Client Success Stories
Imagine what life would be like getting results like this…
“Ellen is a world-class practitioner: thoughtful, effective, persistent and thorough – the key elements for outstanding clinical care. She saw clients virtually, both nationally and internationally, in the Eat Naked practice for the better part of two years, getting excellent results with some of our most complex cases during that time. I highly recommend her! You will be in exceptional hands.”
–Margaret Floyd Barry, FNTP, MRWP, Portland, Oregon
Owner, Eat Naked Kitchen
Owner & Executive Director, Restorative Wellness Solutions
“I worked with Ellen for the better part of a year to find a food plan to support physical, mental, and emotional health. Ellen listened to my health goals and helped me find clarity.
We focused on “eating for clean fuel” as low energy was a big deal for me at the beginning of the program. Ellen taught me to reflect on which food choices were creating energy crashes. Now, it is harder to make a poor food choice because I understand why it will leave me exhausted or make my carb cravings more intense. Now, my energy is an 8/10 and holding.
Ellen provided many resources, handouts and further reading that helped educate me about the nutrition basics, and this understanding along with all the food and menu ideas, helped me feel confident in my choices. I was able to pick and choose among the suggestions she provided to find what works for me taste and timewise. We also did lab work to get a look at my health overall, and Ellen made customized supplement recommendations based on my lab results.
Ellen was very flexible about modifying the timeframe in which we worked together to fit my work and life balance, and this flexibility allowed me to have greater success overall. I was able to accomplish my goals without added stress. Ellen was also persistent in holding me accountable, while being both gentle and firm, which I appreciated.
A lot of my food patterns were mental and emotional. Ellen made me feel safe to share personal challenges. She worked through my resistance to change with patience. Ellen’s persistence and support was the reason I was finally able to make changes and face the adversity of unhelpful habits.
If you are interested in improving your health and adding self-care to your routine, then I would recommend contacting Ellen to discuss your goals and concerns.”
–A.C., Eugene, OR
“When I started searching for a nutritionist, I was experiencing digestive reactions to various viral exposures. We were in the midst of the pandemic, and I was in isolation for the most part, and I felt it was a good time to strengthen and heal.
Meeting Ellen changed everything. She had a 6-month gut health program that was rigorous and challenging but doable with an endless feeling of support as I worked through it. Ellen was available every step of the way for advice, adjustments, explanations, and encouragement.
The results were more energy, better sleep, lowered HbA1c, a better diet, weight loss, and a general practitioner/PCP who was thrilled with the improvement in my diagnostic labs overall. Ellen is a great listener, a solid practitioner, and is thorough and comprehensive in her approach to nutritional health. I am a grateful client!”
–Merri Lynn B., Leland, Michigan
“Ellen was recommended to me by my Acupuncturist as a possible avenue to conquer my digestive issues. Before Ellen, I had been living a nightmare of daily gurgling, gassy diarrhea, and achy explosive craziness. I was desperate to try any method to get my system under control.
Ellen turned out to be the answer for me. She interviewed me on Zoom, and I also interviewed her and learned about her program and expectations. I certainly didn’t go into this with blinders of having an easy go. I knew that I would need to be all in and give myself to her suggestions and recommendations. I did, as close as possible.
After testing and review, Ellen set the stage and protocols for me to follow. Ellen was always available for questions, suggestions, and support. I’m sure I could have reached out far more often than I did, and Ellen would have been there. She was supportive and offered me information, recipes, places to get different foods, and just about anything I needed.
I can’t even begin to state how much better I’m feeling since I started working with Ellen. My daily issues are now nonexistent. I feel fabulous. The test results and numbers bear witness to the changes I am seeing and feeling. It wasn’t necessarily easy, but every minute was worth it, and the value of establishing healthier habits to keep my system working at its best is priceless.
I recommend Ellen to anyone struggling with their health and feeling frustrated as they search for answers. I know that, for me, it has been money and time well spent. It is undeniably a commitment, and I could not have made the strides that I did if I hadn’t been so very motivated to get my system under control. Ellen is a jewel to work with and quite encouraging. I wanted to succeed, and Ellen was incredibly positive. I’m so thankful that she was recommended to me and that I took the initiative to contact her.”
