Years ago I started to realize the connection between what we eat and the way we feel, both physically and emotionally.  Food has always been my passion and it is fascinating to me how everything is inter-related when it comes to our health and the food that we eat, our lifestyle and the overall choices that we make.

While living in the U.S. at age 23 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that affects millions of people around the world.  I declined treatment and went on a ten year journey experimenting with different natural remedies. Life took me back home to Lima after that, arriving in the middle of the humid winter which after time, caused me to experience joint pain.  After enduring it for a couple of years I decided to start taking medication, which I did for the following ten years. 

It was during this process - and already back in the U.S. - that I began exploring and learning about the power and wonders of food. Five years ago I started preparing my body to withdraw from medication so that I could manage the rheumatoid arthritis naturally, through changes in my diet, through natural remedies and supplements, and through the implementation of therapeutic lifestyle changes. I can now proudly say that I quit all medication two years ago, I am on top of things, inflammation markers in my bloodwork keep coming back normal, and I feel great!

My own journey went parallel to my daughter's ADHD diagnoses when she was in elementary school. Again, I declined treatment and began to get myself educated on the subject to then start implementing dietary and therapeutic lifestyle changes on her too. I was very patient as I explored the effects of the different foods and supplements on her, I realized it would take time to fine tune the plan we ultimately followed which allowed her to reach an "on level" status in reading and writing - her major challenges at school. She learned how to organize and pace herself, and is now a bright, beautiful and happy 18 year old.

I received my training to practice Health & Nutrition Coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, a school that integrates all the different dietary theories—combining the knowledge of traditional philosophies like Ayurveda, with modern concepts like the Glycemic Index and Raw Foods, to name a few.

I have worked with integrative physicians in my area and learned a great deal from them. Currently, I spend my time working with clients privately, working with a local chiropractor and personal trainer devising ways to help their clients reach their health and nutrition goals, and I am also involved with a local apothecary where I see clients one-on-one but also guide customers who come in to the store to find the root cause of their health concerns and the best natural approaches to deal with them, or simply offering guidance to become proactive about their health.

I hold certifications from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Columbia University, and am a Board Certified Holistic Health Counselor through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. I have also been trained as a Lifestyle Educator under the Firstline Therapy Program developed by Metagenics.

For more information about my education, please go to www.integrativenutrition.com.

For more information about me, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQx-DSgl_2U

* Please note that I consult with clients locally in the Bethesda, MD area and around the world via telephone or Skype, and I am also available to coach groups.