Melissa lives in the mountain town of Salida, Colorado and is chief lifestyle wonkette and wanna-be science writer at Artful-Aging.com, your ultimate guide for the most current “need to know” information on optimal aging and true wellness. At Artful-Aging, you’ll find everything from the quirky differences between male and female brain function to holistic ways to improve health to nutrient-dense recipes to tweaking your telomeres. The goal here is to create harmony between body, mind, and spirit and to increase vitality, enhance quality of life, and rack up lots of years of awesome living.

Now really, who doesn’t want that?

10 Random Things About Melissa

•  If you must know, I was born in the 1950s. Really early 1950s. Okay, May of 1950 in Colorful Colorado. My great grandparents homesteaded in Grand County on the banks of the Colorado River—not far from what is now Winter Park Ski Resort.
• My dad was an Olympic athlete; my mom was a gourmet cook.
• I have a degree in Exercise Science, a 2-year master’s certification in Nutrition Therapy, and am registered to teach yoga. Adaptive yoga is my interest.
• I have light brown hair, green eyes, and celiac “disease.” As long as I cook my own food, take exceptional care of myself, and avoid gluten cooties, it’s not an issue or a “disease.”
• I like healthy, simple food (mostly plants), an occasional glass of red wine, dark chocolate, and Alaskan Malamutes.
• Excerpt from my 3^rd grade report card: “Melissa is a polite and smart little girl. She never talks back, but she can’t seem to sit still in class, is always looking out the window, and doesn’t routinely follow directions. She could be a good student if she put her mind to it. Unfortunately, her mind is often elsewhere. She has been sent to the principal’s office twice for doing cartwheels in the hall. On a more positive note, she likes science and has good penmanship.”
• Nothing has changed. In my defense, having an elsewhere mind is quite entertaining.
• I have a big, wonderful, amazing family and incredible friends.
• Telemark skiing, backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, yoga, traveling, reading, writing, researching, learning, cooking, wondering, wandering, and sharing are my favorite pastimes.
• I’m beyond blessed.

For more information, please visit my Media Page.