PHILOSOPHY

Ever have a sneaking suspicion you might be playing a giant game of Whack-a-Mole? We deal with an issue in one section of our life, only to have something related and challenging pop up somewhere else. With a calmer whole-life approach, we can develop skills that apply to more than one situation, so we don't just push stress around from one place to another in our lives. My goal is to provide support and information to encourage healthier choices in the realm of food, activity and stress management. Healthy choices allow us to increase our HQ ("Happiness Quotient" - my term!)

When we are healthy, happy, able to meet our own needs, and interact positively with others in our community, we operate at our best. Though these are not a simple tasks, we can actively choose better nutrition, stress management, ongoing education, exercise, sleep, hydration, and interpersonal/community connections to increase our HQ. Drawing from diverse educational and experiential backgrounds allows me to foster a whole-body approach to health. Food, activity and community give us building blocks, fuel and support to help us fight disease and disability, so our healthspan equals our lifespan.

ACTIVITY

I enjoy practically every form of activity (except perhaps golf), and have had injury and illness in my life. From these experiences, I've learned that one's health is truly the only important thing, and having a healthy lifestyle is paramount to enjoying life. If there was one form of movement I truly cannot live without, it would be dance closely followed by bicycling. I chose a car-free lifestyle over a decade ago and though winters in Maine are tough, it has been the best decision for my physical, mental and fiscal health I have ever made.

“No such thing as bad weather - only bad gear!” - Someone with good gear and a good attitude.

EDUCATION

I hold a Bachelor of Science degree (1991) and a Master of Science degree (1993) in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. I'm an ACE-certified Group Fitness instructor (1996), an ACE-certified Personal Trainer (1998), an ACE-certified Senior Fitness specialist (2019) and a licensed Massage Therapist (2000). Recently I added Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapist to the portfolio. I have integrated my Microbiology/Immunology education with online courses in nutrition from Dr. Andrew Weil's Center for Integrative Medicine, and I am continuously learning new information and techniques to stay current with the most recent developments in science, fitness, food and personal connectivity. My background in Microbiology and Immunology allows me to de-mystify issues surfacing from the Covid-19 pandemic. Ask me anything. If I don’t know, I will find out!