Our Story
Botanical Nutrition™ was founded in 2006 by Denise Julia Garbinski, a Registered Dietitian and natural foods industry veteran. After receiving her MBA in 1998, she embarked on a marketing career in natural foods and supplements, during which she directed the marketing for such well known organic brands as Westbrae Natural, WestSoy, Arrowhead Mills, Vitasoy, Nasoya Foods, Spectrum Organic Products and Numi Tea. Denise's intimate knowledge of the food industry enables her to teach clients how to cut through the marketing and sales clutter to get the nutrition facts they need to know.
Having been raised on the standard American diet (SAD) of meat and potatoes, few fruits and vegetables, and overly-processed foods - and around close family members who experienced devastating chronic disease - Denise was profoundly struck by the connection between a meat-centered poor diet and poor health, and was inspired to not only change her own eating habits but also help others do the same.
Denise became an ethical vegetarian, animal rights activist, and food politics advocate in 1996 after learning about factory farming's atrocities to human health, animals and the planet. Her conviction to advocate for plant-based nutrition compelled her to become a Registered Dietitian to help influence consumers, food industry officials, other healthcare practitioners, and governmental policy makers.
In her private practice nutrition counseling, Denise has extensive experience counseling both omnivores and vegetarians for a wide variety of nutrition concerns - from preventative nutrition for optimal wellness to nutrition therapy for dis-ease. Combining her expertise in nutrition science with the tenants of holistic complementary and integrative functional medicine, Denise specializes in weight loss, food allergies, therapeutic diets, and in assisting clients transitioning to vegetarianism.
As founder and Chief Consultant of Botanical Nutrition™ Consulting, Denise holds an MBA in marketing and management and has over 18 years of progressive consumer products experience in the natural products and cosmetic industries. She provides expert, results-driven brand strategy and tactical marketing solutions to increase brand value, market share and sales. She also provides food and supplement manufacturers and marketers new product development expertise in raw material nutrients, nutritional product claims and product labeling. An accomplished presenter and motivational speaker, Denise also offers wellness seminars for organizations on a variety of nutritional hot topics.
Denise is a member of the American Dietetic Association, the California Dietetic Association, the Bay Area Dietetic Association, the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietary Practice Group and the Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine practice group. She also supports PETA, PCRM and the Organic Consumers Association.
Holistic nutrition encompasses the consumption of whole foods eaten in their most natural state, herbs and supplements when nutritionally appropriate, abundant fresh water to drink, and complementary and integrative functional therapies to support a healthy mind, body and spirit. We have a trusted Botanical Nutrition™ network of both traditional and holistic practitioners whom we can refer you to upon request.
