Photographing your moments in San Francisco, California

free snack guide

HOME

foundations

private coaching

community

BLOG

resources

ABOUT

hi, i'm lauren!
a healer and Expert functional registered dietitian nutritionist.

As a young girl, I spent many days in my mother’s organic garden learning about herbs and the role that specific nutrients have in our healing. Being near plants and growing up in my Greek culture instilled in me a deep appreciation of food as medicine and holistic health.

At the age of 17, I left my hometown of San Diego, California to cheer competitively in college. It was during this time that I began to deal with unexplainable hormone irregularities that could not be solved by conventional medicine. I had every test run, saw every specialist and tried every strategy, yet nothing seemed to work for me. I felt so defeated, ignored and frustrated that nobody could help me. Without a normal menstrual cycle and with such terrible GI pains, I felt disconnected to my body and began to feel stress around all of my health behaviors. 

Opportunely, I was just beginning my degree in Dietetics and studying functional medicine, science and nutrition. While in my fellowship, I interned with a functional medicine doctor and dietitian. They ordered advanced diagnostic tests and provided me with answers and direction that finally facilitated healing within my body. After four long years feeling hopeless, these tests and protocol restored a sense of hope and healing in my body.

From this healing experience I became deeply invested in immersing myself more in learning about functional medicine and endocrinology for many years (and still do!). I love that practicing functional medicine embodies so many similarities to my cultural Greek roots. I call this The Athenian Way and it embodies: food as medicine, healing with herbs and nature, restoring homeostasis in the body and mind-body balance.

I began my career working in various high performance settings. My initial dream was to bring food as medicine and functional nutrition to the active population. I completed a post-graduate fellowship and then went on to become the nutrition coordinator for the UCLA athletics department. In this role I was involved in department research with the UCLA medical center, clinical nutrition counseling, supplement compliance and performance nutrition education. I then took a position with Texas Tech Football to start a functional nutrition program. As I continued to learn and see more and more individuals over the years I couldn't help but see that in order to solve these complex health imbalances, I needed to practice true functional medicine nutrition.  I left high performance and began consulting with an internal medicine office with patients ages 45 - 85 dealing with everything from heart disease, diabetes, kidney stones, menopause to cancer. What I learned from this work was that all individuals want to perform at a high level and that functional nutrition was the answer to help them get there. I saw countless patients reverse health conditions, get off lifelong medications and restore vitality so that they could show up for the things that mattered most to them in life. I knew I had to share this work with more and more people. I took all of the best practices I learned from seeing what and how people heal and founded Functional Fueling.

My hope is that Functional Fueling may feel like a soft place to land and a safe space to heal where you know you are in the best hands. That every detail of your health has been thought after and that your individual needs, wants, dreams and visions are always supported.


Meet the Founder

Learn more about Functional Nutrition here >>

Helping you achieve your most vibrant health so that you can show up as your most vibrant self in what matters most to you in life is why we do what we do.

I believe my personal background and experiences facilitated my purpose and gift. Furthermore, they taught me how to be compassionate and empathetic as a healthcare provider.

MY PERSONAL VALUES AND PHILOSOPHY IS WHY I DO WHAT I DO

• 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 in functional endocrinology and performance dietetics 

Advanced Education Trainings:
functional endocrinology, women's hormones, integrative fertility, integrative sports nutrition, advanced root cause inflammation, long covid and mold, advanced detoxification methods, advanced blood chemistry


previous professional appointments:
  • University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) (teams, Clinical nutrition and Research)
  • Private Physician's Medical Associates concierge medicine
  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Lecturer)
  • texas tech university football (nutrition director)
  • usa swimming (travel dietitian)
  • institute of lifestyle, family and preventive medicine (dietetic internship)

I have and will always be committed to receiving mentorship and wisdom from leaders in the field of functional/integrative medicine and endocrinology. Below are some of the formal education I have received over the years. 


540

clients' health rejuvenated IN 2022

1,512

cups of SPARKLING WATER DRANK

2,160

lab tests analyzed

The Functional Fueling Difference

  •  Quick identification of the underlying causes of your health imbalances

  • Traditional science and alternative medicine formal education

  • Holistic view that encompasses mind-body wellness

  • Customization to your lifestyle needs

  • Unique expertise in: functional medicine, endocrinology and human performance 

  • Enhanced personal practitioner access, direct message and email

  • Gentle yet direct and concise approach

  • Limited patient enrollment


Chief  Dietitian + Founder

I'm the chief dietitian and founder of FFN. I'm the mom of two crazy German Shorthair Pointer pups and a wife to a smart, heart-centered man. Outside of hormones and functional nutrition I have a true passion for natural food stores, my Greek culture, architecture and pottery.

MEET THE TEAM

I'm one of the functional medicine registered dietitians at FFN. I'm committed to helping individuals from a whole-person perspective. When not listening to podcasts, I love spending time with my dog, Kira, playing soccer, hiking and trying new restaurants!

Credentials:
Licensed Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Bachelor's Degree in Biology from UC Berkeley
Master's Degree in Nutrition & Longevity from USC
12 month apprenticeship under Lauren

 Dietitian

lauren papanos

romana brennan

our services

become a member

book a consult

advanced lab testing

functional medicine nutrition

herbal medicine

hormone smart exercise