For many years, my focus remained on movement. Nutrition was always in the background—something I knew was important but hadn’t fully explored. Like many, I grew up trusting familiar brands and believing that the food, drug, and personal care industries had our best interests at heart. I assumed that recognizable logos meant safety and quality, and I followed the guidance of official systems—even when my intuition suggested otherwise. I fell for fad diets and the up-side down food guide pyramid of the 90’s, hoping for easy answers in a confusing landscape. Then the pandemic hit—and everything changed. All those questions that had been quietly lingering in my mind suddenly demanded answers. With extra time at home, I dove headfirst into learning: I read countless books, tuned into podcasts, and pored over medical journals. This wasn’t just a hobby; it became my favorite way to spend time. I didn’t have social media, so digging into research and feeding my curiosity was my way of staying engaged and inspired. What I learned started to impact our daily lives. I’d share new discoveries with my boys, often announcing, “Hey, we’re not buying that cereal anymore—too many artificial colors and additives,”. Both boys greeted these changes with the classic eye roll, but I pressed on because I knew better was possible. The real turning point came when my youngest son looked at me and said, “Mom,you should just make this your job.” His words stuck with me. Okay, honestly it took him saying it a couple of times over the course of a couple of years before it stuck enough for me to follow thru. I realized I wanted to do more than just help my family—I wanted to empower others. I decided to pursue a career in functional nutrition and lifestyle counseling. To make this shift, I enrolled in specialized nutrition courses and completed certifications focused on holistic health and Functional Nutrition from the Functional Nutrition Alliance. I am now a Board-Certified Holistic Health practitioner thru the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. I built Return Functional Nutrition from the ground up, with a mission to guide others in making informed choices about food and lifestyle. Now, my role is all about connecting research to real life—supporting clients in creating lasting change through personalized nutrition plans, education, and encouragement. This journey has been transformative, and I’m passionate about helping others experience the same growth and empowerment.

I truly believe that our bodies were designed to thrive and heal if given the right environment.

On a personal note, outside of my research, counseling, and Pilates instruction, I value time at home with my family, which has grown into a blended household reminiscent of the Brady Bunch as of July 2025. I am fortunate to share a fulfilling marriage, and together with our blended family of five children, aged 16 to 23. I particularly enjoy spending time outdoors with my husband, hiking and especially surf fishing on the Gulf Coast. Toes in the sand=grounding, sun on the skin=vitamin D, with my favorite person=connection and love and if we are lucky eating fish straight from the ocean, you can’t return to nature any better than that! :) These are all things that help us live a healthier more fulfilled life! When at home, I also appreciate activities such as weightlifting and practicing hot yoga.