I grew up in America's Dairyland (that's Wisconsin if you don't know) eating a highly processed, Standard American Diet. I didn't have healthy eating or living instilled in me which I would later learn would take its toll. At age 18 I began slowly giving up meat (I've just never liked it) and at age 19/20 I gave up dairy after joining an animal rights group at my college. Although I went to college for healthcare, I still didn't know much about nutrition and even though I was vegan, I wasn't necessarily eating the healthiest most of the time. After moving to California at age 26, I was introduced to a completely new way of living. I was constantly surrounded by healthy, new-to-me foods and like minded people who were frequently educating me which helped me began to transform my diet and way of living. ​

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At age 30, after years of unhealthy habits accumulating in my body, I began developing health issues that made me rethink everything I thought I knew. I saw multiple doctors for different issues and ultimately decided to take the most natural route to cure myself. I knew I needed to be my own health advocate, so I spent countless hours researching how I could regain optimal health.

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I decided to create Forkin’ Plants to share all of my healthy, but comforting recipes (I still have those Midwestern roots, ya know), healthy living tips, and my experiences throughout this journey of creating balance and learning to heal myself.​