–Debi N., Eugene, OR
“Working with Ellen has made a night and day difference in my health. She helped me understand the value and benefit of making dietary changes, and I have felt the difference in my energy levels and clarity of thought. We covered a lot of material, but Ellen helped me figure out how to put it all into action in a way that works for me. Before working with Ellen, I did not know how to get healthy and where to start. I was in limbo, and now I have a plan that makes the changes affordable and manageable for the structure of my life. I now realize that when you have good health, you can really enjoy your life. The accountability and support are awesome. Also, my pain levels have decreased, and my energy levels are much better while my cravings for sugar are minimal. I have new life skills and new habits, and I feel excited about how this will benefit me in the future. “
–Shawn, J., Eugene, OR
“Ellen is very organized and responds to client questions quickly and methodically. If she is not available via email, phone or text, she is very clear about the time frame, so I was never in a holding pattern. As I was eliminating the inflammatory foods from my diet, Ellen provided helpful substitution ideas for favorite foods as well as meal ideas, recipes, and online resources. She gave very clear guidelines about therapeutic dietary protocols and provided helpful cheerleading when I was struggling to get through the 12-week restorative program. She helped me avoid “cheat creep” by being firm and empathetic but gentle with her recommendations.
My energy and mood have improved greatly (now 8-9/10 vs. 5-6/10), allergies and itchiness are better as well as hormonal symptoms. I am comfortable with my food plan without having to worry as much about what to eat and what to avoid, and, my crazy, intense sugar cravings are almost gone and minimal at worst. Also, I am more aware of how sugar affects my body (sugar=headache) as well as gluten (gluten=joint pain).
I am continuing to work with Ellen on a maintenance plan for optimizing nutrient status and rebuilding my health, and I would recommend her services to others who are serious about working on their health.”
–N. F., Eugene, Oregon
“After working with Ellen for about 5 months, I feel that my health on every level has improved. It is exciting that the sugar cravings have subsided, and I now feel very satisfied with my eating plan. I am waking up with more energy, I have a diet plan that I can maintain, and my overall body image has improved. As a student, I have a crazy schedule, and although it was challenging, Ellen was always able to find a way to accommodate me. I found all her information, articles and recommendations helpful, and I feel satisfied with her services. It was definitely money well spent, and I enjoyed working with her.”
–Brianna C., Springfield, OR
“As someone with Celiac, it was amazing to have support and resources as well as tips and tricks to help me on the SCD diet. Ellen also developed a gut healing supplement protocol that resulted in better energy, dramatically reduced digestive issues and improved lab work. Ellen was able to interpret my labs in the context of my overall health. My health has greatly improved over the 8 months that we worked together, and I am happy with the progress we have made.”
–Amy T. Eugene, Oregon
“I have been working with Ellen over the past six months with a focus on weight loss and fatigue issues. When we started, my pain levels were high due to osteoarthritis, and as a result, I was not very active. Ellen helped me set some concrete six-month goals, and we worked towards them by layering on new habits one by one. This was a very successful approach. In the end, by way of a Keto type diet and intermittent fasting, I lost 20 pounds, and my pain went from an 8/10-4/10. Also, my energy levels have more than doubled. I have been more consistent with exercise, both walking and swimming at my area recreation center. I feel that I am managing stress better, my sleep has improved and my digestion is stronger. Interestingly, my emotional feelings around eating (feeling guilty) are gone. I am enjoying healthy, delicious food and getting my health back. I give Ellen an A++!”
–Chris, W. Eugene, Oregon
”I have been working with Ellen for three months with the goal of moving towards an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle for myself and my family. Her approach is very individualized and also solution based. She is knowledgeable and provides great resources, handouts and tips. Now, I have all the tools I need to move forward in implementing this lifestyle for the long term. Her approach is evidence based, and it works! Plus, she really listens with compassion, and as a result, I felt heard and understood. I recommend her services without reservation.”
–Katy S., Springfield, OR
“I highly recommend Ellen Syversen and Pathways for Health, LLC. Ellen’s individualized approach, based on a functional nutrition model, provided an easy to follow plan that was specifically tailored to my needs. I immediately saw results, and they have been long lasting. The work that we did together, helped me to drastically improve my health so that I feel better than I have in ages. Thank you, Ellen!”
