http://www.starberrienutrition.com/

Dr. Lillie Luu Nguyen, DCN, CNS, LDN, San Francisco, CA (2025)

05/19/2022

✨Hi, I’m Dr. Lillie Luu! 👩🏻‍⚕️🍋✨

Teaching others how to use food as medicine 🍓🥬

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I’m still over the moon from this weekend, but wanted to give a huge thank you to everyone who helped me reach this milestone! Big shoutout to & for all your love & undying support, .donez for always cheering me on, & most of all, for being my rock through it all (this man feed me for years, gave me unlimited back rubs, has been my mock patient for who knows how many classes, is alway there to lift me up (hehe) and still hasn’t gotten tired of all my nutrition nonsense). You guys are the real ones 😭🙏🏻💯 All of your support means more to me than I can express in words alone! ♥️

To all the friends I’ve made along the way, thank you for being a wealth of knowledge. I’m so proud to know so many people will be in good hands under your care!

Congrats DCN class of 2022! 🎉

01/28/2022

Is coffee is good for digestion? Yes & No.

It was found that coffee promotes the desire to p**p in ~1/3 of the population, mostly women, & associated with an increase in rectosigmoid motor activity (aka the last portion of your intestines)…this increase activity happened as soon as 4 minutes after drinking coffee, caffeinated or not.

☕️ Coffee + Constipation
If you’re feeling clogged up, you’ll need foods that help your gut motility (the ability to cause muscles in your gut to push food from one end of your GI tract to other). Aside from upping your intake of fiber with water, coffee may be of benefit to you, whether or not you are a fast/slow metabolizer, because it is full of ✨chlorogenic acid✨ which stimulates gastrin, a digestive hormone that increases stomach acid levels to help break down food. Higher levels of acid can irritate your gut lining + stimulate your gut muscles to contract. Think of it like when someone tickles you & then you start squirming & twisting your body, but imagine your GI tract doing this, which then pushes the food forward, a process known as peristalsis.

☕️ Coffee + Diarrhea
On the other hand, imagine taking a laxative while you’re already dealing with diarrhea - it’s a terrible idea. While coffee may initiate digestion for some, it may cause some people’s bowels to go into overdrive & shove all their food out in one fell swoop! In doing so, the food moves through your GI tract way too fast, preventing nutrient absorption & loss of water. Make sure you drink water soon after, & sprinkle in some electrolytes like lemon juice (vitamin C), pinch of salt (Na, Cl), baking soda (phosphorus), to replenish all that you lost

❗️This is important: if the coffee causes more harm than good, e.g. overstimulating + irritating your gut lining, it could result in exacerbation of anxiety, stress, & depression, & indicate that there may be an imbalance in the gut-brain axis.

Working on the communication between your gut and brain by removing triggers, finding the root cause, and healing from the inside are your next steps. If you any guidance along the way, schedule a free 15 minute consult with me to see how I can help you get started!

01/28/2022

Why does coffee make you p**p? 💩

✨ 3 theories:✨

1) caffeine stimulates muscle contractions in your gut
2) irritation of the digestive tract may cause increased stomach acid and muscle contractions or spasms
3) increased hormones (e.g. gastrin and cholecystokinin) leading to greater stimulation of digestion and bowel movements

BUT WAIT! Caffeine may not be working alone!

While older studies claimed that caffeine was the main driver for gut stimulation, I took a deeper look into the literature and found that caffeine may play just one part in the story of gastric motor function! These older studies would often compare ☕️ to water💧 , with results that showed a 50% increase in intestinal contractions, which is what led to the popular belief that coffee stimulates colonic motor activity.

Newer research shows that “since (unsweetened) coffee contains no calories, and its effects on the gastrointestinal tract cannot be justified by its volume load, acidity, or osmolality, it was soon recognized that it must have pharmacological effects. Thus, these findings were interpreted as being mediated indirectly by a component of coffee other than caffeine, which, by acting on epithelial receptors in the stomach or small bowel, would trigger a gastrocolonic response, speculated at that time to be due to the release of cholecystokinin or another hormone such as exorphins, gastrin, or motilin, as well as the fact that other active ingredients contained in coffee could add their own direct effects on the gut’s smooth muscle" [1].

