Van Dusen Nutrition

Van Dusen Nutrition Van Dusen Nutrition® is an inclusive center for nutrition and movement that sees children, adolescents and adults.

45% of athletes may be at risk for underfueling and low energy availability (2024 meta-analysis).Why?Higher energy deman...
04/29/2026

45% of athletes may be at risk for underfueling and low energy availability (2024 meta-analysis).

Why?

Higher energy demands, pressure to maintain a certain physique, lack of nutrition education, and even appetite suppression from intense training.

This doesn’t just impact performance - it also increases the risk of disordered eating and eating disorders.

So how do we spot underfueling beyond performance declines?

Look for the subtle (and not-so-subtle) physical signs:

- Persistent fatigue (in and out of training)
- Menstrual changes or loss of period
- Frequent illness or injuries
- GI issues (constipation, diarrhea, bloating)
- Trouble sleeping

Athletes are constantly navigating mixed messages about food and body image. That confusion can make it harder to meet their needs.

Recognizing the signs is the first step - so we can actually support them in fueling, performing, and feeling their best.

You don’t have to figure it out alone, VDN is here to help!

Unlearning diet culture looks like this:- No food rules- No guilt attached to eating- Trusting your bodyBecause food has...
04/06/2026

Unlearning diet culture looks like this:

- No food rules
- No guilt attached to eating
- Trusting your body

Because food has no moral value - you don’t need to earn it and you certainly don't have to justify it.

Challenging and quieting one's eating disorder voice can be one of the toughest parts of recovery. The ED voice can be a...
03/23/2026

Challenging and quieting one's eating disorder voice can be one of the toughest parts of recovery. The ED voice can be all-consuming - oftentimes pushing one to identify as their ED rather than the other beautiful pieces that make them whole and wonderful.

However, challenging the ED voice is essential for one's overall well-being and long-term recovery. This is something that we, as providers, strive to do within each of our sessions with clients. We help clients rework and reframe distorted versions of reality and provide undisputed evidence-based care and education to help build one's arsenal to squash the ED voice.

Instead of ignoring the ED voice and/or leaning into it - recognize it, hear it and then combat it with what you have learned. Reframe it with what you are striving to believe. And lean into the recovery that you so desire.

Here are some gentle examples of how this looks in practice.

You CAN do this.

More and more, I hear clients, friends, and family members say they’ve turned to AI tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini ...
03/20/2026

More and more, I hear clients, friends, and family members say they’ve turned to AI tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini for health and nutrition advice - sometimes instead of reaching out to professionals who are trained to guide them.

AI can absolutely be a helpful tool in certain situations, but when it comes to nuanced, individualized healthcare, it has limitations.

AI often provides surface-level answers without truly diving deeper.

It doesn’t understand the emotional side of eating - because eating isn’t just about hunger or fuel. Our relationship with food includes mental, emotional, and physical components that all matter when creating sustainable change.AI also doesn’t consider practicality; quick suggestions can sound great on paper, but they don’t always account for the real barriers people face when trying to change behaviors (socioeconomic barriers).

It also tends to ignore nuance. Complex topics get simplified into statements like “all processed foods are bad,” without exploring context, flexibility, or potential downsides.

And most importantly: AI doesn’t know you.

It doesn’t know your medical history, your lived experiences, your relationship with food, or the life circumstances that shape your choices.

Technology can be a tool, but personalized care still matters.

Your healthcare team exists to listen, ask deeper questions, and support you in a way that actually fits your life.

March is National Nutrition Month! 🍎National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created in 1973 by the Academy of Nut...
03/06/2026

March is National Nutrition Month! 🍎

National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It’s a time to celebrate nutrition education, encourage sustainable and informed behavior changes, and highlight the important role Registered Dietitians play on healthcare teams.

This year’s theme is “Discover the Power of Nutrition.”

In a time when nutrition information is constantly circulating across social media and other platforms, it can be difficult to separate helpful guidance from incomplete or misleading claims. As nutrition professionals, we are committed to providing evidence-based, compassionate, and individualized care.

Nutrition can (and does) change lives.
And you don’t have to navigate it alone.

Whether you’re healing your relationship with food, exploring nourishment from a weight-neutral perspective, or seeking support for recovery - we’re here to help.


Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDAW) is February 23 - March 3. This year’s theme, “Every Body Belongs,” reminds us tha...
02/20/2026

Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDAW) is February 23 - March 3. This year’s theme, “Every Body Belongs,” reminds us that eating disorders do not have one face, one body, or one story.

Anyone can suffer from an eating disorder. They do not discriminate and can affect people of any gender, s*x, age, race, or body size. Yet many individuals go unseen and unsupported. Those living in larger bodies are 2.45x more likely to engage in disordered eating behaviors, but they receive an eating disorder diagnosis only half of the time. Less than 6% of people with eating disorders are medically underweight - yet the myth that eating disorders have a specific “look” still persists.

Eating disorders also impact men more than many realize. 1 in 3 people with an eating disorder are male, but stigma leads to lower rates of assessment and treatment. LGBTQIA+ individuals are also at higher risk due to stigma, discrimination, and hostile environments.

