MY JOURNEY,
FROM LEARNER TO LEADER
"I appreciate your interest, and your ear,
as we walk the path to eco-intelligent living, learning, healing, and mentoring, together!"
My Exposure to Toxins Started Early in Life and Predisposed Me to Other Health Conditions
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I've been living with environmental illness for most of my life, and it has taught me so much about taking care of myself and living my life to the fullest. On February 23rd, 1956, the day I was born, I could not have imagined how the time I spent growing inside my mother's womb would lead me to experience a lifetime of health struggles, but eventually I understood. I was conceived prematurely and born with a dirty gene that disregulated my immune system, hormonal system, and neurological system, and predisposed me to developing several different health conditions. Because allopathic doctors weren’t trained to diagnose or treat my condition, I, along with my mom, made a conscious choice to explore the world of functional medicine.
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I Embarked on a Self-Learning, Self-Healing Journey
While exploring the Natural Healing Arts, I was inspired to study books whose topics addressed the use of herbal medicine, acupressure, massage, fasting, detoxification, clay therapy, and Chinese 5 Element Food Therapy. These traditional forms of medicine fascinated me, and I eagerly implemented them. While studying the role of nutrition in preventing disease, I had the opportunity to learn about how food is produced for the masses. That's when I became aware of the ecological problems resulting from treating food crops with toxic chemicals and raising animals in CAFOs. It dawned on me that if the earth and living things were being made sick by industrial farming practices, I, myself, could not be healthy!
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Whole Foods Nutrition Became My Medicine
Adopting an organically raised whole-foods diet was the best decision I made for my health. As I learned about the powerful health properties contained in plant foods, I was inspired to experiment in my family's kitchen with the creation of meals that I imagined would be therapeutic for my health, and the health of plants, animals, and living things. My meals, I soon discovered, served to detoxify and nourish my body, and support me in feeling healthier than I had ever felt.
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Two Pioneering Naturopathic Doctors Changed the Course of My Life
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During this instructive time on my self-healing journey, my mom joined the non-profit known as "Cancer Victors & Friends", whose mission was to introduce the public to non-toxic disease healing protocols. Her appointment within the organization involved arranging hotel accommodations for the health experts who were scheduled to speak at educational events in our state. When she offered our home as a "Bed n' Breakfast" destination to two pioneering doctors (Dr. Paavo Airola and Dr. Richard Barmakian), our lives were forever changed. These doctors mentored me on my quest for greater health and inspired me to cook for and mentor others. ​
I Used My Newfound Knowledge about Health and Wellness to Establish a Nutrition-Oriented Food Catering Service
During the late 70s, after adopting a natural lifestyle, and during the early 80s when I began raising my son on this lifestyle, I followed the advice of my doctor friends to establish a whole foods catering service. Under the name Gourmet Gatherings, I prepared artistic food buffets for my local community. Eventually, after getting requests for health meals from food-sensitive people on restricted diets, I created Meals That Heal.
After Winning 1st Prize in an Organic Food Cook-Off, I Wrote and Published Three Whole Foods Cookbooks
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In 1989, I had the opportunity to participate in Minnesota's “Great Growing Organic Food Cook-Off", an event designed to promote organic agriculture and sustainable cuisine. After being honored with the top prize, I attracted the attention of a CA. publishing house (formerly known as Woodbridge Press) whose founder published my first cookbook: "Not Milk...NUT MILKS!" The success of this book led to the publication of two others, including "Gourmet Grains: Main Dishes Made of Nature" and "Super Smoothies! Taste the Nectar of Life!"​
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When Magazine Editors Called, I Became a Freelance Food and Health Writer
The exposure of my cookbooks throughout the 90s led me to become a freelance writer and food stylist for several magazine publications such as Woman’s World, Veggie Life, Vegetarian Gourmet, Lwellyn’s Gardening Almanac, and Dr. Julian Whitaker’s Health & Healing newsletter. I was also invited to speak at various school events, and was interviewed by the hosts of national radio shows and local cable TV. shows.
After Hosting an Eco-Education Event that Highlighted Clean Living and Eco-Leadership, I Was Awakened to My Soul’s Calling
During the mid-90s, after being invited to educate a group of young adults about healthy, eco-conscious living on the West Coast, I was awakened to my higher calling. This was (and is) the calling to support families in creating eco-intelligent lifestyles. What started as a mini-book with references later developed into a multi-dimensional activity-rich curriculum featuring my memoir, my Eco-Mentor Guidebook, and my six Discovery & Empowerment Journals. (The online Eco-Mentor Apprentice and Eco-Mentor Activist Training courses featured on this site draw on the contents of these books.)
The Birth of This Project Was Both Exhilarating and Exhausting.
While preparing to launch it, I suffered a debilitating neurological condition that impacted my health for several years. The cause, I learned through research, was linked to mold exposure, Wi-Fi exposure, and the activation of dormant viruses in my body. Doctors who weighed in on my condition suggested I was dealing with Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), an illness that affects multiple body systems, including the nervous system, immune system, and energy production.
The Development of My Eco Mentor Trainings Led Me to Develop Many Other Ed. Tools for My Family and Other Families
As a woman who has endured complex health issues and as a mother and a wife whose son and husband have also been impacted by health issues, I’m sensitive to the hardships that many individuals and parents face in today’s world.
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That’s why I have also created my illustrated Tabletop TUTORS™ infographics collection, your hands-on source for health information and eco-conscious tips. It’s the reason why I’ve also created books and courses that are designed to support parents in raising and nourishing special needs kids.
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In my own life, I strive to demonstrate the practices of eco-intelligent living and eating to my two sons, now grown adults. My husband Tom has been my constant companion on my writer's journey, and he, himself, is a vocal proponent of eco-intelligent living.
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