Revitalizing Rural Health At A Grass Roots Level
Since 2016, I have been dedicated to a singular mission: ensuring your zip code in rural Tennessee and Mississippi does not determine a person's health outcomes.
In areas often labeled as "food deserts," I advocate for multidimensional health empowerment. It isn't enough to just provide medical care; we must provide the tools for communities to heal themselves from the ground up.
My Pillars for Rural Wellness
Nutritional Independence: Teaching people how to grow their own food and navigate food deserts through permaculture and sustainable gardening.
Integrative Medicine: Introducing Eastern medicine practices and high-quality supplementation to complement traditional rural healthcare.
Movement for Every Community: Bringing yoga and intentional body movement to areas where these wellness tools are often inaccessible.
Preventative Education: Shifting the focus from "sick care" to true "health care" through nutrition-based interventions.
Career Highlight: The Empowered Wellness Retreat (2020)
In 2020, alongside my dedicated partners in Jackson, MS, I hosted the Empowered Wellness Retreat in Edwards, Mississippi. This three-day intensive was a landmark moment in my career, successfully merging:
Permaculture Design: Hands-on training in living in harmony with the land.
Yoga & Mindfulness: Deepening the connection between mental clarity and physical health.
Community Building: Bringing together local leaders to strategize on the future of Mississippi’s health landscape.
"True health is the ultimate form of self-reliance. When we give people the tools to grow their own food and heal their own bodies, we empower the entire state."
This is a vital addition. Tennessee currently faces a significant health crisis, with approximately 14.6% of the adult population living with diabetes—well above the national average. In rural areas, this is often compounded by "food deserts" where processed, high-sugar foods are the only accessible option.
Here is a section designed to integrate your specific skills in nutrition and movement into a targeted plan for Tennessee.
Targeted Action: Breaking the Diabetes Cycle in Tennessee
Tennessee ranks among the highest in the nation for diabetes prevalence. For many in our rural counties, this isn't just a health issue—it is a result of limited access to fresh food and preventative education. My advocacy is dedicated to shifting Tennessee from a "crisis management" model to a "prevention and reversal" model.
The Challenge: Beyond the Clinic
In rural Tennessee, diabetes management is often hindered by the "Food Desert" cycle. When the only available food comes from a convenience store, even the best medical advice fails. We must address the root causes:
1 in 7 Tennesseans are living with diagnosed diabetes, and many more are pre-diabetic.
Food Deserts force a reliance on shelf-stable, high-glucose processed foods.
Sedentary Lifestyles are often a byproduct of a lack of community wellness spaces in rural corridors.
My "Farm-to-Body" Initiative
I am advocating for a multidimensional approach to blood sugar management that goes beyond the pharmacy:
Growing for Health: Using permaculture to transform food deserts into "food oases." By teaching families to grow low-glycemic, nutrient-dense produce at home, we provide the literal fuel for diabetes reversal.
Movement as Medicine: Bringing yoga and specific body-weight movement practices to rural community centers to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce stress-induced glucose spikes.
Strategic Supplementation: Educating on the role of magnesium, chromium, and high-quality omega-3s—often missing in rural diets—to support metabolic function.
Eastern & Western Integration: Combining traditional glucose monitoring with Eastern practices like herbal support and mindfulness to manage the "diabetes-related distress" that many patients face.
A Vision for a Healthier Tennessee
My goal is to support legislation and grassroots programs that fund Community Vegetable Gardens and Rural Wellness Hubs. We don't just need more clinics; we need more kitchens, more gardens, and more movement spaces.
A Lifelong Commitment
My work in Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and across the rural South has shown me the incredible resilience of our people. However, resilience requires resources. I am committed to spending the rest of my life advocating for policies and grassroots programs that bridge the healthcare gap in the south.
By focusing on bio-individual nutrition and movement-based therapy, we can decrease the chronic disease markers that have plagued our rural corridors for too long.
Bridging the Gap
My work with veterans at the Kom Ombo Institute and my rural health advocacy share a common thread: The belief that every individual deserves a holistic toolkit for a thriving life.
