Education
National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach
Certified Mind Body Eating Coach
ISSA Certified Elite Trainer
ISSA Transformation Specialist
ISSA Certified in Personal Training, Youth Fitness,
DNA Based Training & Fitness Nutrition
MBA & BS

Specialties
Thyroid Disorders
Autoimmune Conditions
Weight Challenges
Digestive Wellness
Food Sensitivities
Gluten Free / Autoimmune Paleo

My Story

As a child and adolescent, I had always struggled with my weight.  However, when I turned 16, I decided to do something about it.  I was able to successfully lose 40 pounds through better food choices and exercise.  This is where my passion for health and fitness began.

Throughout high school and college, I was active in sports and strength training, and I was able to maintain a healthy weight throughout my 20's.  Even though I was happy with the number on the scale, I was still battling a number of symptoms.  I suffered from digestive issues, acne, allergies, and I never felt rested unless I got a full 9 hours of sleep.

When I was 28, my son was born.  Even though I had continued to exercise during my pregnancy, I had gained 50 pounds.  Once, again, I was able to take off the weight through healthy food choices and exercise.  In fact, by the time I was pregnant with my second child 4 years later, I was in the best shape of my life.

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However, in 2011, a few months after the birth of my daughter,  I slowly began to lose my ability to exercise.  I went from someone who could lift 245 lbs of weights and run a half marathon to someone who was completely out of breath after walking up a flight of stairs.  My joints were achy.  I was tired all the time.  I couldn't find words to finish the ends of my sentences.  My skin continued to be a mess and so was my digestion.  I didn't feel like myself anymore.

After a few months of living with these symptoms, I felt like there was more to my story.  The first doctor I went to see told me that it was normal to be tired when you had young children.  She said that I was getting older, and that my hormones were changing.  She went on to say that I seemed depressed and that I needed a hobby.  I politely explained to her that I was not depressed, but that I soon would be if I wasn't able to exercise and feel like myself again.

After that experience, I went to several other doctors and specialists.  No one could find anything wrong with me.   All of my blood work always came back normal.  Finally, in 2015, I learned that I had an autoimmune condition, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  My thyroid levels had always been normal, but a full thyroid panel showed that I had antibodies to my thyroid that were not supposed to be there.  I was told there was nothing to do until my thyroid burned itself out.  This was not acceptable to me.  So I used my love of learning to study everything I could about how to put this condition into remission.  My research led me to Functional Medicine. 

Functional medicine focuses on getting to the root of a health issue by examining different lifestyle factors (nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management, and relationships.)  It is a science based practice that examines the person as a whole to see what might be contributing to a person's symptoms.  Since there was nothing that traditional medicine could do to help me at that time, I felt that I had nothing to lose.  So I started seeing a Functional Medicine doctor.  I learned that although I was eating all of the right foods, my body was not absorbing any of the nutrients.  In addition, I learned that I was sensitive to many of the foods I was eating, and they were causing inflammation in my body. 

By following an eating plan that I tailored to my body's specific needs and taking my recommended supplements, I slowly started on my wellness journey.  I started to really take care of myself and listen to my body.  I learned that it had been giving me signals throughout the years, but I had always ignored them.  Although my body started to slowly heal, I knew that I was still missing a piece of my health puzzle.

After doing further research, I learned that the root cause of my autoimmune condition was Chronic Lyme Disease.  By combining traditional treatments of a Lyme Literate MD with functional medicine principles, I have completely put my condition into remission.  I once again have the energy for long walks with my dog, swimming laps, weight lifting, and yoga classes.  My skin and digestion are healed.  I no longer suffer from seasonal allergies.  My joint pain is gone.  I continue to experience symptom free days as long as I prioritize taking care of myself. 

So although my health journey has been challenging, I believe it's happened for a reason.  And it led me to be a Nationally Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach so that I could help others feel empowered to take back their health. 

We all deserve to feel well.

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