Foundations Before Fads

If you’ve found your way here, welcome.

I’m a pharmacist and functional medicine health coach with a deep curiosity about how the mind and body work together. I grew up in a rural farming community, where health wasn’t something you optimized — it was something you lived.

My grandmother lived a long, vibrant life and never took a prescription medication until she fell and broke her hip in her 80s. She likely had good genetics and a measure of good luck.

But she also had habits.

She didn’t track steps.

She didn’t take a cabinet full of supplements.

She didn’t wear a fitness tracker.

She:

• walked every day

• worked in her garden

• carried heavy things

• ate real food

• spent time outdoors

• rested when she was tired

• stayed deeply connected to her church and family

That shaped me more than I realized.

From Curiosity to Clinical Practice

My curiosity about the human body led me into nursing and later pharmacy. I’ve seen the life-changing power of medications. I’ve also seen the confusion women experience — especially around menopause, metabolism, and now GLP-1 medications.

We are flooded with extremes:

“Just take this and fix everything.”

“Never take that — it’s toxic.”

“You need this expensive program.”

“You’re failing if you need help.”

Extremes create confusion. They don’t create health.

I Don’t Believe in Extremes. I Believe in Foundations.

Sunshine.

Walking.

Strength.

Stillness.

Whole food.

And when appropriate — medication used thoughtfully, not fearfully.

Who I Write For

At The Thriving Monkey, I write for women who love to learn but are tired of hype.

Women who want nuance.

Women who want to understand their bodies instead of fighting them.

Women who are tired of being told it’s “just anxiety” or handed a prescription without a real conversation.

You won’t find perfection here. I’m still learning too.

But you will find:

• honest reflection

• practical, evidence-informed guidance

• a grounded, common-sense approach to health

• sustainable strategies that fit real life

This work doesn’t require expensive gadgets, shame, or access to a boutique gym.

It requires curiosity, consistency, and compassion for your own body.

Use the Contact Form at the bottom of this page to Book Your Free Discovery Call!