About Me

Many people ask me how I ended up in this field.  The truth is it was a journey and I learned so much along the way.

I was fortunate to know at an early age what I wanted to do. I grew up around many athletes so I was involved in sports early on. I discovered the post exercise endorphin high that makes you feel so good and wondered why everyone isn’t doing this. The difference it made physically and mentally in my body was noticeable and significant.

I starting to read a lot of nutrition books, and getting up for 6 am step aerobics before my high school classes. At Arizona State University, I was hooked from the first anatomy and physiology class – the body was so fascinating and I wanted to learn more.

After graduating I moved to California and took a job in corporate fitness. I taught group classes, did individual personal training, gave nutrition lectures, and set up seminars on health-related subjects. I discovered that I loved to educate and motivate others to take charge of their health. Soon I was introduced to yoga, which I connected with from the start. Eventually I started a business teaching private yoga lessons in people’s homes in addition to teaching classes around town.

I started taking the most cutting edge nutrition classes I could find.

Although I was constantly reading and learning, it was time to get back into an academic setting. I searched out cutting edge nutrition classes, and was very impressed by the teachers. I learned that their background was Chinese Medicine. So after much debate between nutrition and Chinese medicine I went on to get my four-year Master’s degree in Chinese Medicine and my license in acupuncture.

During those long years in school I spent many weekends taking additional classes and seminars in nutrition and integrative healing therapies. I knew nutrition would be a big part of my practice. After all, everything comes back to what’s happening at the cell level.

I began questioning what effect certain environmental factors had on these immature respiratory and immune systems.

As a result of a pathophysiology lecture where we discussed childhood leukemia, I began questioning what effect certain environmental factors had on these immature respiratory and immune systems. That led to a new business, named Everything Natural, with products for babies as well as household products that were non-toxic, organic, and chemical-free. At the time, educating on toxins in plastics, carpeting, mattress, candles, household cleaning products, pesticides in cotton etc. was still seen as a little far out, but only a few years later the subject was a mainstream theme.

By this time I was out of school starting my own practice and doing house calls. I was able to integrate eastern and western nutrition, Chinese medicine, herbs, acupuncture, exercise prescriptions, and yoga into my practice, working with people of all ages. In between I pursued postgraduate studies in clinical nutrition.

After practicing on my own for awhile I joined a busy medical practice in Santa Monica. It was the ultimate concept: western and eastern medicine with a strong emphasis in nutrition. I listened to patients’ stories and struggles and then figured out a plan for them. The results were very rewarding and I learned so much from my patients and the other professionals around me.

I was dealing with patients from all over the United States. We were talking about lifestyle changes, which almost everyone needed to some degree.

However, the patient load at the clinic started to become unmanageable due to media attention that some of the doctors working with us were getting, and the time allotted to each patient began to shrink. I was managing patients from all over the United States. We were talking about lifestyle changes, which almost everyone needed to some degree. I needed more time for educating and following up with patients. Sometimes I wondered if once people left my office they would go home and implement what I was teaching them, but it was hard to know for sure.

So I left that practice and went back to doing house calls. The patient’s environment speaks volumes, and from there I can get at the root of the problem and integrate everything I have to offer into the right solutions for a healthier, happier life.

Throughout this journey I have always loved what I do, and for that I am very grateful every day.