Melissa helps moms, dads, teens, toddlers, babies and pets lead healthier and more natural lives.
She offers BioScan health assessments for clients in her Grand Rapids, MI office. These assessments help detect ROOT cause issues such as heavy metals, chemicals, molds, parasites, hormone imbalance, emotional traumas and much more and then she helps to correct those stressors.
Melissa also writes a blog to help others use food to heal their body.
_______________________________________
I was born and raised in Walker/Standale just west of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Growing up, I witnessed first hand the devastating effects that poor diet, no real food nutritional advice, toxic treatments, prescription drugs and surgery can have on physical and emotional health. Seeing the toll these took on my family was heartbreaking. I knew there had to be a better way, another way, other than prescriptions, doctor visits, medical “therapies”, dental “therapies”, cancer “treatments”, surgeries and very poor advice. The standard conventional American health care and guidance only left the most important people in the world to me, my beloved grandparents, step-parents and Mom and Dad; empowered, healthy and creating family memories statistics for mortality data, and me without my loved ones at a young age. This was not ok to me. I decided to take a stand and do my own research and investigating.
My Health Journey
At just a couple weeks old I became quite ill, colicky and developed bronchitis. I was immediately given medications to “suppress” what was to be a long line of infections and immune system challenges. Within twelve months I developed pink eye and two more episodes of bronchitis, in which I had to be hospitalized. By two years of age I had also contracted a parasite and developed a kidney infection. By four, my teeth developed cavities, and that was the beginning of my massive mercury exposure. By the time I was a teenager I had approximately 10 mercury fillings in my mouth.
Throughout the years I struggled with other infections such as strep, mono and lots of colds and the stomach flu at least 3-5 times per year. By 23, I had taken so many different types of anti-biotics, I could have been classified as an upright mobile pharmacy and my diet was less than desirable along the way. While my Mom was great at cooking home cooked meals I was yearning for breads, carbs and starches to feed my ferocious cravings due to my internal ecosystem imbalance. In my mid twenties, I was extremely sick with another bronchial infection and felt completely hopeless, when a friend of mine made a suggestion to see a practitioner who had some sort of machine that would be able to assess my true issues. That is when I was first introduced to BioEnergetic testing and looking at the foods you eat as culprits to health issues. It turned out that most of the foods and food-like substances I was eating were contributing to my health problems, such as corn, wheat, dairy and sugar. A 20 minute test, soon changed the course of my life. As soon as I eliminated those items from my diet, I began getting better in just days! I was an instant believer in eating to heal your body.
I understand now that these hurdles were part of my training to become a healer for people and for our wonderful pets. I believe the best healers and practitioners have had challenges themselves.
I received my Doctor of Naturopathy Degree in 2006 and am also a graduate of Grand Valley 
State University (GVSU), MI. I received my Bachelors of Science Degree with an emphasis in Biological Sciences in 2000. I began studying Dr. Royal Lee’s whole food nutrition philosophy while a student at GVSU and have used Standard Process and Mediherb nutrition extensively in my practice along with fermented fish and butter oils, organic glandulars, bach flowers, probiotics and homeopathics.
Today
I am now a real food crusader, Licensed Doctor of Pastoral Science & Medicine (PSc.D), Naturopath and certified Holistic Real Food Nutritional Consultant working with others, locally; specializing in the Weston A. Price, Ancestral, Paleo, Primal nutrition and lifestyle, digestive health, food allergies, emotional concerns, detoxification, autoimmunity and other health related-concerns for people and cats and dogs. I am the chapter leader of my local Dr. Weston A. Price Foundation – Nourishing Ways of West MI and am the coordinator of the West Michigan Animals Asia volunteer group, focusing on healing without harm locally and world wide. I live and breath advocacy, for animals, this earth, our environment and our health, being free and thinking for ourselves. Read more on how I give back day to day.
Even while I now live a real food lifestyle, I've had some lingering health issues throughout the years; such as digestive issues (candida and sugar|grain sensitivities), skin issues, heart palpitations and anxiety. I peeled and peeled back my layers, detoxed, rebuilt and repaired with intensive supplementation and nutrition and continued to get better. But … the instant I added fermented foods into my life … it was like turning on the light switch in a dark room. 20+ years of symptoms: gone. Your delicate gut microbiome literally runs the show. I believe your gut ecosystem is actually your primary brain, which signals and communicates with your (secondary) brain, cells, tissues and glands. If you have an imbalance in your bugs, you are typically missing the root cause. I am living proof of that.
I am purposeful and driven and enjoy learning as well as sharing my knowledge with others. I believe the more you know – the better you do, and I thrive on challenging myself daily. Passion, joy and commitment are words I would use to describe my zest for life and how I approach my work. I greatly enjoy inspiring and educating others so they can have the tools needed to live an amazing life.
This blog is designed for you-my friends, family, readers, followers and clients and those not wanting to be just another statistic. Thank you for reading!