I have always had a passion for health. For as long as I can remember, I've been active. I've also always been very in tune with my own body. The combination was amplified when I joined the cross country team in high school. In a way, I feel very lucky to have learned early on that 'food is fuel.' I physically couldn't perform to my best if I wasn't nourishing my body with the right amount of nutrients and hydration. Fortunately, the running hobby stuck. Unfortunately, my views on food took a few unhealthy turns before getting back to where I am today.
College came, and I continued running. But taking care of my body (physically, mentally, spiritually) took a back seat to the partying and late night food runs with friends. I still tried my best to be "healthy" but this is where my vision of health became skewed. I would work out, so that I could go out, or vice versa. As I've said, I have always loved being active. But being active took on a different meaning when my priorities shifted. When I stopped viewing working out as my therapeutic place, and viewed it as a punishment (or going out as a reward), my entire being felt the consequences. My mind struggled to find peace with exercise, while my body fell victim to inflammation from the stress of trying to balance it all- working out, binge drinking, eating junk food at night, fasting during the day, and balancing stressful classes and internships.
It was during my public accounting internship that I finally realized the chronic bloating wasn't normal. I was getting up at 5am to workout, eat a healthy breakfast and lunch, and by 3pm would have to unbutton my pants due to discomfort. I looked like a two different people leaving for work and coming home from work. It was then that I sought out my first functional practitioner, who opened my eyes to the holistic world. I learned that I have Candida (a common overgrown yeast in the gut microbiome). On top of this, the stressful hours, lack of sleep, repetitive HIIT workouts, marathon training, and desperate yoyo dieting led to full body inflammation and bloating. Luckily, I was able to get my Candida under control- but with the college lifestyle, it didn't fully go away. I was able to keep my symptoms at bay, but it didn't take long to realize it has transpired to Leaky Gut by my mid-20's.
I got my Masters in Accounting and began studying the the CPA exams. And then COVID hit, *insert sweaty laughing face.* Global pandemic anxiety to the side, I spent this year more stressed out than ever. I was "intermittent fasting," studying for 8-10 hours a day, and continuing with high intensity workouts to start my morning. Besides my anxious mood swings and weight loss, the stress came out in the form of hormonal acne on my face. It was also during this time that my boyfriend got diagnosed with Lyme disease/SIBO/Leaky Gut - queue diving in headfirst to the holistic world, yet again. But this time I was here to stay.
The holistic functional practitioners were the only solution to his auto-immune disease, and he didn't feel better until he changed his diet and lifestyle. It was then that I fully witnessed the profound power of food, and how daily healthy habits can transform your life for the better. I began working with his same practitioner, which led me to understand my own Leaky Gut and hormone imbalance.
I was training for my second marathon during this time, and once again noticed the full body inflammation. It felt as if I was gaining weight when I thought I'd be physically peaking. My intuition was right, and my hormones were completely imbalanced. You see, when we cause stress to our bodies (like training for a marathon) it can't differentiate it from good stress or bad stress. Fight or flight mode gets activated, and unless you have a well regulating nervous system and balanced hormones, cortisol takes over. On top of my gut health, I then became fascinated with women's bodies and hormones- a topic under discussed in my opinion. I lasted another year at my corporate job before quitting to pursue holistic health coaching full time.
I feel incredibly grateful to be here, after digging deep into my own nervous system regulation and hormone imbalance. Health doesn't have to be intimidating, and I am excited to help clients manage their own daily stressors. Being able to find a balance in your life by building habits and routine that sticks- that is the sustainable wellness I hope to teach my clients and followers. By doing the work now and getting in tune with our bodies, it will save years of stress down the road. I want to help people build a healthy foundation that they will have for the rest of their lives- something that they can always come back to, knowing it will be there waiting for them.
Comments