The idea for Nomad Dosa actually started over three years ago in mid-2008 when Todd experienced a year-long episode of a painful and debilitating joint disorder known as Ankylosing Spondylitis, AS, while living in Austin, Texas. Half of that year-long bout was spent primarily confined to his home due to the severity of his symptoms making even the simple act of walking a challenge. This time of solitude helped him to discover the source of his illness and how diet could help his body improve, and possibly heal its arthritic state. It would also launch him on a nomadic journey of health across the United States and beyond.

Doctors knowledgeable on the subject told Todd AS was an incurable auto-immune disease which could only be managed by using drugs that would help to alleviate the symptoms of the disease but not alter its course. And these drugs would have to be closely monitored since they are toxic to the body. So given the diagnosis of no remedy for his illness other than managing it with toxic drugs, he chose to take responsibility for his own wellness and research alternative approaches to healing
his body.

He learned that his previous diet wasn't as healthy as he thought and it was one of the major reasons for his current condition. His diet was high in refined starches like bread, pasta, boxed cereals, processed potatoes. And it had no diversity of vegetables and fruits, and no leafy greens. Faced with the reality of his poor diet, he eliminated all refined carbohydrates and sugars and instead, started eating a larger variety of organic fruits and vegetables, eggs from pastured chickens, fresh wild caught fish and hormone/steroid-free meat. His symptoms improved and with each improvement, the desire to learn more about wellness intensified.

That desire coupled with being confined to his home over the previous several months, compelled him to begin a two year nomadic journey that would take him first to Colorado, and then to New York City, up to Michigan, back to New York City, over to Seattle, down to Texas, across to India and finally home to Austin, TX.

During this two year span, his health continued to improve as he turned to cleansing, fasting, eating whole/fresh/organic foods (lots of fruits,vegetables, leafy greens, very little animal proteins), sunshine, proper sleep and a less stressful lifestyle. He also took up snowboarding, furthered his college education, and became a trained chef along the way at the Natural Gourmet Institute, NGI, in Manhattan, NY.

While at NGI, Todd took several courses in whole foods nutrition and learned exactly which foods he needed to avoid and which ones he could safely eat based on his reactions from tasting them. He also learned how to recognize and prepare a multitude of foods including wheat-free, gluten-free, and non-dairy alternative foods. And it was at NGI where Todd surprisingly discovered his love of Indian food.

He found that he did not have to concern himself with avoiding the majority of Indian food; food that has been prepared this way for a few thousand years! Not only did his body respond very favorably, he found it very delicious, nourishing, and easy to digest. He especially loved making dosas and the many ways it could be stuffed with a variety of fillings.

Near the end of his journey, Todd realized his desire to share this delicious and nourishing food with others. He loved eating dosas and believed others would love them too once they tried one. With that conviction, the idea for Nomad Dosa was born and he pursued additional training in Indian food cooking by traveling to India. Once his training was finished, it seemed only right to open Nomad Dosa in Austin, Texas; the same town where his nomadic journey began.