Find inspiration in the simple. Enjoy the colors, smells and the everyday normal we so oft take for granted. During the day I’m a research scientist who works in a neuroscience lab aiming to find a cure for ALS. I have a B.Sc. in Biology & a B.Sc in Athletic Training. *This does not make me a medical doctor but I am a professional in my own field. I can advise as best as I can within the scope of my practice and knowledge working in the lab. I do what works for me, please consult your doctor before undertaking any nutrition/exercise plan!*
Off the clock I love to exercise, listen/play music, go on adventures traveling the world & look for joy in the present. I am OBSESSED with travel and a few of my favorite trips include a month in India, 3 weeks trekking in New Zealand & most recently a trip to Paris that changed my life!
I’m trying to deepen my ashtanga yoga practice this year and really develop my cooking techniques. I was diagnosed in 2010 with a gluten allergy after losing weight i didn’t need to lose. Therefore, I am grain & dairy free so my emphasis on food is high in vegetables, nuts/seeds, eggs & meat. Since eliminating gluten, I have been able to put on the weight I needed and thrive eating this way!
My approach to food is enjoying it in the most natural way possible whether it’s locally sourced or minimal preparation as I don’t have hours to toil in the kitchen! As far as exercise, let’s keep it short and simple! I don’t work out formally for more than 20mins!I do not belong to a gym so I work with my bodyweight doing workouts inspired by ZWOWs or prisoner workouts. A few of my favorite moves: side planks, burpees, squats, lunges & dips. This is my outlet to remind myself to enjoy the life that I have at this very moment. xo-M
Find me on twitter: @misathemeb
Like me on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/TheDelicatePlace
June 23, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Dear Melissa,
We are huge fans of the Delicate Place over at Glam Media! We’re one of the top 10 online media companies in the US and would love for you to help pilot our new Health & Wellness Community at Bliss.com, slated to launch in the coming weeks.
If you’re interested, please contact me about joining our community for the launch!
Cheers,
Sandy Hayashi
Community Partners Editor
Glam Media
sandyh@glam.com
August 23, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Love the shot of you and the butterfly, hate that I missed out on spending time with you at HLS, want some meat, wish I could travel as much as you seem to have.
Envy/admiration comin at ya.
August 23, 2011 at 4:19 pm
that was on my honeymoon! nate took that one but i had rum on my fingers hahaha. they love it!
August 23, 2011 at 8:15 pm
Do you have any book recommendations concerning Paleo?
August 23, 2011 at 8:22 pm
i’d recommend mark sisson’s ‘the primal blueprint’ it’s where i started and it changed my life in 2009. after that, i’d go for robb wolf’s ‘the paleo solution.’ he’s a biochemist and i really respect his arguments! hope that helps
August 24, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Thanks so much!
September 10, 2011 at 2:54 am
Beautiful photos! Must say that I am jealous of your gorgeous hair.
September 11, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Aww thank you so much! I used to hate my huge coif but I try to make the most of it
someone wise once said ‘I’m as free as my hair’
February 3, 2012 at 10:41 pm
Loved reading about all your various interests, and so happy to have found your space!
Beautiful photos…especially the one with the butterfly/moth. =)
February 11, 2012 at 7:23 am
You look like Emmanuelle Chriqui!
Just thought I’d say it. I don’t usually like telling people they resemble a celebrity, but it’s pretty spot on here IMO. As you were…
April 30, 2012 at 1:42 am
haha well i think she is very beautiful so i’m flattered by your comment!
March 16, 2012 at 1:53 am
you are beautiful inside and out! and your lab sounds awesome. Neuroscience is SO COOL. I have loved all of my classes taught by the neurosci profs!
March 16, 2012 at 2:21 pm
you are the sweetest! i really do adore my job! it’s so fulfilling to be challenged and try to find a proper treatment for these unmet needs! i do love neuroscience ^_^ i wish you could see some of the cool stuff i get to do during the day!
