Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Q: What is Metabolic Zen?

Metabolic Zen was born from the belief that simplicity and nutrition can co-exist to create a harmonious experience in the way we eat, think about, and utilize food. There is no shortage of trends, misinformation, and marketing that promise to make you “healthy” and deliver “real results”.Metabolic Zen offers something entirely different. Candice takes a bold, evidence-based approach to nutrition by carefully deciphering our bodies’ needs and translating them into real whole food recommendations we can all understand and implement. She understands that sometimes our bodies and minds don’t always cooperate the way we would like, but with a little nutritional creativity, science, and compassion she can resolve your complex eating, feeding, performance, and physiological concerns. The best part is, together, you and Candice will attain sustainable, honest, and realistic results! Let Candice help you, your child, or your family achieve Metabolic Zen, bringing harmony back into your eating and feeding, and into your life.

Q: How do Virtual Appointments Work?

For your convenience, all appointments are Virtual.Set up is as easy as 1, 2, 31. Download the Healthie App from your app store or visit Healthie on your Desktop.2. Set up your account, fill out the required documents, upload any relevant labs/notes/tests3. Candice will call you at the time of your appointment

Personalized Nutrition with Candice Erstad, MS, RDN

Welcome to a different kind of healthcare experience. As a seasoned Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Candice listens to your story, understands your unique needs, and uses her functional medicine expertise to address the root causes of your health concerns.

Comprehensive Nutrition Care for All Ages

Candice specializes in:

Digestive Health

Chronic constipation and diarrhea
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Crohn’s Disease
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

Women's Health

Infertility
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Pregnancy nutrition
Gestational diabetes
Menopause support

Pediatric Nutrition

Growth and development concerns
Childhood weight management
Nutrient deficiencies
Feeding difficulties

Food-Related Concerns

Allergies
Sensitivities
Intolerances
Food aversion
Picky eating

Metabolic Health

Diabetes
Prediabetes
High cholesterol

Thyroid Health

Hypothyroidism
Hashimoto’s disease

General Wellness

Nutrition resets for when you feel out of sync with your body

Whether you’re dealing with a specific condition, seeking support for your child’s nutrition needs, or simply looking to optimize your overall health, we’re here to create a tailored nutrition plan that addresses your unique needs and goals.

Proven Impact

of Customized Nutrition

We are committed to helping you achieve lasting results through realistic and sustainable plans that fit your lifestyle. Our approach is designed to:

Enhance Overall Wellbeing

Reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, boost energy levels and mental clarity, improve digestive health and regularity.

Support Weight Management

Achieve and maintain a healthy weight, develop sustainable eating habits.

Optimize Health Metrics

Normalize blood sugar levels, improve cholesterol profile, thyroid support, correct vitamin and mineral levels.

Nurture Women’s Health

Support your body through various life stages, promote fertility and pregnancy health, optimize postpartum recovery, navigate hormone imbalances, regulate gestational diabetes.

Expand Dietary Horizons

Overcome food aversions, introduce new nutritious foods to your diet.

Elevate Family Nutrition

Improve overall nutrition quality for you and your loved ones, develop strategies for convenient and healthy family meals.

“Candice has been phenomenal to work with. I started seeing her after getting some unsettling blood results and increased weight gain. Working with Candice I was able to get all my blood results back into normal/healthy ranges. I completed an elimination diet to identify food sensitivities/triggers, and the cherry on top, I was able to lose and keep off the weight I had gained. I really appreciate that Candice looks at the whole person and not just the food intake. Candice is kind and makes your appointment a safe space to open up.”

“Working with Candice has greatly improved my quality of life. Candice takes a lot of pride in helping you live your best life through nutritional counseling - she considers you holistically and not just a part of you. She considers a variety of interesting elements - it is not just about diet! She simplifies things as much as possible for you so that everything is stress-free and easy for you to understand and implement. I have recommended her to my friends and family. Thank you, Candice!”

