Hi, I'm Ayten!

I’m a GI-specialized and Monash-trained FODMAP Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) passionate about helping women with chronic digestive issues rediscover body confidence, food freedom, and radiant energy to live life on their terms. Minus the bloat, brain fog, and unpredictable bowel habits. Plus some delicious food.

It took me over a decade to find relief from the chronic digestive issues I experienced growing up, but I finally gained clarity, control, and confidence over my symptoms – and so can you.


Read on for the rest of my story!

I

     remember so clearly – all I wanted was clarity on what was going in my body, simplicity in how to implement an effective care plan, and mastery of the skills I needed to feel good on the daily. I wanted to use plant-rich nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and science-backed solutions to get there. 

Instead of getting the answers I hoped for, I was constantly confused...


I felt isolated and like my “invisible” gut symptoms were running the show. I tried everything, but everywhere I turned for help seemed to offer some super restrictive and flashy new fad diet that failed to resolve my symptoms. Worst of all, everything I tried said I needed to eat kale and bland food instead of my spicy, delicious, and nostalgic cultural foods. As a food lover and aspiring culinarian, that was just not going to work for me!

So, I started on my path to become a Registered Dietitian, driven by my desire to one day offer the kind of relief and support I wished I had for my chronic GI struggles.


I began studying the Mind-Gut Connection in a neuropharmacology lab at the Duke University Medical Center over a decade ago. I saw firsthand, in a cutting-edge research environment, the impact that a balanced gut microbiome could have on digestion, metabolism, and mood through the gut-brain axis. As I began applying my learnings in my own body, I finally started feeling my symptoms get under control. I started trusting my body again. I could not believe how good I felt.

I went on to complete a Master of Science in Food and Nutrition Policy and Programs to understand socioeconomic barriers to adequate nutrition and how best to advocate for my future patients. There, I learned how to integrate behaviorally and environmentally sustainable practices into nutrition program design and implementation. I lovingly refer to this as my “Jedi mind-trick” training, and using the behavior change strategies I learned, I set up systems that helped me find long-term relief from the gut symptoms that were previously running my life. 

Now, I get to help you set up systems of your own and find the long-term relief I did!

Ayten Fun Facts

Did you know:

I'M SERIOUS WHEN I SAY...

Everyone has a role to play in building a climate-friendly future.

I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER...

Enjoy raw tomatoes – I’ve tried! Don’t come for me!

I KNOW HOW TO FIND THE BEST...

Taco trucks in Los Angeles – hit me up!

YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND ME...

Bumping 2000’s hip-hop and dancing while I’m cooking!

M

  ost recently, I completed my Dietetic Internship at a Harvard-teaching hospital in Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where I was humbled to receive the Louise Hatch Award for outstanding standards of practice and leadership. During my time at MGH, I completed a concentration in Medical Nutrition for Gastrointestinal Conditions and the Monash University Certification for Application of the Low FODMAP Diet in IBS. 



Throughout my training and my own GI journey, my love of delicious food has lit the way. 

I fundamentally believe that for us to make lasting changes in our nutrition habits, the food has got to taste GOOD. Over the years, I’ve taken numerous cooking classes to hone my craft and continue to do so as a culinary nutritionist to this day – not to mention the legit culinary school that is my Turkish mother’s kitchen! Now, I focus primarily on how to make our favorite dishes as plant-rich and gut-nourishing as possible, without sacrificing the flavor.

I founded my virtual nutrition counseling practice, Aysa Nutrition, to offer women with chronic digestive conditions a science-backed framework to reclaim joy in food, confidence in your body, and the freedom to live your life to the fullest without your GI symptoms getting in the way. 

No more restrictive fad diets, no more wasted time and money. 

Together we can:

 ✔ Demystify causes of your unpredictable bloat and bowel habits

 ✔ Identify your underlying food sensitivities and lifestyle triggers 

 ✔ Create a simple management plan to get you back in control of your symptoms

 ✔ Boost your culinary confidence with gut-nourishing plants, herbs, and spices

 ✔ Get you back to feeling confident, comfortable, and in control of your gut

Education

• Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Dietetic Internship
• Tufts Friedman School, Master of Science in Nutrition Policy & Programming
• Simmons University, Didactic Program in Dietetics
• Duke University, Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience



• Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Dietetic Internship

• Tufts Friedman School, Master of Science in Nutrition Policy & Programming

• Simmons University, Didactic Program in Dietetics

• Duke University, Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience



Specialized GI Training

• MGH Concentration, Medical Nutrition for Gastrointestinal Conditions
• Monash University, Application of the Low FODMAP Diet for IBS
• Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda, Mastering Nutrition & Digestion

• MGH Concentration, Medical Nutrition for Gastrointestinal Conditions

• Monash University, Application of the Low FODMAP Diet for IBS

• Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda, Mastering Nutrition & Digestion

Ready to get started?

Great! So am I.

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