The Full Story

Hi, I'm Angelina!

Registered Nurse | Board Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner | Founder of Altra Vita Studio

I’m a Registered Nurse and Board Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner with a passion for helping women feel heard, better understand their bodies, and take a more active role in their health.

But my path to functional health wasn’t just professional.

It was personal.

I Know What It's Like to Search for Answers

For years, I struggled with my own health.

Hormonal imbalances, inconsistent and painful cycles, heavy periods, bloating, digestive issues, chronic fatigue, brain fog, mood changes, and chronic migraines became such a regular part of my life that I eventually stopped questioning them.

I knew I didn’t feel well, but I didn’t know why.

Like so many women, I learned to function around my symptoms. I went to work. I showed up for the people who depended on me. I pushed through the fatigue, discomfort, and frustration.

Eventually, feeling unwell started to feel normal.

And for a long time, I assumed this was simply the body I had been given and the life I needed to learn to live with.

The Turning Point

My perspective began to change when I started looking at my health differently.

Instead of viewing each symptom as an isolated problem, I became interested in how the different pieces of my health might be connected.

I began learning more about nutrition, digestive health, hormones, inflammation, stress, sleep, movement, and the nervous system, and how these factors can influence one another.

For the first time, I stopped asking only, “How do I make this symptom go away?”

I started asking, “What factors could be contributing to why I feel this way?”

That question changed everything for me.

As I made intentional changes to my nutrition and lifestyle, I began noticing changes in how I felt. The process wasn’t overnight, and it certainly wasn’t about finding one magical supplement, diet, or protocol. It was about learning to understand my body, recognize patterns, and create an environment that better supported my overall health.

Over time, I was able to better manage many of the symptoms that had affected my quality of life for years.

More importantly, I stopped feeling powerless in my own health.

From the Bedside to Functional Health

My nursing career has given me the privilege of caring for critically ill children and their families in the pediatric intensive care unit, where I went on to earn my specialty certification in pediatric critical care nursing. Working in such a complex, high-acuity environment strengthened my clinical judgment, critical thinking, assessment skills, patient advocacy, and ability to collaborate closely with multidisciplinary healthcare teams.

But some of the most important lessons nursing taught me had nothing to do with a textbook.

It taught me to listen: to look beyond the chart, ask thoughtful questions, recognize patterns, and advocate for the person behind the symptoms. It taught me that every patient has a story, and that understanding that story is an important part of understanding their health.

At the same time, my own personal health journey began changing the way I thought about wellness.

I have tremendous respect for conventional medicine. I've seen firsthand its extraordinary ability to diagnose disease, manage complex medical conditions, treat acute illness, and save lives. My years at the bedside have only deepened that respect.

But I also found myself drawn to another side of health: what happens outside of the hospital and between appointments.

I wanted the opportunity to spend more time exploring the everyday factors that can influence how we feel—nutrition, sleep, stress, movement, environment, habits, and lifestyle—while helping people become more informed and active participants in their own wellness.

Functional health gave me a way to bring those two worlds together.

Today, I combine the clinical foundation I've built as a Registered Nurse with my education in functional health to offer a personalized, evidence-informed approach to wellness. I bring the same curiosity, critical thinking, advocacy, and attention to detail that shaped me at the bedside into every client relationship, while taking the time to step back, listen to the whole story, and consider the person as a whole.

Because your health is more than a collection of symptoms, and you are more than a chart.

Why Altra Vita?

Altra Vita means "another life."

I chose that name very intentionally.

For years, I thought feeling unwell was simply my normal. Improving my own health allowed me to imagine something different: a life where I better understood my body, felt more confident making decisions about my health, and wasn't constantly fighting against the way I felt.

To me, Altra Vita represents possibility.

It represents the moment you realize that the way you've been feeling doesn't necessarily have to define the way you move forward.

I created Altra Vita Studio to give women a place where they can slow down, tell their entire story, ask questions, and receive personalized support that considers the bigger picture.

Because sometimes, changing your health can change far more than your symptoms.

It can change your life.

My Approach

Your health history is uniquely yours, which means your wellness plan should be, too.

I don't believe in handing every client the same meal plan, supplement protocol, or list of lifestyle rules.

Instead, I take the time to understand your health history, current concerns, nutrition, sleep, stress, movement, lifestyle, environmental factors, available laboratory results, and personal goals.

From there, we can identify patterns and potential contributors that may deserve additional attention and create realistic strategies designed to support your overall wellness.

My role isn't to replace your physician or other healthcare providers. As a Registered Nurse, I practice within my professional scope and believe strongly in collaborative care. When appropriate and with your permission, I'm happy to work alongside your existing healthcare team.

Most importantly, I want you to understand the why behind the recommendations we discuss.

My goal isn't to make you dependent on me.

It's to help you become more knowledgeable, confident, and empowered in caring for yourself.

ANGELINA, BSN, RN, CCRN, BC-FMP

Education & Credentials

Board Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (BC-FMP)

Functional Nurse Academy
Board certification through AANWP

CCRN — Pediatric

AACN Certification Corporation
Specialty certification in pediatric critical care nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Registered Nurse (RN)

Active professional nursing licensure

My education doesn't stop with a certification. I remain committed to continuing education and staying informed as research in nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and functional health continues to evolve.

What You Can Expect From Me

To Be Heard

Your story matters. You'll have the space to talk about what you've been experiencing without feeling rushed.

Personalized Support

Your recommendations will be shaped by your history, goals, preferences, and lifestyle, not a generic protocol.

A Whole-Person Perspective

We'll consider nutrition alongside sleep, stress, movement, relationships, environment, daily habits, and other factors that may influence your well-being.

Evidence-Informed Guidance

I strive to balance current research, clinical experience, and your individual circumstances when providing wellness education and recommendations.

Honesty & Collaboration

If something is outside my scope, I'll tell you. When your concerns require evaluation or treatment from another healthcare professional, I'll encourage you to seek the appropriate care.

Your Story Matters

You may have landed here because you're exhausted from not feeling like yourself.

Maybe you've been told everything looks fine, yet you know you don't feel your best. Maybe you've spent years trying different diets, supplements, routines, or wellness trends without finding something sustainable.

Or maybe nothing is necessarily “wrong,” you're simply ready to become more intentional about your health.

Wherever you're starting, you deserve an approach that recognizes you as a whole person.

You deserve to feel heard.

You deserve to understand your body.

And you deserve support that meets you where you are.

Your body isn't broken. It has a story worth listening to.

I'm so glad you're here.

Welcome to Altra Vita Studio.