I was a chronically sick kid. I didn’t have a life threatening illness, just chronic, annoying afflictions that kept me out of school up to a week every month. I had asthma, which had me in and out of hospital emergency rooms. I had severe eczema that led to me wearing long sleeves and long pants year round in order to cover my unsightly rashes - a source of constant embarrassment for me. I would get strep throat or bronchitis 4-5 times per year which led to a continuous antibiotic cycle. I had a myriad of food & environmental sensitivities which generally prevented me from enjoying life to its fullest. 

I found coping mechanisms, and various strategies which worked for short periods of time and then failed. I went to university and studied theatre, started my own children’s theatre company, travelled the world, got married, and travelled some more on a round the world, year long honeymoon.  On that trip around the world I began taking cooking courses in different countries, fascinated especially by the different herbs and cooking styles of each locale. I began to investigate local medicines & treatments and brought so many ideas home with me. 

Upon returning to Toronto I moved away from theatre and created an organic catering and personal chef company, specializing in individually created, frozen and prepared meals. My clientele included many adults and children with food sensitivities who had found that diet and nutrition had a tremendous impact on their health and well being. I researched for every one of my clients on specific ingredients and the influence they have on specific health conditions. 

In 2005 I became pregnant with my first child.  While I had always dreamed of being a mother, becoming pregnant put me on a crusade to prevent the little life growing inside me from suffering the same childhood afflictions that I had endured.  I knew that these conditions could run in families, but I was also starting to learn about epigenetics, and I was determined to avoid it in the new life I was gestating. I researched day and night. I changed my diet. I took supplements. I eliminated environmental toxins. Fittingly, on the eve of Labour Day weekend, I gave birth to a big beautiful baby boy in the comfort of my home. He was perfect, and like most moms, I was determined to keep him healthy and safe. 

By 2009 I had 2 sweet babies who were very healthy and so far displayed none of the symptoms that I had by that age. I was thrilled, but it was hard work. Mostly, it was hard to continue to justify my choices to well meaning friends and family members who just didn’t understand why I wouldn’t let my kids ingest or inject just anything. Why I gave birth at home, under the guidance of midwives. Why I was cautious about certain things, like what material the toys they played with were, or what kind of media they consumed, yet, seemingly lenient about other things – like how high I would let them climb at the playground, how far I would let them run without me or how dirty I would let them get before hosing them down.  There were a few showdowns, and I felt the need to justify my position more intensely than ever. One late night as I sat doing research to back up the health decisions I had already committed to a thought flew through my mind. With all this time and energy I was pouring into research and developing these protocols to keep my family healthy, I should go to school and become a doctor, in order to support others in the same situation.  Aaaaaaah. I couldn’t believe my mind! I stuck my hands over my ears and started singing like a 5 year old having a tantrum “I can’t hear you!” But it was too late. The thought was there, and it completely consumed me. So in my mid-30s, with 2 little kids in tow, I went back to school and became a Naturopathic Doctor. 

So here I am, now a mama of 3, a Birth Doula, and a Naturopathic Doctor, focussing on healthy food, healthy lifestyle and feeling your best, at any age. If you are interested in working together, please get in touch. I offer free 15 minute meet & greets. Let’s chat and see if we might be a good fit.