Inspiring Conversations with Mallory Grassmuck of The Gut Edit

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mallory Grassmuck.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Upon earning my master’s in dietetics from KU Med, I landed a job as an outpatient dietitian in a Kansas City primary care office practice. I worked alongside experienced dietitians and physicians learning how to counsel patients on medically necessary dietary changes. I travelled between locations in the metro area, and a chance conversation with a man in an elevator led to my shifting my career focus. He was a gastroenterologist who understood the value of having a dietitian as part of the practice, and I was interested in specializing in one specific area of dietetics. Then the pandemic hit. I started seeing the majority of my patients via telemedicine.

Eventually — after ten years with the GI practice — I decided to open my own private practice as a GI dietitian: The Gut Edit. While I was confident in my role as a GI dietitian, opening my private practice has forced me to learn the business side of the industry.

My career is extremely rewarding. I can help people improve their quality of life through simple, realistic dietary changes. I spend the majority of my day discussing diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating. It may not sound glorious, but it’s real.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Believe it or not, one of the most difficult decisions was what to name my new practice. I can’t tell you how many I tried only to discover the name and website was already claimed. I didn’t want to use the word “diet,” because I didn’t want to give the impression that I was in the weight-loss business. Because the letters are the same and just rearranged, I used the word EDIT, instead. Another struggle was getting patients to schedule an appointment with me. Magazines, social media, commercials, search engines, billboards, and morning news programming bombard people with conflicting information and it’s tempting for some folks to self-diagnose rather than seek professionals. Folks are overwhelmed and unsure who to trust for information. The majority of GI patients have been struggling with symptoms for so long they feel like they have tried “everything.” BUT the majority of the time, they have not seen a registered dietitian who specializes in GI. One of the most common phrases I hear from my patients “I wish I would have done this sooner.”

We’ve been impressed with The Gut Edit, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
GI is study of the digestive system. I work solely with GI patients. My patients may have Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, gastroparesis, chronic diarrhea or constipation, gas, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, chronic nausea and vomiting, reflux, etc. I work one-on-one with patients by creating realistic goals and helping them adjust their current food intake. There are so many variables that come into food choices including food preferences, time for meal preparation, interest in meal preparation, ability/experience in cooking, dining out frequency, finances, and access to grocery stores. Add a significant GI disorder on top of it, and the average person is quite daunted by the challenge. I pride myself in listening to patients and supporting all the above variables, and creating recommendations from there. The initial appointment is an hour long, followed by a 30 minute follow up visit 3-4 weeks later. Additional follow up is patient specific. I offer telemedicine by HIPPA-compliant Zoom or in person appointments in Overland Park.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If you are interested in scheduling you can check out my website (thegutedit.com) and schedule an appointment directly from there or give me a call (913-279-0226). They can also

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thegutedit.com