Today we’d like to introduce you to Ilene Cohen
Hi Ilene, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi, I’m Ilene. I created Pranaspirit Nutrition & Wellness LLC to allow people to experience a more holistic and integrative form of nutrition coaching.
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) since 2000, my personal journey solidified by my training showed me how important nutrition was to our well-being. What we ate was the key to providing our body with the nutrients to keep us healthy, to heal and to create the life we wanted to live.
In college, I majored in business management because I wanted to be like my father who was a successful business owner. I lived with a roommate who was vegan. I knew nothing about vegetarian nutrition at the time but I was always a foodie. I started eating vegan food and became vegan.
Over time, I became iron deficient (there are not nearly as many bioavailable iron sources so you have to know how to plan your diet). Then a couple of years later I developed a soy intolerance. As most of my diet included a lot of soy products this all made being vegan more of a challenge! Aside from reactions from soy milk and anemia, I still felt better eating more vegetables!
I let go of being vegan to expand my food options, but maintained my interest in nutrition and healthy cooking and eating and enrolled in a Master’s program in nutrition at NYU then did my dietetic internship and became a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
Even after I became an RDN, while on paper I had a nutritious and varied diet things didn’t improve enough in the adverse food reactions department. In addition to being severely lactose intolerant, I had continued digestive issues, so I took a great interest in digestive health. I worked with the low FODMAP diet but then expanded into offering food sensitivity testing and micronutrient testing through which I’ve helped many clients resolve their symptoms.
In 2013, I made the decision to leave my full-time hospital clinic job, and go into private practice exclusively. I then founded PranaSpirit Nutrition & Wellness LLC. Having been a dedicated yogi and yoga teacher since 2007 I started combining yoga, yoga therapy and nutrition in my work with clients. I pursued yoga therapy programs and became a certified yoga therapist and love the combination of nutrition and yoga therapy. It’s so holistic as it’s much more than just what people eat that plays a role in their health.
I merged my expertise as a yoga therapist to create mindfulness meditations, guided imagery and breathing techniques for my clients to give them tools to manage stress better. In addition to my work with PranaSpirit, I also now own and operate a nutrition tutoring and test preparation company to prepare nutrition students to pass their board exams. I weave in yoga and stress reduction techniques to help them manage test anxiety.
My greatest specialty right now is food sensitivities and intolerances, for which I offer clients testing through the MRT (Mediator Release Test) which is amazing at identifying specific foods people are sensitive to and the degree of sensitivity. We then come up with a targeted game plan as an elimination and reintroduction diet to help them feel better then ever before.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of my greatest challenges was spending years trying to figure out my food sensitivities. Even with all my knowledge as a dietitian, I struggled with unexplained digestive issues, fatigue, and food reactions. It wasn’t until I discovered the MRT (Mediator Release Test) that I was able to finally pinpoint the foods causing inflammation in my body. Through the test, I identified specific food sensitivities and worked on eliminating them through a targeted game plan that included an elimination and reintroduction diet. This process transformed my health, and I felt better than I had in years. This experience has become a cornerstone of my practice, helping clients find relief from their own food sensitivities.
Another major obstacle came in 2015 when I was diagnosed with stage 1 kidney cancer. At the time, I was just getting my NYC-based private nutrition counseling practice, PranaSpirit Nutrition & Wellness, up and running, and I had recently gotten in-network with several insurance companies. I was looking forward to expanding my practice and continuing to specialize in gastrointestinal health, but after my annual physical, I got some alarming news. The doctors had found what appeared to be a tumor in my right kidney.
I remember waiting anxiously after the physical, not expecting anything out of the ordinary. A few days later, I decided to call my doctor, only to find out that further testing was required. After an MRI and other tests, I was referred to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) for surgery. I was terrified, but I knew I was in the best hands. My surgeon performed laparoscopic surgery and was able to save 85% of my kidney while successfully removing the tumor. I was incredibly lucky that it was caught early, but the recovery was still tough.
