NAO Wellness

NAO Wellness As a team, we will incorporate smart, mindful practices into your daily life that are realistic for your busy schedule and your body’s individual needs.

NAO Wellness offers Nutritional Counseling for Individuals, Couples, and Families, Corporate Wellness, Eating Disorder Support, Food Intolerance Testing, and NAO Wellness Ear Seed Kits to be your own healer in 5 minutes. NAO Nutrition offers a wide range of areas of expertise:
Weight loss, Autism, ADD, Eating Disorders (Anorexia, Bulimia, Compulsive Eating, Food Addiction), Diabetes, Ulcerative Co

litis, Digestive disorders, Candida, Fatigue, Food Allergies, Celiac/Gluten Sensitivity, IBS, Constipation, High Cholesterol, ADD, Austism, Detox & Cleansing, Heart Disease, Cancer, PMS , PCOS, Fibromyalgia, Premature Aging, Corporate Wellness, Exercise

NAO Nutrition’s customized nutrition sessions offer individuals the personalized support they need to improve their eating habits and lifestyle choices.

Why do we get so thirsty when we eat foods high in sodium? My clients complain of feeling bloated, overly full, and havi...
02/15/2023

Why do we get so thirsty when we eat foods high in sodium?
My clients complain of feeling bloated, overly full, and having insatiable thirst after consuming food with too much sodium!
I’ve also discovered that eating really good quality bacon/sausage with unrefined sea salt has the same effect on me.
So what’s going on in the body when that happens?
According to : “Indiana Public Media science writer Don Glass explains what happens after you eat salty food. First, your blood absorbs the excess salt; next, the fluid surrounding your cells becomes saltier and leeches fluid from inside your cells. Your cells dispatch a signal to your brain's "thirst center." Your "thirst center" knows when your body fluid is too salty and sends you a message to drink more water so your balance of sodium-to-body-fluid is restored.”
“When you get too much sodium, the intricate mechanisms your body has in place send a signal to your kidneys to remove the excess through urination.”
The trouble is, “Harvard School of Public Health indicates that most people's kidneys are incapable of filtering out excess sodium. This leads to fluid retention and increased blood volume and may result in high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.”
Now that we understand WHY this is happening, here’s what to do!
First and foremost, educate yourself on which foods are very high in sodium and swap those foods out for better options. Examples of high sodium foods include processed meats, processed cheese, white bread, pizza, and processed snack foods. Consistently overeating sodium rich foods will wreak havoc on your health in more ways than one.
If you find you’ve just eaten something with too much sodium, here are some remedies to feel better faster!
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I love chocolate and in the past, I have recommended 70%+ dark chocolate with good quality cacao, minimal added sugar, n...
02/09/2023

I love chocolate and in the past, I have recommended 70%+ dark chocolate with good quality cacao, minimal added sugar, no added emulsifiers/junk additives, and just pure goodness.
Sadly, "Dark chocolate is particularly concerning as it contains more cocoa solids from the cacao bean than milk chocolate. Heavy metals like cadmium and lead often accumulate in cocoa solids, making products with more solids, like dark chocolate, more problematic than others." (To learn how these heavy metals accumulate read up on consumer reports!)
With the recent high percentages of lead and cadmium appearing in many brands including Hershey's, Lily's, Theo's, Trader Joe's, and others, I'm needing to personally and professionally upgrade my recommendations. Food safety and education is paramount!
As stated in Consumer Reports: "If consumed regularly, these heavy metals could cause developmental problems among children, and in adults, hypertension, immune system problems, kidney damage and more, according to Tunde Akinleye, a food safety researcher on the project." Even eating just 1 ounce a day from the higher contaminated brands was deemed unsafe.
The good news is that brands like Mast and Taza, both NAO approved with Organic minimal ingredients, are on the list of brands with levels deemed safer for consumption!
The best things you can do are to start buying from the "safe list", add variety to your eating routine, crowd out dark chocolate with other great whole foods sweet alternatives if you eat it frequently, and keep it away from your kiddos! Lead and Cadmium are especially detrimental to growing kids.
(Finished in comments)

LOVE AT FIRST SEED: Treat Yourself to our Special Valentine's Discount!25% off NAO !  Use code LOVE25 at checkout.This V...
02/02/2023

LOVE AT FIRST SEED: Treat Yourself to our Special Valentine's Discount!
25% off NAO ! Use code LOVE25 at checkout.
This Valentine's Day skip the flowers and chocolates and grab the gift of relaxation, beauty, and health!
Derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ear Seeds are adhesive seeds placed on specific acupressure points on the ear to address symptoms and areas of the physical and emotional body.
Ear Seeds can aid symptoms of...

