ABOUT US & OUR EGO'S:
Healthy Alter Ego was born in 2006 as a free information-based resource for anyone seeking health and nutrition information that is not influenced by industry, sponsorships or media pressures. The pure and simple intention is to share facts and data about nutrition, health, research and various other topics that may concern you or someone you love. Our website went live in 2007 and in 2008 we introduced two health conferences in the Cincinnati area; Bodyfest and Boobfest.
Bodyfest is an all-day conference with multiple speakers and presentations. This conference strives to entertain and educate the public on topics that are just outside the health information widely presented in today's mainstream. You will leave Bodyfest with critically important understandings of why your body operates the way it does and, perhaps for the first time, examine the root cause of all disease and ailments affecting you and your family. No matter where you focus lies; weight loss, cancer, fatigue, etc, if you don't understand certain body functions success will likely be limited. And guess what? Learning all this doesn't have to be boring. You will leave this conference with fundamental, yet largely unknown information that will help shape a better health profile for you and your family. Funny bones are required at all conferences. Leave the wet blankets at home.
Boobfest was born in the quiet and eerie halls of a chemo-ward watching more than one woman fight for her life against breast cancer. What was shocking to learn is how little our health care practitioners knew about the true impact of their treatment, nutritional ways to support the immune system, complimentary treatments and current data on their existing protocols. Time to take our boobs back - and have a little fun while we're at it. Boobfest is a 3 hour conference that helps put you back in the control seat. Go beyond the standard rehash you hear during breast cancer awareness month. Find out ways breast cancer starts, what foods feed cancer, what foods fight cancer, how long do most breast cancers take to appear on a mammogram, the pros and cons of mammography, other breast screening technologies and why these technologies are virtually unknown to the American woman.
The information provided online and in person is for informational, educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional or medical advice of any kind. Those contributors that are kind enough to submit information do not necessarily endorse other content, sources or the opinions of other contributors.
YOUR HEALTHY ALTER EGOS:
Dr. Gary Huber, D.O. completed medical school in 1987 at Ohio University graduating in the top 10% of his class. Prior to that he graduated the University of Dayton in 1981 with Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a minor in psychology. Presently he is a board certified emergency medicine physician with 18 years of experience. Dr. Huber has always had a long held interest in nutrition and human physiology as it relates to wellness and longevity.
Athletic interests include acting medical director for the Flying Pig Marathon in 2002 and 2003. Avid cyclist and former triathlete, he has studied extensively on maximizing athletic potential in athletes both young and old. "There is an athlete in all of us that longs to be recognized."
"My experience in the Emergency Department has shown me the amazing things that modern medicine is capable of. Where traditional medicine fails us is in its inability to prevent disease. How can physicians and surgeons address degenerative diseases like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and cancer which are all a result of diet and lifestyle, when they receive no instruction in the area of nutrition or exercise? Clean water and organic vegetables will save more lives by preventing disease, than an army of surgeons attempting to re-claim the health of those that have allowed toxins into their bodies."
Jo Wehage, B.S., C.W.C. - Healthy Alter Ego was the anxious, frustrated, yet optimistic brain-child of Jo Wehage, a business professional in Cincinnati, Ohio. While living through some sad and traumatic times with her family, Jo found out the hard way that 100% of the facts, options and opportunities to better health do not always come from well-intentioned doctors, health organizations, government sources or the media. "Industry and politics can slant health and medical claims in ways that could be dangerous to your health. My family and I have been personally affected by these claims, because we didn't know better. However, I've had to learn that it is no one's responsibility but our own to pursue, research, learn and find ways to incorporate our own avenues to better health."
"Healthy Alter Ego was born from random email alerts to friends and family about startling facts discovered during countless hours of research on issues pulling my family apart - issues such as breast cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, emphysema and more. It was during this time that I started to reach out to doctors, researchers, authors, healthcare practitioners, educational organizations and community interest groups. The good news is that many reached back. I've since met and learned much from amazing sources that are available to us all and contribute regularly to the information you'll find with Healthy Alter Ego."
Jo, who has a bachelor's degree in marketing, left her former position as VP of Operations and Client Services of a Cincinnati-area direct marketing firm to spend more time with family and to further pursue educational endeavors in the health, wellness and nutrition arenas. In 2007, Jo completed the education requirements from the Columbus, Ohio based Wellness Forum to become a Certified Wellness Consultant. She now serves as the editor for Healthy Alter Ego online and the project director for the Bodyfest 2008 conferences.
Dr. Pam Popper, PhD, N.D. - Dr. Pam Popper is a naturopath, nutritionist and the Executive Director of The Wellness Forum, a chain of licensed health and wellness centers located throughout the U.S. The Wellness Forum teaches individuals how to change their health outcomes by assisting them in changing their diet and lifestyle habits. In addition to working with individuals, the company offers programs designed to lower the costs of medical care and insurance premiums for employers.
Dr. Popper is the author of several books and cookbooks, as well as several programs offered for continuing education credits for medical professionals. She is the Founder of The Wellness Forum Foundation, which offers programming in schools designed to improve children's health and well-being through better nutrition.
Dr. Popper is also a lobbyist, and continually works toward changing laws that interfere with an individual's right to choose their health provider and method of care. She has testified in front of legislative committees on numerous occasions.
Dr. Pam Popper is a straight-talking professional who is not afraid to criticize national health organizations, government agencies, medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies, agricultural organizations and manufacturing companies, many of whom have agendas and priorities that interfere with distributing truthful information and promoting public health.
Phyllis McCarthy, B.S., C.H.C., received her training to practice Health Counseling at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is the only nutrition school integrating all the different dietary theories, combining the knowledge of traditional philosophies with modern concepts like the USDA food pyramid, the glycemic index, the Zone and raw foods. Phyllis will receive her professional certification from Teachers College Columbia University, rated the No. 1 Graduate School of Education by U.S. News and World Report, as well as accreditation from the American Association of Drugless Practitioners in June 2008.
Prior to her nutrition career, Phyllis utilized a bachelor's degree in business to focus a 16 year career with the airline industry, serving in a variety of roles, including operations, human resources and corporate leadership. Phyllis' journey into the health and wellness field involved a personal transformation from expecting a quick "fix" by the medical community for a variety of chronic symptoms to finding complete relief by shifting her lifestyle and including more whole foods.
Phyllis is the proud mother of two beautiful girls, who have brought about her passion to improve the food options presented to children in our school systems. Phyllis hopes to educate parents, teachers and policy makers about the positive impact nutrient-dense food choices have on our kid's health, behavior and learning ability. In contrast, she highlights the misleading marketing claims made by major food manufacturers as they relate to "nutrition," and the problems with government recommendations, such as the USDA food pyramid, which includes beverages and desserts rich in high fructose corn syrup as "acceptable" under current standards.
