When Allison Jones (see bio at end of post) told me that she was starting a new health blog for Portland Monthly I offered right away to feature it, and her, on GFP. She’s gluten-free herself and has been the editor of PoMo’s Eat Beat for years. She knows this city’s GF scene inside and out. What she has to say is worth listening to. You can sign up for The Balance to be delivered directly to your inbox here!

What is The Balance?

The Balance is PoMo’s new health blog where I’ll be sharing health trends, monthly wellness event calendars, health tips from local fitness pros, the best healthy restaurant deals in PDX, workout ideas and gym spotlights, and plenty of contests and gear giveaways to keep my readers plugged in to the world of wellness. It’s the first resource of its kind in Portland—a PDX-centric look at all things healthy—and I’m so excited.

What’s your personal health journey?

I was born with hip dysplasia, a genetic disease that keeps me from a lot of my favorite activities like running and sports, but I’m definitely an athlete at heart. I’m very passionate about finding workouts that fit my body’s capabilities, which has lead me to a passion for yoga, hiking, and swimming. I’m always looking for new ways to move—I currently have a crush on gyrokinesis classes and stand-up paddleboarding.

On the food side of things, I discovered a few years ago that giving up gluten, dairy, and processed foods made the arthritis in my hip so much better, soI went Paleo and never looked back! I’m presently in training to become a yoga teacher and would love to help other folks with physical limitations find a method of movement that fires them up! The Balance feels like a great way to reach out to people who are already passionate about fitness and health and those who think it might not be for them. Trust me—and my creaky hips—this stuff is for everybody!

What can we expect from The Balance?

Everything from the best gluten-free brunches in Portland to new zip-line parks, bike-centric physical therapy, cool athletic shoe and sports bra innovations from Portland companies, healthy recipes from chefs and cookbook authors, gym deals, practical yoga poses for everything from hangovers to lower back pain, fitness- themed board games for kids, and insider tips from health experts specializing in fertility, weight loss, acupuncture, running, and more. I’m always looking for new ideas, so feel free to shoot me an email at ajones@pdxmonthly.com with any health events, requests, and questions for our own house ND, Dr. Samantha of Gluten Free Portland!

Allison Jones is a health nut with a passion for yoga, farmers markets, oddball workouts with sledgehammers, spa days, and gluten-free cupcakes. For the past 6+ years, she’s been a voice in Portland’s food and wine scene as the editor of Portland Monthly’s Eat Beat blog, contributor to food cover stories, and chief blind taster of the annual 50 Best Oregon Wines issue. Now, she’s shifting gears and tackling PDX- specific health coverage as the editor of the magazine’s new health blog and newsletter The Balance. (Sign up for free, twice-a-month updates from The Balance here!)