Shelly Rodgers, FNP

Shelly Rodgers has been a family nurse practitioner for thirteen years and a registered nurse for five.  During her work in the health care field, it became apparent to her that many of the treatments used for chronic diseases were masking the mistakes being made in the industrialized food industry and our lifestyle choices.  While studying conventional nutrition for over 20 years and still being dissatisfied with the answers, she began a search that encompassed a spiritual as well as a practical and scientific path.

She realized that humans thrived and evolved for thousands of years with only the foods in their immediate environment to nourish them.    She came to believe that nature provided what was needed for optimal wellness for all species, including humans.  She accepted that there were probably many diets that were nourishing to humans but high-quality foods were the foundation.  From her scientific background, she knew the immune system was key in fighting disease, not just masking symptoms.

Based upon these assumptions, she began to ask different questions. What is optimal wellness and what does it look like?  What was the variety of diets that nourished our ancestors and what were the qualities that made them healthier than our foods today?  What makes a high-quality food and how is it grown or raised?  What foods and practices support our health and what are some early signs that our body is out of balance?  For people that are out-of-balance or living with a chronic disease, how do you heal them primarily with foods, whole-food supplements and herbs?

Her search took her to several fields of inquiry; anthropology, biology, agriculture and of course, nutrition and medicine. Shelly’s practice is built upon faith in the ability of the body to heal itself if given the right materials.  She will assist you in building a diet that preserves and enhances nature’s bounty in order for you to obtain optimal wellness.  Along with food, herbs, supplements and physical movement, she will work with you to gain control over any medical problems you might have.  The ultimate goal is for you to feel energized, happy and well, prevent permanent damage from chronic diseases, while decreasing the need for allopathic medicines.

Education:
Columbia University, cum laude with a BS and MS in Nursing.
Bachelor’s degree from California State University, Sacramento in Home Economics, specializing in nutrition.  Nutritional therapy certification with the Nutritional Therapy Association.
Currently studying for the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) Certification.
Will be attending the Foundation Class of Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice this fall.

Memberships:
Sigma Theta Tau, International Nursing Society.
Weston Price Foundation
Nutritional Therapy Association

Certifications/Awards:
Columbia University Alumni Association Scholarship in 1991.
National Health Service Corps Health Promotion Disease Prevention Project.
Certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) since 1997.