I was inspired to become a health coach after my own battle with chronic health problems. When I was 18, I began experiencing brain fog, low energy, mood swings, and weight gain. At that time, it felt impossible to overcome because I was living the life of an average college student: late night studying and hanging out, drinking sugary, caffeinated drinks, eating lots of processed foods, and juggling stressful coursework. I couldn’t see that the lifestyle choices I was making every single day were deeply impacting my health and well-being.

After 2.5 years, my symptoms became unmanageable, and I chose to drop out of college until I felt well enough to return. Six months later, I found a Functional Medicine doctor who listened to my story and validated my symptoms. I chose to work with him to find the root causes of my symptoms. As I made lifestyle changes following Functional Medicine principles, I was able to reverse Insulin Resistance, balance blood sugars, heal my gut (Intestinal Permeability), support my thyroid, uncover food intolerances, and lose weight - all of which greatly influenced my brain health. These changes did not happen overnight, but I’m happy to report I felt well enough to return to school the following semester and I was able to complete my undergrad degree.

I feel fortunate to have learned at a younger age how much influence I have over my health, but not everyone is the same. For many, symptoms don’t start appearing until after big life events, such as establishing a career, marriage, or starting a family. When you are busy prioritizing other people and things, it can be easy to put your health last and think you will get to it some other time. When this happens, symptoms can sneak up on you until they become a vicious part of your everyday life.

If you relate to any of this, please know that you are not alone and you don’t have to battle this on your own. I believe you are capable of creating the life you’ve always envisioned for yourself and you can start your journey to better health right now. Together, we will navigate a path forward by first considering your personal vision of health. We will co-create a plan of achievable goals and objectives that are within your reach, so that you feel empowered as you step into the life you were meant to live.

I am a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach through the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, affiliated with the Institute for Functional Medicine. My coach training included positive psychology, mind-body medicine, and the concepts of functional medicine, a wellness-based, person-centered approach that seeks to identify and address the root cause of disease and promote optimal wellness.