Stress * Insomnia * Anxiety * Hormone Imbalance * Pain * Low Libido * Infertility * and more
Offer expires Feb. 14th 11:59PM ET. Don't miss out!
Link in bio to head to our shop page and grab your Stainless Steel, 14k Gold, or Swarovski Crystal Seeds for yourself and your Valentine!

The average scales (most of which are outdated and not high tech) don't know you from a sack of potatoes.They are not gi...
01/23/2023

The average scales (most of which are outdated and not high tech) don't know you from a sack of potatoes.
They are not giving you enough valuable, useful information by telling you a single number: weight.
Weight of what? We are made of blood, bone, skin, fat, muscle, tissue, organs, water, etc.
Did you know that muscle weighs more than fat? And we WANT healthy, adequate muscle mass!
Did you know that muscle helps us burn fat?
Did you know that you NEED a healthy amount of fat on the body to feel great, and that women are naturally meant to have more than men?
I'd never use a single number as the best indicator of health and progress for my clients.
However, I understand the need to set S.M.A.R.T. goals, the M standing for "Measurement". That way we know if we are on track!
How I go about measurement is a multifaceted and far more rewarding approach, as it tracks daily and monthly factors like...
🤸‍♀️Your overall energy levels throughout the day
😴 How well you are sleeping
🌕 How healthy your cycles and periods are
💪Your strength and endurance
💋 Your libido!
👖How your favorite clothes feel when you wear them
🧠 Brain health - are you focused, adaptive, and feeling sharp?
🧪 How your labs look as indicators of inflammation and cellular health
🩸Your blood sugar (this is incredibly useful not just for diabetics!)
There are many more indicators that help us know if you are on track with a goal, and self awareness, tracking, and consistent good habits help you reach the target.
If you are someone who knows that you easily feel overwhelmed by numbers, that seeing the number on the scale can literally "ruin your day", and especially if you struggle with ED, Emotional Eating, Body Dysmorphia, etc. then stepping on a scale is NOT right for you.
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“Sometimes I just can't hear my own hunger cues."I hear this from my clients all the time.  And while the process takes ...
12/30/2022

“Sometimes I just can't hear my own hunger cues."
I hear this from my clients all the time. And while the process takes time, it’s the most rewarding self assessment tool you can learn to understand your body’s patterns and give yourself what you actually need!
The first step is awareness. Begin by writing down your current patterns and making observations. Then read below to help you decipher mental vs. physical cravings for food and what you can do to support yourself!
Physical cues for hunger can feel like a rumbling in the belly, or fatigue from low blood sugar. While “hanger” (hunger + anger) can seem emotionally driven, this is typically a physical cue as well! Food directly impacts our physical energy, mood, and mental acuity.
Sometimes, the physical desire for food is actually our brain signaling we need more water. If you’ve recently eaten and think you’re hungry, drink 2 glasses of filtered water + minerals first. Feel better? You needed hydration.
If you don’t feel better, it’s possible you didn’t eat enough or the right kinds of foods to balance your blood sugar.
Mental/emotional cravings are the desire to eat something comforting purely due to thoughts/feelings like anxiety, fear, irritability, sadness, loneliness, boredom, etc. In these moments we might react and act unconsciously on our cravings without the thoughtfulness that goes into retraining the brain.
How does one begin to do that?
✨1. Pause
✨2. Become aware of what you are actually wanting or needing. This gives you the clarity needed to make conscious decisions and choose powerfully!
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Food Triggers!One of our specialties at NAO Wellness is helping our clients recover from and overcome their emotional ea...
12/14/2022

Food Triggers!