"I have been working consistently with Candice for over two years. She tackles my complex medical problems and autoimmune illnesses like a puzzle and has never given up on me. Candice is flawless in setting achievable and realistic goals while keeping it simple. She does all the necessary research and puts in the work for me, providing guidelines, food plans and/or specialized diets, supplements, and direct links to attain cost-effective products that fit my limited budget, ensuring that I am not mentally overwhelmed or stressed financially."

“Candice has been the most helpful professional throughout my pregnancy and postpartum. She listens, provides amazing recommendations, and truly cares about my overall health and wellbeing. She takes the time to explain everything and is very knowledgeable. I am happy I now have a good handle on my health thanks to her care!”

"Candice has not only been able to help me lose weight but keep the weight off. Her continuous support and her willingness to troubleshoot problems within my diet are qualities I have not found in any other provider."

"I first saw Candice after an ectopic pregnancy that affected my fertility. My journey with her since then has been wonderful. She understands the role nutrition plays in healing your body and truly cares for her patient’s overall wellbeing. Six years later I now have 2 beautiful children. She helped guide me not just through my fertility issues but also was there for me through both my pregnancies and postpartum. She has become an invaluable resource for me and would highly recommend her to anyone!"

"Being cared for by Candice has been a refreshing experience for me. Apart from getting great care in general from my ob, but amongst the hustle and bustle of nurses and doctors that can have you feeling like you're just going with the flow, that 30 min with Candice is always a breath of fresh air. She is consistent, genuine, organized, and she always follows through. I feel like I'd be miserable if I wasn't getting the education I'm getting from Candice right now honestly. So I'm very appreciative of how hard she works to isolate a problem and actually follow through on finding a solution. Thanks so much for being amazing Candice, it has made a huge difference. I can honestly say this is the best care and attention I've ever gotten during a pregnancy. "

"Candice is an experienced metabolic nutritionist who devotes all of her skills, which are considerable, for the welfare of her patients."

"Candice is a treasure! She is extremely knowledgeable about her field, nutrition; but also goes above and beyond to understand both the child’s and families’ struggles with feeding/eating. She is very holistic in her approach and takes the time to educate families and support colleagues around pediatric nutrition."

"Candice has been a wonderful influence for our son. Her kind, encouraging, empathetic, and playful spirit is perfect for helping children in this area of their lives. She makes learning about nutrition fun and empowering for the child. Candice is a parent's gift. She always works with the parents' goals. Candice provides feedback and guidance to help support the child and parents as well. We are grateful to have Candice in our lives and would highly recommend her to any family looking to help their child with building a nutritious diet, even with severe restrictions."

"Candice is an incredible talent in the nutritional field. She has a passion for keeping up with the latest nutritional research and translates that information into patient care. She has the ability to work with a wide spectrum of patient conditions ranging from metabolic diseases, digestive disorders and multiple food sensitivities to the healthy individual looking to optimize health and prevent disease. Her clients love her and find her to be very approachable and willing to work with them wherever they are at in their motivation to change."

What to Expect

Your Journey Begins Here

At our practice, we understand that nutrition is deeply personal. It’s not just about what you eat, but how you think and feel about food. That’s why we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, we take the time to understand YOUR unique needs, preferences, and goals to create realistic and personalized solutions for your nutrition and health concerns.

Here’s what you can expect when you work with us:

1

Comprehensive Virtual Consultation

Detailed evaluation of your health history
Review of medical records and laboratory studies
Discussion of your specific questions and concerns

2

Personalized Nutrition Education

Evidence-based information, simplified for easy understanding
Tailored to your individual health needs and goals

3

Realistic Nutrition Plan

Designed to start your healing and rebalancing process
Focused on sustainable success

4

Customized Follow-Up Plan

Ongoing support tailored to your progress and needs at each follow-up appointment

Meet Candice

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Candice is a distinguished food and nutrition expert who transforms complex nutrition science into practical, achievable solutions for healthier living. With over 15 years of clinical experience and extensive training in metabolism, medical nutrition therapy, and Integrative and Functional Medicine, Candice offers a unique blend of expertise to her clients.

