I am a firm believer that the food we eat and root cause treatment can truly change our life. I’ve seen it firsthand in my own life and in helping thousands of patients.

My philosophy is built on 5 things:

1. Get to the root cause
2. Use real, nourishing food
3. Base recommendations on preciseness and optimal, not “average”
4. Treat you as a whole person
5. Contribute to improving your quality of life

My credentials:

• Bachelor's Degree in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics with a minor in combined sciences
• Master’s Degree in Nutritional Sciences; Integrative Nutrition
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist through the Commission on Dietetic Registration
• Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics through the Commission on Dietetic Registration
• Advanced Education Trainings:
A4M Women's Hormones, The Centre for Integrative Sports Nutrition, Women's Health Nutrition Academy, Institute of Women's Health & Integrative Medicine, Root Cause Protocol Trainings, Great Plains Laboratory Environmental Toxins, Detoxification and Blood Chemistry with Metabolic Fitness, and more! (yes, I love learning!)

Lauren Papanos Bio:

Lauren Papanos is a highly experienced integrative registered dietitian and the owner of Functional Fueling Nutrition. Lauren is committed to helping patients use food and lifestyle as medicine for management of endocrine conditions and symptoms.

During her graduate studies and Dietetic Internship, Lauren had the opportunity through didactic education and mentorship to learn and implement functional nutrition. Following her Dietetic Internship she went on to complete a highly regarded sports nutrition fellowship. Through both of these experiences she was able to learn how to seamlessly integrate functional nutrition principles in many different conventional settings: acute care, outpatient and sports nutrition.

In 2016, Lauren established Functional Fueling Nutrition, a virtual nutrition practice that offers lab testing, individualized nutrition and supplement protocols for patient care. In 2021, Lauren created the brand, Strength in Hormones, a podcast, collective membership and hybrid program for women of all ages to overcome nutrition and lifestyle related hormone symptoms. 

Lauren strives to empower her patients to see food and lifestyle as the vehicle to healing and lifelong wellness. To take women from frustrated to high functioning and provide them with the clarity and education they deserve in order to live their healthiest, hormone-balanced lives.

Publications:

• Postoperative Body Composition in NCAA Division I Collegiate Athletes by Thomas Olson, Sai Devana, Lauren Papanos, and Sharon Hame

• Differential Relationships of Fear of Fat and Drive for Thinness with
Body Dissatisfaction, Dietary Intake, and Supplement Behaviors in
Athletes by Lauren Papanos and Mark D. Faries

• Dietary Intake Behavior in Male Collegiate Runners According to Disordered Eating Status by Elika Imandel, B.S. 1 , Michelle Barrack, Ph.D., RD, CSSD 1 , Michael Fredericson, MD, FACSM 2 , Emily Kraus, MD 2 , Andrea Kussman, MD 3 , Kristen Gravani, MS, RD 2 , Beth Miller, MS, RD 3 , Lauren Papanos, MS, RD 3 , Megan Roche, MD 2 , Rachel Blaine, DSc, RD 1 , Aurelia Nattiv, MD, FACSM

Organizations I’ve Worked With:

• Internship: Stephen F. Austin State University Athletics
• Internship: The Institute of Lifestyle, Preventive and Family Medicine
• Fellowship: Texas A&M University Athletics
• Consultant Dietitian: Private Physician’s Medical Associates 
• Department Coordinator: University of California Los Angeles Performance Nutrition and Spirit Teams
• Contractor: USA Swimming
• Department Director: Texas Tech Football 
• Consultant Dietitian: Carney Training Facility 
• Consultant Dietitian: Loyola Marymount University Soccer 

As Seen In:

• Bloom TV on WTTA Great 38 News
• Metabolic Meals 
• Cheer District App
• Los Angeles Marathon
• Women's Health 
• Shape 
• Active Network
• Insider
• Popsugar
• BYRDIE
• Today's Dietitian 
• Conscious Company Magazine 
• The Californian Newspaper 
• I Love to Watch You Play

Meet The Team: 

Ariel
Podcast Assistant

Romana Brennan, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian

Romana Brennan Bio:

Romana is a registered dietitian nutritionist committed to serving and supporting individuals from a whole-person perspective. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California at Berkeley, where she studied integrative biology, and went on to obtain her Masters of Science in Nutrition, Healthspan, and Longevity at the University of Southern California. 

With a longtime interest in integrative medicine and functional nutrition, Romana is fascinated by the power of food and lifestyle to heal and prevent chronic conditions and help people feel their best. Romana is thrilled to be joining the Functional Fueling team, and looks forward to supporting patients by equipping them with the knowledge and tools to reclaim their health and find what makes them feel energized, empowered, healthy, and strong.

Romana has completed extensive continuing education training with Functional Fueling Nutrition on functional nutrition in hormone and digestive related conditions and symptoms. She is accepting new patients and has availability on weekday evenings and weekends.