One of our specialties at NAO Wellness is helping our clients recover from and overcome their emotional eating/disordered eating habits. We help individuals find food freedom and a healthy relationship to food and to their body!

The first step to accomplishing food freedom is bringing awareness to their triggers.

Emotional Eating/ED triggers are the “cues” that sparks the flame of the habit to binge, purge, overeat, undereat, over-exercise, say negative things to ourselves, and anything in between.

The most common food triggers for our clients have been:
-Stress
-Sugar
-PMS/Hormone Imbalance
-Exhaustion
-People pleasing

The GREAT news is that once we learn what your underlying triggers are, we can educate and empower you with tools to overcome them!

All those triggers create a physiological response in the body. This can lead to physical cravings for food that feel uncontrollable, and drives mental/emotional cravings too.

Stress creates a hormonal cascade that puts your body into a state of fight or flight. When that happens, energy and attention are diverted away from “rest and digest” mode and into pure survival mode.

Your blood sugar also rises in response to a threat. You may not want to eat in the moment of stress, but coming down from that adrenaline rush could absolutely lead to cravings and confusing body cues. We provide the tools you need to prevent stress from derailing you!

Sugar consumption leads to a high feeling, followed by a crash, followed by the desire for more sugar. Why? Simple sugars get absorbed quickly. The body is seeking to regulate itself and keep you in homeostasis!

Caption continued in the comments...

While I love the concept of “Intuitive Eating” (using your own instinct, emotion, and logic to drive food decisions), I ...
12/07/2022

While I love the concept of “Intuitive Eating” (using your own instinct, emotion, and logic to drive food decisions), I don’t recommend starting out with it on your food healing journey. 

The first book I was given during my ED treatment was an Intuitive Eating book and I will never forget thinking “WTF is this?”  It seemed like a “Pipe dream” that would never come true.

When a client with disordered eating comes to us, the mind is disconnected from the body. Neurotransmitters (which are mostly made in the gut) are out of balance, physical hunger cues are off, stress and inflammation are higher, and it feels like the body and mind are at war!

In my 15+ years of experience working with clients, most have expressed feeling frustrated, confused, and disheartened with the intuitive eating model. And it’s no surprise why! 

Ex: If you eat simple sugar because you are “in the mood” or your body is craving it, that creates physiological stress on the body that leads to feeling out of control the rest of the day. 

Sugar is also addicting by nature and affects our hormones, blood sugar, mental health, immune health, microbiome, and more.  It’s not about willpower, it’s how the body works.

When just getting started, you need tools to navigate your emotions and learn how to tap into hunger vs. satiety cues.  You may not know how to trust in yourself YET, but the great news is you can get there!

Instead of Intuitive Eating, I teach my clients gentle pattern recognition with their diet and lifestyle.  This produces so many “aha!” moments when they finally understand what’s driving them to desire certain foods in the first place!  

Intuition is a great tool to strengthen but doesn’t happen right away.  With the right tools, we get our clients to a place of immense confidence, self compassion, and FREEDOM from food struggle.  The mind and body become connected and communicate effectively, and your spirit thrives in the process.

Can you relate?  Let us know what your journey has been like below or DM me privately to start a conversation!

Health = The Best Gift. Don't miss out on our biggest discounts of the year!  Use code BLACKFRIDAY for 40% off our Ear S...
11/23/2022

Health = The Best Gift. Don't miss out on our biggest discounts of the year!  

Use code BLACKFRIDAY for 40% off our Ear Seeds ➡️ Link in bio.

Schedule a FREE discovery call and mention "Black Friday" for discounts on a Nutrition Consult and/or Testing! ➡️ Link in bio.

