Meet Therese Revitte

Today we’re excited to be connecting with Therese Revitte again. If you haven’t already, we suggest you check out our prior conversation with them here.

Therese, thanks for joining us again. Just to level set a bit for folks who may have missed our last interview together, can you briefly introduce yourself?
The field of functional medicine has exploded recently and I’m thrilled to be a part of it! This cutting-edge form of health care digs deep to find the root causes of chronic health conditions and addresses what is burdening the body so it can return to a healthier state. As a functional nutrition practitioner, I help people who have chronic health conditions uncover what is happening under the surface and get them on the path to restored (and optimal!) health with nutrition and holistic lifestyle strategies.

My path to functional nutrition has been long and winding. When I was growing up, my parents had a huge vegetable garden every year. I have so many fond memories of sitting in the garden, feeling the sun on my skin, breathing in the earthy scents, and watching garden ecosystem at work.

Our family ate differently from most of my friends. Nearly everything we ate was homemade, with a lot of whole foods and variety. That’s when my interest in natural eating and living began. It just felt intuitive to me that natural was better than the packaged convenience foods I saw others eating. I even became a regular at our local Vitamin Cottage (now Natural Grocers) during my teen years.

As time went on, I always had my own organic food garden. Looking back, I thought I was living a healthy lifestyle, but there were still areas where I wasn’t taking care of myself. When my children were young, I found myself dealing with constant debilitating pain, It took 6 months, but I was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. It was a wake-up call and a turning point—I found myself wondering if I’d ever truly feel well again.

That experience set me on a transformative journey. I dove into organic gardening, read countless books about the flaws in our food and agricultural systems, and explored what holistic health really means. Eventually, I enrolled at the Nutrition Therapy Institute, became a Master Nutrition Therapist, and earned my Board Certification in Holistic Nutrition®. I’ve since continued my education by earning additional certifications in functional nutrition.

Today, I run Live Bright Nutrition Therapy, which has evolved into a fusion of my gardening and nutrition expertise. My personal journey with autoimmunity shaped my practice, and now I specialize in helping others with autoimmunity and digestive issues. I’m passionate about teaching people how to use nutrition and lifestyle changes to reclaim their health—and in the Spring, I also teach people how to start their own organic gardens!

Awesome, so we reached out because we wanted to hear all about what you have been up to since we last connected.
I’ve been busy these past few years! I’ve taken intensive courses in functional nutrition that allow me to serve my clients at an even higher level. I’ve learned how all the body’s systems are connected in creating good health. When one system breaks down, it affects all other systems.

For example, did you know that what’s happening in your gut connects to immune system problems, mood disorders, skin conditions, brain problems, low energy, and muscle and joint pain? I always look at gut health when making connections to why someone is having problems elsewhere.

The challenge I find is in helping people understand these connections so they see the value in what I do. Most of us were brought up in the conventional medical system, which emphasizes pharmaceuticals to address symptoms within a single body system. For example, a gastroenterologist addresses gut symptoms. An endocrinologist addresses thyroid symptoms. A neurologist addresses brain symptoms. When I describe how gut health, hormone health and brain health are all interconnected, I often get a blank stare and maybe some suspicion.

Conventional medical doctors get minimal training in nutrition and lifestyle and many gloss over these extremely important aspects of health. Some even poo-poo them. The truth is that conventional medicine and functional medicine work extremely well together and I always counsel my clients to inform their doctor about our work together.

I specialize in working with people who have autoimmune conditions and/or chronic digestive issues like reflux, GERD, cramping, gas, constipation, and diarrhea (these may be common but they’re not normal). They may come to me with a set of symptoms, or may actually have been diagnosed with something. We take a comprehensive look at the client’s health history, current diet and lifestyle, toxin exposures, and body-wide function. Then I may recommend functional tests to shine a light on what’s happening inside the body. This allows me to customize their plan and remove specific barriers to their healing.

And there’s more! On a completely different note…

My colleague Kathi Collins from Complete Lifestyle Wellness and I have created a new business called Just Cook It! and an online course called The Basics of Cooking – Mastering Your Kitchen. We are targeting young people who are just getting out on their own and haven’t learned how to prepare their own healthy meals. Instead they’re spending a lot of money on Uber Eats and Door Dash for food that’s often not very healthy. We both have young adult kids and we’ve seen a huge gap in that age group’s knowledge of how to set up their kitchen, shop for the right things, plan and cook healthy meals, and eat on a budget. This course teaches all of that! The course is live and we just launched it. We don’t have a website, but we have a comprehensive description page that leads to being able to purchase the course. Anyone interested in learning more can contact me through my Live Bright Nutrition contact information.

We have now arrived at one of our favorite parts of the interview – the lightning round. We’ll ask you a few quick questions to give us all some fun insights about you.

Favorite Book: Breath by James Nestor and Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Favorite TV Show: Ted Lasso

Favorite Band or Artist: Too many to list!

Sweet or Savory: Savory

Mountains or Beach: Mountains to live in, beach to visit

Favorite Sport (to watch): Women’s soccer!

Did you play sports growing up (if so which ones): Yes, I was a competitive swimmer and synchronized swimmer.

Favorite Cartoon growing up: All the Bugs Bunny cartoons

Favorite Breakfast Food: Frittatas! You saute favorite vegetables in olive oil in a 8- or 10-inch cast-iron pan, then pour 6 beaten eggs over them. Top with parmesan cheese. When almost cooked through, put it under the broiler until the top browns.

When you look back on your life, what are three things you expect to be proud of?
1.) I have always sought out careers that have a positive impact on people’s lives. My first career as an industrial psychologist was in helping police and fire departments hire the best candidates for the job, with a focus on emotional intelligence. This in turn had a trickle-down effect to the citizens these civil servants serve. I’ve needed help from both the police and the fire department in my lifetime, I know first-hand the importance of hiring the right people for those jobs, and I’m proud that I could be part of that process.

2.) My functional nutrition practice also serves people directly. Clients whose lives are greatly affected by their symptoms experience life-changing improvements. They find that they are no longer held hostage by their symptoms, and they can get back to things they love the most. That I have been able to be part of that process is incredibly gratifying.

3.) By far, my greatest achievement has been raising my two daughters in partnership with my wonderful husband. Both girls recently moved out to pursue their next adventures. It feels like we just finished a huge project and I’m in awe of how smart and accomplished they are. That’s not to say that our job is done, not by a long shot. But moving to the next chapter allows me to take a deep breath, look back and contemplate the scope and sweetness of the parenting journey.