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Ali Richman MS, RD, CDN

  1. workspace_premium Certified Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

  2. workspace_premium Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics

  3. workspace_premium Master’s of Science in Clinical Nutrition

  4. workspace_premium Trained in the Low FODMAP Diet & FLORA Method

  5. workspace_premium 1200+ Hour Clinical Training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) - A Harvard Medical Teaching Hospital

Specialties

Digestive Health

LPR

Acid Reflux

GERD

Bowel Irregularity

SIBO

Gallbladder Dysfunction

IBS

Weight Management

acid reflux gerd specialists Acid Reflux Counseling gut health nutritionist acid reflux diet

Ali’s Story

Reflecting back on my high school years, I constantly struggled with GI discomfort—persistent bloating, constipation, abdominal pain, and overwhelming fatigue that left me far from my best self.

Seeking answers, I consulted a Gastroenterologist who diagnosed me with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). A low-FODMAP diet was recommended, but beyond that, guidance was minimal. Navigating the low-FODMAP diet independently was a daunting task, leading to moments of feeling lost and overwhelmed. 
Several months later, despite my efforts, my digestive distress persisted. It took some convincing, but eventually, the doctor agreed to perform an endoscopy and colonoscopy. The outcome was unexpected—mild ulcerative colitis. 

At the age of 16, I was left with two diagnoses, and armed with only a diet handout and a new prescription, I knew I needed additional support.

Turning to Integrative physicians and compassionate dietitians proved transformative. They invested time to truly understand my symptoms, approaching treatment with a holistic lens—evaluating diet, lifestyle, environment, and stress levels. The journey encompassed a complete dietary revamp, personalized supplements, and a pivotal "reboot" of my nervous system through mindfulness practices.

Fast forward over 8 years, my Ulcerative Colitis is in remission, IBS is managed, and my energy levels have never been higher. This shift is more than physical health— it's really a rediscovery of self.

My mission is clear: to support others with similar journeys, those facing discouragement with current GI symptoms yet driven to reclaim optimal health.

My approach harmonizes 6 years of formal nutrition training with over 8 years of being a patient and practitioner in Integrative Medicine. This synergy allows me to deliver comprehensive care, factoring in your symptoms, test results, diet, lifestyle, environment, and stress levels. 

The result is a personalized care plan that addresses the root cause and is actionable, sustainable, and effective.

What Ali’s Clients Say

After 5 sessions with Ali, not only had my symptoms reduced drastically, but I also had a follow-up endoscopy that showed I no longer had signs of inflammation or abnormal cells (Barretts)…

Starting around age 25, I began experiencing silent reflux symptoms (that at the time I wasn't even aware were reflux-related!). I was experiencing occasional shortness of breath, chest pain, burping, and from time-to-time, heartburn. Over about 2.5 years, my symptoms steadily increased until one day I was at work with very severe shortness of breath. Unsure what was going on, I saw a GI specialist. I was put on PPIs and told I should lose weight even though my BMI was not considered overweight. The PPIs provided some relief, but after a couple months, they stopped working, my symptoms returned. My GI gave me an endoscopy which found inflammation and a nodule with abnormal cells (Barretts).

Frustrated, I began researching endlessly online when I stumbled across FLORA on Youtube! At this point I was trying to eliminate foods with no real relief and I felt my social life shrinking. I also told my doctor I was planning to come off of the PPIs and while he discouraged it, they ultimately said it was up to me. I decided to reach out to FLORA and began working with Ali. I felt such relief after our first appointment just by feeling heard, but once I started implementing her suggestions, I began improving rapidly.

After 5 sessions with Ali, not only had my symptoms reduced drastically, but I also had a follow-up endoscopy that showed I no longer had signs of inflammation or abnormal cells (Barretts). I no longer feel stressed to meet friends for dinner at a restaurant, and plan to participate in the champagne toast at my wedding later this year without anxiety about reflux! I now have tools tailored to me that help maintain my symptom relief, but also the peace of mind knowing that if I need support in the future, I can work with FLORA to get to the root of the problem (and avoid the dreaded internet rabbit-hole).

If you are finding yourself feeling lost in healing gastro-related issues, I highly recommend reaching out to the highly qualified and compassionate team at FLORA for support! 