I had to temporarily close my private practice and cancel major career plans, including my trip to attend FNCE (The Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition), which is the biggest dietetics convention. During my recovery, I stayed at my brother and sister-in-law’s home since my Manhattan apartment was a 5th-floor walkup, which wasn’t an option after major surgery. As I rested and healed, I was contacted by a few future dietitians who had heard that I had experience tutoring for a company, and they asked if I could help them with their board exams since they had failed. Despite being in recovery, I agreed to tutor them online, and from there, things took an unexpected but rewarding turn.
I worked with a small group of students, and after a few sessions with me, they passed their exams. I realized there was a real need for this kind of support, and that was the start of what would eventually become my nutrition tutoring and test preparation company. It allowed me to help other dietitians achieve their dreams, even while I was in the midst of my own recovery.
Looking back, I realize that my battle with kidney cancer, while one of the toughest challenges I’ve faced, also led me to discover a new path that I might never have found otherwise. It gave me the chance to combine my knowledge of nutrition with my passion for teaching and helping others succeed. That, along with my personal health struggles, has shaped the way I approach my work today. It has shown me that resilience is key and that sometimes the greatest obstacles can lead to the most unexpected and rewarding opportunities.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about PranaSpirit Nutrition & Wellness, LLC?
PranaSpirit Nutrition & Wellness, LLC is a holistic and integrative nutrition practice where I combine my expertise as a Registered Dietitian and Certified Yoga Therapist with the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, the sister science to yoga. What sets my practice apart is this unique blend of evidence-based nutrition, functional testing, and holistic healing practices from both Eastern and Western traditions.
I’m currently in an Ayurvedic Health Coach/Counselor training program at Kerala Ayurveda Academy, and I incorporate this ancient Indian health system into my work with clients. Ayurveda emphasizes the balance of mind, body, and spirit, and I use it alongside modern nutrition science to help clients achieve true wellness. This integrative approach is particularly effective for clients dealing with digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, and stress-related health concerns.
I also specialize in functional nutrition testing, including micronutrient, hormone, and digestive health/microbiome testing. These tests allow me to dig deeper into the root causes of my clients’ health issues and create highly personalized, targeted nutrition plans. I offer services in both English and Spanish, and having a Cuban heritage, I have a strong connection with Spanish-speaking clients, helping them navigate their health while honoring their cultural food preferences.
Brand-wise, I am most proud of my commitment to truly holistic care. My approach integrates nutrition, functional testing, yoga therapy, Ayurveda, meditation, and breathwork to help clients achieve long-lasting results.
At PranaSpirit, we focus on the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—and I’m here to guide clients on a wellness journey that goes beyond just food. Whether it’s through personalized nutrition plans, functional testing, or stress management tools, my goal is to empower clients to take charge of their health and live their best lives.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck, in both its forms, has played an interesting role in my life and business. There have been moments where bad luck seemed to show up in full force, like when I was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015. It was an incredibly challenging time, both personally and professionally. I had just started growing my private practice, and suddenly, everything was put on hold. I had to temporarily close my practice, cancel career plans, and focus on my health. But what I’ve learned is that sometimes, what feels like bad luck is just the beginning of something transformative. During my recovery, I discovered my passion for tutoring dietitians, which led me to build a successful test preparation business that I never would have imagined.
On the flip side, I’ve also been fortunate enough to experience good luck. Being in the right place at the right time, like living down the street from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, meant I had access to the best possible care during my cancer journey. That good fortune saved my life and allowed me to come back stronger than ever. Additionally, my love for nutrition, yoga, and Ayurveda has always felt like a guiding light, bringing opportunities and people into my life that have helped me grow both personally and professionally.
Ultimately, I believe that while luck may play a role, it’s what we choose to do with those moments—whether good or bad—that defines our path. I’ve turned challenges into opportunities and used every stroke of good luck as fuel to keep pushing forward. I want to end on a positive note by saying that I am grateful for the twists and turns in my journey. They’ve shaped me into who I am today and led me to build a business that’s aligned with my passion for helping others heal and thrive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pranaspiritnutrition.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theayurvedadietitian/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilene.cohen.yoginiRD/
Image Credits
Bernadette Marciniak of Solhaus Media
