Greetings, ladies. My name is Presbytera Marina.

In 2008, my family converted to Orthodox Christianity. I often describe myself as a “bunk bed Orthodox”—young enough to have been raised within the rhythms of the Church, yet old enough to vividly remember the beauty and conviction of our conversion. Today, I serve as a health coach, certified nutritionist specializing in female hormonal health, and a personal trainer. But before I was a professional, I was a student of traditional beauty.

A Foundation of Tradition

I was raised in a historic Craftsman home in Southern California, where the sunshine of the Inland Empire met the creaks of century-old hardwood floors. My mother was a woman devoted to the "old ways"; she fought to preserve those floors just as she fought to preserve the art of from-scratch cooking. In an era of low-fat, prepackaged convenience, there was always real butter on our counter and a step stool by the fridge so I could “help” her bake.

Though my mother planted the seeds of my love for nutrition, I didn't truly embrace them until my own health was on the line.

From Performance to Pain

For years, I pushed my body to its absolute limits—first as a competitive gymnast, then as an Arthur Murray ballroom dance instructor, and eventually as an acrobat at Disneyland. Ironically, it was during these years of peak athletic performance that my body began to push back. I entered a season of hormonal chaos, suffering from undiagnosed PCOS symptoms, hormonally-induced seizures, and crushing anxiety.

This difficult season forced a perspective shift. I realized I couldn't "out-train" a broken system. Instead of resenting my hormones and my womanhood, I began to see them as gifts. I realized that my body was not a machine to be mastered, but a temple to be cherished as part of God’s intentional design.

A Calling for the Modern Woman

This journey of healing led me to a startling realization: the Orthodox Christian world is rich in theology, yet often lacks practical, Christ-centered resources for women’s hormonal health.

Having worked alongside my husband with teens and young adults for many years, I’ve heard the aching cries for truth regarding mental health, femininity, and identity. I believe the answer begins with our willingness to care for the bodies God has entrusted to us. I’ve seen too many women suffer needlessly or reject their femininity because they don’t understand how their bodies were designed to thrive.

Join Me

On this site, you will find nourishing recipes, lifestyle tips, and Christ-centered encouragement—all created to help you honor your calling as a woman. My prayer is that as you tailor these tools to your own life, you will find, by God’s grace, that your hormones can work with you, rather than against you.

There is hope, dear ones. Our bodies are capable of incredible healing when we align ourselves with the way we were created. It’s time to embrace that. It’s time to embrace your own True Femininity.