–Dr. Deanna St Germain, Eugene, OR
“I worked with Ellen over a 6-month period on digestion, hormone balance and identifying/addressing food sensitivities. It was wonderful to work with a Nutritional Therapist as a client as I was going through the training myself. I really appreciated Ellen’s additional training and in-depth knowledge in functional nutrition which allowed us to dig deeper and do additional testing to further define my issues and address them with effective protocols. It was great to see the way she put everything together in her practice. Ellen really went above and beyond the time I paid her for, and I have been recommending her to friends and colleagues with confidence.”
–Renee W., Bend Oregon
”Working with Ellen over a period of 4 months has been amazing. Getting direct guidance on what to do and not do to reach my goals has been very helpful, and I love her stepping stones approach of layering on new habits one at a time. Her follow up emails were full of targeted information and resources as well as a recap of what I needed to work on, and I referred to her emails often.
My satisfaction with my diet has gone from a 3/10 to a 10/10. Instead of feeling groggy and regretful, I feel energetic and clear headed and so positive about my healthy future. Since the sugar detox we did together, my sleep and mood have improved greatly, my skin is clear for the first time in a while, and I have no more bloating or acid reflux. I attribute this to the changes I have made under Ellen’s guidance. Also, I have dropped 5 pounds, a great start to my weight loss goals. Happy to refer her to others!”
–Lauren, O. Eugene, Oregon
“I worked with Ellen for over six months to address a variety of issues related to inflammation. I found the food sensitivity testing helpful to guide my diet plan, as well as the supplement protocol Ellen developed to deal with my yeast and gut issues. Our work together was a lot to take in, however, Ellen was there every step of the way with support, resources, and handouts. As a result, it all went smoothly with no confusion. I will continue to work with Ellen to follow up on my issues and work on my goals.”
–Christy T., Eugene, OR
“As a Kindergarten teacher, it is hard to leave the classroom during the day. When I first started working with Ellen, I often had to ask the Principal to cover me in the classroom while I ran to the bathroom to deal with my digestive issues. After six months, I feel 90% better. My energy and vitality have greatly improved, my digestive issues are minimal, and I know what foods trigger my gut issues. I have a food plan and a plan for my health overall. Now that I have my health back on track, I am working on getting pregnant which is really exciting. Ellen creates a welcoming environment while remaining very professional and made me feel confident in my journey. I highly recommend working with Ellen.
You are amazing, and I appreciate everything you have done for me in my health journey! I can’t put into words just how thankful I truly am.”
–Alicia O. Creswell, Oregon
“Most of us think we are doing so well, but many of us are not doing as well as we think. I used to be sure that working with a nutrition professional was a ridiculous idea, and I was confident that I could figure out my health issues on my own. However, after working with Ellen over the last six months, I realize I was dead wrong. I learned so much about the effects of food on my health, and I was shocked to realize how a solid supplement program could make such positive changes for my digestion, energy and stamina. Also, who would have known that adequate hydration could reduce my knee pain in such a big way? My late afternoon energy crashes are gone as well as my sugar cravings (as long as I follow my basic food plan)!
Ellen keeps it very real. She understands how hard it is for people to make changes while leading very busy lives, but she was able to customize my program to fit my needs and lifestyle. My stress level is still 10/10, but my ability to withstand the stress and thrive despite of it, has increased dramatically. Also, it was especially helpful to practice self-care and put myself back on the “to do” list. I even took a week from work to “just do nothing” which I highly recommend.
I loved the accountability, follow up emails and written resources that kept me on track. Now I am conscious of the poor food choices so many are making whether that be at work or on the soccer field coaching my kids. I do not want to be that person any more. I will be following up with Ellen to maintain my current progress and continue to work on the goals we set. I highly recommend her services.”
–Jason C. Harrisburg, OR
“Ellen has helped to recreate my life, very truly, on a holistic level! Now, I look forward to extended health and longevity. The resulting benefits of my dietary adjustments through her consultations have been numerous and far more than I originally asked her to address! And I’ve referred, unsolicited, numerous friends to her, who later thanked me! I say yes to Ellen and nutritional therapy!”
–Doug B. Eugene, OR
“I feel amazing right now after working with Ellen for 4 months. I have exceeded my weight loss goal, and currently, am down 24 pounds. This is the lifestyle change I have been working towards, but having Ellen’s support, guidelines, knowledge, and expertise allowed me to be successful this time around. I discovered through the elimination/provocation protocol that I did with Ellen that gluten causes bouts of anxiety, and I feel much better when I keep it out of my food plan. My attitude, energy and even my sleep are all improved.”
