Dr. Alexis shares her journey into Detox Desserts…
It was my mother's battle with breast cancer that enlightened me to my passion for medicine and nutrition. Although she lost the battle in 2007, passing on far too young, her journey was the catalyst for a huge awakening within me. I became more and more interested in nutrition science, specifically how we can use food to prevent disease and increase longevity. My entire family made huge lifestyle changes, as a result, my own health transformed. I’ve always felt that my mother gave up her own life so I could grow deeper into mine. I’m eternally grateful for the precious years we had together and I’m confident she’s smiling down on my accomplishments and the woman I am today. I earned my medical degree from Sonoran University of Health Sciences in 2009 and completed a 2-year residency in Family Medicine and Women's Health in downtown Phoenix. Together with my husband, Dr. Jason McNeil, we co-created North Valley Medical Center in the small but beautiful town of Carefree, Arizona. Our medical center specializes in integrative primary care where we use pharmaceutical drugs only when necessary and prefer focusing on disease prevention and health optimization. My ultimate goal has always been to give patients the guidance to step into the healthiest, happiest version of themselves. Helping patients achieve a healthy weight, improve their metabolism and balance their hormones was my focus. Witnessing the physical and mental transformation of my patients is what got me out of bed every day with a smile on my face.
Through working with thousands of patients, I’ve found most people already know how to eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner or are willing to implement healthful recommendations into their daily routine. Unfortunately, there seems to be a struggle and disconnect when it comes to sweets. It’s something I deeply identify with because my favorite foods have always been desserts. There’s nothing in life more seductive than a rich, carb-loaded dessert! Humans are programmed to like sweets and they are virtually impossible to eliminate without feeling deprived. I’ve had countless patients tell me they love to bake but stopped baking because it was too unhealthy…And they are 100% right! Sugar and saturated fats are the main ingredients in modern desserts and the primary cause of most diseases that affect our population. In my experience, only a handful of brave bakers take the leap into healthy baking and most of them quit because they get frustrated. It’s tricky to find healthy recipes that taste good and the ingredients are often unfamiliar, expensive, and difficult to procure.
Working mostly with women, I’ve also witnessed the full spectrum of unhealthy relationships with food. Whether it’s over-indulgence or food restriction the shame and guilt always leads to a destructive mental and physical cycle. I understand the devastation disordered eating causes and I always remind my patients that feeding their bodies is an act of LOVE. When we eat in that mindset, it’s virtually impossible to abuse the body with food. Reclaiming balance and authority over food choices is the most important step in reclaiming health. I didn’t know how or when, but I knew I wanted to find a way to combine my knowledge, God-given talents, love for my patients, obsession with sweets and passion for nutrition to create a solution to this global problem.
My downtime has always been spent playing and creating in the kitchen. Baking is my form of meditation, decompression and a way to nurture myself and the people I love. Over the years, this hobby became an all-consuming passion and borderline obsession. If I wasn’t with patients, I was dreaming about ways to transform superfood ingredients into decadent desserts. I would often get up in the wee hours of the morning to bake before going to the office for a full day's work. I became part mad-scientist, part Betty Crocker and part nutrition-obsessed physician. With time, I created a system of baking that took the guesswork out of healthy baking AND actually improved health.
Life was GOOD in the summer of 2022, but this “thing” inside of me was growing. I couldn’t sleep or focus as the quiet whispers turned into ear-piercing shouts. I quite literally woke up in the middle of the night, hearing “Detox Desserts”, it was undeniable and I knew I had to bring my dream to fruition. I was under no illusion that this would be an easy endeavor. I knew nothing about food manufacturing or running a food business, but I have always been confident in my ability to learn quickly. Plus, I had a lifetime of smaller successes built from pure grit and tenacity that I could draw confidence. I surrendered to the calling, put my faith in the mission and took it one day at a time. It took a full year of working diligently 10-12 hour days, 7 days per week. There were no days off. I was determined to create the perfect products that were affordable, responsibly sourced and made with the highest quality ingredients. I wanted to reinvent desserts and infuse my love of food and humanity into the process.
The trusted relationship built between doctor and patient is one that I hold sacred. During my time in primary care, I was often honored to treat 3 generations of the same family. The decision to transition out of primary care and into Detox Desserts was not easy, but my intuition was strong and I was ready to start a new chapter. Although I still oversee patient care at NVMC, I certainly miss the connections, conversations, family updates and the day-to-day excitement and challenges of providing primary care to my community. It is ultimately the belief that I will transform more lives with Detox Desserts than by working 1 on 1 with patients that motivates me. Detox Desserts is a big mission and one that I foresee making even bigger changes as time goes on. The journey into Detox Desserts has been equal parts exhilaration, joy, sacrifice, love and divine trust. Most importantly, it brings an overwhelming sense of completion to my life…It’s the icing on the cake;)
The recipe for Detox Desserts was inspired by my unrelenting sweet tooth and desire to make positive change…
1 part passion for delicious, healthy and creative food
2 parts dedication to a healthier, happier population
3 parts desire to inspire healthy food choices for your family and mine
...all of it perfectly blended and baked into my life’s work.
Cheers to your delicious health!
Dr. Alexis
