My food story started 16 years ago when my now 26-year-old son Isaiah struggled to overcome multiple health challenges.

As a single mother at age 24, time and money were scarce. I worked several jobs to pay the bills and shuttled Isaiah daily to and from daycare and school. I built our meals on the back of paycheck-friendly, ultra-processed convenience foods—cereal bars, Eggos, yogurt sticks, cheese sticks, Lunchables, cheddar Goldfish, frozen chicken nuggets, pizza, and boxed mac-and-cheese. 

There were visible signs of Isaiah’s poor physical health early on. He caught every cold, lacked energy, slept fitfully, and by the time he was in fifth grade, had inexplicable warts all over his hands and knees. His body was crying out for help from the inside out, and I was clueless. Surprisingly, his pediatrician was, too. Her only comment was that boys get warts. Her recommendation? To take Isaiah to a dermatologist who could freeze off the warts, leaving him with dozens of lifelong scars, physically and emotionally. 

Thankfully, the dermatologist asked me a question that would not only change Isaiah’s life but my own: “Warts are a virus, and the real question is, what’s wrong with his immune system that his body can’t fight it off?” I didn’t stop until I found the answer, which turned out to be intolerance to gluten and dairy. I was gaslighted by my son’s pediatrician, who dismissed my concerns and ignored my plea to uncover the root cause of Isaiah’s health issues.

I cleaned out everything in the pantry, fridge, and freezer he could no longer eat, and about two months later, Isaiah woke up and ran into the kitchen screaming, “They’re gone! Look, Mommy, the warts are gone!” I couldn’t believe my eyes—poof, gone?!

Since then, I have made it my mission to understand the interdependent relationship between food, health and humanity.

I’ve authored six gluten-free, dairy-free cookbooks, including my bestseller, Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy, Delicious Meals, released in 2010. When Isaiah and I appeared on TV shows like PIX11’s “Morning News,” the first question every anchor asked was, “So, what is gluten?” 

As a pioneer in the space, I’m grateful to have helped millions of Americans feed themselves and their families. This includes not only people with food intolerances but also those with neurodivergent conditions like autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, who may benefit from avoiding gluten, dairy, and sugar to help enhance cognitive function and behavioral health. My goal as a hands-on culinary educator at cooking schools, after-school programs, and health expos has been to teach kids and adults that what we eat can directly influence our health—and still taste good—while teaching foundational cooking skills to build new habits and patterns, reduce stress, instill kitchen confidence, and develop a strong sense of agency concerning well-being. 

My strength is taking a holistic approach to collective health by asking questions and making connections across disciplines to address individual well-being.

Food can strengthen or weaken our biological functions. To expand my knowledge of health and nutrition from a systems-based, root-cause resolution approach, I am currently enrolled in the functional nutrition counselor certification program through the Functional Nutrition Alliance, accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) and the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners (AANWP).