90 Minute Initial Consultation With Ali Miller, RD, LD, CDE

Are you ready to take your knowledge of functional nutrition to the next level? Whether you're a health coach, registered dietitian, nutritionist, medical professional, or simply passionate about using food as medicine, our 12-week mentorship program is designed to transform the way you approach health and healing.

What you’ll experience:

This immersive mentorship combines clinical training, real-world application, and personalized business mentorship to help you grow as a confident, skilled, and impactful practitioner.

• 90-minute weekly live Clinical Functional Medicine Class with Ali and Becki
• 60-minute weekly live Food-as-Medicine Application Class with Ali and Becki
• Hands-on learning through weekly case studies, lab reviews, and protocol development with real time feedback
• Real-world application with practical assignments that you can translate directly into your own clinical practice such as recipe creation, research projects and marketing materials
• A supportive community of like-minded professionals to grow and learn with
• Personalized mentorship to help you refine your approach and build confidence
• Business and brand development to refine your niche, pricing structure, marketing, and business plan
• Access to a private Slack channel to ask questions, collaborate and pick Ali & Becki’s brains between classes
• Access to open office hours with Ali and Becki to troubleshoot complex cases, solidify concepts, and develop your unique approach
• The Ultimate Functional Medicine Lab Interpretation Guide with over 100 lab values including meaningful analysis, food-as-medicine and supplement interventions 
• 30+ handouts used in the Naturally Nourished Clinic
• 100+ hours of audio and video resources from the Naturally Nourished Podcast and YouTube curated to support your learning process

Who is This Program For?

This mentorship is ideal for professionals and passionate learners who want to gain practical, applicable functional nutrition expertise. Whether you’re already working with clients or just starting to build your skillset, you’ll gain the confidence and tools to make an impact.

• Registered Dietitians & Medical Practitioners wanting to integrate functional medicine into practice and learn more about the power of food-as-medicine
• Passionate Wellness Professionals who want to deliver better client results and level up their approach with cutting edge functional medicine tools
• Health Coaches & Nutritionists ready to sharpen their clinical skills and learn about labs and supplement

If you’re tired of feeling uncertain when reviewing labs, second-guessing your protocol recommendations, finding it impossible to stand out, or struggling to build a sustainable, impactful practice, this is for you.

What to Expect

• Each week, you’ll move through an expertly structured blend of live classes, case studies, clinical tools, and interactive projects. You’ll learn how to think like a functional practitioner, not just what to do.
• Gain confidence interpreting basic blood labs like CBC, CMP, Lipids, Thyroid and many more
• Learn to interpret and create protocols for advanced labs including DUTCH, GI Map, Labrix Neurohormone, Cellular Nutrient Analysis Micronutrient, Genetic SNPs, Food Sensitivity, Advanced Cardiometabolic, and more. 
• Learn how to create and present client-ready protocols using real-world case studies
• Participate in live discussions, Q&A, and round-table feedback with Ali & Becki
• Access downloadable handouts, cheat sheets, and reference tools you can use in your own practice
• Receive constructive feedback on assignments such as mock client intakes, protocols, and content creation
• Apply your learning immediately through projects like recipe development, detox class flyers, or client meal plans
• Join an intimate, like-minded group of practitioners committed to growth and collaboration
• You’ll build lasting relationships, gain accountability partners, and stay connected through ongoing learning opportunities offered exclusively to Naturally Nourished Academy alumni.

You’ll graduate with a toolkit of reproducible systems — from clinical templates and food-as-medicine guides to marketing blueprints and client flow models — designed to support both your practice and your business.

Classes are held: Wednesdays at 12pm-1pm CST and Fridays at 9am-10:30am CST

Dates: 

Week 1: 2/4, 2/6

Week 2: 2/11, 2/13

Week 3: 2/18, 2/20

Week 4: 2/25, 2/27

Week 5: 3/4, 3/6

Week 6: 3/11, 3/13

Off Midterm Break

Week 7: 3/25, 3/27

Week 8: 4/1, 4/3

Week 9: 4/8, 4/10

Week 10: 4/15, 4/17

Week 11: 4/22, 4/24

Week 12: 4/29, 5/1

All classes are recorded and uploaded within 24 hours of live class. It is recommended to attend at least 50% live for the most valuable experience.

