A Better Way Nutritional Therapy with Leilani Wong

Leilani Wong is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner passionate about helping people simplify healthy eating and embrace the concept that food is medicine. Her practical and personalized approach empowers clients to feel confident planning and preparing nutritious meals nourishing their bodies and minds.

We sat down with Leilani to dive deeper into her philosophy and the transformative impact of nutritional therapy. Leilani’s holistic approach to nutritional therapy demonstrates how simple changes can lead to profound health transformations. Whether you want to improve digestion, balance hormones, or simplify your meal planning, Leilani guides you through every step. Connect with her today to start your journey toward better health.

Q: How do you see your clients improve digestion through nutritional therapy?

Leilani: Most people don’t realize that digestion is a north-to-south process that actually begins in your brain, not your mouth! Because your nervous system controls digestion, it’s crucial to de-stress before eating to optimize digestion and absorption. One of the simplest ways to do this is by taking five deep breaths and practicing gratitude before every meal.

It might sound small, but this helps shift your body from fight-or-flight mode to rest-and-digest mode. Healthy eating hygiene—like deep breathing, sitting relaxed, removing distractions, and chewing slowly—is one of the easiest yet most effective ways to improve digestion. I’ve had multiple clients come back and tell me their digestive discomforts significantly decreased just by incorporating these practices!

There’s more to improving digestion, of course, but I always start with these foundations to help clients build a solid base.

Q: Can nutritional therapy help manage stress and balance hormones?

Leilani: Absolutely! What I love about holistic nutrition is that we focus on the whole person—body, soul, and spirit. Many clients come to me for physical health concerns, but we quickly discover that addressing mental and emotional stress is just as important. Stress—whether physical or mental—is one of the biggest barriers to overall health, including hormonal balance.

The relationship between stress and hormones is like a light switch: when one is on, the other is off. Chronic stress signals the body to prioritize survival over hormonal balance, shutting down important functions. In my work, I help clients identify and reduce stressors, even ones they might not recognize, like environmental chemicals or fragrances. Once stress levels are lowered, physical symptoms often improve as a natural result.

Q: What sets you apart as a nutritional therapist for weight loss in Dallas, TX?

Leilani: Weight gain or loss is often the body’s way of communicating deeper issues. My approach focuses on addressing the root causes of weight fluctuations rather than just the number on the scale. By evaluating the whole lifestyle—nutrition, stress, sleep, and movement—I help clients build sustainable habits that naturally lead to a healthy weight.

Many clients start with weight loss as their main goal, but we quickly shift to addressing the foundations of health, like nutrient-dense eating, balanced hormones, and proper digestion. The body then adjusts to its optimal weight naturally. I also create personalized meal plans to fuel the body with nourishing foods and make healthy eating enjoyable.

Q: Which providers do you collaborate with to help clients achieve full-body results?

Leilani: I love working in Our Wellness Community because it allows me to collaborate with so many skilled providers. Chiropractic care is one of my go-to recommendations—shout-out to Dr. Lexi and Francisco! Aligning the spine and resetting the nervous system is essential for optimizing digestion, sleep, mood, and more.

I also often collaborate with Donette, our naturopathic doctor. She’s incredible at conducting in-depth testing and has a wealth of knowledge about whole-person health. These partnerships help ensure my clients receive comprehensive, well-rounded care for their mind, body, and spirit.

Q: How does nutritional therapy support autoimmune challenges or food sensitivities?

Leilani: Hippocrates said it best: “All disease begins in the gut.” For clients with autoimmune issues or food sensitivities, I focus heavily on healing the gut and reducing inflammation, as stress and inflammation are major contributors to these conditions.

For food sensitivities, I guide clients through elimination diets to identify triggers and work on gut healing to improve tolerance over time. By addressing the body’s foundations of health, clients often find relief from their symptoms and experience better overall health.

Q: Who benefits the most from meal prepping and planning, and what’s your process?

Leilani: My services are for anyone who wants to simplify healthy eating with a personalized strategy! I work with people from all walks of life—college students, busy parents, retirees, you name it. My goal is to create meal plans that fit seamlessly into their lifestyles and make healthy eating easy and enjoyable.

During our initial meeting, I take the time to understand each client’s health history, food preferences, and goals. From there, I craft a customized 7-day meal plan with recipes, grocery lists, and tips for simplifying shopping and food prep. For clients who want extra hands-on support, I offer in-person services where we grocery shop and meal prep together.

I’m passionate about making meal planning approachable and community-oriented. Cooking and eating with others makes the process more enjoyable and can even improve digestion and nutrient absorption.