My Wellness Journey

 My journey to becoming a health coach actually started in 1994 when I was diagnosed with Lupus. I was a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and had been sick for over six years.  I finally got a doctor to realize there was something physically wrong with me, instead of saying it was all in my head.   I had fluid around my heart and lungs, my blood was doing crazy things requiring transfusions, my kidneys were slowly shutting down, and I had inflammation going on in my brain too.  I was told I should have died, but I didn't.  I had heart surgery and two long years of chemotherapy to stop the war raging in my body.  But it took many more years for me to regain my physical health, and even more to regain my emotional health.  

I have been able to keep myself in remission for over 20 years now which is relatively unheard of for anyone with an autoimmune disease.  My desire for knowledge of how to heal my body led me to a Master’s degree in Nutrition, and recently a certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in health coaching.   Part of my path to wellness was emotional and spiritual as well.  You won’t find a lot of pictures of me through the years because I didn’t like what I saw of myself in the pictures.  I was overweight and unhappy and didn’t like myself.  Now I look at myself with pride in how far I’ve come.  Learning to forgive, accept and love yourself is a journey each person has to take for themselves, but having a patient and supportive guide can make the journey a little easier.  I want to be that guide for people.  It took me a long time to figure out why I was given a second chance in 1994 but I now know it was to learn important lessons and share them with as many people as I can.  

Through a transition to better quality whole foods, better fitness, spiritual growth and work balance, I feel better now than I have my entire adult life.  I believe that systemic inflammation is responsible for all chronic diseases and modern health issues. I know from personal experience that unhealthy foods, unhealthy thoughts and unhealthy work / life balance can all cause inflammation.  I also know that making small daily lifestyle changes can stop the inflammation and change your entire life.  Whether someone is dealing with a chronic health condition, or simply wants to feel better, sleep better, and get to an ideal weight, I know the lessons I learned on my journey can help others meet their health and wellness goals.  I want to give back and share my good fortune by guiding others in making better choices for better health and a better life.