My Story
You’re probably wondering how I got here.
It’s been a long road, but ultimately, it led me to my greatest passion: helping others reverse their autoimmune and chronic GI conditions.
How it Started
Right before I turned sixteen, my body decided to rebel. Out of nowhere, I was hit with crippling stomach aches. Within weeks, I’d lost nearly twenty pounds, could barely make it through a full school day (that is, if I showed up at all), and could hardly stomach more than a few bites of food. Not to mention, I was so constipated, I looked like a pregnant skeleton.
Over the next two years, I saw what felt like every specialist in the Cleveland area and followed every direction to the letter — from subsisting on baked potatoes and plain chicken breast, to chugging Miralax like it was the fountain of youth, to taking over thirty prescriptions–some of which left me so loopy, I had to crawl out of school (true story!).
I was the model patient — motivated, compliant, and desperate to get better. But nothing worked. And after over two years of this trial and inevitable error, my doctors decided that if they couldn’t find a diagnosis for me, they’d force me into one. I was sent to eating disorder treatment for an eating disorder that didn’t exist.
Finding My Own Way
That misguided treatment wasn’t the cure–thankfully, it only lasted a few days before everyone came to their senses–but it did light a fire in me: the determination to take healing into my own hands.
I became my own case study — researching everything from PubMed articles to obscure internet forums, experimenting on myself like my most important science project. And, after months of trial and error, it worked. I was able to leave my chronic health conditions behind...
…or so I thought.
College was smooth sailing… until it wasn’t. Just before graduation, the symptoms came roaring back. But this time, they brought friends.
My joints were so swollen, I could no longer wear my rings. My fatigue was so bad, I couldn’t even walk the five blocks to work (those were some very embarrassing Ubers). My skin became riddled with hives. And one terrifying day, I went into anaphylaxis.
Eventually, I was diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and unspecified connective tissue disorder — or, as I like to call it, the IBS of autoimmune issues. (Translation: “Your antibodies are elevated and your joints hurt, but we have no idea why.”)
Thankfully, I’d already learned how powerful food could be. I threw myself into the research on reversing autoimmune disease through food and lifestyle, using my body as the experiment again. And once more, I put my “chronic” conditions into remission.
But this time, I realized something big: food was a key part of healing, but it wasn’t the whole picture. When you obsess over every bite, even healthy habits can become detrimental. I didn’t find full remission until I addressed everything — my relationships, purpose, joy, spirituality, and ultimately, my career.
Turning Pain into Purpose
That’s when I went back to school. I earned my Master’s in Clinical Nutrition from NYU, became Board-Certified in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, and added Health and Behavior Change Coaching to the mix.
Why all the letters after my name? Because reversing disease isn’t just my passion — it’s my obsession.
If it took me, someone willing to try everything, over a decade to truly heal, then I knew there were thousands of others still stuck in the same cycle. My mission became clear: help people heal faster and more fully than I did.
Where I am Now
From bed-bound, to summiting mountains regularly
Let my story serve as proof that it is possible for you too. I didn’t just put my conditions into remission–I began to thrive. I now live with boundless energy. I am surrounded by uplifting and supportive relationships. I travel the world, living my life as a nomad who explores a new country each month simply because I can. I get to live out my passion of helping others reverse their chronic conditions. My most vibrant life is possible because my life is no longer controlled by my debilitating symptoms. I am free.
My goal for you is exactly that. Not just to reverse your symptoms or put your disease into remission, but to thrive. To realize that the vibrant life you’ve always wanted for yourself is possible. You are so much more than your condition. And together, we can get you there.
