About Robin Randisi

I’m a functional nutritionist helping people improve their health using nutrient-dense whole foods and a holistic, root-cause approach. 

My specialties include digestion, autoimmune conditions, and what’s commonly referred to as “women’s health,” i.e. period problems, pelvic pain, hormone imbalances, fertility issues, PCOS, endometriosis, and more. I work with clients from all over the country, of any gender, over video chat or phone.

I’m a certified Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP) and Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition (BCHN) through the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, among other certifications. My pronouns are she/her/hers and I live in Brooklyn, New York.

My approach

My approach combines nutritional therapy and health coaching with the principles of functional medicine in order to create a bio-individualized path towards improving health and well-being. The primary tools I use with my clients are food, supplements, lifestyle changes, and functional lab testing. I want to help you determine what works best to help fuel and support your body.

As a white, cisgender, able-bodied woman, I strive to make my practice anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and LGBTQIA+-inclusive. I reject the prevailing hyper-individualistic, neoliberal notions of health and wellness in favor of a truly holistic model that acknowledges the importance of individual healing AND community care and collective liberation. I continue to listen, learn, and unlearn. You can read more about my commitments and values here.

My story

Food has always been important to me. I love cooking, I love eating, and I love feeling like I’m making good choices when it comes to what I’m putting in my body. And for most of my life, I took it for granted that I was more or less on the right track when it came to my health—until I was suddenly sidelined by a serious health crisis and forced to turn to diet, lifestyle, and alternative therapies to heal myself.

In my late twenties, I started experiencing symptoms of a painful bladder condition called interstitial cystitis. Chronic pain, bloating, fatigue, frequent and painful urination, achy joints, and other unpleasant symptoms quickly became a part of my everyday life. 

Interstitial cystitis can feel like a urinary tract infection that never goes away. I went to my doctor hoping for answers, but I didn’t get much help. Antibiotics didn’t work, tests were inconclusive, and I was told I’d just have to live with it.

I was dismayed, adrift, and in a lot of pain. On my worst days, I was virtually housebound with the incredibly painful urge to pee every 15 minutes. But I was also optimistic, determined, and increasingly desperate for a solution.

That’s when I discovered functional medicine, an integrative, systems-based approach to healthcare that recognizes the biochemical individuality of each person and focuses on restoring the body’s innate capacity to heal. It’s a medical model that seeks to resolve underlying root causes rather than just treating symptoms.

Functional medicine offered me hope, and it introduced me to a whole network of people who were successfully managing and even reversing chronic conditions and autoimmune diseases. Most impressively, they were doing it primarily through diet and lifestyle.

I decided to apply what I was learning by drastically changing my diet and almost immediately started to notice a difference. I couldn’t believe the results I got. Encouraged by my initial improvements, I also sought out support from a naturopathic doctor (naturopaths are the original functional medicine physicians, after all!) and an acupuncturist. My progress was slow but steady, and over the course of a year my symptoms disappeared and I found myself feeling better than I had even before I got sick. I realized that when it comes to health and healing, we often overlook one of the most basic tools available to us on a daily basis: food.

My experience left me feeling empowered but also questioning the conventional wisdom around nutrition and healthcare, as well as the way the wellness industry tends to frame illness and health through the overly simplistic lens of “personal responsibility.” I knew I wanted to learn more about all things health-related, but from a perspective that resonated with my values and experience. Most of all, I wanted to be able to educate people on how the food we eat can affect us in more profound ways than we’re taught to even consider. 

With those goals in mind, I transitioned from my background in photography and design to a career in nutrition. I obtained my certification as a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, completed comprehensive trainings through the Functional Nutrition Alliance and Restorative Wellness Solutions, and got Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition through the National Association of Nutrition Professionals. 

I’ve been practicing for over 5 years, and as someone who loves to learn, I’m constantly pursuing continuing education, mentorships, seminars, and further studies with leaders in the field of functional medicine, functional nutrition, and women's health, as well as trainings and coursework related to my commitment to prioritizing social justice, anti-racism, and inclusivity in the wellness world. I’ve completed a holistic women’s health apprenticeship, various functional nutrition programs, training in specialized functional lab testing, and continuing education on functional approaches to autoimmune conditions. 

I also consult on cases for other practitioners and offer mentorship sessions to folks starting out in the field of functional nutrition or considering various functional nutrition programs and certifications, including discounted and no-cost mentorship sessions to BIPOC and trans folks starting out in functional nutrition or looking to get into the field—email me for more info if you’d like to connect!