Embracing the Journey: Nourishing the Body for Life

As far back as I can remember, I was curious about how the food I ate affected my body. I was particularly interested in long-term health and how I could prevent diseases later in life. Even as little as seven or eight years old, I remember hearing the adults in my family talk about saturated fat and cholesterol and how it leads to clogged arteries, and I wondered if the food I was eating was already starting to harm my arteries as young as I was.

I'm the first to admit that my healthy eating journey hasn't been a straight line. I went through a lot of ups and downs, trial and error, and continuous learning before finally nailing down what and how to eat in order to feel my best.

Over the years, I struggled with issues such as fatigue and low energy, stomach pain/digestive symptoms, acne, insomnia, anxiety, and even amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods) due to eating a low-fat diet.

When I sought out my doctor's help for these issues, the solutions were always pill-based - birth control pills and antibiotics for acne, sleeping pills for insomnia, anti-depressants for anxiety (I wasn't depressed...not sure why this was the protocol), and proton-pump inhibitors for digestive issues.

Before I knew any better, I followed the doctor's recommendations. But just as I care about how food affects my body, I also cared greatly about how the medications were affecting it too. Even if they helped my symptoms, I didn't like the idea of chemically altering my body to feel better when I knew, deep down, there was a better way.

Thankfully, my intuition and perseverance paid off. With time, I ditched the prescriptions and learned how to manage all my symptoms naturally.

Despite my journey with myriad adverse symptoms, I am grateful to have learned so much about the impact food has on our bodies. Even when I thought I was eating healthy, there were still specific changes I needed to make to best support my unique body.

The most notable thing I've learned is that what and how we eat is the starting point for how our bodies function:

• Food has the ability to provide us sustained energy throughout the day, or lead to energy crashes that leave us reaching for sugar or caffeine to get by.
  

• Food has the ability to support optimal digestion that is free of symptoms, or contribute to gas, bloating, heartburn, IBS, and other discomfort. In the latter case, due to the gut-brain connection, this can also lead to increased anxiety, nervousness, low mood, and even depression.
  

• Food has the ability to support the optimal functioning of the brain, liver, kidneys, heart, nerves, immune system, and hormones, or it has the ability to wreak havoc on these systems and cause distressing symptoms or even diseases.
  

• Food has the ability to nourish and support the body's intricate systems and functions, or slowly disable them.

The tricky part is, we are all unique. What works for one person will be different for another. There is no one-size-fits-all protocol for improving our health and reaching our goals, and there are are no "best" diets, despite mainstream media claims. That's where functional nutrition coaching comes in.

When it comes to health, my priority has always been feeling as good as possible now, and staying as healthy as possible well into the future. I want to help you do the same!

I can help you learn how to shift your nutrition and lifestyle habits so you can feel your best and reach your goals for the long haul. I'll guide you towards a plan that fits your unique needs and lifestyle and that sets you up for lasting success.

Interested in learning more? Let's chat! Contact me to schedule a FREE consultation today!

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