During my time in Hollywood, I was surrounded by body image obsession. Everywhere I turned, another “expert” was promising the key to achieving a “star-worthy” body and everything that should inevitably come with it – love, success and happiness. I’ll admit, I fell for their falsehoods. I was constantly guilt-ridden over my inability to adhere to the strict regimens touted by these so-called experts and my failure to achieve the societal ideal of beauty. As time went by, I became increasingly unhappy with both my dietary choices and my career in an industry obsessed with unrealistic expectations.

The truth is, these “experts” know that there’s a “science” to writing good, attention-grabbing headlines. But a commitment to factual, fad-free health and wellness reporting? Not so much. I wanted to change that, so I decided to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

During my master’s degree program and dietetic internship at the University of Southern California, I learned about the incredible power nutrition has to transform health and prevent chronic disease. My mindset that food and fitness are merely tools to achieve aesthetic goals quickly changed. Among many amazing experiences, I studied nutrigenomics with one of the leading researchers in the field of aging, worked on a clinical trial of fasting with cancer patients, and integrated intuitive and mindful eating techniques while treating eating disorder patients. As my knowledge base grew, I developed an insatiable appetite for uncovering everything I could about the best way to fuel our bodies.

It turns out that the quick-fix, simplistic, “eat this, not that” messages proclaimed by many in the health and fitness field are not only often ineffective but also detrimental to your long-term health.

I’m here to halt the spread of this misinformation and help you take back your health.