Lorena
Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian
Certified Sports Nutrition Coach
Clinic schedule:
MONDAYS 8am to 10pm (online) ; 10am to 1pm (in-person) truetolifedietitian@gmail.com
13/11/2025
We usually think about BANANAS when we hear POTASSIUM. But did you know that there are other fruits richer in potassium than B-A-N-A-N-A-S?
Potassium is an essential mineral and electrolyte that helps your body:
1. Regulate muscle contractions
2. Maintain normal heart rhythm and blood pressure
3. Support nerve function
4. Balance fluids inside and outside your cells
☑Who needs more potassium?
✅ People with high blood pressure: potassium helps counteract the effects of sodium and may help lower blood pressure.
✅ Those with active lifestyles (because potassium is lost through sweat)
✅ Individuals on low-fruit or low-vegetable diets. They might not be meeting daily potassium needs.
❌Who should limit potassium:
⚠️ People with kidney disease since their kidneys may not be able to remove excess potassium, leading to dangerously high levels in the blood (hyperkalemia).
⚠️ Those taking certain medications like ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or potassium-sparing diuretics should also monitor their intake. Always consult your doctor, especially if you're planning to take supplements.
Pro tip:
The PDRI (Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes) values for potassium for adults is 3100mg for adults (19yo above), based on the 2015 update from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI-DOST). Aim to get it from whole foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and yogurt - not just supplements.
12/11/2025
CORN-GRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NEW REGISTERED NUTRITIONIST-DIETITIANS! You did A-MAIZE-ING!
To those who passed, congratulations, RNDs! Your dedication and passion for nutrition have truly paid off. Wear our title with pride and continue to nourish lives.☝🏻
To those who didn’t make it YET, remember, this isn’t the end of your story. Rest, reflect, then rise again. You’re closer than you think so don’t stop now. 💪🏼
08/11/2025
Typhoons and floods can make it hard to find or store fresh food because electricity, transportation, and clean water are often affected.
Nutrient-dense, non-perishable foods help ensure that you still get enough calories, protein, and essential vitamins even when cooking and refrigeration are limited.
Here are shelf-stable foods to keep you nourished as another storm approaches. Stay safe and take care of your health!
05/11/2025
Funny how our athletes ask for politicians’ assistance in preparation for an event, for funding, equipment, training support but no one shows up.
It's always “We’ll see what we can do” or “Next time na lang.” Magba-biyahe na ang mga athletes, wala pa ring tulong na natatanggap.
But the moment those athletes win? Ayan na. Bigla silang proud. Picture-picture, congratulatory posts, at “We’re so proud of you!” speeches. 🤮
Where were they when these athletes were struggling to get proper nutrition, shoes, or even fare to practice? Support isn’t about showing up when the cameras are on. It’s about being there when no one else is watching.
Mapa- Batang Pinoy man yan, athletic meets, national or international competitions. Hindi ko nilalahat ng politicians, ha pero hindi natin maikakaila na may mga ganyan talaga - mga KUPAL.
04/11/2025
Good Luck, Future RNDs! 🍌🍋🍉🥑🥦🥒🥕
Tomorrow’s the big day! This is your chance to turn all those late nights, review sessions, and practice exams into your dream title: Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian.
Remember:
You’ve studied hard.
You’ve prepared well.
You know more than you think.
Breathe, trust your gut, and give it your all. It is normal to feel anxious; but pray for clear thinking and judgment when you're on that seat. Pray that you and all your classmates will pass the exam. The nutrition community is rooting for you!
You’ve got this, future RNDs!
03/11/2025
This is how dietitians create your diet plans. IT IS NOT EASY. Personally, I need to use 4 screens to make my process more sytematic. One screen for the nutrition care plan, one for the diet guide, one for the menu plan, and one for my assessment notes. That's why it takes us at least a week to get things done because we want your diet plan to be personalized up to the T.
This is me currently editing what I already made because I found some errors during our counseling session. So, you see, dietitians do CAREFUL meal planning and we do not give out generic diet plans as much as we want to make things easier (unlike what fitness coaches do 🤷🏻♀️).
Kaya, TRUST ONLY REGISTERED DIETITIANS when it comes to your diet and nutrition concerns.
03/11/2025
People who keep starting over often rely on TEMPORARY MOTIVATION, STRICT RULES, or ALL-OR-NOTHING mindsets. When life gets busy, the plan collapses, and they blame themselves instead of the UNREALISTIC system. Then, falling back to square one.
Sustainable weight loss isn’t only about eating less. It’s about learning how to eat right - in a way you can live with, not just survive for a few weeks.