–Christopher E., Veneta, OR
“I worked with Ellen over a three month period to deal with my Binge Eating Disorder. I am so glad I sought out help. I always know what I need to do, but I often do not act on it. It has definitely been helpful to have professional support.
My rigid behaviors related to food have improved by 75%, and my anxiety has decreased by 50%. I feel more curious about my behaviors and less judgmental. Also, realizing that about 50 percent of my issues are related to blood sugar was amazing, as this is something I can control by eating in a more balanced way and having nutrient dense snacks on hand. I will continue to work on this area.
I really liked the online assessment as well as handouts and other tools provided. The follow up e-mails were key to helping me keep on track as was the folder of handouts that we added to over the three months. I feel confident enough to continue working on my own, with the knowledge that Ellen is available for a follow up if needed.”
–Annaleise G., Eugene, OR
“I worked with Ellen for three months to improve digestion, energy, pain and weight loss. Ellen’s communication is great, and I loved her suggestion of bone broth. I make it all the time, and I feel that this is something that my body really needs. Over the three months, I was finally able to start losing weight, my gut pain that I have had all my life is totally gone, my knee pain is no longer an issue, and my energy has increased by 50%. As an additional benefit, I no longer feel stressed all the time and my mood is stable, and I attribute this to the dietary and lifestyle changes that I have made with Ellen’s guidance.
It is amazing how over the years, your health can slip and this becomes the new normal. And it is incredible how some dietary and lifestyle changes can bring you back to your old self again! I still have some goals to work on, but they seem totally doable given all the progress I have made. Ellen has given me some suggestions moving forward that should be helpful, and if needed, I know she is available for a follow up.”
–Alexandra D., Eugene, OR
“After working with Ellen for three months, I have a lot more energy and stamina, and I feel that I have options to continue working on my gut health. Her resources, tests, recommendations, and suggestions were very helpful in helping my body to heal. I really benefited from her referral to colon hydrotherapy and her recommendations for a great colon cleanse. It was hard, but I feel much better since completing the cleanse. I appreciated her flexibility with appointment times to accommodate my child care needs. I would refer her to others for sure.”
–Melanie M., Eugene, OR
“It was great working with Ellen. She explained everything well, provided helpful resources, and I really appreciated her follow up e-mails as they kept me on track. I would recommend her to anyone. My rating of my health has gone from a 2/10 to a 7/10 (10/10 being the most optimal). Everything from my anxiety, to my feelings of doom, to my energy and digestion are MUCH better, and I have lost 15 pounds which is a great start. Another benefit is that my son (9 years) has lost quite of bit of weight as I have changed our eating habits, and this makes me feel positive about my parenting. I have started on an exercise program and am excited about continuing my new eating and lifestyle plan that we developed together during our consults. I look forward to following up with Ellen to keep on track.”
–Ashley B., Springfield, OR
“The information Ellen provided has been phenomenal. It is not about a diet, but it is about making the right choices and choosing the right fuel for my body. I now have the education to know what I need to do and what will and will not work food wise. I am so much more aware of my eating habits, and it makes a huge difference in how I feel. Not only am I physically healthier, but mentally as well. I have overcome my phobia about fats, and I now understand which fats are healthy. I really appreciated the grocery store tour, and the hands on information about foods and labels. I will be going into a major surgery soon, and I know what foods will help me recover. I feel confident that my good nutrition will support me and make it a speedy recovery. My liver tumor has even shrunk, and despite a period of intense stress, I have held up amazingly well and have maintained my weight. I know that after my recovery from surgery, I will be able to lose the weight easily following Ellen’s guidelines.”
–Deanna T, Springfield, OR
“Since working with Ellen, I have been able to get off the Diabetes medication, and I am managing my blood sugars with diet and lifestyle changes only. My numbers are in the normal range, and I have lost 24 pounds and three pant sizes. I have also been able to discontinue my anti-depressant medication with no problems. My uncomfortable digestive symptoms have disappeared, and I am finding new foods I like such as a pizza crust made with cauliflower and eggs. The difference in my before and after pictures is very noticeable! Also, it is great to learn that I can eat foods I enjoy without destroying my body.Working with Ellen was a very positive experience.”
