KAREN KENNEDY MS, CN, IFNCP

CERTIFIED NUTRITIONIST
CERTIFIED INTEGRATIVE AND FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION PRACTITIONER

I’m an integrative and functional nutritionist living and working in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. I hold a MS in Nutrition from Bastyr University, am board certified with the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy, am a Certified Nutritionist in Washington State and also a certified National Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coach.

I have always been interested in how the human body works and how to improve health, as a both a scientist and health provider. I started my higher education and career in the field of immunology and cancer research. Turning toward integrative medicine and a holistic lifestyle approach, I started teaching yoga in 1998, and I have taught nutrition and cooking classes since 2001, in addition to working with individuals.

My journey into the healthcare field started with my own health needs.  For years, I struggled with my own disordered eating patterns and difficulty maintaining a healthy weight.  It was such a relief to finally learn how to use food skillfully to stabilize my blood sugar, feel satisfied with my meals and reduce cravings for less healthy foods. Through a journey of studying nutrition and healing arts like meditation and yoga, I was able to find a healthier way of living for myself.  

But after having children, the bottom dropped out of my world. 

Despite all my healthy food and yoga, I had chronic fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and depression.  My hormones were a mess and I didn't know where to turn.  My nutrition expertise wasn't able to fix this one! 

That is when I learned how to use a wider tool box and assemble a team. My toolbox included good food, quality supplements, meditation and appropriate exercise. But I needed more, so I added a therapist, a medical doctor, skillful use of medication and lab tests to guide us. Importantly, I began identifying life stressors and setting healthy boundaries. I learned how to track my sleep and stress in order to identify what behaviors were unhelpful. 

And I started to feel better. In fact, I started to feel amazing. I started to feel like me.

My work focuses primarily on food and nutrition, but I always take into account other aspects of health and will make recommendations for exercise, rest, breath work, meditation and other lifestyle considerations as needed. I partner with my clients to find balance in their lives, build their toolbox, and assemble a team so they have the support they need to heal.

And just a little more about me, the person. Maybe we’ll connect around the fun stuff too:

I enjoy hiking, surfing, skiing, cooking, walking my dog and reading. I really like to go to the beach, and I'm obsessed with crossword puzzles. After moving around the world and back, I settled with my family of four in Southwest Washington, where I grew up. Our family raises chickens, bees and a big food garden. We sometimes homeschool, host meditation groups and do yoga on the back deck. It’s a good life.