Kennedy Youngren is a dietitian based out of Waverly, Minnesota, where she lives with her dairy farmer husband and their toddler. She fell in love with nutrition during her undergrad at St. Catherine University and went on to earn a master’s degree in exercise science and sports nutrition. Afterward, Youngren put her knowledge of nutrition to good use in professional and high school athletics and working as a program dietitian for The Emily Program, an organization that specializes in the treatment of eating disorders. Inspired by her background and the positive impact nutrition had on her husband’s work on the farm, Youngren started Legendairy Nutrition Co. (thelegendairydietitian.com) where she teaches people in agriculture to “fuel themselves like an athlete.”

Q: How have you connected your background in sports nutrition to folks in your community who work in agriculture?
A: Farm and ranch families work just as hard as professional athletes but in different capacities, and we’re hard on our bones and joints, just like they are. I took some of the concepts I learned in my exercise science degree and from working with professional athletes and I applied them directly to farmers and ranchers.

Q: What are some areas of need in the agricultural community related to health and nutrition?
A: Farming and ranching can require so much physical and mental exertion and with such little sleep. Some of the stuff that we are seeing is related to blood sugar dysregulation. We also see increased anxiety and depression and, of course, mental health and nutrition have such a strong correlation.

Q: Despite being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), you and your husband were able to welcome a daughter into the world. How has the power of nutrition affected you personally and how does it affect women broadly?
A: I was diagnosed with PCOS (which affects 7-10% of women in the U.S.) when I was about 21, and I just delved into all the information about it. It was so fascinating to me because I didn’t understand what it was and there were so many predispositions and genetic markers. Women do not have enough education on our bodies and how everything is so interconnected with our nutrition, movement and sleep. When we start to teach women to eat less ultra-processed foods, prioritize their movement and spend more time outside and less under artificial lights, we can help them.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
A: Taking care of parents and then watching their spouses, friends, children and families improve. You’ve affected one person that has affected multiple generations, and that’s the most rewarding thing in the entire world.

Kennedy’s favorites
Food: Smoked salmon
Movie: “Trouble with the Curve”
Sports: Softball and Baseball
Activity: Pilates
Musician: Jason Aldean