Today we’d like to introduce you to Hillary Budkowski.
Hi Hillary , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was introduced to nutrition during my undergraduate studies and I fell in love with understanding how nutrients influence our body’s physiology, fuel our energy and mood, and support long-term health. That curiosity grew into a passion for helping others apply nutrition in practical, meaningful ways.
I’ve had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings including school nutrition education, long-term care, and outpatient counseling. Each experience shaped my perspective, but nutrition counseling is where I find the most fulfillment. I truly enjoy getting to know clients on a personal level, learning their stories, and helping them use nutrition and lifestyle strategies to achieve their goals.
My connection to Case Specific Nutrition (CSN) began in graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh where I met Andrew, the CEO and founding dietitian, and Allison, another founding dietitian. Andrew developed the early vision for CSN and I admired the mission behind it. Years later, when Allison moved to Raleigh, it was a fun reunion to reconnect, explore the city together, and hear about how CSN had grown. When Allison moved to Raleigh, Allison and Andrew hinted that they hoped I’d join the Raleigh team eventually. This past year the timing was perfect and the opportunity aligned with my career goals and personal values. I’m so happy to be the Lead Dietitian at Case Specific Nutrition Raleigh, where I support our community through individualized nutrition counseling, lead the Raleigh office, stay up to date on current research, and collaborate with our larger CSN team to provide the highest quality of patient care. Being part of a supportive, passionate team while helping individuals in the Raleigh community has truly been the most rewarding chapter of my career so far.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I tend to have a glass half full mentality, thinking of any obstacles as growing and learning opportunities. Taking on a leadership position gains more insight into administrative and networking tasks of private practice which have been interesting to learn about and navigate. I have been able to meet some amazing people through the process. Connecting with other health, fitness, and medical providers has let me explore Raleigh on a deeper level and provide better care to our clients.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a registered dietitian we use evidence based practices to support health goals and provide medical nutrition therapy. At Case Specific Nutrition we look at how past medical history, routine, sleep, stress, digestion, hormones, typical meals, preferences, and activity all influence what an optimal nutrition looks like for an individual’s specific goals. My specialties include women’s health, digestion, fueling to feel good, and building a healthy relationship with food. I am most proud of the collaborative and personal care we provide. No two nutrition counseling sessions I have look the exact same since each person has different concerns. It is so exciting to see people feel empowered in their nutrition and lifestyle choices that are helping them feel their best selves. Our health is a journey, there can be ups and downs, but the journey helps us understand what works best for our bodies!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
This is great question! So many great options, of course the the Case Specific Nutrition Podcast has so many nuggets of information and dives deep into some tough questions. Other nutrition related podcasts I love are Gutology, Zoe Science & Nutrition, Let’s Gut Real, The Nutrition Science Podcast, and Food Psych. Nutrition related books that provide tons of information are: Real Food for Pregnancy, Intuitive Eating, and Fiber Fueled.
Pricing:
- Most people don’t realize their insurance covers nutrition counseling, often people don’t pay anything out of pocket for our services!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.casespecificnutrition.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/csnraleigh/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Casespecificnutrition
- Other: [email protected]
