Chardonée Donald, CHN, CNS, LDN
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Chardonée Donald is a Board-Certified Nutrition Specialist and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist. She is also a 3rd year Ph.D. candidate in the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Program at Saybrook University. Chardonée has a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science with a Minor in Nutrition and a Master of Science in Human Nutrition.
Chardonée completed the CNS’s academic and supervised practice requirements after 1 and a half years in an internship and credentialed by the American Nutrition Association® through its Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists™. She has a decade of nutrition knowledge and education. Her primary focus is to help heal and not cover up. Her approach is to find the root cause of a disorder and treat it accordingly. With that being said, she asks her patients/clients to give at least 2 years to undo years of damage that has been done to their body and restore nutrients that have been depleted over that time. She believes in setting a good foundation and utilizing the building blocks of nutrition to reach optimal health.
Chardonée worked for two years in a health food store in her early 20s, prompting her to study and receive her certification as a holistic nutrition and worked as such for four years in Illinois before moving to Maryland during COVID-19 to become a caregiver in 2020 to her grandmother with dementia. She educates people on the importance of nutrition in difficult disease processes such as diabetes, dementia, gut dysbiosis, SIBO, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, reactive hypoglycemia, Sickle Cell Disease, brain health (preventing Dementia), Moyamoya Syndrome, and others, with the goal of true wellness.
Her primary interests are decreasing inflammation in the body, addressing gut dysbiosis (one of the causes of leaky gut), hydration, reintroducing macro and micronutrients back into the body, circulation support, cognition, and reducing symptoms of blood disorders such as Sickle Cell Anemia. She completed an internship working with patients with Mast Cell Activation Disorder, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, SIBO, and other complicated disorders.
Her approach to care is humble, open, honest, and unique in the ways that she utilizes her heavy science background in conjunction with her holistic background to give excellent care. Chardonée believes in listening to every concern and connecting the dots. It is important to her that she works well with other medical professionals and practitioners to deliver the best care she can. Her interest in nutrition was inspired by struggles with her own health or by those she knows suffering from some of the conditions mentioned above. She got tired of being overlooked, turned away, misdiagnosed, and told “it’s all in your head”. She knows exactly what it feels like to be a patient and unheard; for this reason Chardonée is committed to listening to patients in depth, understanding who they are as individuals, being upfront about their care, and building trust. In her words, “Every BODY is different. So, I will never treat any two people the same. It does not matter if two people have the same disorder. Your care needs to be as unique as you are”. She works with whatever you bring to the table and will walk beside you to help set healthy habits. She will help nurture and help you implement sustainable lifestyle changes through motivational interviewing and getting to know you.
Chardonée believes in utilizing time well, intentionality, and making meaningful lasting relationships. At home she is a daughter, sister, aunt, niece, newlywed Sickle Cell Warrior Wife to her husband, bonus mom to 2 boys, and dog mom to a beautiful mini-bernedoodle living in Northern Virginia. Her passions are cooking (her father was a chef), DIY health projects, painting, reading, rollerblading, volunteering and participating in events with her local church. She is the owner of The Potter’s Kettle, an organic loose leaf tea company she founded May 2022. Chardonée is also a Teaching Assistant in the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Program at the very school she attends for her PhD.
To make an appointment with Chardonée, please call 703-532-4892.