Eating disorders do not discriminate. Everybody deserves treatment, research, recognition, and care. Too many people go unrecognized, increasing risk of serious health complications. We remain committed to breaking down barriers, challenging myths, and raising awareness.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, we are here and ready to support you. You are not alone.

We need to talk about MAHA’s Super Bowl commercial featuring Mike Tyson.Because this isn’t just about “health.” It’s abo...
02/13/2026

We need to talk about MAHA’s Super Bowl commercial featuring Mike Tyson.

Because this isn’t just about “health.” It’s about messaging.

We live in a society where fatness is framed as a personal failure - lazy, irresponsible, undisciplined. That narrative isn’t accidental. It fuels diet culture, sells products, and keeps people believing their bodies are problems to be fixed, rather than vessels to be respected, nourished, and supported.

The claim that “if you just eat real food, you’ll lose the weight” ignores decades of research on weight stigma, genetics, socioeconomic status, stress, trauma, medications, and metabolic diversity. Health is not a simple before-and-after story and body size is not a morality scale.

Yes, nutrition matters. Access to minimally processed food matters. But when the conversation centers weight loss as the ultimate goal, we reinforce shame - not health.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Weight stigma itself is linked to worse health outcomes. Shaming people does not make them healthier. It increases stress, avoidance of medical care, disordered eating, and mental health struggles.

If we truly care about public health, we would talk about:
- Food access and affordability
- Systemic barriers
- Mental health
- Movement for well-being, not punishment
- Healthcare without bias

Health education should empower rather than stigmatize.

Why do we keep reducing complex human bodies to marketing soundbites?

Here’s the reality: body weight is influenced by many factors - most of which are outside of our control - in addition t...
02/06/2026

Here’s the reality: body weight is influenced by many factors - most of which are outside of our control - in addition to nutrition and movement.

Yet the decades-old narrative, repackaged by the diet industry year after year (goodbye Oprah, hello the flood of GLP-1 commercials), continues to place blame on individuals instead of acknowledging those factors. You can do everything “right” (eat consistent, adequate, balanced meals/snacks, follow exercise recommendations) and still live in a larger body.

And guess what?
It’s not your fault.
And you can be perfectly healthy.

Some of the many factors that influence body weight include (in addition to nutrition and exercise):

- Genetics
- Medical conditions and medications
- Your physical and social environment
- Stress
- Sleep duration and quality
- Cultural background
- Substance use (drugs, to***co, alcohol, etc.)
- Aging
- Socioeconomic status
- Media and societal messaging

Your body is not a moral failing.
Health is not one-size-fits-all.

Let’s talk about the 2025 - 2030 Dietary Guidelines 👇Many recommendations aren’t new (fruits, veggies, whole grains, les...
01/23/2026

Let’s talk about the 2025 - 2030 Dietary Guidelines 👇

Many recommendations aren’t new (fruits, veggies, whole grains, less added sugar). What is new is the return of the food pyramid - a model that was previously retired.

An ED-informed RD’s take on the new pyramid:

- Carbs are minimized, even though they are the brain’s main fuel source. Fruits and veggies alone don’t meet carbohydrate needs - grains matter.
- “Ultra-processed foods” are discouraged without a clear definition. Most foods are processed in some way, and many processed foods are nutrient-dense, accessible, and supportive of consistent eating.
- It’s less intuitive than MyPlate, which is why the pyramid was discontinued in the first place.
- Cost and access aren’t addressed. Many foods emphasized are expensive and unrealistic for many households.
- Fiber is downplayed. Protein and dairy are important - but fiber is essential for gut health and overall well-being.

Nutrition guidance should support adequacy, flexibility, and accessibility - not guilt or restriction.

If you have questions about the new guidelines, an RD can help. We’re here for you.

Reminder: It's not a dream body if it's a nightmare to maintain. A body you have to punish is not a dream. Let's start l...
01/22/2026

Reminder: It's not a dream body if it's a nightmare to maintain. A body you have to punish is not a dream.

Let's start learning that the real dream is ease, peace, and lives where we aren’t at war with our bodies.

01/09/2026

Sometimes joyful movement looks like learning the Fate of Ophelia dance between sessions 💃💃

ARFID is not just a phase - and it doesn’t only affect children.There are many misconceptions about ARFID, especially si...
01/06/2026

ARFID is not just a phase - and it doesn’t only affect children.

There are many misconceptions about ARFID, especially since it was only added to the DSM in 2013. Two of the most common are that it only affects children and that children will simply “grow out of it.”

Research shows that typical picky eating in young children often decreases around age 5; however, this is not the case for individuals with ARFID. Instead of resolving, food preferences may become more rigid, significantly limiting food variety and overall intake.

Another key difference is that people with picky eating can usually find something that they can eat, while those with ARFID may avoid eating situations altogether.
Adults are not immune. Due to late recognition and frequent misdiagnosis as picky eating, many adults live with undiagnosed ARFID. This can impact work, relationships, and social life.

Lack of recognition often leads to delayed treatment, which may result in increased symptoms such as weight loss and nutritional deficiencies.
ARFID is a legitimate eating disorder - not “just a phase.”

Address

1000 Highland Avenue
Needham Heights, MA
02494

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 8pm
Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 9am - 8pm
Thursday 9am - 8pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+17813431592

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