Today, we are replaying one of our most popular episodes of the Viva la Mami podcast!
In this episode, we welcome Mariana Dineen, a registered dietitian and founder of Elemento Health. She shares the importance of nutrition within the Latino community, especially for mothers striving to adopt a healthier lifestyle while preserving cultural traditions. Mariana emphasizes the significance of cultural relevance in nutrition counseling, overcoming language barriers, and the unique challenges faced by the Latino community in accessing healthcare.
She offers practical strategies for meal planning and managing chronic diseases like diabetes through a cultural lens, stressing the importance of balance and inclusion rather than the elimination of cultural foods. We also touched on the impact of stress on eating habits, particularly for busy Latina moms, and how to address these issues holistically.
Mariana’s commitment to cultural sensitivity in her practice, Elemento Health, underscores her dedication to providing accessible and empathetic nutrition care. If you’ve ever felt shame about your cultural foods or struggled to find a healthcare provider who truly gets you, this episode is for you.
To read the original blog post, click here.
About Our Guest
Mariana Dineen, MS, RD | Founder of Elemento Health
Mariana Dineen is a proud Latina dietitian, mother of three, and the founder of Elemento Health. Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, Mariana moved to New York in 2009 to pursue her Master’s in Clinical Nutrition at NYU. She lived and worked in New York until 2018, when she relocated to Houston for two years, before finally settling in Chicago in 2020. As part of a bicultural family, with a non-Latino husband, Mariana embraces both her cultural roots and her family’s diverse background.