What You’ll Learn:

Each week, we’ll deep dive into evidence-based functional nutrition topics, including the following:

Week 1: 

All About Antioxidants learn about what antioxidants are and how they impact the body on a cellular level, start to prescribe food-as-medicine with realistic applications, food combinations, and client goal setting. Present for 5 minutes on your selected high antioxidant food sharing unique properties, why it would be recommended, and how to support your clients in incorporating into their diet. 

Mastering the client intake process + Start to think like a functional medicine practitioner

Become a detective of the body & create a customized client intake you can use in your own practice. Learn about nutrition wheels and how to connect nutrient deficiency to symptoms and conditions. Understand how to dig deeper when your client has an area of concern. Submit a mock client intake video for critique and review. 

Week 2: 

Anti-Inflammatory Diet learn about which foods drive the most inflammation in the body and how to support your client in an elimination diet. Master the top antiinflammatory food recommendations and build out an anti-inflammatory meal plan. Learn how to establish a hook with your client for successful outcomes. Start to move from assessment to action in your client sessions creating protocols and interventions.

Interpreting foundational labs

Thoroughly learn all of the analytes of a doctor’s classic labs ordered: CBC and Comprehensive Metabolic Panel. We will also present on HS-CRP and Vitamin D as necessary biomarkers for wellness and why they matter. Put it into practice by reviewing and completing case study worksheets to be reviewed with customized feedback.

Week 3: 

How to determine your client’s caloric and macro needs

Explore the research behind nutritional ketosis and who would be an ideal candidate. Master the concept of glycemic index and why blood sugar balance matters. Learn how to calculate your client’s metabolic rate and how to set up macronutrient (carbs, protein, fat) ranges to support their metabolic goals. Take your client from week one intake and create an intervention plan including what other labs you’d want to explore, supplement priorities, calculate their metabolic rate and develop a customized 3 day meal plan.

Advanced Metabolic health & blood sugar control

Dig deep into key labs to understand your client’s metabolism including leptin, insulin, HgbA1C%, a complete thyroid panel. Learn the clinical applications and considerations of keto and intermittent fasting. Explore the use of coaching with a continuous glucose monitor. Learn about supplement priorities with metabolic areas of concern and the impact that stress has on metabolism. Work through case studies on perimenopause, PCOS, hypothalamic amenorrhea, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and hypoglycemia. 

Week 4: 

Heart Health Protocol

Learn about food-as-medicine for heart health including focused ingredients to consume in abundance as well as those to limit. Gather and understand the mechanisms of lifestyle medicine tools such as exercise, sauna, and grounding. Learn how to approach hypertension with supplement support and food-as-medicine. Create your own heart healthy recipe with food-as-medicine focus and submit a video or blog post.

Advanced Cardiovascular health

Understand the development of cardiovascular disease and how to interpret cardiovascular markers that matter. Learn about common medications and natural approaches to use in complement or as alternative. Understand the mechanisms of common cardiovascular medications and how to offset potential nutrient deficiencies. Develop a protocol for either hypertension, heart failure, myocarditis, hyperlipidemia, arrhythmia, or elevated hs-CRP. 

Week 5: 

Understanding Optimal Digestion

Learn the steps of the digestive process and common as well as complex areas of imbalance. Understand how absorption of nutrients can be compromised if digestive conditions aren’t optimized. Learn food-as-medicine and supplement support to regulate pH, enzymes, and bowel regularity. Learn about who would benefit from FODMAP and low-histamine diet as well as how to apply recommendations. Initiate a Probiotic Challenge with a client. 

Microbiome and Gut Infections

Learn about the impact of our microbiome on whole body health. Learn the differences of symbiosis and dysbiosis and how to assess for dysbiosis. Dig into GI Map lab results walking through each marker with clinical considerations. Learn how to support a client with parasites or pathogen infections in the gut with both diet and supplements. Understand why strain ID matters with probiotic supplementation. Complete a GI Map review and develop a custom protocol based on your findings. 

Week 6: 

Elimination Diet & Food Sensitivity

Learn about the top drivers of gut inflammation and how to develop an elimination diet for your client. Understand how to use the SCD and GAPS diet approaches for those dealing with inflammatory bowel or autoimmune disease. Learn about the MRT test and how you can use specific inflammatory blood report to navigate 170 foods and chemicals with your client. Interpreting a case study food sensitivity panel and create a tailored gut restoring meal plan. 

