About
Who is Behind Heal Nourish Grow?
Hi, I’m Cheryl McColgan, founder and editor of Heal Nourish Grow. I had the concept for this site in 2013 while experiencing a total life transformation after several rounds of testing and eventually two abdominal surgeries for suspected cancer. After finally finding the courage to quit my corporate job, I officially launched Heal Nourish Grow in the summer of 2018.
As a person who has been focused on healthy living for over 30 years, it was hard to believe I had to go through such a scary health experience. The Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale eventually removed 16 tumors that had implanted throughout my abdomen, bowels, and iliac artery. The possibility of cancer forced me to look even more closely at my health, life, and career and ultimately reshaped everything I do.
That experience is the reason Heal Nourish Grow exists: to help people navigate health decisions with practical, evidence-based information they can trust.
Professional Background
Before founding Heal Nourish Grow, I spent nearly two decades in professional editorial and content roles. I worked as a tech journalist and as Director of Content for a global events company, where I managed editorial strategy, content production and publishing operations across multiple properties. I also served as Editor in Chief of DivaKnitting.com from 2005 to 2010.
That background in journalism and editorial management is a big part of how I approach health content. Sourcing matters. Accuracy matters. Responsible interpretation of research matters. These aren’t things I learned from blogging; they come from years of professional editorial work where getting things right was the baseline expectation.
Education and Credentials
- BS, Psychology (Minor: Addictions Studies)
- Graduate training in Clinical Psychology
- NASM Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT)
- E-RYT500 Certified Yoga Instructor
- Over 30 years in fitness, nutrition and healthy living
- Nearly 20 years of professional editorial and journalism experience
My psychology and addictions studies background, along with graduate training in clinical psychology, informs how I think about behavior change, motivation, and the gap between knowing what’s healthy and actually doing it. That perspective runs through everything on the site, from how I frame nutrition strategies to how I approach topics like GLP-1 medications and sustainable habit building.
Published Books
What I Write About
Most of my work on Heal Nourish Grow focuses on topics where readers need clear, evidence-based information and where misinformation is common:
- GLP-1 medications (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, tirzepatide, semaglutide)
- Metabolic health and weight management
- Evidence-based nutrition and dietary strategies
- Supplements and their research basis
- Strength training, fitness and body composition
- Longevity, recovery and sustainable wellness
Most articles include references to peer-reviewed research, often from PubMed-indexed journals. I prioritize human clinical trials and systematic reviews when available and I try to be upfront about where the evidence is strong, where it’s limited, and where it’s still evolving.
Editorial Standards
I built Heal Nourish Grow’s editorial infrastructure to reflect how seriously I take accuracy and transparency in health publishing. The site maintains a structured editorial process and works with qualified healthcare professionals to review higher-impact content.
- Editorial and Research Methodology: How we research, write, and review content
- Medical Review Process: What “Reviewed By” means on our articles
- Medical and Nutrition Advisory Board: The physicians and dietitians who review our content