Tell us about your educational background.
I hold a B.S. in Dietetics and teaching certification from Madonna University, and I am a culinary arts graduate of Schoolcraft College. Having recently completed my Masters from CCNH, I am now contemplating doctoral studies in holistic nutrition.
How has your professional life become a natural blend of health and education?
I have taught life management skills to high school students; also healthy cooking classes in the community and for culinary arts students. I have worked as a hospital dietician and provided nutritional consultation within a CAM facility (Complementary and Alternative Medicine).
I am a member of the American Dietetic Association and the Southeastern Dietetic Association.
How many books have you written, and what are their titles?
In our first book, The Healthy Pregnancy Cookbook: Eating Twice as Well for a Healthy Baby, I collaborated with Jane Middleton. This recipe/resource book focuses on the key nutrients for a healthy pregnancy, the best foods to eat during pregnancy and while nursing, with advice on addressing morning sickness and other discomforts during pregnancy.
From there I wrote Ask the Nutritionists, in which I field a vast variety of nutritional questions from people around the world, based on targeted research. Questions range from heart health and sports nutrition to toddler eating habits and low carb diets. Again, there are healthy recipes and simple dietary recommendations that empower readers to confidently address conditions such as high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity.
My third book, The Lighter Side of Dark Chocolate: Take It to Heart was actually inspired by the extensive research I conducted, in conjunction with completing my CCNH masters thesis!
From this book, you’ve received much additional media attention-in addition to being a natural health columnist over the years. In which media has your work been featured?
In The Lighter Side of Dark Chocolate, I discuss historical research on the health benefits of the cocoa bean-which Aztec Indians cherished as a “food of the gods.” Dark chocolate contains powerful flavonoids that can help promote heart health. This book is filled with delicious recipes that are low in calories and filled with antioxidants coming from dark chocolate. So far I’ve been interviewed on TV, in The Detroit Free Press and The Livonia Observer and Eccentric Newspaper.
Previously I’ve written for websites such as MSN Women’s Health and Fitness. Holistic nutrition is a fascinating subject and there is an incredible amount of research being done.
One “sweet example” is a discussion of coconut oil as a source of antimicrobial lipid for those with compromised immune systems. It is a nonpromoting fat with respect to chemical carcinogenesis and, as quoted in the Journal of the American Medical Association, coconut oil may be one of the most heart-healthy oils because of its antiviral and antimicrobial characteristics.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
If you want to do something, then just do it! Live deeply, with no regrets. I officially completed my Masters degree on my 37th birthday (a beautiful feature of distance learning being available “on the student’s schedule”) and my Mother was probably even more excited than I was! Just a few months later, she passed away. It is such a source of comfort to me that “we” achieved this dream together!
Holistic nutrition is a passion of mine because I love helping people discover easy ways to feel healthier. For more information: www.juiceblend.com
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