Hi, I’m Jillian!

Welcome, I’m so glad you’re here to learn more about digestive health and its connection to everything from what you eat to how you move and even how you think.

I teach people to be better thinkers about their bodies.

I have spent the last ten years in clinical practice ; recently written a book, “Natural Solutions for Digestive Health”; have created close to a dozen digestive-health related programs and in 2014 wrote the book, “Natural Solutions for Digestive Health”.

My work has been featured in Bostonia magazine, PARADE, Publisher’s Weekly, Pain Pathways, a variety of online blogs, podcasts and summits including PaleoHacks, Metabolic Effect, The Model Health Show and Underground Wellness and radio and television news outlets like NPR, WXII and Fox8.

I grew up spending a lot of time in the forest – walking, scrutinizing plants and wildlife, watching the seasons pass and learning to observe and listen.

This undeniably influenced the course of my education – from studying biology and environmental biology in college to attending naturopathic medical school – and the trajectory of my career, as a clinician focusing primarily on digestive health.

The gut perfectly enraptures a naturalist like me. After all, it contains its own ecosystem and brain. It is related to all other systems of the body, and often requires cultivation for maximum health. I tend to the gut of as I tend to my garden, and empower them to do the same.

For Digestive Bliss:

The right food
The ability to break down your food
The health of your microbiome
Good integrity of your intestinal lining
Second brain balance
Sleep
Movement

I have learned that the one-size-fits all approach to health rarely works, especially if folks have been struggling for a while. It is my mission to bridge the gap between what we need for health versus the care we get.

My book, blog and programs create a framework for you to uncover the underlying reasons for your symptoms, give you concrete tools to unwind them – focusing on body and mind – and enable you to become an expert in YOU. To me, this is the ultimate in self-responsibility and self-love both.

My Philosophy of Health

The body is an interconnected whole, like a web, or a symphony – not a set of discrete, separate systems

We are all as different on the inside as we look on the outside – our physiology, metabolism and unique preferences do not fit in the “one size fits all” box

Learning what works for you is an invaluable investment of your time, and not as difficult as you may think when you have the right tools

The digestive system is the Grand Central Station of the body, interacting with all other systems of the body and thus a major influencer of overall health

Coming full circle

I grew up walking in the woods, and am still a huge advocate of a daily walk. My love was not focused exclusively on the woods, however: I adored animals and grew up with a vast array of furred, feathered and scaled companions and am still surrounded by animals to this day. In fact, my brother in law calls my house “Jillian’s Zoo”.

When I began college, I was in a rather miserable place emotionally that ultimately prompted me towards working on my inner world – my own attitudes, thoughts and perceptions. I get that sounds very woo-woo, but taking responsibility for my own attitude and mental and emotional well being was one of the most powerful things I have ever done, it has changed my life, my approach as a clinician – and greatly improved my health. My own dark period was very important for me to realize the role that our inner environment plays in the expression of human health.

We often do not have a say in what happens to us in our lives, but we very much have a say about how we move forward and what attitude we bring to the world, and for me, that has made all the difference. In no other system of the body is the connection between the emotions and function/comfort as prevalent as it is in the gut.

The space we create and tend to on the inside – with our nutrition, lifestyle, thoughts and emotions – reflects on the outside via our health, relationships, business and everything else. This cultivation is one of our most important tasks, and this cultivation has become my mission.

These days, I find myself writing more and more programs and educational sequences. I find myself in the garden more, tinkering. I have been brewing my own kombucha for years, and relish cooking gluten free dishes. Whether we are talking about an ecosystem, the systems of the body, a colony of healthy bacteria, or flavors in a delicious dish, I am fascinated by the interconnectedness of all things.

I walk in the woods, still, coming full circle, and I am so glad I can share my journey with you, and you with me.

When you know better, you do better.”
Maya Angelou