EP09 – Nutrition Coaching for Rare Mamas with Dietitian Nutritionist & Rare Mom Chardell Buchanan
Rare Mamas Rising Chardell Buchanan

Chardell Buchanan is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who offers nutrition coaching to moms of children with disabilities. At the age of two and a half, Chardell’s son, Ben, was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Phelan-McDermid Syndrome. After Ben’s diagnosis, her life was busy, and survival was the goal. Soon she realized not prioritizing her own health was affecting how she showed up for her entire family. She started using her professional skills as a dietitian nutritionist to plan and make healthy meals and snacks. As a parent of a disabled child, she understands firsthand that taking good care of yourself and eating healthy can feel overwhelming. She implements easy-to-use tools that make healthy eating effortless. In this episode, she’s teaching us how to do the same. With ideas and strategies to make meals simple and nourishing, she’s helping mamas like us discover healthy eating so we can take good care of our own health!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

In this episode Chardell & Nikki discuss:

  • The path to Ben’s Phelan-McDermid Syndrome diagnosis
  • Chardell’s background as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
  • Chardell’s personal experience being in survival mode juggling the demands of motherhood, having a child with a rare disease, and all of the other aspects of daily life
  • How Chardell’s experience with her son led her to start helping other mothers of children with disabilities
  • How rare moms can amplify nutrition by starting small and building on it until eating is the least overwhelming aspect of our day
  • Sustainable tips and tools to make meals simple and nourishing
  • Getting away from a diet culture that focuses on weight and gives short term results
  • Eating healthy as a way to feel better and build strength which allows us to take care of our children and ourselves