Locals Only: Christa Orecchio

If you already feel like caving in on that New Year’s resolution to eat well, let Christa Orecchio come to the rescue. The 11-year resident is a clinical nutritionist, holistic health counselor, and founder of Encinitas-based The Whole Journey, which aims to “help people live healthier, happier and more energetic lives through whole food nutrition, supplementation and healthy lifestyle guidance,” she says. Programs are individually tailored to each client, and services include private nutritional counseling, 10 different specialized in-home intensive programs, cooking classes, private chef services and grocery store tours. The latter take place at and Jimbo’s in Carlsbad, and offer nutrition and shopping tips (see box). Here are her tips on some of the best Encinitas has to offer.

Top three ways to start eating well in 2012: 1) Figure out your food sensitivities and begin to avoid them. Our bodies have a formula, just like cars, and finding the right one for your unique body is the fastest way to health. 2) Avoid sugar at all costs. Start using low-glycemic sweeteners like stevia, xylitol, coconut sugar and raw honey instead. Our website has more than 200 recipes teaching you how to make delicious sweets from these sweeteners (and healthier flours) thewholejourney.com/recipes. 3) Get the chemicals (artificial sweeteners, dyes, msg) and trans fats out and focus on more greens and healthy fats and oils.

Favorite section of : Well, since I am a nutritionist, I’m going to have to go with the produce aisle, but the deli is a close second.

Favorite meal at a local restaurant: The Cosmic Cobb salad at . No bacon bits (soy is not good for you), lemon herb dressing and a side of either black beans or brown rice.

Last purchase made in Encinitas: These beautiful feathers that are suspended in glass globes at .

Ideal Encinitas day: A long run on the beach followed by a delicious breakfast at with good friends. Then maybe wandering around the meditation gardens with my journal, local shopping at It’s a Luv Thing, , and Playa Dulce boutiques followed by a massage at , a yoga class and a fun dinner and glass of wine with friends at Blue Ribbon.

Favorite civic organizations: The Non-GMO Project, Food Democracy NOW, Organic Consumers Association.

Favorite local business: Ahhh…there are so many! If you make me choose only one, I guess I have to go with Soulscape.

Favorite Encinitas event: The Christmas Parade.

Best thing about living in Encinitas: The ocean, the climate, and the open-mindedness about health, lifestyle, and spirituality.

The one thing she’d like to change about the city: I would love it if we put a moratorium on building and roadwork for a while.

A place in Encinitas more locals should visit: .

How she would dress up the Cardiff Kook: I saw a bumper sticker recently that said “Hey GMOs, stop trying to get into my plants.” I think I would dress the Kook up as a fun, funky activist against GMOs (genetically modified organisms) to keep awareness of this at the forefront of our community’s mind and hopefully encourage activism because there are more and more local opportunities to get involved in protecting our food supply.

Best place in the city to watch the sunset: Sunset Park by the Encinitas Library.

Orecchio leads a tour at from 7 to 8 p.m. Jan. 9 (free, attendees just show up and meet in the produce section) and from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 10 at Jimbo’s ($45, sign up at thewholejourney.com/events). For more information, call 760-533-0163 or go to thewholejourney.com.