Hi, I’m Julie Matthews.
Autism Nutrition Specialist
Award-winning Author
Certified Nutrition Consultant
Julie Matthews is a Certified Nutrition Consultant specializing in healthy pregnancy, moms and babies, as well as therapeutic diet and nutrition for childhood disorders. She is dedicated to improving people’s health through strategic nutrition consultation and specialized diets.
Julie studied holistic nutrition through California state certified Bauman College: Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts and holds a Bachelor of Science from U.C. Davis in Agricultural and Managerial Economics. Julie is a member of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP), Chapter Leader of the San Francisco Holistic Mom’s Network, and nutritionist with the Mama’s Resource Network. She and her husband, Martin, host a weekly health and wellness radio show that airs live on independent radio in San Francisco.
Julie is a homebirth mom who believes in the innate wisdom of the body. She’s been researching and teaching nutrition and diet for healthy pregnancy and babies for ten years. After being told (by mainstream medicine) that she would most likely not be able to conceive naturally, she (as a nutritionist who knows the power of food) focused on natural approaches and good nutrition and became pregnant very easily and naturally at 39 years old.
Autism and Pregnancy Specialties
Julie consults with many families worldwide on nutrition for autism. Julie has intently studied the biochemistry and condition of autism, and the role of nutrition and therapeutic diets to help heal the body and relieve symptoms. She’s written a book, lectures, and has personally supported hundreds of families to help their children. Her intent study of autism concurrently drove her inquiry into nutrition for healthy babies, so she created workshops to prepare moms before, during, and after pregnancy with good nutrition.
Julie is the author of the award-winning book, Nourishing Hope for Autism, and creator of the Cooking To Heal cookbook and educational DVD. She lectures at the leading biomedical autism conferences in the US and abroad, publishes autism articles, and has a private nutrition practice in San Francisco. Julie is well respected among healthy pregnancy practitioners and parents and throughout the holistic health community. In March of 2010, Julie delivered her first child, a baby girl, safely at home with her husband, midwife, and doula’s support. Click here to visit Ruby’s website.
Holistic Nutrition Philosophy
Julie’s nutrition “philosophy” (that she refers to as “holistic nutrition”) involves trusting the innate wisdom of the body and its millions of years of evolution. While she utilizes supplements and herbs to assist with imbalances, she believes the best way to take in nutrients is how Mother Nature intended – through the foods we eat. She focuses on Traditional Healing Foods (avoiding modern food processing) as much as possible because organic whole foods, unprocessed dairy, traditional fermented foods, and other nutrient-dense foods are ideal ways to build nutrient reserves and support healing. Holistic nutrition addresses the whole person; including lifestyle, mind, body, spirit/energy, as well as how our food supply affects environment, animals, and the foods we eat.
Approach
Julie’s multifaceted approach to holistic health stems from her own journey to wellness. Dedicated to supporting the improvement of her clients’ health, she creates nutrition and lifestyle plans that best suit each person and can assist their navigation through the world of complimentary therapies. Her supportive “coaching” approach helps accelerate the realization of your health goals.
Since she understands how nutrition affects health and wellness, her prolific knowledge of biochemistry helps Julie identify specific foods and therapeutic nutrients to address a wide range of physical disturbances. She collaborates with many local physicians, naturopaths, and acupuncturists to discuss nutritional insights that aid their clients’ healing.
“The more I learn about different imbalances, the more I’m convinced that most chronic disease stems from a combination of environmental exposures and genetic predispositions (sometimes created by toxin exposure). In addition to the toxins in our world, the stressful attitudes and beliefs we hold as a culture and individually, all affect our health. Proper nutrition helps to naturally balance the body’s systems and aids in restoring overall health.”
When the body is:
- Burdened or overburdened by toxins
- Undernourished
- Exposed to stress (physical or emotional)
- Not digesting properly
- Not detoxifying adequately
- In a state of dysbiosis (imbalance of good and bad bacteria or microorganisms
Imbalances may result related to:
- Digestive malabsorption and microbial imbalance
- Oxidative stress
- Inflammation
- Immune system – over or under active
- Hormone or neurotransmitter imbalance
- Detoxification insufficiency
Individuality
Bioindividuality is key to nutrition. It is essential to understand as much as possible about the biochemical needs and environmental factors that are unique to each individual in order to best provide a customized nutrition plan. People are affected differently by toxins, diet, and stressors. Julie works with clients as their “nutrition detective” to help uncover which foods are not tolerated by an individual, and well as the foods and nutrients one can most benefit from given their circumstance and health objectives.
Focus on Children and Families
From the onset of her nutrition studies and professional career, Julie has specialized in Autistic Spectrum Disorders (including ADHD). Her passion for helping children fuels her drive to learn and find answers in order to best serve parents and children facing this epidemic. She has extensive knowledge of biomedical approaches, sulfation, and the disordered chemistry of ASDs. Her experience with childhood imbalances sparked her interest with consulting and educating women to optimize baby’s health early – during pregnancy and before conception. Supporting the nourishment of children and families is her personal mission; she provides healthy food choices and insights that are practical and delicious. Her approach is unique to the health needs, lifestyle, and desire of each woman, partner, and family. In addition to family nutrition (including dads), Julie works with most common health needs including digestion, weight loss, high cholesterol, and blood sugar.
Julie offers in person consultations at her office in San Francisco, and works with clients from around the world by telephone, e-mail, and Skype.
Julie Matthews, CNC
Autism Nutrition Specialist
- Award-winning author
- Autism Diet Consultant
- Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) Practitioner
- Radio Show Host
- Contributing Author – Autism File Magazine
- Creator: Cooking To Heal
Julie Matthews is an internationally respected Certified Nutrition Consultant specializing in autism spectrum disorders. She provides diet and nutrition intervention guidance backed by scientific research and applied clinical experience. Julie is a Defeat Autism Now! Practitioner, conference educator, and nutrition faculty member.
Julie supports families from around the world and collaborates with pediatricians, doctors, and researchers. She presents at leading autism conferences, writes for autism publications, and hosts a weekly radio program. Julie has a private nutrition practice and resides in San Francisco, California, with her husband and daughter.
Autism Diet and Nutrition Educator
Julie has presented at the leading biomedical autism conferences in the US and abroad