Vasiliki Crokos was a remarkable mother who taught me so much of how to live in harmony with nature. Raised in Kalamata, Greece, my mother was surrounded by powerful women who taught her the values of longevity and wellness cultivated through food and family. Later in life my mother immigrated to America, got hitched (to another Greek, no less) and started a family of her own. She instilled in my siblings and I that real, nourishing food should be celebrated and honored through simple, delicious meals.
Unfortunately, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and rather than opting for chemotherapy treatment or harsh medications, she chose to heal her body through a Mediterranean diet and her spirituality. This helped stabilize the cancer and allowed her to live with the disease for over two decades. Ultimately, my mother lost her battle. I witnessed first hand the miracle of food and integrative wellness and have since committed myself to spreading this knowledge with others. Food is medicine, friends.
We Well Together was truly inspired by my three children, who have taught me so much about the cycle of life. Maintaining optimal health is a complete journey - one I continue to navigate everyday. But my experience raising a family has proven that the mother is the gatekeeper to wellness inside the four walls of her home. It’s there that children learn the power of real food, sleep, movement and mental restoration. Our children truly want to emulate us.
By being the example for our children, we can lead them into a more conscious generation of health warriors. My hope is that through this work together, we can achieve this goal.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, I was always active - if there was a sport or a game, I was playing it. My family had dinner every night together, prepared by my Greek mother who showed me the beauty of a well-made meal. During college at Boston University where I studied Human Physiology and Economics, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I quickly shifted all my attention to learning what I could about holistic nutrition and the benefits of vegetarianism. I designed a regimen for her that suited her personal taste and implemented it alongside her; and to this day, I haven’t changed a thing.
After my discovery that medical school wasn’t for me, I plunged into the financial services industry. I spent 12 years working in Los Angeles and New York City with some of the largest firms as a certified financial planner, CFP®. My expertise was advising clients into how to accumulate and sustain their wealth. During that time, I met and married a Greek man from Montreal and ended up moving there.
Fast forward into my next adventure, motherhood. While raising my three children as a stay at home mom, I realized that true wealth is in health. While attending soccer practices, fundraising at my kids school, and hosting holidays for my big Greek family, I decided to pursue a certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, the largest globally renowned nutrition school in the world, which helped me establish my own approach towards wellness. To this day, I am fascinated with women’s health and the keys to preventing disease and living life with energy and vibrance inside and out.
