Meet Fran Benedict, Founder

Hi! I’m Fran, a Certified Health and Integrative Nutrition Counselor whose deep interest in discovering ways to experience a meaningful, nourished life inspired the creation of Simply Mindful.

After some significant life changes, I felt a visceral need to nourish the roots of my own life. I realized that learning how to be true to myself and feel “rooted”—in spite of the chaos outside of my control—was the only way I’d ever achieve true well-being.

This realization led me to pursue a functional understanding of the mind-body connection—specifically, how food affects mood and energy. I also learned how our emotions, beliefs, and attitudes impact our overall health in profound ways.

I’ve now worked as a holistic health professional for 20 years, helping others discover how they, too, can reach optimal wellness. My path in health promotion has helped me share with my clients how holistic health drives our sense of connection to everything else in the world.

I hold a particular interest in the gut-brain relationship and the health of our gut microbiome. This crucial and often overlooked connection is central to our mental health, hormonal function, inflammatory levels, and nervous system.

Above all else, I believe Food Is Medicine. I am passionate about helping people reconnect to food as a positive source of energy and life.