– I make sure that my nutrition is on point throughout the day by meal prepping and planning ahead, especially on days that I have a lot of physical activity scheduled

– I prioritize finding time to perform some type of movement/strength workout everyday because of the significant positive impact on my mental and physical health

– Sleep is VERY important to me, especially for recovery after a tough soccer match or hard workout.

Eastern European food. I grew up eating hearty, flavorful soups and potato dishes. I might be one of the few humans who enjoys just plain boiled potatoes!

Beef jerky or greek yogurt with fruit!

I was born in Belarus and speak Russian!

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell 

This is a tough question but I would have to say Rigamortis by Kendrick Lamar. In my opinion, it is the perfect song to get your workout started or to give you that last bit of energy to finish strong. The instrumental has a steady drum and trumpet sound that sets the pace for a good workout. With Kendrick’s cadence increasing about halfway through the song, it pushes you over the hump to finish strong if you’re tired!

I initially became interested in physical therapy after personally experiencing some injuries during my years of athletics, soccer in particular. While pursuing a career in physical therapy, I began to dive deeper into functional medicine and the multifactorial causes of disease, and how movement/exercise can play an integral role in the prevention and treatment for a multitude of conditions.

My spirit animal is a Husky because they are strong willed yet gentle, allowing them to tackle and overcome any hardship without leaving destruction in their wake….except when they get muddy and get the zoomies in the house.