Ang tanong, isa ka rin ba? You’re not alone. We all get tired sometimes, but you don’t have to keep starting over if you learn to "adjust" instead of "giving up".
Small steps count - basta tuloy-tuloy.
Here's something to ponder. The ones who keep it off don’t just go on a diet, they BUILD a lifestyle.
☝🏻We need to slow down on quick fixes and start understanding our own habits, triggers, and relationship with food.
✌🏻We need to learn portion awareness, not restriction.
👌🏻We need to eat with intention, not guilt.
🙌🏻 And most importantly, we need to make our approach flexible enough to fit our real life - not the other way around. Be realistic. Kung hindi kaya ng budget, huwag nang sumabay sa trend. 🤷🏻♀️ Because in the end, hindi na sya magiging sustainable.
As we approach the end of the year, think about it. Just a little lifestyle check from your true to life dietitian. 📝
31/10/2025
In Benguet, Baguio beans (green beans) will always be a staple.
Did you know?
A cup serving of raw green beans (about 100 g) contains approximately: 40 kcal, ~2 g protein, ~3 g fiber, ~290 mg potassium, and is very low in fat and sodium.
It's a great source of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C (~13 % of daily value), vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, etc.
References:
Based on information from Real Simple, USDA FoodData Central, and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
30/10/2025
Funny how these two posts are back-to-back on my feed.
So… which is it? 🤔
One post warns about high-protein diets causing heart attacks, while another says don’t fear red meat because it’s not bad for your heart.
No wonder people are confused.
Nutrition isn’t black and white. It’s context. In a dietitian's perspective, the questions we're going to start asking are:
✅ How much are you eating?
✅ What’s your overall diet pattern?
✅ Do you have existing health risks or lifestyle factors?
✅ And most importantly, what’s your source of information?
The truth is...
Protein itself isn’t the enemy. Neither are carbs nor fats. It is the extreme or imbalanced diets (where one nutrient dominates everything else) can harm your heart and metabolism in the long run.
Red meat can fit into a healthy diet BUT in moderation, with plenty of plants, fiber, and healthy fats around it. Also to note that not everyone can eat red meat safely due to certain health conditions.
So before we fear or glorify one food, let’s look at the bigger picture. It’s your overall eating pattern that matters most. 🥦🍗🥑
Cheers to balance, always!
Donna ♥️
29/10/2025
In a time where fear-based nutrition advice spreads faster than science, it’s important to remember that food is not something to be ashamed of or “addicted” to; because it’s what sustains us.
Labeling foods like rice or carbohydrates as “bad” only deepens the guilt and confusion some people already feel about eating. The truth is, our bodies need fuel - whether that’s from rice, fruits, or other sources of carbohydrates. What truly matters is balance, portion control, and moderation, not fear.
As dietitians, we don’t demonize food. We help people build relationships with it. Because when you stop seeing food as an enemy, you start seeing it as what it’s meant to be: nourishment, energy, and something you can enjoy!
So always check who you follow online.
Yours in health,
Donna ♥️
27/10/2025
I'm back with another set of grocery items! This time it's SALTED butter. Hindi ko po pino-promote ang pag-gamit ng butter but when you need to, USE THE UNSALTED VARIETY. Bakit salted itong ico-compare natin?
Because all butters are calorie-dense so controlling your portions is general advice. Choice should be based more on fat type, sodium, and cholesterol rather than calorie count. It should not be considered a source of protein or carbohydrates. These minor differences do not impact health significantly.
For individuals with heart conditions and are sensitive to sodium, choose unsalted butter whenever possible. Use butter as flavoring, and not an alternative to oil.
This nutrition comparison is for informational purposes only. I do not endorse or promote any specific brand or product. The details provided are based solely on the nutrition labels shown and are intended to help with awareness and informed choices.
26/10/2025
OMG 🥴
Guidance from health and human services secretary contradicts decades of dietary recommendations
Address
WanLo Apartments, Room 3, IC-125 Betag La Trinidad 2600
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Miss Donna's True to Life Nutrition posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The Practice
Send a message to Miss Donna's True to Life Nutrition:
Well, to begin with, I am a person who is not contented with where I am and what I have already become. With my young age, I could not agree more that I have been through a lot compared to my friends. I had my ups and downs, courage and fears, and faith and unbelief.
