Functional Nutrition & Gut Health

Functional nutrition is more than following a diet—it’s about understanding your body’s unique needs, restoring balance, and reconnecting with the pleasure of nourishing yourself. My approach blends clinical expertise, lifestyle medicine, somatic awareness, and Health at Every Size principles so that nutrition becomes a path of intuition, vitality, and embodied self-care.

Why Functional Nutrition Matters

Many women feel tired, stressed, or disconnected from their bodies because they follow rigid diet rules, focus on weight, or ignore root causes. Functional nutrition at Align Wellness:

  • Focuses on root causes, not calories or appearance.

  • Supports hormonal balance, digestion, and energy regulation.

  • Honors Health at Every Size (HAES), meeting your body where it is, reducing shame, and promoting sustainable, pleasure-based practices.

  • Helps improve pain management, pelvic health, and mental wellbeing by addressing nutrition in connection with the nervous system and body awareness.

Nutrition isn’t about restriction—it’s about returning to your body’s intelligence and thriving from within.

How HAES Impacts Pelvic Health & Pain

Weight-focused approaches can increase stress, tension, and shame, which exacerbate pelvic floor dysfunction, chronic pain, and mental health challenges. By integrating HAES principles, we help you:

  • Reduce internalized shame around body size, which decreases pelvic tension and autonomic stress.

  • Improve nervous system regulation, supporting better pain management.

  • Cultivate intuitive movement and nourishment, which strengthens pelvic health and overall wellbeing.

When your body feels safe, supported, and respected, healing can happen more fully and sustainably.

My Approach

Functional nutrition at Align Wellness combines:

  • Personalized Assessment: Labs, lifestyle, and functional markers to understand your unique physiology.

  • Food as Medicine: Whole foods, meal strategies, and protocols tailored to your body’s needs.

  • Lifestyle Integration: Sleep, stress management, movement, and breathwork that support nutrition at a systemic level.

  • Embodiment Practices & HAES: Mindful eating, pleasure-focused nourishment, and self-trust—supporting body, pelvic, and mental health.

Every plan is tailored to high-achieving women who are done with shame, overwhelm, and confusion around food, ready to reconnect with their body’s wisdom.

Who Benefits

Functional nutrition with a HAES lens is for women who:

  • Want to regain energy, hormonal balance, and mental clarity.

  • Struggle with chronic pain, pelvic tension, or emotional eating.

  • Are overwhelmed by diet culture and ready for a clear, shame-free path.

  • Desire to use nutrition as a tool for empowerment, vitality, and self-trust.

This is not about dieting or perfection—it’s about living in alignment with your body’s needs, at every size.

If you’re tired of trying every diet, struggling with pain, or feeling disconnected from your body, functional nutrition at Align Wellness offers a different, integrative path—one that combines science, embodiment, HAES, and sacred self-care.

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    "I have had the opportunity and privilege to work with Val Brown in her group coaching series as well as individual sessions! Val led her classes with such enthusiasm and attention to my individual needs. She accommodated her activities to my needs for arthritis and Ehler’s- Danlos, as well as my desire to keep hiking and playing even though my body hit 60! She respected my age and celebrated it as we made new goals to keep striving physically! I loved the community I felt in her classes with other people of all ages. Thank you for the experience."

    Liz Stafford-Mitchell, Teacher

  • A smiling woman with short gray hair wearing black sunglasses and a red jacket, standing outdoors against a background of autumn leaves.

    "Dr. Val Brown led the lifestyle medicine group coaching series and I was highly impressed. She combined dancing, journaling and pairing with other women in the class to explore how we can nurture our bodies and minds at any age. Dr. Val’s gentle nature created the safe space that is vital for exploring what issues help or hinder our growth. What a treat to be surrounded and supported by such an intuitive teacher. I highly recommend her series."

    Carolyn Boggs, Benefits Analyst

  • A woman with long, wavy blonde hair smiling and holding a young child with a pacifier, wearing a colorful hat with a pom-pom, at a festive event with balloon decorations.

    Dr. Val Brown offers incredible services with unmatched care and knowledge. I took her group coaching course and was amazed by how beautifully Dr. Brown led us through the course. We got the opportunity to learn from her and connect with other women. I also have had teletherapy Physical Therapy appointments with her and she was amazing. I cannot recommend "Dr. Brown and her services highly enough."

    — Alli Weum, Psychologist

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    "I am extremely grateful for Dr Val’s way of blending skilled biomechanical knowledge with intuitive compassion and insight. When I first went in for my session I was coming in with mental overwhelm and emotional fatigue. After one session with her I felt calm, clear, open, and completely comfortable and relaxed in my body. I often slip into ADHD characteristics so these sessions are imperative for my wellbeing. After having experienced other body workers who didn’t have core empathic skills or gentle touch, I’ve come to realize how paramount a sense of comfort and safety is in order for true healing to happen on all layers of my body, psyche, and nervous system. I immediately felt comfortable in her presence and easily dropped into a calm state with her gentle touch. The craniosacral helped immensely with me attuning to the sense of safety in my body and nervous system, which I feel allowed me to receive the adjustments from the vibroacoustic sound therapy in a deeper way. "

    — Yessia Muse, Healer

  • A woman with short pink hair and rainbow face paint smiling joyfully at an outdoor event, wearing a colorful rainbow tie-dye dress and layered necklaces.

    Val is a gifted healer, a skilled practitioner and a lovely human. In one session she found the source of pain that had eluded my doctors, and the treatment combined with her follow up suggestions...game changers! I can't recommend highly enough!!

    Kezia, Musician

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    "Valerie is a highly intuitive and trained physical therapist. She has helped me with my back pain and my nutrition. Her touch is so relaxing and healing. I look forward to seeing her every week. I recommend everyone to go see her!"

    — Teresa Flowers, Entrepreneur

  • A woman with long, light brown hair and glasses, wearing a black shirt, standing indoors with a neutral expression.

    "I've had a long time injury to my neck and shoulder since a car accident in 2015. Recently I've been experiencing some serious nerve pain and had difficulties moving my arm. I've had three visits with Dr. Val and I knew after the first visit that I was going to have an experience that would be much more healing and longer lasting than my previous ones. Not only is Dr. Val a physical therapist, she is also a deeply intuitive healer who uses all of her training and skills to address the underlying issues of injury or pain. She is a truly integrative practitioner who focuses on you with a sensitivity of someone who knows how difficult it can be to trust that your needs will be met by someone in the medical field. I highly recommend Dr. Val. Especially if you are looking for someone with a true holistic view of medicine and wellness."

    Rebecca Melton, Yoga Studio Owner

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    "Dr Val is such an amazing support for my PT. Ive learned within weeks how to do exercises at home that support my wounded knee. Why and what this does for me was explained by her with a visual of the anatomy behind it. I used these practices while hiking recently and they were amazing. I didnt feel pain which was not the case before . So much knowledge. Im trying to soak it all up and apply it to my body. I would recomend her treatment and care to anyone who needs PT. The Sound healing bed was also such a great addition. So relaxing. I love the gentleness and knowledge dr val carries in her practice . Thank you so much excited to keep working with you in my healing journey."

    Coralea Hamlin, Healer

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    I came into Dr Val with tbi/neuro symptoms very flared up. I was feeling much head pain, frustration, overwhelm and overstimulated upon meeting with her. She was such incredibly kind, calming energy, and had incredibly intuitive touch. I walked out with less pain, and with my nervous system in a much a better place then when I arrived. And appreciated the great information she shared as well.

    Kristina Markel, Interior Stylist