I used to have a love/hate relationship with the holiday season. I would spend countless hours anxious about what I woul...
11/15/2022

I used to have a love/hate relationship with the holiday season.
I would spend countless hours anxious about what I would do to combat all the fears that were coming up. It was exhausting.
If you currently struggle with eating disorders, emotional eating, body dysmorphia or are constantly at odds with food, your body, and your thoughts, keep reading.
When it comes to food and body image, does this sound like you?
There's food everywhere and I'm overwhelmed.
If it's the weekend, my routine inevitably gets completely thrown off.
I've tried everything and nothing works...I keep feeling like a failure.
Are you ready to ditch the "inner meanie" and achieve good freedom?
I have another idea.
Let's create a memorable holiday and plant new seeds instead...and we'll do it together.
One of the greatest gifts of my recovery was choosing not to take on my thoughts and emotions around food and my body alone.
So I created a success system to help others in the ways that have helped me and my clients most: The NAO Accountability Program (for the Holidays).
You’ll email me all your thoughts and feelings from the day, and I’ll respond with tips and tools to support you.
The program is OPEN! Swipe to read the details and you book a discovery call with me for questions or to say "Sign me up!" You’ll gain access immediately after purchase! (Link in bio for the discovery call)
Spots are limited so reserve yours ASAP!
The latest date to start is Saturday, November 26th. The program will end Monday, December 26th.
Are you ready? Link in bio to book a free discovery call with me, and get started feeling fully supported this Holiday season.

While I have supported the best possible gut health for my daughter ever since she was born, we are not perfect.  Someti...
11/02/2022

While I have supported the best possible gut health for my daughter ever since she was born, we are not perfect.  Sometimes despite our best efforts, Emma gets sick.  But I know what we are doing is working because she rarely gets sick, and if she does, she recovers quickly!

Here are some of my favorite go-to home remedies for my daughter, depending on the issue she’s experiencing.

I like to start with helping her relax and sweat it out with a nice Epsom salt bath.

After the bath, I dampen a washcloth and add organic Eucalyptus essential oil drops and apply it to her forehead and/or the back of her neck and front of her throat. Eucalyptus can help fight viral, bacterial, and fungal infections in your body, as it’s been found to get rid of several germs that cause illnesses. And if you’re suffering from a stuffy nose or a cough, it helps clear up lung and nasal congestion.

Food: What your kids are eating is essential to preventing them from getting sick, and helping them recover if they are sick. Food is medicine. This is the perfect time for bone broth for gut support, herbal teas, healthy comforting foods like mashed organic sweet potato with dairy free miyokos butter, chicken soup made with real chicken, veggies, and no preservatives, and lite bites like fruit. They need to get fluids so the broth + teas or regular water is a must! 

Food tip: do an experiment and as a family, go dairy free for a period of time and see if you notice a reduction in allergies and getting sick!  This has happened for many of my clients and is a powerful form of prevention. Even if your kids eat dairy regularly and you don’t believe it makes a difference, wait until they feel better before adding it back in. Then make sure you only feed your kids organic great quality dairy!

Elderberry immune support gummies are great for kids. Not just when they are sick but as an immune boost prevention tool!

I'm thrilled to be a speaker for this year's World Wellness Weekend coming up this Friday-Sunday, September 16th-18th!  ...
09/14/2022

I'm thrilled to be a speaker for this year's World Wellness Weekend coming up this Friday-Sunday, September 16th-18th!
Immunocologie, clean skincare.] is hosting a series of FREE webinars to learn about the latest in , , and .
I'm speaking on my TOP Skincare recommendations and provide a full resources guide - all free!
RSVP with the link in my bio! Times for the event...
-Friday 6-8pm ET
-Saturday and Sunday 11-2:30pm ET
Follow Immunocologie, clean skincare.] and check out the lineup of amazing Speakers HERE
https://immunocologie.events/

I’ll see you there!
Other speakers include: Amy Camie, Dr. Sangeeta Sahi, M.D. , MBA, Kimberly Klein, LMT, Shyamali Singhal, MD Ph.D. , Brett Cotter, Debra Duneier, Heather Lee , Sonia Tita Puopolo , Katie + Athena, Thurber + Kakoliris Matt Emmi Roy Davis, Edyta Satchell , Brooke Jeffy, MD Dr. Nicola Finley Yamuna Zake Christine Cole, Alison O’Neil ,Karen Ballou and more!

