St. Louis Area residents who need nutrition advice can turn to a dietitian for assistance.

The journey of transitioning requires a personalized nutrition plan to support your health and well-being. Food serves as an essential tool for care through all stages of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) initiation and surgical preparation and during the physical and emotional transitions of gender transition.

The weight-inclusive non-diet approach at Branz Nutrition Counseling centers on food-related feelings, body support, and life integration instead of focusing on weight or number-based measures.

• Your body requires additional energy and nourishment because transition involves hormonal changes, together with medical procedures and emotional stress.
• Muscle & Bone Health: Adequate protein, calcium, and vitamin D help support strength, bone density, and overall resilience.
• Adequate nutrition from regular meals helps stabilize energy levels which promotes better emotional well-being.
• Healing from Surgery: If preparing for or recovering from surgery, nutrition supports wound healing, immunity, and recovery.

 

We know from both research and experience: LGBTQ+ people are at higher risk for disordered eating, body image struggles, and barriers to accessing compassionate healthcare.

Too often, folks in our community delay or avoid care because past experiences have been dismissive—or even harmful.

We focus on providing flexible guidance that eliminates the need for strict dietary rules and avoids labeling food as good or bad. A balanced eating pattern involves:

• Consistent meals and snacks to stabilize energy.
• Eating different types of food, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and a variety of colorful vegetables and fruits.
• A gentle approach to nutrition focuses on making small supportive changes by adding protein sources to meals and increasing hydration through food choices.
• Affirming care — using your pronouns, respecting your goals, and honoring your lived experience.
• We understand real-life barriers: Trauma, discrimination, and minority stress can deeply affect eating, mental health, and your relationship with food—and we see and honor that reality.
• Care designed for you: Your nutrition plan is created with your goals, your story, and your culture at the center. It’s never a generic, one-size-fits-all approach. 
• Collaboration with affirming providers: If you already have a care team, we work together with them to support you in a way that feels safe and affirming.

The purpose of our work does not involve providing standardized eating plans to clients. Our team works to:

• Build a flexible approach to eating that supports hormone therapy, energy needs, and recovery.
• We provide a secure environment for analyzing body image connections with food consumption.
• Your healthcare provider, along with our team, will work together to ensure that your nutritional plan supports your entire medical treatment strategy.

Nutrition should be a source of support during transition rather than a source of additional stress because it helps your body match your identity. Our team of dietitians provides inclusive and affirming nutrition care to clients throughout the St. Louis region. At Branz Nutrition Counseling, we offer Inclusive Care for Every Body