Graduate Connections Analia Camarasa, MS-HNFM, IFMCP, CNS, UWS course facilitator, UWS alumni mentor Why did you choose the field/profession of human nutrition and functional medicine? My brilliant father used to say, “no one can take away your education.” He understood the true meaning of this having only completed 6th grade. With that in mind, I chose the field of human nutrition and functional medicine out of need, having more health questions than answers for my daughter and myself. I had been suffering with crippling fatigue and gastrointestinal issues since college that conventional medicine could not fix. At a young age, my daughter suddenly developed unexplained large motor tics. It propelled me to seek higher-level education in pursuit of bettering the state of our health. Within two years, I had graduated and was able to take my health to greater heights with the knowledge gained during this very rigorous program. I felt I had a new lease in life. Briefly share your experience in advocating for state licensure in North Carolina. During my time at UWS, I took two elective courses through the Institute for Functional
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Medicine (IFM). These advanced practice modules introduced me to that wonderful educational organization. After graduating from UWS, I was hired to be teaching staff at the master’s program while I continued taking the advanced practice modules from IFM for three years. This experience complemented the education I had gained at UWS very well. In addition, after graduation, I sat for and passed the BCNS exam to become a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS). All the while, I was working on the 1,000 supervised practice experience hours required to gain the title of CNS. What does it mean to you to become the first licensed nutritionist in your state? With the support of the North Carolina (NC) Board of Dietetics/Nutrition (the licensing board for dietitians and nutritionists in NC), the North Carolina Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the Nutrition Advocacy Group (now known as the American Nutrition Association) I advocated for about four years to change the NC Dietetics/Nutrition Practice Act. In 2018, after many discussions, meetings and drafting, a new pathway to license nutritionists in the state of North Carolina was enacted. When the opportunity to become a member of the North Carolina Board of Dietetics/Nutrition dietetics presented itself, I leapt at the chance to help more qualified nutritionists to become licensed in our state. As a result of my education at UWS with a master’s degree in nutrition plus having completed 1,000 hours of supervised
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