My goal is pretty simple: once a month, I want to send you something that helps you better understand your body and gives you a few practical things you can actually use.
Nourished Notes | September 2026; Issue 1
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NOURISHED NOTES | SEPTEMBER 2026 Evidence-based nutrition, strength & health, with a little common sense. Welcome to the first official Nourished Notes. I wanted a place where I could share more than what fits into an Instagram post, (because if you haven’t noticed I essentially ghosted everyone) what I’m learning, what new research is actually worth paying attention to, things I’m using in my own life and practice, and probably a few opinions about the nutrition and wellness world along the way. My goal is pretty simple: once a month, I want to send you something that helps you better understand your body and gives you a few practical things you can actually use. No 47-step morning routine required or weird wellness trick that will CHANGE your life (insert eye roll) This year has been a big one. I officially graduated with my Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition, and now I'm working toward completing the 1,000 supervised practice hours required to become a Certified Nutrition Specialist. This degree took years off my life but I am beyond grateful I did it. But more than adding another credential behind my name, I've been thinking a lot about what I want my work to look like moving forward (I’ve been deep in the trenches). And this is what keeps coming up: I want women to be able to eat enough food, build muscle, have energy, support their health and continue doing the things they love as they get older. We want to age well!!!! There is so much information coming at us about hormones, metabolism, supplements, weight loss and longevity that taking care of yourself can start to feel like another full-time job. It shouldn't. The basics matter more than they're often given credit for. And that's exactly what I want Nourished Notes to be about. WHAT I'M READING Protein still matters, but protein alone isn't the magic trick. A new systematic review published in August looked at 15 randomized clinical trials involving 1,161 pre- and postmenopausal women to examine how animal- and plant-based protein affected body composition. Animal protein interventions showed more consistent improvements in body fat and weight, particularly when protein was combined with exercise and calorie restriction. Some longer interventions also showed increases in lean mass. Plant protein studies were more variable, although benefits were more apparent when protein intake was paired with exercise. But here's the part I think is most important: Increasing protein by itself wasn't consistently enough to change body composition. Yes, I care about getting enough protein (but not in a way that it becomes a full time job to eat a million grams of protein a day), especially for women who want to maintain or build muscle as they age. But eating 150 grams of protein while ignoring total energy intake, resistance training, carbohydrates, fiber, sleep and the rest of your diet isn't some secret body-composition hack. My takeaway: Protein matters. But what you ask your muscles to do with that protein matters too. Want to nerd out? Read the full systematic review here: CURRENTLY IN MY SUPPLEMENT CABINET Creatine monohydrate Listen, I am super lazy when it comes to taking supplements. The literal worst but this is a popular supplement so thought I would share. Let’s dive in… A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis looked specifically at creatine supplementation in postmenopausal women. Across seven randomized controlled trials involving 608 women, creatine was associated with a modest increase in lean mass and greater leg-press strength. The benefits were most apparent when at least 5 grams per day was paired with resistance training. What didn't it do? Magically build muscle while you sit on the couch. And despite some interesting theories around bone health, the review did not find a meaningful overall improvement in bone mineral density. That's an important because supplements should complement the work, not replace it. My takeaway: Creatine can be a useful tool. Strength training is still doing the heavy lifting. Read the 2026 creatine review You can order supplements from my Fullscript account Supplement needs are individual. