About

Hi! My name is Carolyn or otherwise known as Tippy by my family. Welcome to my blog, I’m so delighted that you are here visiting! My hope is that you will learn and take away valuable information that I’ve provided through the sharing of my healthy anti-inflammatory home cooking, education and uses of doTERRA essential oils and products, what life is truly like living with chronic pain due to life-long challenges of an autoimmune disease called Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in which I was diagnosed as a child. In addition, I love inspirational messages that help guide me through times of personal struggle. Therefore, Food & Wellness by Tippy was launched as a result of things that I am passionate about such as cooking, educating others about natural solutions for physical and emotional wellness, sharing inspirations that I find in everyday living, and the ups and downs of living with arthritis.

My Background

I am a second generation immigrant from Southeast Asia. I was born in the capital city of Laos and come from a mixed ethnic heritage of both Laotian and Vietnamese. My family immigrated to the US in the late 1970’s and we were welcomed by a loving and compassionate American family who took us in and mentored my parents who didn’t speak any English at the time. My 3 younger siblings and I grew up in this country, but most importantly we embrace our ethnic and cultural identity.

I obtained 3 college degrees from my local community college and state university in Central California. I worked for a good 17 + years in the field of human services, specifically with children, adults, and seniors with health conditions and disabilities. Due to my progressive RA, permanent joint damages, and chronic pain, I had to retire medically during the past several years in order to take care of myself, which I neglected when I worked. My journey to overall wellness began in late 2016 when I started experimenting on healthy cooking by reducing a substantial amount of gluten products, refined sugars, processed carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats. Despite the pain in my joints during the cooking process, I fell in love with cooking and discovered the creative side of me that I didn’t know existed! From that point on, I developed my own recipes through the creation of new dishes inspired by a combination of American, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, and Southeast Asian cuisines. While I don’t have a degree in nutrition nor am I a professional expert in the field of nutrition, I am a self-taught home cook who has done research and read materials about healthy anti-inflammatory cooking. What I post in the recipes section are my personal recipes in which I’ve developed. I am a firm believer that food is a significant part of our body’s ability to maintain good health. Besides good nutrition, I also use essential oils for pain management, irregular sleep patterns, and emotional well-being. Not only am I a personal user of doTERRA essential oils, I also help anyone interested in trying these Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils and products in my capacity as a Wellness Advocate. I educate and provide the appropriate tools and resources to help an individual who is ready to incorporate these essential oils in his or her life.

Cheers to better health and wellness!