Leaky Gut and Bowel Inflammation

Learn lab markers of gut inflammation and leaky gut. Understand common medications used for gut conditions and where natural supplements can be used in place or to offset harmful impact. Learn about the role of bone broth and where a bone broth fast would be recommended and considerations of carnivore. Develop a protocol on a specific GI disease or condition such as GERD, IBS-D, Crohn’s Disease, Ulterative Colitis, Diverticulitis, SIBO or Candida. 

Woohoo Take a Midterm Break! We will give you optional work to refine your business plan 

Week 7: 

Understanding Hormones

Learn about estrogen, progesterone, testosterone in depth including factors of status and metabolites of each. Identify key nutrient deficiencies that drive hormone imbalance or low hormone production. Learn about female hormonal cascades and influences on menstrual cycle and the pregnenolone steal. Identify food-as-medicine ingredients to impact hormone metabolites and production. Make a hormone balancing recipe to share as blog or reel explaining 3 food-as-medicine ingredients and mechanism of action. 

Hormone Assessment and Balance

Dive deep into how stress impacts hormones. Learn about the role of DHEA on sex hormones and how adrenals and thyroid can influence. Explore men’s hormones and conditions. Learn how to interpret DUTCH hormone urinalysis, Labrix salivary panels, and blood markers of hormone status. Review Dutch and Labrix testing in a case study. Create a customized protocol based on a hormonal condition: estrogen dominance, PCOS, low progesterone, perimenopause, menopause, infertility and more. 

Week 8: 

All about the Adrenals and Stress

Learn about allostatic load and how mismanaged stressors can affect whole body health. Take a stress quiz and discuss assessment tools for stress levels in your clients. Learn about lifestyle ways to get the body into a parasympathetic regulatory state. Understand the role of the vagus nerve in stress regulation. Build out a stress assessment tool.

The HPA-axis

Go beyond the adrenals into the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal feedback, the HPA-axis, to learn about shifts when in sympathetic vs. parasympathetic mode. Understand the neurotransmitter impact on the autonomic nervous system. Learn how to assess and troubleshoot cortisol and neurotransmitter lab values. Submit a lab review with appropriate interventions on a complex set of cases. Develop a custom stress management plan including lifestyle changes, supplementation, food as medicine, and motivational interviewing to make it happen.

Week 9: 

Master the Stress-Craving Connection

Learn about foods that impact our neurotransmitter levels and how to support those with increased demand or deficiency. Explore coping mechanisms for food cravings with lifestyle, supplement, and food support. Review a case study in class tying together a DUTCH Plus and exploring metabolic-stress connection with round-table intervention. Develop a stress busting recipe discussing the impact or mechanism of 3-4 featured ingredients to post as blog or reel.

Neurological Conditions and Mood Management

Explore 10 neurotransmitters including serotonin, GABA, dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine. Learn about the commonly prescribed drugs for depression and anxiety, understand their mechanism of action, and potential nutrient deficiency patterns. Explore research on the role of supplements and targeted nutrients on neurotransmitters and mood disorders. Review case studies on neurotransmitters and discuss interventions in class. Research one nutrient or herb of focus to provide a monograph as client handout including historical use, mechanism of action, dosage/use, contraindications, and other properties of interest.

Week 10: 

Biochemical Detoxification

Unpack the myths of detox and understand the biochemical processes of phase 1 & phase 2 liver detox pathways. Learn about phytocompounds and nutrients that aid in supporting detoxification. Explore lifestyle ways to upregulate excretion of toxins. Create your own marketing flyer for a detox class and film your own detox recipe using featured food as medicine ingredients. 

Where to Start with Stubborn Metabolism?

Revisit considerations in hormones, thyroid, insulin resistance, inflammation, and even gut dysbiosis when exploring metabolic issues. Dig into the concept of toxicity driving mitochondrial imbalance as obesigenic. Explore labs to order based on case study scenarios. Discuss how to prescribe a bone broth fast and areas of modification to consider. Learn about heavy metal testing and natural interventions. Review 2 complex case studies live. Consider lifestyle sources of toxins including glyphosate, mold, metals, breast implants, and explore natural solutions. 

Week 11: 

How to Make Food-as-Medicine a Reality?

Learn about the different flavors and real food ingredients to use to balance things out to taste really good. Explore preparation techniques in vegetables and proteins as well as meal planning flows to support your client to make it happen. Master the Naturally Nourished ratios for best salad dressings and smoothies as well as ways to keep them interesting. Learn how to support your client in troubleshooting and motivation for progress. Set up food-as-medicine goals to replete deficiency of a case study and submit written goals and meal plan incorporating them taking into account unique client needs. 

