My Background
From a very young age, I loved to exercise daily. I felt best when I was active, and my morning workout served as the coffee I had yet to discover. I was always a picky eater, but I became a vegetarian in my early twenties. I struggled to find the right foods to nourish my body and to sustain my health. Shortly after, I was raising my young triplets and needed all the energy I could find. I put my family first and gradually my own health began to suffer. I was depleted, lacking energy, and literally ate as fuel to keep going. Looking back, I thought a handful of jellybeans was a good snack to get me through the afternoon!
Then I began feeling symptoms I couldn’t identify. I started seeing a functional medicine doctor. She introduced me to the importance of looking at the body as a whole and to look for the root cause of symptoms, not to just treat by putting a Band-Aid on the symptoms. I worked with a health coach at her practice who created a safe space for me to set goals to feel healthier. She slowly worked with me to change to a more whole food-based diet and to work on self-care. I learned about the importance of eating in a way to stabilize my blood sugar and slowly, but surely, I began to feel stronger in my body and my mind.
My Family
My husband began his wellness path when he went gluten and diary free to reduce the inflammation that was found on a routine colonoscopy. He discovered the power of diet and is the picture of health. Our teenage daughter developed chronic, debilitating hives after having a virus. After her allergist suggested round the clock antihistamines indefinitely, I knew I had to lay the groundwork for her to listen to her body and try to uncover the cause, rather than masking the issue at hand. She also, began to see the same health coach I did and an acupuncturist and she is now the healthiest she has been in a long time. She is in college, and I love when she sends me a picture of the gluten free toast with avocado and tomato she made or the castor oil pack she has on before she goes to bed. As much as my kids make fun of my strange “wellness” habits, I see the quiet, yet transformative ways in which they are beginning to implement what I have modeled. One of our sons now takes cold plunges, infrared sauna sessions and runs to release energy. Our other son asks me which supplements to take to support his immune system. Witnessing these subtle bricks in the ground on their individual health journeys has led me further down my own.
My Philosophy on Health Coaching
I have always been a lover of information. I read and listen to anything I can get my hands on, and I have fallen in love with the podcast world. Over the years, I have been learning from the greatest names in wellness, biohacking, medical doctors, registered dietitians, functional medicine doctors and entrepreneurs in the industry. My family will joke “What podcast did you listen to today?”. But all jokes aside, I found this passion at just the right time for me. It’s as if someone knew my kids were going to be leaving home soon and I could immerse myself in something new and exciting that I love. That is simple wellness! I enrolled in the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and became a certified Integrative Nutrition health coach.
I do not believe that you must wear mouth tape to sleep every night to be healthy. I do not think you will be unhealthy if you occasionally eat from a box or a bag. I do not believe in having to be 100% to be moving in the right direction. I believe that every little thing you do to benefit your health will create change so that you move the needle towards a healthier life.
I believe in a judgement free way to coaching. You are each on your own journey, in a different starting place. Wellness can be overwhelming. I think it needs to be made simple, so I am here to share practical suggestions to build your health!