🗣 In plain english: While caffeine can be one contributor to causing bowel movement, it could also be due to other hormones like
🔹 CCK (hormone that helps you feel full)
🔹 exorphins (opiod like molecule, & maybe this is why coffee makes some people so happy/high/addicted!)
🔹 gastrin (helps digestion), motlilin (encourages food to move through your stomach and small intestine)

[1] PMID: 33383958

01/28/2022

☕️ Coffee has been one of the most controversial beverages in the past couple of decades. You hear from the news that it is bad for you, then you turn around and then hear that it is good for you. What gives?! Let’s start this 3 part series!

First, it depends on how fast you break down, aka metabolize, coffee!

The ability to metabolize the caffeine in coffee is associated with a change in your genes aka single nucleotide polymorphisms = SNP (“snip”). This SNP is rs762551 of the CYP1A2 gene.

🧬For those who have a homozygous genotype (AA), they tend to be fast caffeine metabolizers, meaning they can process caffeine through their body pretty quickly and can handle a few cups a day.
🧬People who carry the C allele (AC/CC genotypes) have slower caffeine metabolism, meaning that caffeine isn’t easily broken down & continues to stay in the system, resulting in longer lasting effects, thus 1 cup may be enough to keep them alert for most of the day

What does this mean for me? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Nutrition professionals can encourage coffee to those who can process it rapidly with a clearer conscious, & fast metabolizers can enjoy their morning cupS* of jo, especially since it was found that, “habitual intake of 3 to 4 cups of coffee appears to be safe and is associated with the most robust beneficial effects” [2].

For those who are slower coffee metabolizers, like myself, we may want to reduce or exclude caffeine from coffee, teas, & energy drinks. Alternatives to coffee can come in the form of chicory coffee, lemon water, coconut water, adaptogenic teas, golden milk (turmeric), chai, and matcha - which can all provide you energy without the jitters, post coffee crash, & headaches that may follow. It can also help with weight management, especially if minimal milk & sugar are involved.

Stay tuned to find out why coffee makes you 💩 & how to find out if it’s good or bad for you!

[1] rs762551 RefSNP Report - dbSNP – NCBI
[2] PMID: 29474816

11/01/2021

Hi friends! I need to submit a certain number of patient hours in order to graduate & am almost there! I would be so honored if at least ✨TEN✨ more people allowed me to help them on their health journey to fulfill my academic requirements! I like focusing on gut issues, hormones, & weight mgmt, but can work with most health conditions! ☺️ I am offering a nutrition package that will include:

🔘(1) 1-hour initial consulatation
🔘(2) 30-min follow-ups

at the discounted rate of $200 for ALL three sessions!

You can choose to meet me 💻📲 virtually (phone/video chat in the comfort of your home) OR 👩🏻‍⚕️ in-person if you live locally to San Francisco or Pacifica, CA. 
📅 To schedule an appointment, please email lillie@gutcompassnutrition.com or contact me at the link in my bio!

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If you think that you or someone you know could benefit from this package, please reach out to me or share this with others! The offer will tentatively end in December 2021 (xmas gift for new year, new me?) 🎄🎉🏃🏻‍♀️

Please help yo’ girl out! Thank you!

10/29/2021

🍎 Not all nutritionists are created equal!🍎

I’m a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) but shorten it to nutritionist to make it easier for others. However, there are so many different types of “nutritionists” ranging from

🥦 certified nutrition specialist (CNS 🙋🏻‍♀️)
🥦 registered dietitians (RD)
🥦 health coaches, etc.

At the end of the day, we’re all trying to help promote health through diet and lifestyle changes BUT it’s up to you to choose a nutritionist who has a specialty you’d prefer, and has the proper education, training and skills.

As a CNS, I had to earn:
👩🏻‍🎓 my masters in nutrition (& currently finishing my doctorates degree in clinical nutrition!)
⏰ complete 1000+ internship hours of supervised practice
📝 pass a board qualifying exam
📂 file for a license to practice ( in MD)
👩🏻‍🏫 & have/will take a bunch of functional medicine & nutrition classes for the rest of my career

I learned how to navigate through bad diet tips given by Dr. Google & influencers & stay on top of the latest news in controversial food topics (eg soy phytoestrogens, MSG, coffee).

Why would I bother with all that? Because everyone deserve safe, science-based nutrition advice that actually works to successfully produce results that last in the long run to improve their health.

