My Story (Abbreviated):

I have had to work hard to get my health to where it is today. I can honestly say that I have not felt this good in a long time.  My body/mind is functioning at a high level. I feel balanced and I can’t complain. Actually I can, but that will only cause distress; mine and anyone on the receiving end. And most people have enough to worry about. While I say that about myself, I AM interested in your challenges, otherwise I would not do what I do. 

2010 was a particularly rough year. Everything came to a head and my health was suffering greatly. I was exhausted, mentally, emotionally and physically. I was moody and easily brought to anger. My bodyweight was down, I couldn’t keep muscle on much less strength. I felt awful!

My wife (Michele) is incredible in that she put up with my shenanigans. I was a mess, though I hid it well. I was eating organic, living clean and thought I was doing ALL the right things, but there was something missing. Something going on beyond what I could see. 

As the universe often does, you get what you need when you are ready. I was ready for Reed Davis and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition®. I don’t believe, actually I know, I would not be here in this capacity if I did not sign up for the FDN® course on December 31, 2010. I remember the exact moment I made the choice. Michele and I were staying at the Inn at Vaucluse Spring in Virginia (very nice place by the way). I came to the realization that something needed to change. I couldn’t continue down the current path. A vacation should be a time to explore, to grow and learn, not merely an escape from the realities of one’s life. I decided to create a life worth living and regaining my health was where I started.

As part of the FDN program, I ran labs on myself. Discovered my HPA (Hypothalmic-Pituitary-Adrenal) Axis was compromised resulting in inadequate stress hormones. My sex hormones were out of balance with low testosterone (no wonder I had difficulty gaining lean muscle muscle). I was dealing with poor digestion, and malabsorption with a severe dysbiosis. My liver was congested and I was hoarding heavy metals/toxins. Even better, my neurotransmitters were, not surprisingly, out of balance. 

No wonder I felt the way I did. One of the first things I allowed myself, was rest. I could not continue burning the candle at both ends. I took care of existing clients and I spent time on myself and learned a holistic form of self-care. It was what I needed. I was able to focus the energy I had into recovering and healing. It snowballed from there. 

Progress was slow but steady. My health really took a turn for the better when my detox pathways cleared up and I started eliminating heavy metals. My body took advantage of this new found potential and without trying, I gained 20 lbs (mostly muscle) in less than a year. What I realized is that I have been underweight for almost my entire life. Currently (Fall ‘20), I am hovering around a very strong & comfortable 192 lb. The body is truly an amazing vehicle! 

Looking back, there wasn’t ONE event which caused the downward shift in health. All the mental/emotional stress of my own business was the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back.” I now recognize past behavioral tendencies that were less than ideal as far back as high school. I began fairly early in life depleting my vital reserves and setting myself up for future health challenges. It was not a matter of if, but when and how would it manifest. 

It was years later that I discovered what I now understand was a significant catalyst for my health challenges. I have a physical aversion to working for others! I have worked in a few environments which were out of sync with my core values. When you become physically ill thinking about your job, that’s a strong message your body is communicating. It took too long for me to recognize it. While I heard my body, I wasn’t listening. I don’t mind working with others, I prefer not working for them. Or at least I have not yet found someone or an organization that is a good match for my quirks and idiosyncrasies.

I have no one to blame but myself. Sure, there are genetic health predispositions in the family, but that’s an excuse. While genetics may influence your state of health, they do not determine the end results. It is the environment you live in and the lifestyle choices made within that environment which ultimately determine your state of health. I accepted responsibility for the state of health I was in. I did what I needed to do and what worked within my system of values.

Being healthy is not something you stumble upon. It is something you work for. No one ever accidentally gets HEALTHY! My body was trying to teach me a lesson for a long time. This time I payed attention and took it to heart. The end result, so far has been well worth the effort.

Now that you know part of my backstory. You may be wondering why I do what I do. I have two  motivations. The first is personal. The second is looking at the big picture, my reason for being:

• To NOT manifest my family’s health history. I don’t come from the hardiest stock. Within my immediate family there exists cancer, cardiovascular disease (heart attacks, strokes and elevated blood pressure), hypo-thyroidism, unwanted weight issues, diabetes (type 2) and chemical sensitivity issues. Just because it has happened to other family members, does not mean it must or will happen to me. I am breaking free of their path and creating my own.

• To be useful. This resource, my practice and how I approach life is me attempting to be useful. While I am not sure who originally wrote this, I agree with it 100%

“The greatest thing a man can do is find a way to be useful, 

to be someone through which others are made better and kept safe, 

so that when you leave this world, those who know you, 

and indeed the world at large, is made better because you were alive.”

I do believe you will learn at minimum, a few beneficial tidbits from my attempt at usefulness! When you do, don’t hesitate to contact me and let me know how you have changed your life.