Education and Credentials

Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics (Magna Cum Laude)
Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics (Summa Cum Laude)
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
Functional Medicine training from the Institute of Functional Medicine
Member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Sought after presenter and educator

Professional Experience

Phoenix Children’s Hospital — Metabolic Dietitian (Genetics) — 4 years
University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine — 2 years
Southwest Human Development — Pediatric Nutrition Feeding Specialist — 9 years
Maricopa OBGYN—Women’s Health Nutrition Specialist — 8 years

Meet Candice

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Education and Credentials

Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics (Magna Cum Laude)
Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics (Summa Cum Laude)
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
Functional Medicine training from the Institute of Functional Medicine
Member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Sought after presenter and educator

Professional Experience

Phoenix Children’s Hospital — Metabolic Dietitian (Genetics) — 4 years
University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine — 2 years
Southwest Human Development — Pediatric Nutrition Feeding Specialist — 9 years
Maricopa OBGYN—Women’s Health Nutrition Specialist — 8 years

Harmonize Your Health With Metabolic Zen

Our approach is designed to empower you with knowledge and practical strategies, setting you on a path to lasting health and wellness. We’re here to support you every step of the way on your unique nutrition journey.

Candice’s Approach

Working one-on-one with patients, Candice uncovers the root causes of health conditions and designs individualized nutrition plans to restore balance. She takes a holistic approach, considering all aspects of a client’s health and lifestyle.

Collaboration is at the heart of Candice’s practice. She actively works with her clients’ other healthcare providers, including primary care physicians and specialists, to ensure comprehensive care. If a client needs services outside her scope of practice, she will provide appropriate referrals to ensure you receive the best possible care.

Whether you’re managing a specific condition or simply aiming to improve your overall health, Candice’s personalized and collaborative approach can help you achieve your wellness goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Metabolic Zen?

Metabolic Zen was born from the belief that simplicity and nutrition can co-exist to create a harmonious experience in the way we eat, think about, and utilize food. There is no shortage of trends, misinformation, and marketing that promise to make you “healthy” and deliver “real results”.

Metabolic Zen offers something entirely different. Candice takes a bold, evidence-based approach to nutrition by carefully deciphering our bodies’ needs and translating them into real whole food recommendations we can all understand and implement. She understands that sometimes our bodies and minds don’t always cooperate the way we would like, but with a little nutritional creativity, science, and compassion she can resolve your complex eating, feeding, performance, and physiological concerns.

The best part is, together, you and Candice will attain sustainable, honest, and realistic results! Let Candice help you, your child, or your family achieve Metabolic Zen, bringing harmony back into your eating and feeding, and into your life.

How do Virtual Appointments Work?

For your convenience, all appointments are Virtual.

Set up is as easy as 1, 2, 3

1. Download the Healthie App from your app store or visit Healthie on your Desktop.

2. Set up your account, fill out the required documents, upload any relevant labs/notes/tests

3. Candice will call you at the time of your appointment

Insurance and Billing

We strive to make our nutrition services accessible while maintaining the highest quality of personalized care. Here’s what you need to know about payment and insurance:

FSA/HSA Accepted: We can accept Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) cards for services with a supported medically necessary diagnosis.
Superbill for Insurance Reimbursement: After your paid session, we will provide you with a Superbill and all necessary supporting documentation. This allows you to submit a claim to your insurance provider for potential reimbursement if you have Medical Nutrition Therapy coverage.
What is a Superbill? A Superbill is a detailed receipt of services provided, which you can submit to your insurance company.
Reimbursement: The reimbursement rate is determined by your individual insurance provider. Please note that we cannot guarantee any specific reimbursement amount.
Submitting for Reimbursement: It is the client’s responsibility to submit the Superbill and follow their insurance company’s protocol for reimbursement.

We recommend checking with your insurance provider about your specific coverage for Medical Nutrition Therapy before your appointment.

For any questions about payment or insurance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Supplement Shop Links

As the nutrition supplement industry in the United States is not regulated, we strongly recommend utilizing science-based/professional grade products that we can be confident in. When we prescribe supplementation, it is to regulate biochemistry, and it is important that the body be actually getting what is needed.