I have always been full of questions and drawn to science to help answer them…
As a young girl, I loved any kind of puzzle or mystery, and aspired to become a detective. I later dreamt of becoming a geneticist who would unlock the mysteries of DNA. Chasing this dream led me from rainy Vancouver, BC to sunny Stanford, CA where I completed a PhD in genetics. I spent the next decade immersed in cancer research and personalized medicine before deciding to change directions.
Read more about my science background…
In graduate school, I developed a DNA-based tool that reveals which microbes (bacteria) are present in human samples, and used to study how our guts are colonized following birth (read here). I was mentored by Dr. Patrick Brown (professor emeritus at Stanford, now founder and CEO of Impossible Foods), who showed me how to be a great scientist — and how to fuel yourself for marathons and more on a vegan diet.
My early career was focused on cancer research and personalized medicine. Working with the Canary Foundation, Genentech, and Genome BC, I witnessed the rocky road of translational science (moving from discovery research through to practical medical advances). It was sobering to see how often a very promising candidate drug or diagnostic failed in pivotal human trials. Check out my Linked In profile to learn more about my professional and academic experience.
After welcoming my second and third children into the world (twins!), I steered my career in a new direction.
The idea for this website came from watching friends and family struggle to find reliable answers to their health and nutrition questions — both for themselves and for their children. They felt overwhelmed by the sea of advice and didn’t know what to believe. Sound familiar? I can relate — even as someone fluent in the language of science, it can take me a great deal of time and effort to separate fact from fiction.
My Mission
To help others make confident health and wellness decisions – using the latest science.
My Core Values
- Be Honest. I want you to understand the reasons behind my recommendations. In most cases, they will be purely scientific (see Value 2!), but in some cases there will be personal biases at play – such as a bias against animal products (though health trumps this bias).
- Be Science-Driven. I pride myself on being data-driven in my personal decisions as well as in my recommendations to others. I will never let personal gains bias my recommendations.
- Be Healthy. I prioritize good health in my life and that of my children. I aim for plenty of sleep, regular vigorous (and fun!) exercise and a diet focused on whole, plant-based foods. I also strive to keep stress in check. At the same time, I am a proponent of little cheats that make your life easier and bring you pleasure.
I truly enjoy helping others to make well-informed decisions, with the confidence that rigorous science warrants. I hope that you find the information that I provide to be digestible and practical. Stay tuned!
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Chana Palmer Davis
Disclaimer: I am neither a physician nor a dietician. As a PhD scientist my strength is in interpretation of scientific findings (or lack thereof!). This site is not intended to provide medical advice.