–Casey F., Springfield, OR
“I am a healthy 96 year old woman who is enjoying her golden years. My doctor recently told me I was Pre-Diabetic. Diabetes runs in my family, and I decided I needed to change direction to get my blood sugar under wraps and prevent the full blown disease. Ellen provided an eye opener and a ‘kick in the pants’ towards my healing. At my age, being set in my ways, I really needed someone to be direct and tell me what I needed to do with my diet. Ellen and I worked together over two months and slowly made some great changes. I am thrilled, and it has been a wonderful experience. I am enjoying eating more salads, drinking water after being chronically dehydrated, and I guess I did not need desert two times a day. We are also working on my chronic constipation with success.”
–R.L., Eugene, OR
“I worked with Ellen over a four month period. Ellen listened to the big picture of what is going on in my life and who I am. She shared the things that were most important to get on top of and did so at my pace. Everything she recommended reduced my chronic anxiety and helped me gain needed weight. She is firm with her recommendations due to her genuine concern for my health, however, she is not dogmatic or pushy. She understands that I could not break years of habits in a matter of weeks. She is patient, and understands making one to two key changes at a time. Honestly, Ellen has been a Godsend.”
–Dawn B., Eugene, OR
“I worked with Ellen over a two month period on issues related to gut health, acne, PMS, and low energy. I have to say, I feel that I have had significant improvement in all of these areas. My acne has improved 85%, my PMS is 100% better, and my gut health has improved by 75%–happily, I am able to tolerate more protein foods. In addition, there are other improvements that I had not anticipated like resolution of tendonitis issues, better sleep, a more resilient immune system, and increased tolerance for exercise without feeling exhausted afterwards. Ellen is knowledgeable, I was comfortable working with her, and I enjoyed taking my already solid understanding of natural health to a new level.”
–Brooke L., Eugene, Oregon
“I wanted to say thanks a bunch for helping me figure out what was causing my scary rash. Who would have known that too much tumeric would cause my liver to go into detox overdrive. Thanks for also turning me on to making bone broth and using probiotics for skin and gut health. I am still mindful of using the probiotics. I loved the experience of really having someone listen to my heatlh concerns. You are very cool, and I have mentinoed your name and services to many people as you were so much help to me. Love and light and hope to see you again soon.”
–Elizabeth C., Eugene, Oregon
“As a nurse who has a solid knowledge of nutrition, I really appreicated the nutritional analysis Ellen provided that gave me a visual representation of where my body was in balance, and where I could improve and use some support. It was really interesting to see the reports that showed potential nutrient deficiences, and I appreciated the suggestions about what to do differently with my diet based on my report of findings. The assessment process Ellen used was efficient and well thought out, and the visual aids were helpful. I appreciated the personalized nutrition plan/protocol, and I think if more people were aware of how poorly they ate and the effect on their health, they would be getting consults and recommendations about how to eat better.”
–Carole B. T., Eugene, OR
“Ellen is passionate about nutrition and her knowledge and expertise helps to cut through the mountain of conflicting information available to consumers. Not only did I learn about using food to optimize my heath and energy, but we also brought to light some of my emotional issues with food. Ellen guided me in designing a nutritional program that WORKS for me. I’m enjoying exploring healthy, nutritious food without feeling like the changes are overwhelming. I feel better and have more energy and my blood sugar has stabilized!!”
— Kristen K., Eugene, Oregon
“Living with an autoimmune disease is difficult at best. Working with Ellen has helped me eliminate the foods that contribute to inflammation and pain while adding supplements that help me to manage the disease and associated discomfort. After working with Ellen, I know that I am as far along with positive diet and lifestyle changes as possible. This has greatly enhanced my quality and enjoyment of life, and complements the medical care I receive. I highly recommend her services.”
— Edward B., Eugene, Oregon
“My mother, son and I attended your talk at the Eugene Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) last week. I just have to tell you how much I appreciated what you had to say. Yours was the best talk I’ve been to in a long time. You re-motivated me to get back on track with our family’s health. Thank you for helping me find the way to good eating once more.”
–Cindy S., Eugene, Oregon
“Thank you so much for your expertise and hard work. I am glad to refer you to others. I will read the ‘personalized nutrition plan’ now and save it as a reference. I feel healthier and have less knee pain, and I attribute that to your good counseling.”
–Karen A., Eugene, Oregon
“Thanks for all your great work. My clients benefit immensely. I will continue to send referrals your way.”
–Social Service Counselor: Kay C., Eugene, OR
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