Like most people, I was raised on a Standard American Diet (SAD.) My father was a car salesman and the food that we ate was often determined by the sales commissions from that month. When commissions were down, we could expect to eat a lot of “chipped beef on toast” for dinner! And my father, out of pure love for his two children, would bring home a U-NO candy bar every night for us! I don’t know if you are familiar with a U-NO bar, but it wasn’t something I really enjoyed eating. But I always ate it because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings and I knew it was a gesture of his love!Through college and early adulthood, I ate as most young adults do . . . based on cheap and convenient! But by the time I was in my late 30s, I was experiencing significant pain in the joints of my fingers and was finally diagnosed with lupus. My doctor sent me to a rheumatoid arthritis specialist who confirmed that the blood results indicated lupus. He said that when the pain got bad enough come back and see him and he would prescribe as much medication as I needed to control the pain. I walked out of his office dazed. But as the days went by, I realized I was not OK with his response to me. I knew in my heart there must be another option. Thus, my quest began and eventually led me to discover the amazing power of food!
Since then, I have been on a perpetual quest to gain knowledge about nutrition and its impact on health! Through the guidance of an amazing naturopathic doctor, I began to change my diet, and as a result, I began to change my health! It has been over 12 years now that I have been lupus-free! The current blood tests show no sign of lupus at all! And since incorporating raw food into my diet, I have lost 26 pounds, have been amazed to see my triglycerides go down 150 points, and I no longer take blood pressure medication!
I have taken many courses over the years and have studied the health benefits of various types of food, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. As a result of my own personal journey for the answers to nutrition and health, I was fortunate to be able to take the series of courses and exams that lead to becoming a Certified Raw Food Educator through the Living Light Culinary Institute in Ft. Bragg, CA.
One of the greatest joys I have now is being able to share my knowledge and experience with others. I offer workshops on a variety of topics including the science of nutrition, and incorporating raw foods into all diets, as well as enthusiastically accepting invitations to speak to small or large groups! Most of my workshops also include making a raw food smoothie during the class that all participants can taste. My goal is to educate through the science of nutrition but to also illustrate how easy it is to incorporate the powerful foods that create optimal health!
Join the fun and sign up to begin your own personal quest for better health and energy! I look forward to meeting you at one of our next classes!