June 30, 2012 at 2:12 am
Just found your blog . . . and wanted to express that I have much admiration for what you do for a living. ALS is a terrible disease. My own doctor was diagnosed a year and half ago, in his mid-30′s, and it’s not going well. So, more power to you. Keep up the good work!
June 30, 2012 at 5:05 pm
thank you so much for stopping by michelle! your story is what makes me so happy and thankful to do what i do at work every day. it’s people like you who share their stories that make the challenge and frustration of difficult neuroscience worth it! x
January 25, 2013 at 11:20 am
Amazing story and how thrilling for you to be involved in such important research seeking to improve the health potential for all on the planet!..My husband works for WHO and I am truly proud of his efforts, struggles. While this type of work (increasing the potential for global, human health) can be tiring…I see the glint of satisfaction in his eye…behind the fatigue…and I know you must experience the same feelings in your important work.
On a personal note…I have wondered what exams to ask for if I too am experiencing difficulties with gluten-containing foods…I now follow a primal/paleo protocol…because I wonder if I damaged my metabolic capacities due to years of anorexia nervosa and restriction…Can this actually engender an allergic reaction to grains and gluten specifically?…How were you diagnosed with this allergy and which tests/specialists should I try to respond to this?..I am not celiac (lacking the genetic markers …tested in Paris by an endocrinologist)…but I have true issues with food
absorption/digestion . Can one actually develop an allergy to gluten or grains after losing weight that did not need to be lost in the first place …as you mentioned? This seems, alas to be a problem for me…When I really try to eat wheat-based products or even grains in general…I tend to experience mild to moderate edema , and it is very disconcerting…Any thoughts?…I might try to have some sort of exam for an allergy to certain grains versus being celiac (which I am not)….Love your blog…taste in everything (clean, spare scandi design…gourmet primal recettes….wanderlust/travel bug)…Spare/modern fashion finds…your search of simplicity and ability to reduce all the superfluous to the essential…Thank you for all!…I’ve signed up for your superbly crafted blog!
January 31, 2013 at 7:41 pm
hey donna! thanks for reading my blog! in short, ednos can predispose sensitivities due to increased cortisol and overproduction of histamines upon refeeding. i don’t believe there is enough research yet to directly correlate the two..it’s merely a hypothesis i have. unfortunately, testing for celiac disease is still a bit of a crapshoot. if you aren’t ingesting gluten regularly, the antibody needed for a positive test may not show up. the only really conclusive way to know is to have a biopsy done of a portion of your intestine (invasive much?)
if you are looking for non-offensive grains as filler, i would try to introduce white rice (yes, white since brown contains levels of arsenic), or fermented buckwheat groats. i eat these two from time to time if my weight starts dropping (usually from stress) to maintain a healthy weight.
March 29, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Hey Melissa,
Love your blog and follow it daily! I’ll be getting married in August and i’m looking to lose the last 10lbs. I’m seeing a natropath for digestive/thyroid issues and she has me on the paleo plan, a lot of coconut oil, veggie/protein for every meal etc. i’m doin whole 30 for the month of march (i am eating raw honey, i know its not allowed!) what else can i do? i work out every day, interval training, hiking etc. I seem to be holding onto weight on my hips/thighs. Any advice for getting lean?
Peace and Happy Easter
March 29, 2013 at 5:28 pm
hey dede! congrats on getting married
working out every day?! your body does enjoy rest! from my experience, mixing things up a day of HIIT, followed by walking or jogging the next, a day of rest, then maybe a strength workout and then yoga the day after to help with the DOMS. i’d at least give yourself 2 rest days a week to help your body recover and keep cortisol levels down. while you can’t spot reduce, you can definitely lean out with things like pure barre, pilates or yoga. i love coconut oil but do keep in mind that it is very calorically dense so use in moderation. eating paleo is wonderful but it also doesn’t mean we can eat all the meat/bacon/nut butters we want. try eating slowly and until you feel sated, then stop! i bet the last bit of stubborn weight will fall off when you stop worrying about it 
enjoy the remaining time of the engagement!