Turns out, Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis was a GIFT!  Wow, I never thought that would taste good coming out of my mouth!

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Of course, when I had it, it was a MONSTER!  A Monster turned...PASSION!

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A passion for helping others discover what a thriving health could look like for them.  I'm on a mission to help others re-balance their body to find their own vibrant health the way I have.  Some of the many gifts that come with this mission are for others to discover an undeniable confidence by losing weight & excess bloat, gain restful sleep & improve energy, think clearly & have a stable mood.  Imagine this all began when I was given the ‘gift’ of Crohns Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. 

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"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man

can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

I learned root cause analysis is key and often it’s all about food, but it’s so much more than nutrition.

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This is where I specialize.

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I have been able to keep Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis a in remission, and managed asthma, menopause and osteoarthritis all using lifestyle & nutrition therapies.  I’ve improved my health overall in all these areas….how did I do it?

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ONCE UPON A TIME…

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The struggle began in 2002 where I underwent a variety of testing for severe digestive distress, discomfort and pain. 

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Raising 3 small, very active children ranging from the age of 3-7 years old at the time, my degrading health had a very profound impact on the family and my support system.  My ability to function mentally and physically decreased as my condition grew increasingly debilitating.  I was prescribed a diet not to aggravate severe IBS by the conventional GI doctor but I found very little relief.  I struggled convincing myself this was not all in my head, despite the doctors comments that it’s typical for a mother of 3 small children to be exhausted, stressed and perhaps this is the reason for my GI discomfort.  My symptoms seem to come and go, but came back with a vengeance in 2008 where I was diagnosed with the chronic condition of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.  This came at a time when re-entering the corporate workforce begrudgingly had to go on the back burner.  Emotionally, I was distraught.  I had willingly sacrificed my career for the love of my family and at a time when I got to rediscover what a ‘career’ might look like again, this awful disease told me ‘ …sit down, and shut up’!   I had many tearful days and nights.  One night in particular, I remember laying on the bathroom floor in pain, tears rolling down my cheeks with family outside the door asking if I was ok.  Although my support system was in tack, when you go through something like this, it is extremely lonely and mentally challenging regardless of the best support system.

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Luckily, a friend directed me toward a nutritionist that was successful herself keeping the very same condition in remission using nutrition and lifestyle. 

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I received regular therapy from her for 1 full year and stayed with her for maintenance purposes for the 2nd year and gradually went from skeptic to a very firm believer in the power of food and lifestyle in our health and healing.  Although I didn’t understand the science and how it was helping me at the time, I was just so relieved it was working.  I was able to titrate off of medicine (this I did on my own) and I proudly keep these very chronic conditions in remission by making quality food and lifestyle a priority.  At the time I was so physically sick, I felt stripped of my control, courage and dignity as my condition was a lot about ‘poop’, it challenged me socially and the tension in my marriage intensified.  Food and health means social gatherings, going out to eat with loved ones, cooking at home out of necessity, etc.  When this changed, my relationships and social interactions had to be modified.  Change was difficult especially for my support system that couldn’t understand all I was going through.  Heck, I was just trying to grasp it myself!  I found a confidant in my nutritionist.  She believed me and didn’t think it was all in my head.  What’s better, she was confident in my healing as long as I stayed motivated to stay on course…and she was right.  I owed her my life, my 2nd chance at it, that is.  What happened? Nutrition and lifestyle changed every part of me!  An unexpected gift I have now to give to others!

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I was so intrigued, I had to understand more about how I turned my health around. 

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So, I went back to school and gained my Master Nutrition Therapy certificate (MNT), became Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition ® by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP) and also added an Eating Psychology Coach (EPC) and FirstLine Therapy Cardio-Metabolic Syndrome Certification to my credentials.  I continue to learn in nutrition and lifestyle summits, taking continuing education units for my board certification and am constantly learning on the job.

 

Nutrition and lifestyle allowed me not only to get me on a path to better health, but helped me to create my very best whole self, a priceless gift. 

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What’s my biggest take away from this life experience?  It is paramount to find and treat the underlying cause of symptoms not treating the symptoms itself. 

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This stems from functional medicine called functional nutrition vs using conventional methods utilized in many allopathic offices today.  In this way, the imbalance or dis-ease in the body can be addressed vs. masking symptoms which can then lend to long-term health and longevity with the proper dedication.

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My biggest struggle NOW is maintaining this for myself because, as a mom, I tend to put myself last, as many mamas do….

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I have found a newfound need among hard working women in my age group.  It is extremely difficult to become your best self despite the many different ways your time and energy is split between serving others and normal working responsibilities.  If your like me, as soon as I have the time, the energy is gone.  

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It is now my mission To Serve Mothers that have Served Others. 

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To give back to women that have helped others to succeed, have competing

responsibilities & demands and has put their life on the back-burner to do it all.  I personally acknowledge the difficulty in finding balance between family, work and health.  I believe in inspiring hard working, motivated women to courageously become their best self and increase their longevity by allowing me to help them discover a WHOLE NEW YOU.  A NEW YOU with an undeniable confidence by losing weight & excess bloat, gain restful sleep & improve energy, think clearly & have a stable mood.  What a tremendous, priceless gift it will be!  

 

I believe in helping you gain a thriving life so you can feel like yourself again and so you can continue doing what your heart desires long-term…serving others & crossing items off your bucket list, of course!

 

It’s my belief by investing in YOU, invests in the infinite web of people you touch!

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MY LIFE HAS COME FULL CIRCLE.  Help me do the same for YOU!

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