- Emma

  • "I was so relieved to find Molly's instagram account after having constant heart burn and back pain for months and then symptoms of a sore throat, something stuck in my throat, and trouble swallowing. I thought I was just going to have to live with it. PPIs weren't working anymore. I started listening to all Molly's videos and then eventually started to work with her colleague, Ali. I am so thankful I found these ladies. I really dialed in on meditation, nutrition, and meal time hygiene. It took a while, but my symptoms completely went away! So happy to have found them. I still struggle with consistency when it comes to nutrition but things are so much better than they were before."

    -Jill F.

  • “I am in debt to Ali for guiding me through my rollercoaster of health issues. Years of chronic bloating, low self esteem, inflammation, acne and food intolerances. Every meal I ate caused severe bloating and left me feeling extremely uncomfortable, not to mention the inflammation I was left with at all times. She took the time to explore root causes of all these issues and one by one picked them apart by recommending protocols in conjunction with products that helped aid my healing process. The hardest part of this journey has been the mental tole that it took on me in my everyday life- Ali was extremely aware of this and made sure to incorporate the emotional, mental and physical healing to this as well. I am now able to enjoy my life the way I was meant to. I can finally eat out with friends and family without worrying about the tightness and uncomfortable pain I felt in my stomach.”

    -Leah T

  • "I know this program and Ali have positively changed my life. I was barely eating and struggling with sibo, candida, gastritis and gastroparesis. I don't think I would be where I am without this program. I have Barely any bloating, no LPR symptoms and no burping. Compared to when I first started this program to now. I almost feel like myself again. I actually look forward to eating and I don't fear food like I use to."

    -Mariah

  • "Ali helped me when I was in a gastrointestinal flare experiencing days of nausea, diarrhea and overall stomach upset. She worked with me to identify potential triggers for my flare. She also provided food recommendations to help soothe my GI tract and suggested some foods to limit. These recommendations were incredibly helpful and I was able to start feeling better as soon as I started following them”

    -M.F

  • "Ali is a pleasure to work with and took the time to understand my presenting issues with care and expertise. I started seeing Ali to address hair loss concerns. By asking thoughtful questions about my medications, lifestyle, diet, and bloodwork history, she helped uncover the root of the presenting problem. Ali recommended specific tests to confirm the potential underlying causes and suggested personalized dietary and lifestyle changes – including making suggestions to my meal patterns and managing stress levels. Ali comes highly recommended for anyone seeking holistic evidenced-based solutions."

    -Alexa G

  • “I received proper guidance on reducing acid reflux triggers. Recommendations on what food to eat to prevent acid reflux were very helpful. In addition, recommended supplements were very effective and truly helped prevent triggers. I liked how Ali made me feel heard. I was so grateful and happy about the experience that I don't have anything else to add in terms of improvement. She made sure that my concerns were addressed and provided appropriate recommendations. Thank you!!!!“

    -F.D.

  • "I never would have dreamed a lot of my reflux is not due to food. Ali is teaching me quite a bit whereas before I was not able to connect what role my stress plays in my digestive health. She opted to look at the root causes and we're leaning into those ideas. The meal plans have changed my routine for the best and have lessened my stress levels throughout the week so much. I'm very grateful for Ali!"

    -H.D.

  • "Ali has helped me find balance in healthy eating and lifestyle practices but also reminding me to indulge in the joys of life. She is a wealth of knowledge with training in both the conventional and functional model of nutrition and wellness, and her personal struggle with GI symptoms make her an even more well-rounded and empathetic practitioner.”

    -MT

  • "I feel like the changes I am making are evidence-based and structured and I feel hopeful for the first time in ages. There wasn't a question too silly and that could not be answered! It was definitely the first time I felt heard and given other options. Ali went through lots of concerns with me and the plan I have now is really sustainable!"

    -R.W.

  • "Ali has been patient and explained details very well. She is very knowledgeable and is giving me options to address my concerns head on. She is absolutely wonderful!"