I was a licensed dietitian as early as 19. I had to wait for a year before I could get my license, so I had to look for a job. I loved writing so much that I applied as an online content writer and was hired. My online jobs got bigger and broader. I had been employed as an online dietitian, a virtual assistant, a social media manager, a data encoder, and so on. Then, I got bored with that life – sleeping at 8 o’clock in the morning and waking up late in the afternoon to start working, so I tried to teach myself how to bake. There were orders here and there. My business bloomed in three-month time. While I was juggling my online activities and baking, I needed more so I decided to enroll professional education units. I took the licensure exam and gratefully I passed. I had two licenses in my pocket – as a dietitian and as a teacher. But I felt incomplete. I wanted a “real” job – something that inspires me to wake up in the morning, wearing formal clothes, working on an office table, getting out of the house. Luckily, I got employed shortly before my 20th birthday. I was very eager to look for a job! I thought I was ready! But I was not…
I was then hired as a dietitian who will focus on the newly-established clinical nutrition services at a hospital in the city I am living in. At first, I felt like I was a disaster. I was dumbfounded. I was weak and vulnerable. I was questioned about my capabilities, my learnings, and understanding of what my purpose is. I have cried… a lot. My first year working in the “real” world was happening in real life. I could not make excuses. Many times I wanted to quit, but people encouraged me not to. People saw something in me. I had to prove those people who belittled me that I will not leave. That I had more to give! I worked and worked. I had to face the trials by myself. Years went by, and there are still a few who judges me, but this time, I did not care as long as I know where my feet are standing on and where it did not belong.
A year after, I got bored. I needed something to do to pass the time. So, I opened up a baking supply store as I was a baking addict. After roughly four months, I had to close it. Baking was not yet a booming hobby or business here in Baguio in that period of time. I was frustrated – the money, the time, the effort all went to waste. I continued baking. This time, I was dividing my time to work, baking, and a part-time job as a resource speaker.
Another year passed, and as expected I was not contented with where I was back then. I was inspired by the people who brought me down, who threw me to darkness, so I had to enroll in the graduate school. I had to prove that I was not dumb nor stupid. I took up Master in Public Health. It was a good experience but not that “good.” As mentioned, I was majoring in “public health” while I was in a private sector. Was it a wrong choice? Was I even ready? So, after two semesters, I got tired. I did not know what to do with my life!
Fast forward, I had another opportunity to open up a business. This time, a food service establishment. I had the chance to customize the structure of the cafe since it was designed to be a kiosk or a food truck. Time, effort and money were sacrificed. Too many doubts… Too many “what if’s”… But I had to move forward. So at last, it finally opened in 2014. It had a rustic feeling in the outdoors. First months were okay. The following months were great! I felt that I was taking the right track. But I also felt weak. I slept late, I woke up late, and already too tired to go to work. Many times, I have had headaches and rashes as induced by stress and lack of sleep. The business could not go on without me, so I had to commit every extra time I had. Then, it came to the point that those “extra times” were already dedicated to my work. As a dietitian, it had become my part-time job. I had to balance everything, I had to get back on my feet, and so I did.
Everything was doing well. People come and go. Customers were satisfied and requested for more. These requests turned out to be an ambition to open up a branch. In less than seven months, I invested in another cafe, this time – a healthy bistro with my nutrition clinic in it. I had doubts – and these doubts became a reality. It only lasted four months. The sad thing is, the quality of the services turned low. The reason was – I was working alone. I could not do it by myself. I was afraid to hire a manager. I was scared that they would not meet my expectations. These fears turned into depression.
Like any other businessmen, I had to take risks so what I did was to save my clinic because I had loyal clients. So what I had that time was the main branch, the clinic, my work, and baking. I was bombarded by customers that I need to have a bigger space. Like what you expected, I looked for and transferred, this time into a building. Again, I had so many doubts because the location was not perfect for a cafe, and the place needed too many renovations. But, again, I took risks. I have sacrificed too much already.
After a month of renovation, it finally opened. The first months were good. We are gaining enough. But for the nth time, I had rashes all over my body. I was too tired. My spirit was willing but not physically. Again, I dropped my clinic since the location was far from my clients. I planned to transfer to a multi-specialty center as this may give me a more extensive range of clients. I wanted to be both an entrepreneur and a dietitian. I needed these both at the same time. But it did not happen.
I was left with the business, work, and my part-time jobs. I needed to give up something, and I have decided to drop the business.
Skipping the other details, as it is what is happening right now, I needed to get out. I needed time for myself. I sacrificed years and years, I do not want to sacrifice more. I recently re-enrolled in grad school under the same degree – a semester more to go, and I’m done!
Well, I want my life back. I wanted to be the person that God wants me to be. I want to be HAPPY and CONTENTED. On the bright side, I may have given up everything at this point in my life, I have learned in every trial that I have conquered, I was given signs. But these signs were reality checks that needed to be faced, and I am proud that I had and presently am.
