I spent the first 28 years of my life as a vegetarian. Raised to be “health conscious” without much reason behind the practice, I found myself in constant states of restriction around consumption from the time I was a young child. In turn, bouts of repeated illnesses followed me through adolescence and into adulthood- from chronic UTIs to walking pneumonia. Coupled with the compounding stress of attempting to be a functioning young adult in a busy city and even busier state of mind, life often had me forgetting the most essential tenet of living. “Did I remember to eat today?” as I ran from a postpartum job, to a babysitting gig, to writing copy, to feeding my cat. Of course, I didn’t remember, nor care to take away from my productivity by making time to do so. This way of life became a physical and mental mantra that, while relatable to many of us, was exceedingly painful to live in.

As the pandemic hit and restrictions became a way of life for everyone, I found myself reflecting more and more on the ways I could consciously choose abundance, satisfaction, and fullness in my daily routines. Ultimately, I decided to invite more into my life through knowledge and connection, often meeting over the principal question- “what can I do to feel better, to feel embodied?” I continued this radical shift by taking a year-long course through the Nutritional Therapy Association to become a Functional Nutrition Therapy Practitioner, while working as a postpartum doula in 2022. Oh, and by welcoming food and joy in abundance into my life, without hesitation or regret.