Taking care of ourselves can be pricey.  However, I'm always keeping an eye out for sales and creating lists so when my ...
07/12/2022

Taking care of ourselves can be pricey. However, I'm always keeping an eye out for sales and creating lists so when my favorite things go on sale, I'm ready! I consider myself a bada*s bargain hunter and I love sharing my great finds with all of you.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Check out my Amazon Prime Day curated list. I shared everything from kitchen essentials, non-toxic skincare, snacks, superfoods, supplements to all of NAO's
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
☀️Prime Day List Can Be Found In The Link In My Bio

NAO's Corporate Wellness Concierge covers every wellness topic Employees could ever need for increased energy, health, a...
07/08/2022

NAO's Corporate Wellness Concierge covers every wellness topic Employees could ever need for increased energy, health, and happiness!
But don't just take our word for it. Swipe right to read rave reviews from our "5 Foundations of Disease Prevention" presentation.
My favorite comment was, "I usually think of being healthy as a lot of work, but your presentation made it seem more achievable."
That's what we're after! Teaching, coaching, and guiding our clients to discover that health can be achieved and sustained. When you know your foundations, how to implement them, and have accountability, you are unstoppable.
If you or your current employer are seeking wellness tools for Employees, we're here to help. You can forward the link in my bio or fill out our contact form for a FREE discovery call!
We look forward to helping you achieve the health of your dreams at work. :)

Happy 4th of July!I want to provide you easy, gentle reminders for exactly what to do for the 4th, as well as all summer...
07/01/2022

Happy 4th of July!
I want to provide you easy, gentle reminders for exactly what to do for the 4th, as well as all summer bbqs, gatherings, and special occasions so you feel prepared to ENJOY the experience!!
Swipe to see + read below and comment on your favorite!
🤎Breathe, Meditate, or go for a walk prior - do something to clear your head and feel grounded.
🤎Drink filtered water throughout the day with minerals so you are hydrated - this balances appetite! I love minerals and you can use my code 4aSxLzR6.
🤎 Eat at normal intervals every 3-4 hours or as mild hunger comes on to keep your blood sugar stable!
🤎Write out any thoughts you might have and gently question them.
🤎Bring something you love to eat that makes you feel great and enough to share!
🤎Eat slowly- give your body 20 minutes to actually signal you’re full and chew thoroughly. Your body will thank you and you’ll savor it more!
🤎 If you have a little of that favorite dessert someone traditionally makes, it’s okay.
🤎 Feel a bit bloated? No worries- have a little ginger tea to stimulate gut motility, rub some peppermint oil on the tummy (also stimulates movement and is super helpful for gas) and go for a walk after eating. Be kind and gentle with yourself.
🤎 ENJOY! It’s ONE day of many. Focus on gratitude, social time, and eat what fuels you.
What’s one kind thing you plan to do from this list? Let me know below! 👇🏻
And just remember, emotional eating/eating disorder coaching, gut health, and a balanced 80/20 approach are my expertise! If you need one-to-one support please DM me and let’s chat. You are not alone!

It’s a journey, folks!  I am still in the midst of my recovery post COVID and will continue to share. I want these tools...
06/16/2022

It’s a journey, folks! I am still in the midst of my recovery post COVID and will continue to share. I want these tools that I am implementing to benefit all who may be experiencing COVID long-haul as well! Please share with anyone who can benefit.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Recently I expressed how my blood sugar and metabolism have surprisingly changed since having COVID. (Check out that post in my guide section).​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Here’s what I’ve been doing to help support my body and metabolism to heal through the most challenging aspects of COVID long-haul:​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
🩸Blood Sugar Stability - As I recover, the number one non-negotiable in my life (and one that’s always in my practice) is stabilizing my blood sugar through food and meal prep. If you need customized meal planning, I’m here for you. ​​​​​​​​
🚨Red light therapy - RLT strengthens your mitochondria (the energy powerhouses of your cells). It supports pain relief, reduces inflammation, soothes and smooths skin, boosts collagen production, helps sweat out toxins, and more.​​​​​​​​
👩‍🔬Peptides - Peptides are smaller versions of proteins (short strings of amino acids). Research indicates benefits for reducing inflammation, killing microbes, preventing blood clots, improving immune function, acting as antioxidants, and MANY more benefits. **Definitely work with a provider who understands the science of peptides and how to safely and effectively prescribe/dose them for you based on your unique needs!​​​​​​​​
💉Vitamins and minerals - No diet is perfect and neither am I. To further support my healing, I continue my usual Vitamin/Mineral regimen while amplifying certain nutrients for recovery. I prefer to bypass the gut with IVs, shots, and sublingual options.​​​​​​​​
🔥Thermogenesis - I am supporting my recovering metabolism through diet-induced thermogenesis, exercise-induced, as well as NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
(Finish in comments)

