Paul Petronella, based in Austin, TX, was the owner of Houston staples Paulie’s Restaurant (opened 1998) and Camerata wine bar (opened 2013). A member of a large Texas-Sicilian restaurant family, was once an active member in Houston’s food and beverage scene.

“You’ve probably heard that the restaurant business can stump your health—and it’s true. It’s one of the most unstable industries: 50% of U.S. restaurants close within five years, yet most investment models don’t mature for 10+ years. That leaves some owners broke, in debt, and physically wrecked.

Although my restaurant was successful, my personal health was not. Chronic stress spiked my cortisol, ruined my sleep, trashed my diet, wiped out my nutrients, wrecked my gut, fried my nervous system, and threw my hormones into chaos. I have genetic variants that make it difficult to calm a dominant sympathetic nervous system. The result? Weekly debilitating migraines that no neurologist could fix.

I didn’t know any of this while it was happening. Functional medicine finally revealed the root causes.

The first functional practitioners I met were licensed M.D.s who switched specialties after seeing how powerfully nutrition, movement, stress management, and personalized lab testing transformed lives—things they were never taught in medical school.

That journey turned everything around for me, so I got certified as an Integrative Health Practitioner (while still running my restaurant) to pay it forward. My mentor, Dr. Stephen Cabral, recovered from his own health concerns the same way.

If you’re a driven entrepreneur (especially in hospitality) who feels exhausted, burned out, or just “off,” I’d love to help you get your energy, clarity, and life back—the way I did.”

-Paul Petronella, IHP3, HPH