It’s not easy because while everyone eats everyday, EATING WELL is a different story. It’s tough to change a person’s eating habits if they’re not ready but I’m here to provide gentle guidance for anyone who would to start

🍓, Lillie

PS I have a nutrition discount coming soon for my doctoral residency!

—

"Health and good humor are to the human body like sunshine to vegetation." — Massillon

And on that note, a wise person on Reddit once said, “the opposite of easy peasy lemon squeezy is stressed depressed lemon zest”.

Beautifully said. 🤣

10/29/2021

“but you’re so small, how can you eat so much?” 🤯

I definitely worked my 🍑 off for it!

When I started the most stressful period of my life (board exam, 2 internships, night time job teaching, long distance relationship) my weight skyrocketed 🚀 within a 6 month span (+18lbs).

While I was still in the “normal” range, this measurement doesn’t take into account smaller body frames so it physically hurt me to have extra weight on my joints & worst of all, I was extremely unhappy. My “fat pants” usually reserved for buffets & loose fitting clothes we’re becoming my every day wear. All the stress also caused so much low grade inflammation and I was having GI problems left and right, it was a nightmare! 😭

What was the final straw? TBH it’s the fact that I was spending so much money buying new clothes as I moved up a whole category size. I was on a student budget and refused to buy anymore. Running is free. I started off slow by working out in the privacy of my home because I was so self conscious, but once I got my cardio down, I got a gym membership & started doing weights. What a game changer because diet helped me set the foundation for long term results and weights helped fine tune my physique.

As a nutritionist I knew that there’s two big ways to tone up: 1) eat in moderation/balanced meals, DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF! 2) build up muscle to rev up your metabolism. You can definitely still have your cake & eat it too 😋 just don’t forget your fruits & veggies!

I was the happiest in my entire life. I wore crop tops, body con dresses WITHOUT spanx, and actually felt pretty. I even took on extra hobbies like Brazilian jiu jitsu, piano classes, and signed up to learn a new language. I was thriving 🌱

Alas-all good things come to an end as the pandemic hit and I struggled to keep up the routine but because I did it once before, I was able to bounce back and regain some of my favorite muscles 💪🏼.

Why am I sharing this? Because I get it. I was there too and am here to support anyone who would like to do the same.

Stay tuned later in the week for an extra special post about discounts on my nutrition services!

09/06/2021

this past labor day weekend was the perfect time for celebrations (weddings galore)! seeing people in love makes me so happy 🥰 so I just wanted to share some farmers market florals I found as a tribute to all the new couples who just got married! cheers! 💍✨🥂

09/03/2021

Plums are in season & gifted some from his backyard (thank you!) In addition to being super plump & tasty, it’s best known for being an excellent source of insoluble fiber & have a natural laxative (sorbitol), hence why plums & prunes can help with constipation & improve blood sugar. [1,2]

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Once interesting phenomenon I noticed was when I was making a plum +basil +spinach salad. I forgot to make dressing beforehand so I drizzled EVOO, balsamic vinegar, & lemon juice on top. I noticed a plum slice had changed colors where only lemon juice touched it & guessed it was due to the lemon oxidizing it. I tasted it & found it to be…sweetER? If anyone would like to be a food scientist for a day, please replicate this & let me know how it goes for you!

✏️Eat one plain plum slice (control). Note taste.
💧 Rinse your mouth with water.
🍋 On a different plum slice, add a squeeze of lemon juice (experimental). Note taste.
🔍 Did you find any significant differences in taste?

I’ve tried so hard to find the mechanism behind this, but keep getting plum jam results lol. In my case, the closest thing that might explain it were from these 2017 papers [3,4]:

Our senses of taste & smell are HIGHLY correlated (which is why you can’t taste food as well when you have a stuffy nose). This works in the other direction as well! What we taste on our tongue, can affect how our nose “tastes” it too via olfactory aka receptors aka sense of smell.

Just like how adding salt enhances the flavor of chicken or watermelon, adding lemons, which have an intense taste & citrusy aroma to plums may bring out a plum’s sweetness by having our sense of smell work together with our sense of taste to bring out flavors that you wouldn’t have noticed if these senses worked alone = tasting through breath!

