Life is too short and the days too long not to feel as well as your possibly can.

I say that now, but in the past, I would have ignored warning signs, put a Band-Aid on my issue and strode ahead. Feeling crappy was not going to interfere with my life. I simply did not understand that eczema, dry skin, brittle nails, constipation, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, the list goes on…were all signs of something larger. Nor did it ever occur to me that my diet and lifestyle were playing a major role in my issues.

Around the time our black lab, Gracie, started having panic attacks. We quickly discovered she was intolerant to all store-bought dog food – even the cleanest food would set her off. Her vet suggested a list of whole foods to help her heal and so we started cooking all of her food. She improved within a week and was full of life until she passed at the age of 16. Our friends would say, “Everyone should eat like Gracie” and they were right: quality, whole foods, cooked simply, eaten daily. Hmm…we were on to something.

After spending more than twenty years working in the advertising and marketing industries, I knew I needed a change. I went back to school and earned a Certificate in Holistic Nutrition from Bauman College and then a Master’s of Science in Applied Nutrition from Canisius College.

I live in Oakland, CA with my husband Chris and our kitties, Riley and George (Gracie’s best friends who have forgotten they were ever feral).