As far back as I can remember, my father instilled in me the value of a healthy lifestyle. Though I know now that what he thought of as “healthy” was a bit off, it was the thought that counted, and it led me to always strive to eat well. At the very least, it inspired me to add some veggies to the otherwise terrible meals my high school buddies and I devoured every day.
In college, my interest in health grew, as I battled mild but persistent acne. One day I ventured into a New Age bookstore and thumbed through a book on healthy living to find the section on skincare. To my astonishment, the top recommendation to help reduce acne was to cut out dairy. I decided to try it and see what happened. Within a week, my skin started to clear up. Within a month, it looked better than it had in years. I resolved to make it my profession to help others achieve health through diet and lifestyle…