The call to travel and explore the world came early for Nadia. The daughter of an Iraqi diplomat and Granddaughter of an Iraqi business magnet, living in different cultures at an early age was a way of life. Before the age of 10, Nadia spoke three languages after living in Baghdad, Teheran and Toyoko. Coming to America in 1969 brought new experiences for her with language, racism, independence and self-expression.
At the age of 16, she traveled Europe by herself for four months. She ushered life transforming experiences and averted innocent mishaps when drug dealers used her as a cover when they carried hash in from Morocco to Spain.
After graduating from Berkeley High she went to the University of Baghdad only to find herself with a powerful man that threatened to turn her in as an American spy if she did not mary him.
She grew up with a Moslem Father and Catholic mother allowing her to celebrate both religions, never adopting the ideology that one is better than the other. To her, it was spirituality. Her early years in Japan exposed her to Buddhism while her mid-life crisis took her to India in pursuit of Hinduism.
Marrying her best friend, a gay man came with many social repercussions.
Together they pioneered diabetes self-advocacy and education through their medical diabetes store "Sugar Happy", a radio show "Diabetes on the Dial" and "Diabetes Health" magazine.