Nutritionist Dr. Rita Andrade: The New Specialist at UP Clinic

The arrival of nutritionist Dr. Rita Andrade to the UP Clinic team marks another step forward in strengthening our multidisciplinary approach to patient care. As a clinical nutritionist, she brings an integrative, personalized, and evidence-based approach, fully aligned with the holistic vision of UP Clinic. Dr. Rita Andrade’s work focuses on a comprehensive assessment of each patient, taking into account clinical history, metabolism, lifestyle, and stage of life, in order to design tailored, human-centered nutritional plans aimed at consistent and sustainable results.

Dr. Rita Andrade is a Clinical Nutritionist and a PhD candidate in Health Communication. Throughout her career, she has combined scientific research, functional medicine, and personalized nutrition, with a particular focus on especially demanding life stages such as pregnancy, menopause, oncology, and smart aging. Her established clinical practice reflects a rare balance between scientific rigor and human closeness—something she considers essential in healthcare.

“Nutrition is my greatest passion. I didn’t start out in this field; my academic and professional path was quite sui generis. I began in television and spent 14 years working on various programs.”

This background in communication has shaped the way Dr. Rita Andrade now supports each patient, allowing her to translate technical knowledge into clear, practical, and achievable guidance for everyday life.

“I believe television allowed me to develop this communication skill that also enables me to connect with my patients and help them achieve personalized nutrition, specific to each clinical case.”

A functional, results-oriented approach

At UP Clinic, Dr. Rita Andrade deepens the practice of functional nutrition—a perspective that views the body as an interconnected system. Rather than focusing solely on an isolated goal (such as weight), this approach seeks to understand the “why” behind symptoms by integrating factors such as genetics, environment, emotions, lifestyle, sleep, metabolism, and gastrointestinal health.

In clinical practice, this means identifying imbalances that may be contributing to inflammation, hormonal changes, fatigue, digestive difficulties, infertility, accelerated aging, or other challenges. The consultation thus becomes a space for comprehensive assessment and for building a nutritional plan that makes sense for the real person—with their history, routines, and goals.

Dr. Rita Andrade brings solid experience in areas such as:

• hormonal health and fertility;

• weight management with a metabolic focus;

• oncology and nutritional support during treatment;

• active longevity and healthy aging;

• pre- and post-surgical nutritional support.

This last area is particularly important in the context of UP Clinic. Proper nutrition before and after surgery can directly influence wound healing, immune response, inflammation levels, and overall recovery. By optimizing nutritional status, we can promote more consistent outcomes, reduce risks, and support the body’s regenerative processes.

Nutrition beyond the plate

Functional nutrition is not a list of “good” or “bad” foods—it is a health strategy. Nutrients modulate essential bodily processes, from hormonal balance to immunity, energy, mood, and recovery capacity. Therefore, well-structured nutritional support can be a cornerstone both in prevention and as a complementary approach in the treatment of various clinical conditions.

Likewise, in non-surgical body contouring, nutrition is decisive in enhancing aesthetic results. By reducing inflammation, correcting deficiencies, balancing hormones, and improving body composition, skin quality, tissue firmness, and the long-term sustainability of results are also improved.

Science, empathy, and communication in the service of health

Dr. Rita Andrade joins UP Clinic with the right motivation to work side by side with each patient.

“One of the characteristics I always mention when I serve as a jury member for the Nutritionists’ Association exams, to those who are about to begin this career, is that there is one personality trait that is the most important for working in healthcare: empathy.”

If you are looking for nutritional support tailored to your clinical condition, your body, and your stage of life, nutritionist Dr. Rita Andrade is ready to welcome you at UP Clinic in pre- and post-surgical care, oncology, hormonal health, fertility, weight management, or longevity.

Nutritionist Dr. Rita Andrade — Full Member of the Portuguese Order of Nutritionists, professional license no. 2944N.