Mitchell VanGelder, RD

Hi! My name is Mitchell, I am from Raleigh, North Carolina and I have been a Registered Dietitian for 6+ years. I primarily work as a Dietitian in dialysis helping patients with end stage kidney disease who also have a multitude of other diseases including: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, malnutrition, overweight/obesity, cancer, autoimmune disease including HIV and thyroid problems, and much much more. My specialties are in diabetes, high blood pressure, heart health, and kidney disease. I also have experience and knowledge in geriatrics, weight loss, eating disorders, prenatal and infant nutrition, and a few other areas.

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I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from East Carolina University where I graduated in the top 10% of my class. I completed my Dietetic Internship at Syracuse University. Syracuse was an outcomes management focused internship, meaning our goal was to identify community issues related to nutrition (such as food insecurity), and then develop solutions to resolve these issues. The main component was to then evaluate these solutions to determine if we were able to deliver the outcomes we desired that best served the community. This approach I have been able to incorporate into my own practice at an individualized level when counseling my patients and clients. I want to know that the outcomes you are seeing for yourself align with your goals and why you decided to learn about nutrition and make lifestyle changes, that is what makes me feel successful.

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The reason I became a Dietitian and what drives me to be the best Dietitian I can be is related to my family's health history. On my mother's side of the family we are riddled with a genetic heart disease that has claimed the lives of many of my relatives and ancestors. On my father's side of the family we have been unfortunate in dealing with cancer and high blood pressure that has also claimed the lives of many relatives. My sister was also born with other medical issues that effect her to this day. I have always wanted to help others anyway that I can and more specifically in the healthcare industry, and what I've learned is that everything can be related back to nutrition and lifestyle. So even when the genetically driven odds are stacked against you, proper education of your condition and how you can manage it with nutrition, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risks of co-morbidities and mortality related to your predispositions. My family, on both sides, over the years have really come to understand this and I can see the positive changes it has made in their health and overall lives. That is what drives me to be a Dietitian because I know there are other people and families in the world that need this education to break the cycle of their generational genetics and I want to touch as many lives as I can.

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Some fun facts about me are that I am an avid sports fan of all sports, baseball, soccer, hockey, football, golf, basketball, you name it I'll watch it. My playing days are over due to knee issues (besides golf), but I still can't get enough of the game! I grew up playing hockey mostly (even though I'm from North Carolina), and also played soccer, baseball, and golf. Aside from sports, I am also an avid outdoorsman. I love to hunt, fish, camp, work outside such as farming, and overall just enjoy being in nature. For me it is the escape from the real world stress. I am also extremely passionate about music, I always say if it were not for nutrition I would have become a musician in some capacity. I have no preference of genre and I love them all. I grew up playing the trumpet and then taught myself how to play guitar, write lyrics, sing, and dabble in some piano. I love to connect with my patients and clients about their interests outside of nutrition as it helps me to get to know you better so I can be more relatable in how I guide you towards your goals.

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I can't wait to meet you and I look forward to helping you achieve your goals!

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