Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Gemmel.
Hi Kelly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I became a Registered Dietitian in January of 2002 after earning a Bachelors of Science in Dietetics from Michigan State University and completing my Dietetic Internship through Loyola University Chicago. My career started in Chicago working in community nutrition in a WIC clinic on the Northwest side of the city. I soon transitioned into a clinical position at the University of Chicago Medical Center where I stayed for 6 years, working in oncology, obstetrics, critical care, neurology and eventually bariatrics. I served as the Bariatric Surgery Program Director my final two years in Chicago, and then served in the same role in a surgical practice in Lansing, MI after becoming a Mom and moving closer to home to be near family. After the birth of my second child, I decided to hang up my bariatrics hat and try something new – functional medicine. I became a Certified LEAP Therapist in February of 2013, to help those with immune responses to food, and opened my private practice in March 2013. I continued to work on furthering my knowledge and skills in functional medicine by completing coursework through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) Functional Medicine Certification Program (IFMCP) from 2017-2020. Today, my private practice focuses on addressing gastrointestinal dysfunction and disorders, and achieving whole body wellness through optimizing gut health.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Becoming a Mom shifted my life direction, but in a positive way. Being in private practice, I was able to take a couple years off from practicing to be home with each of my boys, and to take courses in functional medicine. The medicine and healthcare landscape has changed quite a bit since I became a dietitian in 2002, and continues to change with emerging science, the ever-changing political climate, and, of course, the COVD pandemic shutdown. With regards to the latter, I feel fortunate to have quickly shifted to telehealth, which allowed me to continue seeing clients after my physical office space was no longer available to me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
By specializing in gut health, I am able to reach the large number of individuals struggling with gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, altered GI function without a diagnosis, and other disorders (i.e., autoimmune, allergies/sensitivities, skin disorders, etc.) that may be related to GI dysfunction. My functional medicine training and two decades of experience in dietetics set me apart from other dietitians and healthcare providers in that I possess a unique skill set to help people improve their overall heath and wellness through optimizing their nutrition and gut health. I am most proud of building and maintaining my private practice, and continuing to pursue knowledge & skills outside of my traditional dietetics training to make me a better healthcare provider.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Go with the flow, and trust your gut (pun intended ;).Do what lights you up! Change can be uncomfortable and scary, but if you feel excitement with where you’re headed, you’re on the right path.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.innovativehealthmi.com
- Instagram: innovative_health_mi
- Youtube: @innovativehealthmi
