Meet Ava Nouri of Ava Nouri Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ava Nouri

Hi Ava, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi! I’m Ava Nouri, an Integrative and Functional Registered Dietitian and the host of the Loving Wellness Podcast.

My journey into holistic nutrition and functional medicine began long before I formally studied them. Growing up as a child of immigrants, food was more than just sustenance; it was tradition, culture, and connection. Vibrant Persian dishes made with fresh herbs, warming spices, and deeply nourishing ingredients were regular staples in our household. But as we settled into life in the U.S., our eating habits slowly shifted. Traditional home-cooked meals were replaced with the convenience of fast food and processed snacks, a common experience for many immigrant families adapting to a new lifestyle. After years of eating fast food daily, I knew deep down that it wasn’t supporting my health.

And so began my fascination with nutrition. As early as middle school, I became curious about how food truly impacts the body. But my early exposure to “health” was very much shaped by mainstream diet culture. I absorbed the idea that wellness was achieved through restriction, which slowly and sneakingly turned into the belief that the less I ate, the “healthier” I was. But despite doing everything I believed was “right” and “healthy,” I felt the complete opposite.

Towards the end of high school, I reached the point where my body was screaming for change. And I finally had the wit to listen. I began to unlearn the harmful messaging I had internalized and re-learn what I grew up with; health is about nourishment. Our bodies don’t thrive on restriction- they need real, whole foods and the right nutrients to function optimally. This realization led me to pursue a degree in Dietetics and Nutritional Science at UC Berkeley, where I deepened my understanding of the connection between food, health, and the human body. Yet even with all this new knowledge, I was still dealing with my own health struggles. From fatigue and digestive discomfort to hormonal imbalances, nothing seemed to have a clear cause.

As I continued my studies through a dietetic internship and graduate degree at NYU, my symptoms became even harder to ignore. I felt exhausted, bloated, and just off. I sought help from conventional medicine, hoping for answers, but felt like I wasn’t left with much. So I decided to take things into my own hands and dug deeper into functional medicine. And that was when everything shifted. Early on in my education, I knew I wanted to go down the integrative route, but studying functional medicine finally confirmed that for me. I learned that symptoms are the body’s incredible way of communicating imbalances. Thus, true healing requires looking deeper, addressing the root cause rather than just masking discomfort. I also learned that healing is never one-size-fits-all, and when it comes to our wellness, there are so many factors in play. From gut health and environmental toxins to inflammation and stress, there is so much more to health than just food. And as I dove deeper into my own healing, I began to understand that true wellness goes beyond the physical body- it’s also deeply emotional and spiritual. No amount of “perfect” eating or supplements could fully heal me if I was stuck in a cycle of fear and disconnection from myself. Through my own spiritual journey, I reconnected with my body in a completely new way, learning to unlock and trust its wisdom rather than constantly trying to control or “fix” it.

Now, as a functional dietitian, I’ve combined all of these learnings from my personal experiences, extensive education, and clinical expertise into my unique, holistic approach that blends science with intuition & intention to help clients transform into their happiest, healthiest selves through individualized, root-cause care. I call it the Loving Wellness® Method, because I believe that true healing happens when we move away from rigid, fear-based approaches to health and instead learn to treat our bodies with radical self-love and deep nourishment. Healing isn’t linear. Our health is meant to evolve with us, through all the seasons, changes, and phases of life. That’s why I focus my method on helping others not only uncover the root of their health concerns but also transform their relationship with their bodies- so that every health decision they make comes from a place of trust, care, and compassion, rather than punishment or perfectionism. Because we all deserve to reach our fullest potential for true health and well-being!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not! But every struggle has ultimately shaped me into the practitioner I am today. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is learning how to take care of myself while being a practitioner and supporting others on their healing journeys. There’s almost an unspoken pressure in the wellness space to have it all figured out. To always feel amazing, have perfect habits, and never struggle with your own stuff. But as I mentioned, healing isn’t linear, and just because I guide others doesn’t mean I’m immune to my own challenges.

As I started working with clients, I was so focused on helping them heal that I sometimes put my own needs on the back burner. It’s ironic that when you’re passionate about wellness, it’s easy to pour all your energy into others while neglecting yourself. I had to learn the hard way that boundaries, rest, and self-care aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities. That you have to fully take care of yourself in order to fully take care of others. It’s been a work in progress to find balance between showing up for my clients and honoring my own well-being, and I’ve really had to practice what I preach when it comes to listening to my body, managing stress, and allowing myself space to recharge. The saying “you can’t pour from an empty cup” couldn’t be more true!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Ava Nouri Wellness is my functional nutrition and wellness practice. I specialize in gut health, women’s health & hormonal balance, thyroid conditions, skin concerns like acne, and blood sugar management. I work with people who, like I once did, feel unsupported with a conventional approach and are searching for root-cause answers to their chronic symptoms.

What sets my practice apart is that I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions or generic protocols. Every person I work with is unique, and so is their healing journey. That’s why I prioritize a deeply individualized approach, combining what I know about someone’s symptoms and lifestyle with insights from advanced functional lab testing to uncover what’s really going on beneath the surface. From there, I create custom healing plans rooted in whole food nutrition, targeted supplementation, and holistic lifestyle shifts to support balanced, lasting wellness. But as my clients have shared, the true magic happens in the sessions we have, where I integrate intuition, mindfulness, and self-love into every step of the healing process. I firmly believe that it’s not just what we do for our health, it’s how we do it. Where other dietitians stop at the food, I go deeper. My mind-body-spirit approach helps clients do more than just rebalance their gut, hormones, and metabolism. It helps them reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and build lasting self-trust.

I’m most proud of creating a brand that is education-focused and empowerment-driven. So many people are told their symptoms are “normal” when they’re actually just common- and there’s a big difference! My mission is to change the conversation around health, teaching others how to listen to their bodies and advocate for their well-being.

My offerings include 1:1 functional nutrition coaching packages, where I work with clients using the framework and approaches I have shared about above. I also do corporate wellness workshops, where I teach actionable, science-backed strategies to optimize energy, digestion, stress management, and overall well-being to help teams feel their best in and outside of the workplace. I’m also passionate about making functional health accessible, which is why I share tons of free information on Instagram, my podcast, and my newsletter!

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
So many people have helped shape this journey!

I’ve been very lucky to have incredible mentors and fellow practitioners in the functional wellness space who have guided me along the way. Learning from others who are just as passionate about root-cause healing has been invaluable. I have learned SO much from my mentor Amanda Montalvo, who has been a functional dietitian in the women’s health space for years, and I couldn’t be more grateful for her. I also have Dr. Aviva Romm to thank for teaching me so much about integrative and functional medicine. Training under her was such an eye-opening experience and I am immensely thankful to have had that opportunity.

I have the most supportive and amazing parents in the world, and none of this would be possible without them. My partner AJ has been my rock throughout the entire journey of getting to where I am now, from going through my training and education to starting my career/business and beyond. And of course, my many other family members and friends who have supported me every step of the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.avanouriwellness.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avanouriwellness/
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/loving-wellness/id1521866831