Grace Banal, Dietitian From The Philippines

For over 15 years as a dietitian, I’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse range of clients – foreigners, business executives, top-level managers, artists, and individuals from affluent backgrounds – all striving to achieve their health goals.

Initially, I thought this was my “niche” simply because they were the ones who could afford my professional fees.

My perspective changed when I started my Facebook page where I shared all things nutrition-related. I started thinking about others who needed guidance just as much—if not more. Through my social media pages, I’ve heard stories about:

• a wife from the province who didn’t have access to a dietitian and was desperate to know how to care for her husband post-stroke.
• a hardworking professional ended up in the hospital after following extreme diets and quick weight-loss fads promoted online.
• “haters,” who criticized me for debunking nutrition myths and exposing diet scams on social media.

These experiences sparked a crucial question: “What about them?”

More importantly, how could I make professional nutrition services accessible to those who need it most, even if they couldn’t afford traditional dietitian fees?

This realization led me to create an online platform aimed at providing Filipinos with access to accurate, relevant, and easy-to-understand nutrition information. Through this platform, Filipinos from all walks of life can connect with dietitians for personalized, practical, and evidence-based nutrition guidance.