Our Philosophy
While most nutritional practices dwell on calories, carbs, fats, proteins and restrictive "good and bad" foods, The Whole Journey philosophy provides clients with the ‘tools’ to create happier, healthier lives in a way that is flexible, fun and free of willpower and denial. Emotional happiness and well-being come from living in a vibrant body. As your food changes for the better, your biochemistry improves, and as a result your mood, energy levels and outlook on life improve as well.
The Whole Journey approach to nutrition also focuses on elements that nourish other than food, including honest and open relationships, a meaningful spiritual practice, a career that inspires, and physical activity that is enjoyable. We refer to these elements as Primary Food and address each one of them as we go through the program, so that your life and perspective can truly transform.
By creating a balance between the clinical aspects of health, primary foods and the food one eats everyday, our clients experience steady and gradual changes and improvements in their health and well-being, which enable them to not only achieve their health goals, but to maintain them for life while being flexible with their food for years to come.
All Whole Journey programs incorporate both prevailing dietary theories and clinical aspects of health and nutrition. We believe many people are unnecessarily suffering. Our mission is to help as many people as possible first to heal, followed by achieving and sustaining vibrant health.
Whether you have exhausted all other possibilities for health and wellbeing, or are simply looking to enhance your existing regimen, please call The Whole Journey at (760) 533-0163 for a free 15-minute chat to see if we are a good fit for you!
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
Christa Orecchio
Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Counselor
Whole Journey Founder and Owner
Christa discovered her passion for holistic nutrition in South Africa after taking a life-changing workshop called "Optimal Nutrition for the Mind". It inspired her to embark on a healing lifestyle change including a whole foods diet and supplementation program. After years of daily reliance on sugar and caffeine for energy, changing both diet and lifestyle provided almost instant energy, peace, weight loss and vibrant health. Christa learned how to regulate her blood sugar, leading to dramatically improved moods, energy levels and balanced hormones. These simple changes convinced her of the tremendous healing power of food and nutrition, resulting in a vibrant, balanced and joyful way of life.
Fueled by this passion, Christa became a Clinical Nutritionist and Holistic Health Counselor and founded ‘The Whole Journey’ in 2005 to share her knowledge with others. Her nutrition practice is unique in that Christa does not advocate any one specific way of eating. She believes that every individual has distinct dietary needs based upon genetics, lifestyle, gender, blood type, stress levels, how they ate as a child, current state of health and future health goals. Therefore, she focuses on bio-individuality, while imparting a positive and empowering perspective shift around food that results in greater lifelong food flexibility.
Christa holds a B.S. in International Business and Spanish from the University of North Carolina. She is a Clinical Nutritionist (CN) as well as a Holistic Health Counselor (HHC). Christa attended The Natural Healing Institute and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in NYC, accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. IIN faculty members include many esteemed luminaries of the nutrition world such as David Wolfe, Sally Fallon, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Barry Sears, Annemarie Colbin and Dr. Joseph Mercola. IIN is the only nutrition school that integrates all the various dietary theories—combining the knowledge of western and eastern philosophies with modern concepts like the glycemic index, the Zone and raw foods. She is currently doing post-graduate work in the field of nutrition.
Christa has been regularly featured as a nutrition expert on ABC news, Fox5, San Diego 6 and KUSI news, as well as newspapers and magazines including The Union Tribune, San Diego Magazine, Ranch and Coast and Encinitas Magazine. She is a monthly contributor to TriVita Magazine's national nutrition column as well as a guest contributor to Fitness Magazine, The Miami and San Diego Examiner and various other national publications.
Christa is a registered yoga instructor and avid practitioner.
Emily Potter
Whole Journey Nutritionist, CN, HHC
Emily became a Clinical Nutritionist (CN) through The Natural Healing Institute (NHI) and a Holistic Health Counselor (HHC) through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). She has extensively trained under Christa to learn The Whole Journey approach, customized protocols and Christa's unique way of blending the clinical aspects of health and nutrition with holistic practices that are specific and appropriate to each client.
Originally from a small family farm in Idaho, Emily grew up understanding the importance of whole and healthy foods by watching her grandparents plant a garden every summer. Her grandparents help shape Emily's belief that there is a direct correlation between the quality of food one eats, and the way one feels physically and emotionally.
Emily holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Idaho. After graduation, she began working with clients in the field of mental illness. It was through this experience that she became passionate about treating people holistically through nutrition, movement, emotional and energetic healing.
Emily has a long time love of movement arts, specifically ballet and yoga. She is also a yoga instructor and a 'YogaFit' Assistant. Locally, Emily teaches at Soleil Yoga near Seaside market in Cardiff (www.soleilyogasurf.com) on Wednesdays at 9am/Thursdays at 7:00pm and at Bindu Yoga Studio in Del Mar on Wednesdays at 6:30 (www.binduyogastudio.com). Private and corporate yoga instruction are also available upon request.
Nicole Koval
Whole Journey Healthy Chef, CN
Nicole is our private chef, as well as a clinical nutritionist. She combines her passion for art and healthy food with her knowledge of nutrition and dietary theory to teach Whole Journey clients how to make foods which are not only nourishing and easy, but absolutely delicious as well.
Nicole is also well-versed in the three major anti-cancer dietary therapies, including Gerson Therapy, Macrobiotics, and the Westin A Price nutritional philosophy. Nicole combines aspects of these three and many more dietary theories to help customize menus specific to our clients needs. Her cooking experience and training in various dietary theories is extensive and includes diets like macrobiotics, high protein, The Zone, raw foods/cleansing and the anti-candida diet, which give Whole Journey clients a phenomenal resource for almost any dietary requirements.
Nicole has thirteen years experience in the culinary industry. She has apprenticed under top chefs in San Diego and worked in five-star resorts with French-California, Pacific Rim and Mediterranean cuisines, as well as boutique artisan baking. Among the chefs she has worked with are Chef Deborah Scott of Kemo Sabe, Island Prime and Indigo Grill; Chef Amiko Gubbins of Parallell 33; Chef Rico Bartolome of Tango Restaurant and Lounge; and Chef Ron Tolle of the fine dining restaurant in the Loews Coronado Bay Resort.