As a health-focused chef, I live by the well known motto "Let Food Be Thy Medicine". It is obvious that eating more fruits and vegetables is in your best interest, but simply knowing that is not enough. By embracing the connection between self-care , better choices, enhanced gut health, cognitive functions, and hormonal balance, we begin to heal. Plus food inspires! It gives us the opportunity to create and gather in community to enjoy the flavors each season brings.
LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE.
MEET ELLEN
Hi, I'm Ellen. Food, nutrition, and health have been my passion since I stopped eating fast food when I was 17. I hated that heavy feeling after a burger and fries several times a week. I craved a healthier lifestyle and decided I wouldn't be an unwell, chubby kid any longer.
As one of six siblings, I enjoyed taking dinner into my hands and introducing colorful ingredients that added an "exotic" flair to my Irish family's go-to meat and potatoes menu.
My mother encouraged my passion for cooking, and I
poured myself into anything I could find on nutrition.
Word got out, and I became known as the healthy chef.
A top NBA star recruited me to be his private chef for my first culinary job! He wanted delicious meals to fuel his body to perform at an elite level. Since then, I've worked as an exclusive chef for countless families.
Throughout my 30 years in the industry, the secret ingredient that connected me to my clients wasn't just the food. It was that I crafted my meals like "medicine" and listened when their needs/goals changed. Whether my clients were dealing with acne or autoimmune issues, my health-minded recipes would nourish more than their hunger.
Food is one piece of the pie to managing health symptoms. I've always preached the importance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains as part of my services and educated my clients on how to read labels and select the smartest convenience items. I hold a culinary degree from the
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, Colorado.
Still, I knew that the missing piece to get to the root of an issue required a 360 approach, and my desire to go deeper led me to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I became a certified holistic health educator specializing in digestive and hormonal health.
In this process, I realized I needed to be in sync. Caring for others and not putting self-care at the top of your list can do that to you. At just 51 years old, I was told I had the bones of an 80-year-old! I had been ignoring the signs, symptoms and not following my recommendations. So, I started practicing what I teach and adjusted my diet and HABITS. Little things like getting better at saying "no" scheduling myself a short lunch break, and even enrolling in meditation classes created a significant shift.
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Osteoporosis is an autoimmune disease that typically goes hand-in-hand with several root cause issues. Therefore, I dove into figuring out the source of my issues. Still, I triumphed with perseverance, dedication, and the desire not to succumb to
its debilitating prognosis and expectation of long-term meds. And guess what? I gained back 4 percent of my bone
loss in just one year! I still take responsibility for that
progress and my journey every day.
I've experienced first-hand how your digestive system directly impacts your life, and it changed the old "You are what you eat" mentality to a mindset focused on "You are what you can digest."
My mission is to help you improve your gut health, so you feel your healthiest – mind, body, and spirit. Through my latest book, "Gut Driven," and my 3-week Reset 90/10 program, I break it down and give you the road map to heal your body, achieve balance, and reset your relationship with food. Together, we can create the change you've been waiting for.
