As a native Chicagoan growing up in the ’90s, I know what it was like to grow up obsessed with packaged foods, soda, candy, etc. My family was in the baking industry. Our home always had the most delicious snacks. We would dabble in the occasional fast food meal, but for the most part, my parents cooked. Little did I know how harmful/unhealthy my favorite hot dogs and potato chips were. When I was nine, my father had two heart attacks in a year. I watched my parents struggle to try new diet fads over the years. I did endless amounts of research on food in High School and found out that trans fats were banned in New York, but not Chicago. How could that be? I was so motivated that I gave a speech to my school about how trans fats should be banned in our city. I then Marie Kondo-ed my parents’ pantry and got rid of anything that had the slightest trace of trans fats, which drove everybody crazy and hungry. Years later, my family started to just accept my health-driven habits. They realized eating mindfully was better than any fad diet. Cue 2019, when my father was diagnosed with pancreatic and bladder cancer. “How can we help him feel his best?” My knowledge of plant-based diets led me to ask his doctors what he should eat to help him heal. The healthcare system was not focused on what he ate at all, but rather just that he ate something. I was then driven to follow my passion and pursue a career to understand how a person’s diet and lifestyle choices directly impact the way they feel, function and respond to illness. The next week, I enrolled to become a Holistic Health Coach. As a Health Coach, I am your wellness consultant that can help you excel through diet and lifestyle changes that are tailored to your individual needs. I take a holistic approach to supporting you and believe that relationships, exercise, and career are as vital to your health as the food you eat. I am also a self-taught chef who loves trying new things. My husband always jokes about how we never get to eat the same meal twice! If I can teach myself to cook, I assure you, there is nothing to be scared of. It would be my pleasure to help you reach your nutrition goals and lead the healthy life you deserve.