BUT! take all this info with a grain of salt (har har), because I am just speculating here. If someone actually knows the right answer, I’d love to learn from you & will send you a goodie.

Tldr; taste intensity is enhanced by odors

1. PMID: 25109788
2. PMID: 26992121
3. PMID: 29293949
4. Kakutani, Y et al. (2017). Nature. Article number: 8922

08/22/2021

it’s tomato season! 🍅

went to the Sunday farmer’s market & was so happy to try all the varietals. if you know what the dark red one is, please let me know! found a couple new ones I’ve never seen/tasted before & had a tomato tasting at home. This season, the early girl (best overall), crushed heart (rich sweetness) and del grosso (tasted like a pizza!) were my favorites as they were bursting with flavor!

support local business and go try a new veggie at your nearby farmers market! you’ll never know what you’ll find 🥰

08/05/2021

I had one of the best salads 🥗 of my life & I feel like people don’t understand how awesome of an experience it was! This salad was💥bursting💥 with mouthwatering flavors that came from the papaya seed vinaigrette & fun finds like flower-shaped 🌸 watermelon radishes & rainbow carrots tied into little bows 🎀. Overall, it shared the spotlight with the main entree for me & was just *chefs kiss* 👌🏼 perfection!

Prior to grad school, my first thought of a salad was the common misconception of “rabbit 🐰 food” = dry as heck carrot sticks, chunky romaine lettuce, maybe halved cherry tomatoes if I wanted to be “extra healthy,” all slathered with ranch .. & yea if that was the only option I had every week, I’d avoid it too! 😩

My mentality has changed when thinking about what can go in a salad (esp after Chris showed me early in our dating days that fancy leftover steak can be repurposed into a delicious hearty salad)!

So we should really be aiming to eat✨veggies with a side of protein✨ rather than protein with (an optional) side of veggies. Swipe to see some examples of loaded salads & common foods becoming more plant-based!

Tip: Next time you make a salad, look around your kitchen to see what else you can add. Try sprucing it up with at least 2 of these!

❇️ Leftover meats
❇️ Nuts drizzled in honey (walnuts, pine nuts, slivered almonds), seeds
❇️ Chickpeas, black beans
❇️ Cheese, puffed rice
❇️ Hummus, guacamole
❇️ Pickled red onions
❇️ Thinly sliced apples, pears, cucumbers, watermelon radish, snap peas
❇️ Green onions, microgreens, cherry tomatoes, avocados
❇️ Cilantro, mint, basil, lemon balm, shiso, dill. Can you tell I love herbs? These can elevate your salad to the next level!

Lastly, your salad can definitely be eaten on its own if the components are juicy enough but a bright vinaigrette is often what ties your whole dish together.

One recipe I use often is a personal fave:

In a medium bowl, mix in
🔘 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
🔘 3/4 Tbsp white vinegar
🔘 1 tsp honey
🔘 1/2 Tbsp mustard
🔘 Pinch of salt & ground pepper
🔘 Slowly add in 1/4 C olive oil while whisking it at the same time

Let me know what your favorite salad combo is, I’d love to try it out! 💚

08/05/2021

In Hawaii right now & found the most vibrant and beautifully colored golden pineapple! 🍍 💛 Just a great reminder to eat the rainbow! 🌈

Additionally, ✨ bromelain ✨ is an enzyme in pineapples that is known for its aspirin like effects to reduce pain and swelling, especially of the nose and sinuses, gums, and other body parts after surgery or injury. It is also promoted for osteoarthritis, cancer, digestive problems, and muscle soreness.

Bromelain is a protease, which breaks down proteins and why you’ll often find pineapple in meat marinades! There’s a statement going around that “pineapples dissolve your tongue.” 👅 😳 So what’s actually happening? 🤔 The process of bromelain breaking down protein in meats is the same thing happening in your mouth. But don’t freak out just yet! Your body begins to regenerate any damaged cells, preventing any permanent loss. Because the bromelain dissolves the protective mucous that coats your tongue and the roof of your mouth, the acidity of the pineapple is particularly irritating for some people.

To remedy this, soak the peeled pineapple in salt water to reduce some of the future irritation and enjoy! 😋

Dr. Lillie Luu Nguyen, DCN, CNS, LDN

05/19/2022

01/28/2022

01/28/2022

01/28/2022

11/01/2021

10/29/2021

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