The Green Door Life Team
Melanie Pflaster
NAMS Certified Nutrition Coach and Board Certified NTI Candidate in Functional Nutrition
Melanie’s health journey started early. Growing up, she dealt with a handful of autoimmune and genetic conditions—like recurring Epstein-Barr Virus that could knock her out for months at a time, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (an autoimmune thyroid disorder), and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that affects multiple systems in the body. Later she also developed pre-diabetes despite "doing everything right" (which she was later able to reverse ).
For years, she tried to navigate the medical system, but real relief felt out of reach. That started to shift when she learned how to advocate for herself—and discovered the incredible power of nourishing, balanced food to calm inflammation and support her body.
The real turning point came when she began following macronutrient-balanced meals and the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet. The changes she experienced weren’t just physical—they were life-changing. That healing sparked something bigger: a deep passion to help others find their own path to feeling better.
These days, Melanie is all about supporting people with chronic illnesses—especially those who feel dismissed or overlooked by traditional healthcare. She’s here to help you figure out what actually works for you, and to support you in speaking up for the care you need and deserve.
If you’re looking for guidance with nutrition and movement—whether it’s for autoimmune support, pre-diabetes, GLP-1/GIP agonists, or just making sense of your lab results—Mel’s your gal. She brings warmth, lived experience, and a ton of knowledge to every conversation.
Melanie is a certified nutrition coach through the National Academy of Metabolic Science, and she’s currently working toward board certification in functional nutrition through the Nutrition Therapy Institute and the National Association of Nutrition Professionals. She’s also training to become a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through NASM so she can better support clients with hyper-mobility in building strength and moving with confidence.
Mel’s not just your coach—she’s your advocate, your guide, and someone who truly gets it.
Challenges I have Overcome Through Health Awareness
- Auto-immune and genetic disorders. My body is more complex than your average bear. I used to feel really powerless and sick all the time. It got better for me when I began self-advocating for what I needed, learning to set the right boundaries for my body and with my community, and looking at how my body works and how I could test different approaches. I love helping others advocate for themselves and approach their bodies with curiosity and a ton of love. I am chronically ill, but that doesn't mean I can't lead a beautiful life, its just a piece of it I have to be in balance with.
- I've struggled with all or nothing or falling off the cliff when I've gotten ill in the past. I used to beat myself up and be furious I couldn't do what I wanted to do. I'm so grateful to have learned that listening to my body is vital and that doing a little is better than nothing. Now if I'm in a flare-up, I prioritize lots of rest, instead of hating that down time, I choose to enjoy it and do things I don't normally get to do. I also make sure to get my walks in, and eat yummy nutritious food so that my body can focus on healing. I end up recovering faster and can then get back to my workouts after the flare-ups end.
- I've struggled with complexity of medication and salt in my diet. Some examples of issues they caused were bad interactions, blood pressure drops while working out that would make me pass out, issues with high water retention which made me feel like I was having slower progress than I wanted. Having great coaches patiently help me sort through and dive into those meds and help me re-focus on body recomposition vs the # on a scale was a game changer for me. I'd love to help others who struggle with plateaus that may be more complex than at first glance. I hope we can unravel them together.
