Melissa is Gluten Free for Good

Today is Melissa McLean Jory’s birthday.  I don’t know her exact age but I’ll bet you you’ll never ever guess it right.  She is one sexy hot gluten free gal not to mention a mom, friend, athlete, yogi, nutritionist, speaker, writer, and big hearted volunteer.

One thing you should know about Melissa is she’s very humble and does not brag which is why I’m bragging about her myself.  Right about now she’s cringing at her computer probably ready to strangle me.  But I’m going to take that risk because she’s an amazing woman that I’d like to share with you.  Of course I’m not the only one to write about Melissa.  This past January Fly Fish Chick shared a story about Melissa too and if you google Melissa you’ll find 372,000 results.

I know Melissa through her blog,  Gluten Free For Good.  She started it in August of 2007 when only a handful of food bloggers were talking about gluten free.

I first met Melissa via her blog when I had just begun living gluten free and writing my blog.  Every time I would read what she shared, especially the complicated things, it all made sense and it still does.  I was writing a post on gluten free inexpensive food gifts to give during the holidays in 2008 and she graciously contributed her recipe for Mountain High Granola.  It was another year or so before I re-found Melissa.  I can’t even remember how it all came about.  I must have been living right because she’s been an amazing influence in my life.

I got to meet Melissa in person in Seattle at a food blogging conference last year and again when I traveld to Colorado. She is even more amazing in person.  She totally embodies her philosphy.  She walks the talk.  Whatever she shares with others that would be good and healthy to do, she does herself in spades.

Melissa’s and some of her peeps in Seattle- Wendy, Me, Kim, Heidi, Melissa, Shirley, Carol.

She eats amazing real foods and she can tell you how each one of those foods is good for you and what it’s doing in your body.  She loves to be outside backpacking, hiking or telemark skiing.  If you’ve heard the saying your bare feet should be touching the earth each day and your lungs breathing fresh air well not to worry, Melissa is doing that and we should all follow.

Melissa is also trained as a yoga instructor but she mostly spends her time as a student.  Every day you’ll find her in class.  She was the person who got me out of my house and off the yoga videos that I said I couldn’t do.  I learned that by actually going to a class on a regular basis with an instructor, that I could do yoga and it has been key to not losing my mind this year.  Again Melissa was right on the money.

Melissa has helped so many people with her business of consulting on nutrition therapy, speaking on the subject and sharing through her blog.  She works with people from amazing athletes all the way on the spectrum to amazing couch potatoes.  However if they are working with Melissa, they won’t be couch potatoes for long.

Melissa has inspired me in many more ways.  First I started to question more and more what food was going into my body.  Not only what it was but where did it come from and how was it grown or raised.  She’s inspired me to want to learn more and then to also help more people.  This is one reason why I started school at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a Holistic Health Coach.  It’s a different path than what she took but it’s the right path for me.  I feel like I need to pass on this wonderful gift she gave me of just opening my eyes, my mind and my heart to what could be and what could be a person’s best life.

During my studies we are continually asked to pick someone who inspires us and who we look up to as mentor.  For me every time that question is asked in lots of different ways on different topics in school, my answer is always Melissa.

There are many more things I could share about Melissa but I’ll stop now so we can sing Happy Birthday to her.

So I want to wish Melissa a Healthy and Happy Birthday and I hope you will join me by sharing a birthday wish on her Facebook page- Gluten Free For Good and if you’re on twitter @gfmelissa. Oh and make sure you check out her upside down ski photos.

For more thoughts on Melissa jump over to Shirley’s gluten free easily blog to see more of Melissa’s good work.

 

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