    -Holly

  • “Prior to working with Ali, I was dealing with dry throat, lack of saliva being produced, restricted eating certain foods due to symptoms, inability to gain and maintain weight, and constipation. I also had a lingering acid taste upon waking up every morning. Before working with Ali I worked with another nutritionist, but had no success. I went to the doctors and they prescribed PPIs. After taking them for 2 weeks, I saw no difference and felt confused. I had no help from my medical providers, and trying to do it all by myself felt overwhelming. I saw a nutritionist that didn’t work, I then went on a doom scroll online and ran into FLORA’s videos. When I started working with Ali, from the start I felt very supported. I felt more at ease knowing that she cared about helping me achieve my goals: diminish my lingering symptoms, help me eat my favorite foods again, and gain back weight I had lost. Ali really took interest in learning about my current symptoms and caring about our action plan for the week. She made it very easy to feel like the end goals were possible. After a month of working together I felt a huge difference. I started taking everything suggested gradually and it was the best approach for me. In a month I started noticing less morning acid taste, I was able to go to the bathroom consistently. And after 5 months, I have finally been able to eat pizza and pasta with red sauce. I recently also had a drink of alcohol – a beer with no symptoms. I am SO HAPPY! Being able to eat out for trips and events without the fear of symptoms has been so alleviating and life changing. Ali had a holistic approach to everything and I truly appreciated her patience and incredible expertise/knowledge in this area. It’s worth the investment for your health and sanity. I felt like I had tried everything, but doing this program helped me learn how much I didn’t know about nutrition and what specifically MY BODY needed. It also helped change my mindset for what’s needed and good for myself.”

    -Cary

  • "To say my health was a mess before working with FLORA Nutrition would be an understatement. I’ve struggled off and on with poor digestion and acid reflux for years, but at the beginning of this year, I reached a point where I was constantly nauseous and couldn’t even tolerate the thought of food, let alone eat anything significant. I still experienced reflux even without eating anything, and my digestion was extremely sluggish. I reached out to my doctor and she prescribed me a month-long course of a PPI, which I began taking right away. While it did help calm the intense nausea, it did very little to address the actual reflux, which was the main issue I was experiencing in the first place. I found FLORA Nutrition through TikTok and was inspired by the way both Molly and Ali each overcame their own respective digestive issues through nutrition and lifestyle changes. I knew they would understand my struggles and approach my issues from a place of empathy and personal experience, which makes all the difference in terms of healthcare. After my very first meeting with Ali, I immediately began implementing all of the suggestions she made regarding how to eat, what I should eat, and what I should do to calm my nervous system and manage my daily stress. Within two weeks I already began to notice a reduction in symptoms and an increase in energy. Fast forward two months since beginning my work with Ali, and I feel SO MUCH BETTER. My diet is so much more diverse than it was two months ago, and I feel much calmer about eating and drinking because I know nutrition is a healing modality. I now have energy to do the things I love to do again. Overall, I feel like Ali and FLORA have helped equip me for a life-long journey of wellness and healing -- the things I have learned these past two months are things I will continue to use for the rest of my life. I cannot recommend both Ali and FLORA Nutrition enough. Without them, I am sure I’d still be stuck eating nothing but white bread and plain baked potatoes -- and what a sad life that would be."

    -Izzy P

  • "I’m a healthy, in shape, 41 year old dude with 11% body fat and one day I had food regurgitate. Thereafter, had an incredibly difficult time swallowing. I was only able to eat two bowls of oatmeal l and two protein shakes per day. My heartburn had caused a stricture. I thought I would go back to normal as soon as that was fixed, but due to inflammation of my esophagus, it was still very challenging to swallow. After about six weeks, I sought additional help through FLORA, nutrition and Ali. After the two GI docs, PCP, ER doc, speech pathologist, two naturopathic doctors, and an acupuncturist the answers I needed were from a dietician of which I didn’t think I need at all but I tried it out of desperation. The protocol Ali put me on provided the most relief and I’ve felt dramatically better every single week for the last five weeks My my initial thoughts of a dietitian was that they tell me what healthy foods to eat, which I already know. What I did not realize is Ali was able to tell me when to eat, and what my portion sizes, what Macros and what supplements to take. My profession requires me to travel: I was back traveling shortly after Ali had helped me. Today, I am feeling back to normal and have incorporated foods back in to my diet."

    -JJ.

Finally, stop digestive symptoms so you can live with freedom

Step-by-step guidance from Expert Digestive Health Registered Dietitians to get relief from symptoms and take control of your health.

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