Center for Integrative Nutrition
The Center for Integrative Nutrition promotes nutritional change by teaching patients to consume healthy and delicious food. The senses of taste, smell, and texture are methods utilized in facilitating dietary change within the counseling, cooking and nutrition programs for the public, and through our various research programs.
A healthy dietary lifestyle combines the intellectual knowledge of protective or detrimental foods with the satisfaction incurred when taste and fulfillment goals are also met. The Center for Integrative Nutrition is engaged in several research studies, and many of the staff also work in outpatient nutritional counseling. Individual consults customize dietary lifestyles to fit patient needs.
Who Are We?
Ira Ockene, MD, is a Professor of Cardiology and Director of Preventive Cardiology Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Ockene holds an endowed position as the Milliken Professor of Preventive Cardiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He has conducted extensive research on compliance and behavior change, and has published numerous articles and books on the topic. http://www.umassmed.edu/cardio/faculty/ockene.cfm?start=Publications
For more information on the UMass Preventive Cardiology Program, see their website.
Barbara Olendzki, RD, MPH, LDN. Barbara.Olendzki@umassmed.edu. Barbara is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, and the Nutrition Program Director of the Center for Integrative Nutrition. She works with all Preventive and Behavioral research studies involving dietary intervention, assists with coordination and teaching nutrition for medical students, and sees outpatients for nutrition counseling, specializing in cardiac concerns, cancer, gastrointestinal problems, diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory diseases. http://www.umassmed.edu/behavmed/faculty/olendzki.cfm
Yunsheng Ma, MD, PhD. Yunsheng.Ma@umassmed.edu. Yunsheng is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, and our nutritional epidemiologist. He has many years experience in studies of the effect of diet and other lifestyle factors on obesity, diabetes, and heart disease; characteristics, health trends, and health care utilization of Medicaid insured individuals; cardiovascular disease epidemiology; and applied statistical methods in clinical research. He has contributed to over 60 original publications in the biomedical literatures and two medical textbook chapters. http://www.umassmed.edu/behavmed/faculty/ma.cfm
Jennifer Fournier, RD, LDN. Jennifer.Fournier@umassmed.edu. Jen specializes in cardiac rehab, outpatient nutritional counseling, stress reduction techniques, and cooking classes. Jen's energy in the kitchen is contagious!
Victoria Andersen, MS, RD, LDN. Victoria.Andersen@umassmed.edu.Victoria works in cardiovascular outpatient counseling, guides the shopping tours for cardiac rehab and works with Phase IV patients, and specializes in nutritional treatment of disease. She also provides nutrition counseling services to the Worcester Family Health Center.
Annie Culver, B.Pharm. Annielc@frontiernet.net Annie is our medication consultant. As a pharmacist, Annie is interested in natural medications as part of integrative medicine therapy. Lucky for us, she likes to write and share information.
Vijayalakshmi "Viji" Patil, MS, RD. Vijayalakshmi.Patil@umassmed.edu Viji is our project director for the Nutrition Environment Assessment Survey Studies, which measure dietary quality in the Central Massachusetts region. She is a dietitian originally from India, and also works clinically with patients who have diabetes and other nutritional concerns.
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Scheduling for Nutrition Counseling:
Contact Master Scheduling @ 508-334-9900. Ask for Cardiology Nutrition. While we specialize in cardiovascular concerns, we treat a number of other nutritionally-related diseases.
Cardiac Rehab
Click the link below to see some special handouts for our patients in Cardiac Rehab:
www.umassmed.edu/Content.aspx?id=48290
For more information and to register for classes, please contact Jennifer.Fournier@umassmed.edu