I’m so grateful for another trip around the sun and to be able to share my passion for wellness with you all on social m...
06/14/2022

I’m so grateful for another trip around the sun and to be able to share my passion for wellness with you all on social media.
This Birthday, I want to share what keeps me feeling happy, healthy, youthful, and full of life. I hope that you’ll try some of these rituals and notice the tremendous difference they can make for your health and wellbeing.
XO, Nikki
👨‍👩‍👧Spending time with my daughter and husband - we’re taking Emma to her first concert of and We love listening to music together, dancing and laughing as a family.
👯‍♀️My Wellness Tribe - for their accountability, support, and pump-up when I need it most. I love how much we’ve become a family.
💪🏻Exercise - shout-out to and my workout buddy . 6:30am I’ve found a new love for strength training.
🧘🏻‍♀️Breath work - I highly recommend and Joy of !
🥵🥶 Infrared Sauna and cryotherapy - can’t beat my hot and cold therapy sessions at . Their modalities support my internal and external glow and help me recover and rejuvenate.
🥗Meal Planning- Today, tomorrow, and forever. This has been a cornerstone in my health and healing journey.
☀️Sunshine - every morning when it's sunny, I walk outside at 6am and take 10 minutes to get my morning sun on. This helps set my circadian rhythm up for success all day long
👩‍💼Being a Nutritionist and Entrepreneur - to be able to do the work I feel called to do and help transform lives every single day is such a blessing.

I’ve had COVID now and while the experience itself wasn’t that bad, the aftermath has truly surprised me.  For those who...
06/09/2022

I’ve had COVID now and while the experience itself wasn’t that bad, the aftermath has truly surprised me.
For those who are still experiencing COVID long-haul, I understand what a roller coaster it can feel like. You are not alone. As a Nutritionist, I’m committed to healing faster and helping you heal faster too.
Prior to COVID, I felt metabolically flexible. While I always meal prep and eat as mild hunger comes on, my body never signaled I had to eat something right at the 3-4 hour mark or I’d crash.
Last week, I was leaving a Bat Mitzvah where I ate food I’d prepared for myself (I’m still healing from COVID and wanted to keep my blood sugar stable and inflammation down). But on my way home, having just eaten a few hours prior, I noticed my blood sugar crashed, my mood plummeted, and I suddenly felt very “hangry”.
Normally I don’t eat what I call “naked carbohydrates” - that’s a term I use to describe a whole food that is naturally higher in carbohydrates and little to no fat and protein to balance it out. But all I had at my disposal at that hangry moment was some leftover plain sweet potato (an example of naked carbs).
Swipe to see the result. After eating it, per the images shown on my Glucose Monitor, my blood sugar majorly spiked and crashed. I was blown away.
What this experience taught me is that post-COVID, I need to start treating my metabolism with greater care as it continues to heal.
I’m also so grateful to have the glucose monitor so that I know my exact blood sugar levels, no guessing, and can course-correct my meal planning according to the data. (By the way, you can get $25 off their service with the link in my bio. I highly recommend it).
(Finished in comments below)

Happy Pride Month for June!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We love all the produce colors of the rainbow and how much they contribute to...
06/06/2022

Happy Pride Month for June!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
We love all the produce colors of the rainbow and how much they contribute to overall health and well-being.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Celebrate pride and love your body with our nutrient dense rainbow 🌈 salad 🥗!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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28 W 12th Street
New York, NY

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