About Susie

What’s my story?  I have been experimenting with natural, healthy cooking and beauty product making for most of my life. Many of my creations have been successes, some have blown up like science experiments, but little by little I have perfected my craft. I grew up in Paxton, Massachusetts (population 4k) as an outdoors-loving tom-boy surrounded by animals- horses, dogs, cats and even a pet pig. Due to my love of these creatures and nature, the recipes and beauty products I make are not only of the highest quality from the best possible sources, but are also kind to the earth and all its beings.

In my late 20s, I moved to South Florida to obtain my MBA at the University of Miami and gave up northern winters. After 20 years in Miami, I just made my way back home to Massachusetts this past April, 2020.

starts with “s,” rhymes with guess

My childhood was idyllic in many ways but I had difficulties in dealing with stress. I was an over-achiever in school and would stress myself out to the point of exhaustion. I worried about everything. As a result, I suffered from chronic, debilitating headaches, cystic acne and an unhealthy love affair with sugar. The more busy I was, the more stressed I became, the more headaches I had and the more sugar I craved which led to more acne. It was a vicious cycle. I exercised constantly to compensate for the extra calories. On the outside I appeared fine and dandy (except during a pizza face episode) but on the inside I felt terrible and alone in my misery.  To compound my stress, I was also worried about my student loans and how I would pay them off in this lifetime.

the turning point

Shortly after moving to Florida, I was blessed to find a wonderful life/health coach who helped me to clear out the clutter of my life and dig deep to figure out what was causing the inner and outer maladies. The cure was not rocket science – it was inside me the whole time – I just needed a healthy accountability partner.

My life took a complete 180 turn. The acne slowly but surely disappeared, my chronic headaches subsided and I developed a healthy relationship with food. I no longer craved sweets! I saw improvements in my personal life as well. I met people that have become lifelong friends. I created boundaries and healed decades-old familial relationships. I severed toxic relationships. I started making decent money as a marketing manager at a prominent law firm, put a dent in my loans and even managed to build up a sizable savings account.  My life was becoming effortless.

Was I living my dream?  Not yet. I was frustrated with the invariably unhealthy, high-stress environment at the law firm and had lost 2 coworkers to disease. It was time for a change. While still holding down my day job, I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition – IIN (the largest nutrition school in the world) and found “my people.” From the first lectures by world-renowned doctors and health experts to the huge network of like minded, health-conscious people, I was hooked. Those lectures kept me sane during my remaining years at the firm. I was able to embrace my work environment, find peace and firm up my middle section (which had gone a bit fluffy). I knew that I was on a path to doing good not only for myself but for others who were struggling to stay healthy and balanced in the corporate jungle. I finally got to the point where it took less time to decompress on weekends and life became more peaceful and beautiful.

Shortly thereafter, BELAVIE- an online sanctuary for homemade health and beauty, was born. I spent a number of years as a health coach but now concentrate on educating myself and continue to cook and share on the blog. Animals are at the heart of my mission and I do what I do mainly for them. Ironically, a plant-based lifestyle is better not only for the lives of animals but also for our health and the health of our planet. That’s not to say that there are not unhealthy plant-based eaters and that all plant-based foods carry a minimal carbon footprint. However, I aim to make choices that are kind to the animals, the environment and our health. It’s a journey every single day. I love to eat – and cheat – and think everyone should be able to enjoy food irrespective of their personal goals or situation. Skin care is another passion of mine. The skin is our largest organ which requires nourishment to stay healthy, youthful and glowing. I make most of my own self care products – cleanser, moisturizer, make-up remover, deodorant, sunscreen, lip balm, toothpaste and candles to name a few.  I offer several of these products for sale on my SHOP page and also provide do-it-yourself recipes throughout my blog.

the here and now

So here I am.  Here we are – as you are reading this.  Food and lifestyle changes can heal, prevent disease and bring joy into one’s life and the lives of others around them – including animals. While it is so simple to nourish and heal the body from nature, it is also quite challenging when you consider the modern world in which we live and our endless choices, especially when you adopt a plant-based lifestyle.

Do you feel like you don’t have time to dedicate to yourself and to healthy living? Do you feel overwhelmed by your career, family and other obligations? Do you want to eat a more plant-based diet but do not know where to start? Does it feel selfish to demand time for yourself?

A healthy, happy, balanced life can be obtained with simple tools and guidance. Once one learns the real food basics and begins to truly enjoy food without the guilt, dieting becomes obsolete.  Self care is also easy to manage by incorporating high quality ingredients (often found in your kitchen) into your beauty routine.

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I want to hear about you as well.  Have a question, issue or comment?  Drop me a note, here.

I wish you lots of peace, love and good health,

Susie

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS:

Certified Raw Gourmet Chef – The Raw Oasis 
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach – The Institute for Integrative Nutrition
MBA, International Business – University of Miami
Bachelors, Foreign Affairs and Spanish – Assumption College