ABOUT the FOODIE
What I do:
PURE HEARTED FOODIE BRINGS YOU FEEL GOOD BALANCED FITNESS AND DELICIOUS HEALTHY SATISFYING RECIPES.
Who I am:
I am a daughter, sister, auntie, wife to my Mooster (aka: MOOSE) and most important! MOTHER OF THREE
...to Zachary, Marley and Calleigh. and now.... Harper's GRAMMY! What an amazing blessing.
Patriotically Passionate
I am a Bicentennial Baby, born on the 4th of July! I am a passionately patriotic firecracker and love to help and inspire people to attain a healthier and happier lifestyle!
Professional Photographer
I have a passion for shooting life in the raw!
Educator, Consultant, Entrepreneur
I was an elementary school teacher for over two decades ; I taught Kindergarten, #MyKinderLife,
1st GRADE! (A workout within itself! ; ) #FabulousFirstGrade
and 4th, 5th and 6th grades. #MyTeacherLife. I resigned from teaching and entered another world that I have always loved... entrepreneurship, business management and consulting. I am now the COO and CFO of a few different entities. Check out our Vineyard Estate homes. www.CortadaAltaVineyard.com Come STAY with us!
and of course, a health and fitness guru and FOODIE!
Since childhood I have had a passion for cooking and baking from scratch, and eating healthy, I was raised by a health-food co-op mama! I studied Nutrition, Child Development and Psychology in college. My Food and Wine focus in ag was also a highlight and enhanced my journey with pairing foods. I found out I was a SUPER TASTER! I smell and taste things on a heightened level! I am passionate about good food. SO my FOODIE side is grand! BUT I have not always prioritized my personal fitness and it caught up with me! I started my focussed Fit Journey in 2012 after being blessed with three children, living a non-stop crazy-busy life and not making my health a PRIORITY. I could barely recognize myself!
I lost over 50 pounds within 6 months, using a safe, healthy and natural process. My tools were my body, weight training, walking and eating a lot of protein, veggies and healthy carbs. . I became a Physical Fitness Coach and helped other people reach their goals as well. It was very rewarding and helped keep myself accountable!
...and then my two bottom disks in my back compressed, a bit later, I tore my ACL! I started to gain some weight back over time.... I soon found myself with A LOT of strange symptoms; non-stop bloating, heavy-heavy periods, puffy, blurry eyes, trouble sleeping, etc. I thought I must be going through menopause? I sought out an endocrinologist specialist and got all my blood work done... surprisingly, blood work showed I had not even entered peri-menopause! (I was 48) BUT was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism! WHAT? I had so much inflammation it was WILD (and scary!)
While I have always been passionate about educating myself on ALL health aspects for myself and family, including researching health & nutrition necessities, I was not sure how to pair them or how much to take... I have always been so careful with what I put in my body, I won't even take aspirin or Tylenol when I have a migraine!
It was great to have someone tell me exactly what MY BODY needed and how to take it all. I started natural supplements (Ashwagandha, Neuro-Mag, Magnesium, (I was already doing magnesium foot soaks that are amazing) and bio-identical hormone therapy, --PAIRED with PILATES, using. a reformer!! weight training and walking... I LOVE IT! I am back on track now, feeling amazing! *I am no longer taking thyroid medication or having Hashimoto's symptoms...
Taking your health into your own hands is crucial when it comes to gaining your optimal health. Regular western trained med doctors were not helping... I am two years into improving all of my hormone and health numbers. I am very close to turning half-a-century old and I feel good knowing my personal numbers are checked every 3-6 months and we will be on top of knowing what I personally need. Making my personal health a priority has been one of the best decisions of my life! A balanced training schedule, while eating a...smart-balanced diet and having first hand knowledge about my health numbers (blood work) has allowed me to take charge of MY HEALTH and be a better wife, mother and now, Harper's GRAMMY!
It's a jungle out there!! - the sooner you can figure out how to navigate your health journey, the better!
...and I still love sharing delicious, nutritious, healthy recipes... I hope to inspire others to PRIORITIZE their own health and FEEL GOOD!
- Pure Hearted Foodie ; )