Welcome! If you landed here looking to cultivate a more healthy, sustainable lifestyle, thank you for stopping by! Take your time to explore the many longevity-focused topics. I believe living an independent life is as important as living a long life, otherwise termed ‘functional longevity’.
I am a certified clinical exercise physiologist and the founder of Pickleball Yoga™. In this capacity, I also work in Cardiology at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center and own Preventive Cardiology LLC. I help Veterans and older adults improve their mobility to reduce their heart disease and stroke risk as well as manage and prevent other chronic lifestyle diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, orthopedic conditions, neurodegenerative diseases, and some cancers.
As a frequent media contributor and author/speaker, I feel fortunate to have found a platform as the weekly health expert on KRON 4 Weekend Morning News for the past seven years. In each segment I condense new scientific studies and current health topics to a six-minute live interview segment (with over 230 interviews to date) where I distill medical information into practical healthy living tips.
As the recurring health expert on ABC 10 in Sacramento, I created healthful food demonstrations featuring traditional recipes that have been ‘upgraded’ to promote longevity and whole food, plant-based eating styles, such as my vegetarian Hawaiian luau below.
My Culinary Point of View
A pescetarian (someone that eats fish but no other meat) since studying nutrition and physiology in college, I grew up in a ‘green’ household before it was fashionable to be green. Fresh homegrown vegetables were staples in our home and venturing out of the city to pick fruits in the country was considered a fun family thing to do.
In our culture, giving respect to the forest, to the ocean, and to nature is the way of life. We ate and cooked whole food bringing vegetables straight from the garden to the table. I learned about sustainability long before it became the socially-conscious buzzword where replenishing the earth — not polluting it — was the natural rule of life.
My goal is to serve ingredients that are fresh, organic (preferably local) and whole grain. I favor Hawaiian and Japanese flavors because those tastes define home to me. I love tofu-based dishes, savor ocean-friendly fish on occasion, and enjoy colorful meals filled with a vibrant palette of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
After years of eating simply and preparing easy kid-friendly and heart-healthy meals that are also easy on the budget, I’m sharing some of my personal favorites in Real Food and in my book on longevity, “Athletes in Aprons: The Nutrition Playbook to Break 100“). I hope you’ll enjoy them too!
My Book
Your age is a given. Growing old is a choice.™ Athletes in Aprons is an uncomplicated playbook that puts functional longevity in your control.
But not an athlete, you say? Don’t be so sure you’re not. Being revered as an athlete doesn’t hinge on performance; it’s grounded in perseverance. Whether you’re a back-of-the-packer, cardiac patient, or cancer survivor, true athletes focus on commitment, crave being better than yesterday, and strive to finish.
Armed with the right training, tools, and tips, you can control how well you feel, curb how fast you age, and live your most functional life. Get a sneak peek and watch the book trailer! 🤓
My Why
One month before I was due to deliver our first child, my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. She received many months of aggressive and unsuccessful chemotherapy treatment. Surgery followed, but due to the extent of the disease, her oncologist told us she had just three months to live. I never really knew what an aching heart felt like until then. The realization that my mom may never see her first grandchild through his first nine months of life was painfully harsh.
But I refused to accept this doctor’s prognosis and was angry that he would strip my mom of life’s most powerful feeling — hope. I heard about the Maruyama vaccine, a controversial anti-cancer agent used in Japan, and made it my mission to get it. We desperately needed some optimism. This daily injection may not have been effective, but it was potent in its own way.
This vaccine gave us what we needed most. Clinging to hope made each day bearable. There’s something very powerful behind the chance that something good might come true.
Sadly, my mom passed away at the age of 64 just outside of the doctor’s three-month window.
Medical information can be overwhelming and even depressing depending on your frame of reference. After my mom’s death, I couldn’t read a health article without worrying about my own fate and family. With that said, I make a point to provide science-based news with a shot of optimism and small actions steps to live well. [My Heart Story]
The human body has the capacity to be very resilient. I hope you’ll find inspiration, motivation, and the drive to persevere here on this website. My goal is to guide you through your everyday health challenges and the daily wear and tear of aging, so you can live a full, strong, and vibrant life.
xo,
Background
- Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, concentration in Biodynamics
- Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist, American College of Sports Medicine
- Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer, American College of Sports Medicine
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation Certificate, American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Certified Memory Program Specialist, University of California, Los Angeles
- Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist, American Council on Exercise
- Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist, American Council on Exercise
- Certified Balance Training Specialist, Zibrio
- Certified Living Strong, Living Well Instructor (cancer), Stanford School of Medicine
- 2014 San Francisco Peninsula Press Club Award
- 2008 Richard M. Aronson Special Service Award
- Owner of Preventive Cardiology LLC
