I

     remember so clearly – all I wanted was clarity on what was going in my body, simplicity in how to implement an effective care plan, and mastery of the skills I needed to feel good on the daily. I wanted to use plant-rich nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and science-backed solutions to get there. 

Instead of getting the answers I hoped for, I was constantly confused...

I felt isolated and like my “invisible” gut symptoms were running the show. I tried everything, but everywhere I turned for help seemed to offer some super restrictive and flashy new fad diet that failed to resolve my symptoms. Worst of all, everything I tried said I needed to eat kale and bland food instead of my spicy, delicious, and nostalgic cultural foods. As a food lover and aspiring culinarian, that was just not going to work for me!

So, I started on my path to become a Registered Dietitian, driven by my desire to one day offer the kind of relief and support I wished I had for my chronic GI struggles.

I began studying the Mind-Gut Connection in a neuropharmacology lab at the Duke University Medical Center over a decade ago. I saw firsthand, in a cutting-edge research environment, the impact that a balanced gut microbiome could have on digestion, metabolism, and mood through the gut-brain axis. As I began applying my learnings in my own body, I finally started feeling my symptoms get under control. I started trusting my body again. I could not believe how good I felt.

I went on to complete a Master of Science in Food and Nutrition Policy and Programs to understand socioeconomic barriers to adequate nutrition and how best to advocate for my future patients. There, I learned how to integrate behaviorally and environmentally sustainable practices into nutrition program design and implementation. I lovingly refer to this as my “Jedi mind-trick” training, and using the behavior change strategies I learned, I set up systems that helped me find long-term relief from the gut symptoms that were previously running my life. 

Now, I get to help you set up systems of your own and find the long-term relief I did!