Hello! My name is Melinda Beaulieu and I recently moved from NYC to Asheville, North Carolina with my dog, Bella (talk about a big change!). I am a nutritionist, whole foods chef, and certified vinyasa yoga teacher. I firmly believe that a marriage of both nutrition information, and also the ability to cook for oneself is needed to achieve and maintain good health, as well as regular exercise. One can have all the knowledge in the world about what to eat, but if they consistently eat out they can’t be sure they are eating a truly healthy meal. I’ve worked in the restaurant industry and most restaurants use a lot of salt and unhealthy fats to prepare food.

I truly enjoy teaching people how cooking for themselves is not hard to do, does not have to be time-consuming, and that eating healthy food doesn’t have to taste bad. During my cooking demonstrations or private lessons I include a lot of nutritional information about the foods we are preparing: why we should eat them, good alternatives to traditional unhealthy versions, different alternatives to my recipes to keep future meals interesting, and information about how specific foods can impact the various systems in the body.

I also love yoga! Yoga has done for me what no other exercise or sport has. I have become stronger and more flexible than I have ever been. Yoga is excellent for detoxifying the body, building strength and flexibility, reducing stress, toning the organs and systems, and more! Yoga never becomes boring because as soon as one difficult pose is "mastered" (quotations because poses are never really mastered), there are many others to work on. I leave class feeling rejuvenated, open, and relaxed. In my opinion, if everyone practiced yoga the world would be a much better place!

I love animals and my dog Bella is helping me to learn to live in the moment. She makes me laugh with her antics everyday and she brings so much joy into my life. :)