Kaori Murata-Shih, RD

With over 7 years of experience as a registered dietitian in both inpatient and outpatient settings, I have had the opportunity to specialize in multiple areas of nutrition. My current areas of focus include CKD/ESRD, DM, transplant nutrition, heart health, pre- and post-bariatric surgery support, PCOS, IBS, IBD, and low FODMAP diet, to name a few examples. I am also a board-certified specialist in renal nutrition (CSR), given my deep interest in working with people living with chronic kidney disease and helping improve their quality of life through balanced nutrition, tailored to their individual needs.

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My passion for becoming a dietitian began in my undergraduate studies at the University of California, Davis, where I found that nutrition was the building foundation of one's overall well-being and health. What really resonated with me was that obtaining a balance of nutrition is one of the key areas in preventing multiple chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Seeing this at play in both hospitals and in outpatient clinics, I wanted to be a part of helping people become healthier and have a better quality of life. Prevention through nutrition is what also helped me solidify my decision to pursue my graduate degree through the Colleges of Health Promotion at Arizona State University. 

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What I love about being a dietitian is the rapport and connection made with people I work with. My mission is to be a partner in improving your health, through nutrition. The best part of all of this? Seeing people incorporating lifestyle changes through intrinsic motivation, hearing reports of feeling physically and emotionally better, and most importantly, hearing how satisfied and confident they are with the changes they've made. 

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Fun fact – I love spending every moment I can with my school-aged daughter, who is also a foodie! We both love different cuisines at restaurants and are currently improving our cooking skills. My days off are spent searching for local restaurants and looking for new cookbooks. I also love swimming and running as my main forms of exercise.