Welcome to the Positive Nutrition: Mind Body Spirit Journal

Hello Lovelies,

This is my first post for the Mind Body Spirit journal. I am so glad you are here!  I plan to grab this wonderful opportunity to write about my adventures and things that interest me along with food and lifestyle tips. Of course, I will include current research from the nutrition and wellness world from time to time. 

Since my website is new and so is this journal, I would like to tell you a little about myself. I have a lot of initials after my name that highlight some of my experience (but not all). I am a functional nutritionist, mind-body skills educator and functional medicine certified health coach. I also have worked as a scientific aid for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, where I swam with tiny endangered blue fish, called pupfish, named for their pugnacious nature. I have taught in an elementary school, supported women before and during childbirth and in the tender days and weeks after (birth, postpartum doula, lactation educator, childbirth educator). I taught myself how to make jewelry because I love things that sparkle. And yes, I held a 2,000 degree acetylene torch, melted crazy amounts of recycled silver and watched it miraculously turn into wearable creations made from wax. I have birthed 2 boys who are now adults and are a lot taller than me, and am a wife to a blue-eyed plant lover, amazing dad and husband, true scientist and dedicated biology professor.

I am passionate about working with my clients as they explore and discover what matters most to them as a part of their healing journey. That, I am truly grateful for.

I strive to live a balanced life when I can. I am very sensitive to my physical and emotion terrain and live with autoimmune disease. In fact, I have lived with autoimmunity for a good part of my adult life and I am nearly 60 years old. My disease course has at times been serious, unpredictable and painful and even though I am living a life where I can flourish, I am not cured. Self-care is a crucial part of my plan for maintaining health. Functional medicine, functional nutrition, and positive psychology are paradigms that I feel bring hope and healing and also help to make sense out of what is happening to those of us with complex challenges. 

I have spent a lot of time fine-tuning what I eat and how I live, and pondering the whole of my life — because everything is connected. The functional medicine piece has been a huge game changer for me, so much so that I went back to school for another Master’s degree in my 50s. Because of my experience, I can see a lot of potential and possibility where others might not. I believe there is always something we can do to feel better, to live more joyfully and flourish. No matter what!  

I invite you to be a part of something big here…The possibility of living a life that connects you with your most authentic self where you too can flourish. I invite you to be part of the flourishing tribe. Come back and visit often!  I can’t wait to connect. XO

*Photo on the bridge by Sarah Cullen