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting a new supplement, particularly if you have a medical condition, take medications or have concerns about whether it's appropriate for you. WHAT I'M EATING My “I don't want to cook” Yogurt bowl Sometimes nutrition really can be this uncomplicated. Throw together: Skylar Yogurt- I like Painters Sisters or Siggi’s Vanilla You've got protein, carbohydrates, fiber and fat in one bowl and it takes about two minutes. Breakfast? Yep. Snack? Yep. Dinner because you're tired and refuse to dirty another pan? Also yep. A balanced meal doesn't have to be impressive to count. ONE THING TO TRY THIS MONTH This month's focus: Add instead of overhaul. Pick one meal you already eat regularly and ask: What could I add to make this meal more nourishing? Maybe that's adding a protein source to breakfast. Maybe it's adding a piece of fruit to lunch. Maybe it's adding potatoes or rice to dinner because you're training tomorrow and carbohydrates are, in fact, allowed. Maybe it's throwing frozen vegetables into the meal instead of promising yourself you'll become a meal-prep person on Sunday. Your goal: Improve one meal you already eat at least three times this week. You don't need a brand-new diet. Sometimes you just need to make the food you're already eating work a little harder for you. ONE THING I NEED TO SAY You cannot supplement your way around the foundations. I love functional testing. I use supplements in practice. I think targeted supplementation can be incredibly valuable. But if we're obsessing over the perfect magnesium while consistently sleeping five hours, under-eating, barely eating vegetables and not moving our bodies, we're missing the point. Health doesn't become more effective just because we make it more complicated. Foundations first. Fancy stuff when it actually makes sense. WHAT'S HAPPENING AT R&R INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION Well, let’s start with the fact that I changed my practice name from Desiree Reed & Co Nutrition to R&R Integrative Nutrition and it feels like the glow up I needed. I'm currently accepting clients while I complete my supervised practice hours toward the Certified Nutrition Specialist credential. I reopened my practice last month and am so grateful to stay busy. If you have worked with me before, the process I have now is a bit different. The intake is deeper, the forms are overwhelming (but only because I have lots of consents since I am being supervised for hours) and the recommendations are not a million pages of what I think you should do. We come up with a plan together and I help keep you on track. This isn't about handing you a perfect meal plan and sending you on your way- at all. It's about figuring out what your body needs, deciding what actually deserves our attention, and building from there. Feel free to share my link with anyone you think would benefit or be interested. The only caveat is I cannot take on anyone with cancer who is receiving chemo, current eating disorders, or pregnant women (you wouldn’t want me to help with that but I can refer you to someone).
CURRENTLY LOVING Doing: Lifting heavy things. Shocking, I know. About a year ago I joined a group fitness gym (not CrossFit or F45) and I love love love it. I’ve also made friends and that’s a huge win! If you're ever in the Raleigh area and want to come workout with me, let me know! Learning: I'm always reading something related to nutrition, physiology or longevity, so expect plenty more research in future issues. Current read: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve https://a.co/d/01n7mKdv Eating: Anything that requires minimal dishes, currently getting in 6 servings of veggies a day! Just fyi a serving size is 1/2c cooked or 1 cup raw veggies. Life: Norman & I are still doing all the things-he’s still a psychopath and currently I think he might be 110-115lbs but who knows. He loves children and the ladies. I call him my colorectal cancer detection dog because he really gets his snout deeeeeeeeep in the backdoor when he meets people. Not a good look and not a good behavior-nobody freak out-he gets corrected. He also got sprayed by a skunk in May and still smells-I've tried everything so if you've got any recs send them my way. That's it for September. Eat enough food. Build some muscle. Go outside. Get some sleep. And please don't let the internet convince you that taking care of yourself needs to be a full-time job (unless you’re in peri-menopause or menopause then it's a full time plus part time job and you’re Ubering on the side ha ha). Until next month, Desiree Reed, MSCN hello@rrintegrativenutrition.com www.rrintegrativenutrition.com If there is a specific supplement you’re interested in or specific research you want me to dive into please hit reply and let me know and I can make sure and get it in next month's newsletter. |
Desiree
My goal is pretty simple: once a month, I want to send you something that helps you better understand your body and gives you a few practical things you can actually use.
NOURISHED NOTES | SEPTEMBER 2026 Evidence-based nutrition, strength & health, with a little common sense. We are officially on the second issue of Nourished Notes. If you stayed, Thank You!! I truly want this to be crammed packed full of actual helpful information. So if you have any questions, ideas, thoughts you want me to discuss-Do NOT be shy! A NOTE FROM ME I’ve taken so much time off of Instagram and I am very thankful for that. I do love social media for all of the connections I’ve...