History
My relationship with food comes from the same place as most: it all started with family dynamics and the way food was presented throughout my childhood. I was always a big eater, and started cooking around the age of 12 as one of my household responsibilities. My mother had a huge influence on my journey regarding food and how it played into health, self-esteem, and social interactions. My mother’s relationship with food was very dysfunctional, and my response was a survival mechanism. Fortunately, I got curious about whole foods, spices, and cooking from scratch. I carry those values into my dietary practices today, both for myself and for those who choose to share that journey with me.
Credentials
BS Applied Mathematics
University of Colorado at Denver
Master Nutrition Therapist
Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver
Certified Personal Trainer
American Council on Exercise (ACE)
Extended studies include:
Functional Blood Chemistry
Functional Endocrinology
Inflammation
Introduction to Neurochemistry
Learning and Memory
Autoimmune physiology and Clinical Management
Practice
My practice and techniques are all about reconnecting with the values and roles food play in our real lives. Although I know and understand the crazy diets that produce quick visual results, my focus is on dietary principles that carry into a long-term lifestyle. Where most people tend to think of diets as a process of restrictions and elimination, I believe that the vast majority of individuals need to add, expand, and diversify. I chose to specialize in the gluten-free lifestyle through my work with autoimmune conditions, and adopted the gluten-free diet for myself as a rich and healthy diet full of flavor and diversity. I believe that everyone could benefit from a gluten-less diet, but like everything else, it is a matter of what works for you.
Bio-individuality is the idea that we all have unique conditions, considerations and goals that makes dietary health a unique process. Consequently, every client receives recommendations that are meant to complement who that person is, what they are trying to accomplish, and where they are in life. I believe that we all have a food culture that plays a significant role in what works and what does not work, and that culture needs to be honored. I work with a vast array of clients including overweight, autoimmune, weekend warriors and even a few elite athletes. Fitness and nutrition are the most fundamental elements of health, and I believe that achieving that health is empowering.
Food should never be a punishment of any sort.
Interests
My formal education in nutrition came out of my work in the gym. For my clients and myself, my focus in training is on adaptation for physical conditions and ‘limitations’. I was born with a resistant clubfoot and joined the ranks of amputees in November of 2009. I am a member of the Amputee Coalition of America, and a volunteer peer visitor for the Hanger Amputee Empowerment Partners. My sports history includes bodybuilding, motorcycle road racing, ice hockey, snowboarding, mountain biking, and sea kayaking. Over the last year, I’ve added white water kayaking, bikejoring, and short hikes.
In the kitchen, I am all about creativity and tradition. My cooking style reflects the mid-western farming traditions of my family, peppered with various other traditions I have adopted over time. I love good food. Knowing how to function in the kitchen has allowed me to really understand what food is and how it all works. I see food as a means of expressing love and caring to friends, family and self. It is always a pleasure to share that knowledge.
