

ART was developed by Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt. He took Applied Kinesiology, commonly known as muscle testing, and refined it to improve accuracy. Dr. Klinghardt is known for treating chronically ill patients.

If you would like to learn more about ART, here is a link to Dr. Klinghardt’s lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_sVBLNyMng.

In my practice, I have chosen to use ART as a means of finding what areas of the body need support. Without this tool, I would be guessing at what you need to work on and using trial and error to find the right support your body needs. I love that this technique helps narrow down what the body needs at that time.

I also combine it with a Heart Rate Variability (HRV) test to see how well our nervous system can adapt to daily stressors. We must support the body to help it work efficiently to address health challenges.

I am especially passionate about this system because of dramatic improvements I have seen in my own health: no more joint pain, anxiety, digestive issues, seasonal allergies, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), or Lyme disease symptoms (brain fog, chronic fatigue, etc.)!

Heart rate variability refers to the variation in time between each heart beat. Your heart rate can change based on your activity and emotions.

HRV is measured using an electrocardiogram (ECG), which measures the electrical activity of the heart.

HRV gives an indication of your heart’s ability to shift throughout the day. We need variability in our heart to stay healthy.

In general, the lower the variability the higher the stress on the body. Reduced heart rate variability means more sympathetic dominance (‘fight or flight’). When someone is under stress, this causes the body to shut down non-essential functions. When this stress is chronic, it can cause long-term problems.

The goal is for you to have an optimal balance between the sympathetic (‘fight or flight’) and parasympathetic (‘rest and digest’) nervous system. This will ensure that your body can adapt well to stress.

• The sympathetic process is a catabolic process, a process of destruction. In other words, it consumes energy. The parasympathetic process is an anabolic process of regeneration and rebuilding. It creates our energy reserves.

Health is a journey and is a gradual process. Sometimes an improvement in symptoms can be seen within the first few weeks or even days whereas with others it takes longer. It is important to remember how you felt when you first started the program to help identify your improvements. Approximately three months into your program we will have you complete some questionnaires again to compare with your baseline ratings. This is one way to measure the progress made. Please keep in mind that progress is often not a smooth road. Some people feel better right away, whereas others feel worse before they feel better due to the changes that their body is going through. Let your practitioner know about these changes.

Factors that may block progress: inability to avoid food stressors, high stress, lack of support, inability to correct dental causes of illness, failure to address previous trauma, inability to follow supplement protocols, using other protocols/ supplements which can interfere with one another, and not following up regularly.

It takes time for the body to heal, which is why follow-up appointments are needed. This varies case by case. Typically, follow-up visits are done frequently at first to review your food diary and make changes to the diet slowly. With most clients, we are working together for at least 6 months to get them on a path to better health. Many choose to continue to follow-up monthly or bi-monthly. The best health insurance is a healthy lifestyle!

Please do not stop taking any medications. You should work with your doctor to determine if it is safe to reduce or stop any of your medications.

Sometimes the supplements clients are taking are actually not needed and may be putting more stress on the body. You can bring your supplements with you to your first appointment to have these checked.

Food tracking is key to getting the most out of your nutrition visits. This must be done until your nutritionist no longer requests. Please come prepared each visit with your food diary. You can food track simply with pen and paper or using a website or app. My Fitness Pal is commonly used. Tips for successful food tracking:
Record anything and everything that passes your lips no matter how big or small the serving (gum, mints, beverages, etc.).

Be as specific as possible. Include serving sizes if you can. If you have any symptoms, write those down.

Write down your food intake within 15 minutes of eating. Don’t rely on your memory and wait until the end of the day; this will feel overwhelming and time consuming.

Be honest. We do not judge you for less than optimal food choices and we can only best help you if we know exactly what you are eating.

You are welcome to find your own supplements, but it has often been seen that over-the-counter products have questionable quality. We have researched the companies that are exceptional in providing quality supplements and that do not contain harmful contaminants and fillers. Most are available only through health practitioners and are of high quality. For your convenience, we have most of the supplements recommended at our office. Or you can order directly through the company by clicking the SHOP link on this site.

Caitlin has her Bachelor’s degree in Biology, as well as two Master’s degrees: one in Exercise Science and the other in Applied Clinical Nutrition. She is trained in Levels 1, 2 and 3 of Autonomic Response Testing (ART) and is a Mitochondrial Wellness practitioner. She has also written two books: “The Rheumatoid Arthritis Cookbook: Anti-Inflammatory Recipes to FightFlares and Fatigue” and “The Rheumatoid Arthritis Healing Plan: A Holistic Guide and Cookbook for Inflammation Relief.” You can read more about her health story and qualifications on the ABOUT page.

• Adult initial consultation (2 hours): $350

• Child consultation (1 hour): $250

• Follow-up: $95 (pay as you go)

No, we do not bill your insurance provider. If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can see if you can use this for nutrition services.

We understand that questions may come up after your visit and we’re happy to help! You can email or call us with any questions you have, but please note that emails and calls that require more than 10 minutes will be billed at the same rate as an in-person appointment.

True Food and Wellness, LLC is committed to providing high quality service and we want to thank you for your business. A significant amount of time is spent preparing for your appointment (e.g., reviewing lab results and paperwork, selecting educational materials as needed, etc.). Every scheduled appointment that is missed without notice or cancelled the same day prevents us from providing nutritional services to other customers in need and challenges our ability to maintain reasonable rates.

We understand that life happens and we are happy to reschedule your appointment if needed with a 24-hour notice. No-show appointments, same-day cancellations and cancellations within 24 hours of appointment incur a $85 charge. This charge is the client’s responsibility to pay before another appointment can be scheduled.

We appreciate you and thank you for your help keeping our consultation prices reasonable and continuing to offer the outstanding nutritional services that you deserve.