I wish I had a bio with linear milestones. You know, "I studied medicine, did a medical residency, became a doctor, and now I'm the world's leading heart surgeon." I don’t.

I am a former filmmaker. It was all video and film editing for most of my twenties. Behind the scenes, I struggled with my health.

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I’d always had a “sensitive stomach,” even before I had my gallbladder removed when I was 22 (that certainly didn’t help matters).

My repeated digestive issues were chalked up to the catch-all diagnosis: IBS, a brush-off term doctors label you with when they don’t have the time, resources, or knowledge to do a thorough root-cause analysis.

Many years and countless tests eventually yeilded more concrete diagnoses:

SIBO, acid reflux, ulcers, food sensitivities, histamine intolerance, h. pylori, candida, C-Diff, mold toxicity, heavy metal toxicity, bile acid malabsorption, and panic disorder.

Fun times!

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Things finally started to change for me in 2016 when I discovered functional medicine—a mind-body approach to healing. I began looking at my health holistically and treating the causes of illness, not just the symptoms.

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In 2018 I graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and became an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. I also got certified in Biopsychosocial Chronic Pain Management from the TrainPain Foundation. I applied this training to my own health struggles and quickly found myself on a path to improvement.

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Do I still have health struggles? Yes, but I know how to manage them better. I eat healthy food, and I know how to modify my diet as my body’s needs change. I prioritize sleep, hydrate, move my body, de-stress — all the things! But my health really thrives when I make time for joy and creativity.

Nonfiction writing, in particular, has been an integral part of my self-care regime. I’ve written two books: Insatiable and Return to Tushy Mountain. I have two more books in the works (stay tuned)!

Songwriting is another creative endeavor that keeps me healthy, mentally and physically.

When I’m not writing books or songs, you can find me meal-prepping or painting.