The study of medicine can feel like investigating a mystery, and sometimes that mystery begins inside the detective’s own body. This was how Siri DeMarche came to medicine. As a high school athlete, she struggled with unexplained health challenges that included joint pain, brain fog, and fatigue. Traditional medical advice offered little insight, leaving her to take on the mysteries of her own health herself. Determined to find a solution, DeMarche immersed herself in the study of human biology, earning a bachelor’s degree from Lewis & Clark College in 2015.
DeMarche’s secondary school athletic pursuits changed the story of her health. As a walk-on member of the women’s varsity rowing team, she faced an uphill battle, competing against athletes with years of experience and physical advantages. Quickly realizing that refining her own approach to nutrition and recovery would give her a competitive edge, she worked hard to keep herself healthy so that she could train harder and recover faster.
Ultimately, the triumphs and challenges of DeMarche’s health motivated her to obtain further education: a Master of Science in human nutrition from the National University of Natural Medicine.
Building a Tailored Approach to Sports Nutrition
In 2017, DeMarche founded Habitually Holistic LLC, a private practice dedicated to providing individualized nutrition guidance to athletes. She takes a distinct approach, working closely with collegiate athletes and high school students aspiring to compete at Division I and Division II levels. Building on the lesson of her own pursuit of health during her education, her philosophy centers on addressing each athlete’s unique physiological needs rather than applying one-size-fits-all nutritional plans.
DeMarche’s approach has yielded impressive results, including the mentorship of a junior college lightweight rower who, through targeted nutritional strategies and mindset coaching, qualified for Stanford’s rowing program. She sets goal-driven priorities, leading athletes to long-term health instead of short-term goals like weight management, even in weight-sensitive sports like rowing and wrestling. She is particularly focused on helping young female athletes navigate the complex intersection of nutrition, hormonal balance, and performance, which is an area DeMarche believes is often overlooked in conventional sports nutrition programs.
An Expanded Influence In Health and Wellness
DeMarche’s work in wellness is not limited to Habitually Holistic. She also serves as a speaker, educator, and advocate for individualized sports nutrition. She holds certifications as a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Certified Sports Nutritionist through the International Society of Sports Nutrition, along with an advanced certificate in coaching education and programming from the Institute of Rowing Leadership.
DeMarche’s broader background includes roles as a coach at Community Rowing Inc., an academic mentor at Lewis & Clark College’s athletic department, and as an intern at the Ashbaugh Center for Physical Therapy. Having been recognized for her leadership in many ways, including with the Charlie Brown Award for Team Leadership, she hopes to secure a role within a Division I sports program, where she can apply her expertise on a larger scale while continuing to refine and expand the nutritional strategies that drive athletic performance.