Micronutrient Assessment

Learn about assessing for deficiency using both standard labs as well as advanced testing (white blood cell proliferation and HTMA). Understand why deficiency occurs and how to connect the dots of deficiency patterns. Identify drugs that commonly drive nutrient depletion. Clinical round up in class covering 2 complex cases: ADHD child and perimenopausal woman. Create a handout on a nutrient of focus and interpret a micronutrient panel as a case study identifying unique presenting trends. 

Week 12: 

Troubleshooting “outside the box” Clients + Building Your Brand and Business

Review the priorities in functional medicine approaches with clients and Naturally Nourished guidelines on best client outcomes and retention. Troubleshoot client challenges, goal setting & niche refinement. Understand the importance of connecting with your clients and locking into a hook. Take what you’ve learned into the real world with a business plan customized to your area of focus. This will be submitted in writing and reviewed over a live call with Ali + Becki.

Epigenetics and Genetic SNPs + Tying it all together

Learn about the role of genes and the epigenome impact of environment, diet, stress. Dig into 8 SNPs potential impact on health and how to tailor interventions accordingly, when, why and how to assess genetics. Review gut priorities and how to determine best interventions. Group review with 2 complex case studies (GI Inflammation + neurological disorder). Close it all out with a round table rapid fire. Create a protocol based on one genetic SNPs including COMT, MTHFR, FUT2, SOD, HLA-2, or GST1 taking into account unique diet and supplementation strategy as well as disease risk and specific labs to monitor. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to have a medical degree or certain credentials? What if I’m just getting started?

It is strongly recommended that you have a foundation in nutritional science and have taken some advanced coursework in biology, anatomy and physiology, and pathophysiology. As this is a mentorship not a certification, technically we don’t require certain credentials as you can learn from wherever you are and we’ve seen highly intelligent motivated self studies. With that being said, this is a high level professional program that uses advanced medical terminology, case studies, lab interpretation, and protocols with supplementation strategy. What you do with this mentorship may have career limitations based on your credentials.

Do I have to attend classes live? 

You do not need to attend the classes live but we strive to keep them interactive and engaging allowing for open conversations and live questions in the last 30 minutes of each class. With this said, assignments are done on your own time and are still graded individually providing customized feedback and experience if you must miss classes. To get your best value, we’d recommend striving to attend at least 50% of the classes live.  

How long do I have to complete the assignments?

Most assignments are due within 1 week with a couple at 2 weeks. 

What is the estimated weekly time commitment? 

We’d recommend allotting 7-10 hours per week for best results and experience. Weekly classes are 60 + 90 minutes, plan on 2-3 hours for homework, and 2-3 hours for resources and self learning supportive materials.

Do you have a payment plan option?

Yes, see payment details below. Early bird registration must be paid in full to take advantage of the substantial discount.

Can I get CEUs for this program? 

Yes, you can submit a nutrition program to the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) for self-study approval under the 710 activity type, which allows for continuing education units (CEUs) to be earned through self-paced learning materials; however, you must first submit a detailed application outlining your program content, learning objectives, and supporting documentation to CDR for prior approval before offering it as a self-study course to nutrition professionals.

Is there an option for ongoing mentorship after the 12 weeks ends? 

Yes, we will maintain an active Naturally Nourished Academy Alumni group and offerings for an annual gathering to continue to network and grow our passion for food-as-medicine. On a case by case basis there may be opportunities for additional mentorship or potentially internship opportunities.

Do you offer refunds?

No, this program is exclusive and limited to a small number of participants each round. We serve demands through an application process and lock in those selected confirmed with downpayment. Once a contract is signed for participation, payment is due in agreement with the payment plan with no exceptions or refunds. 

What results can I expect?

You’ll leave this program with confidence in your process, sharpened critical thinking skills, and a clear, evidence-based framework to support success in your functional medicine career. Over the course of 12 weeks, you’ll gain mastery in all core elements of functional medicine while identifying and refining your unique niche — whether that’s hormones, metabolism, gut health, or beyond.

This mentorship is designed to help you expand your impact and income:

• Grow your revenue streams by adding labs, supplements, and advanced testing to your offerings.
  
  
• Increase your audience and authority as you deepen your understanding of food-as-medicine and evidence-based interventions.
  
  
• Serve your clients with greater confidence and precision, using the tools, systems, and frameworks you develop throughout the program.