There’s nothing we love more than checking in with our grads to see how they’re improving their own health, the health of their families and (sometimes) the entire world. Today, we’re chatting with Michelle Vodrazka, graduate of the Fall 2013 edition of the Culinary Nutrition Expert program.

What motivated you to take part in the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program?

As part of my work as a nutrition and exercise coach I write a LOT of meal plans. I knew if I wanted to make it easy for my clients to stick to their plans, I needed to provide nutritious and delicious recipes that didn’t require a ton of preparation. Meghan’s course jumped out at me because it not only taught how to make your own recipes in a fun and engaging environment, but it also taught you the healthy benefits of each and every ingredient. With the knowledge I have learned from Meghan’s course I have been able to help myself and my clients about the impact of with a host of health issues such as sleep disturbances, hormonal imbalances, lack of energy, digestive discomfort and even fertility!

How did the CNE program change your perspective on health and cooking?

When I started Meghan’s course, I had already worked in the health and fitness industry for over 18 years and I thought I knew a lot, but boy was I ever wrong. Meghan took my perspective of healthy eating and turned it upside down – in a really great way! I now understand the deep inter-connection between our environment, our food and our health and how we can make a difference in the way we teach our children, our clients and our community to shop, eat and cook in a sustainable, health promoting way.

What has been your best culinary nutrition creation?

I just published my first cookbook called ‘Smart Snacking for Sports,’ which is filled with delicious and nutritious recipes. I am also currently working on my second cookbook, ‘Help Yourself to Seconds,’ as well as writing an e-cookbook in collaboration with my Fall 2013 CNE colleagues.

What was the most rewarding part of the program for you?

Meghan is infectious and she makes culinary nutrition so exciting! More importantly, though, she really, truly believes in building communities and encouraging others to shine. I came out of the CNE program with not only a new perspective and an incredibly rich education but also a community of fellow CNE participants who I can rely on for support, friendship and selfless sharing of knowledge.

How have you been putting what you learned into practice in your life, your business and/or helping someone else?

Through the CNE course, I gained the courage I needed to believe in myself and to leverage my strengths to build something greater than I ever thought possible. In addition to my coaching business, I now create recipes and write articles on health and wellness which have been published in both online and print media for companies such as Genuine Health, the Fitness Elite and Tuja Wellness and I have several public speaking engagements lined up for this year as well. I also love blogging on my website! 

What has changed in your personal life since you completed (or perhaps since you began) the CNE Program?

I now understand that I am a part of a greater collective of nutrition and food advocates who understand the importance of helping communities find their way back to more organic, natural eating patterns in a way that is supportive of the environment around us. Before this course, I was oblivious to the effects of chemicals, pesticides, environmental toxins and even personal attitude on our health and our planet, but once you know, you can’t act in an irresponsible, ignorant way anymore and you truly feel inspired to ‘be the change.’