I was the kid who was always sick.

Antibiotics have been a constant in my life after being diagnosed with Kawasaki.

(Kawasaki is a rare inflammatory disease that primarily affects children primarily under the age 5 and its origin is unknown; some believe it to be an autoimmune disorder or virus.)  

I dealt with things like allergic reactions (hives, itchy hands and feet, which led to severe abdominal pain and eventually two separate anaphylactic reactions), a Hashimoto’s diagnosis, sinus infections that lasted on and off all fall and winter, and strep throat multiple times a year which led to countless antibiotics. These were all battles that followed me into my adult years.  

Through it all, I never questioned my doctors. And perhaps, like you, I assumed that the advice I received was always right.

But after an allergic reaction flared up the rest of my body and causing lingering effects that led to filaments on my eyes, I started to realize that something was clearly very, very wrong and enough was enough. I started to ask more questions and not accept another prescription as the solution and ASK for answers.  

One day while visiting my eye doctor, he whispered to me that I needed to go to a functional medicine doctor. And then, he wrote this person’s information on a piece of paper, and said… “I didn’t give you this name.”

From that moment forward, I took my health into my own hands…

I became my own health advocate while navigating the medical system.  As my knowledge grew, so did my opportunities and exposure to alternative methods of healing started to slowly present themselves. 

Doors were opening and I was able to take full responsibility for my own health with the assistance of a special doctor and healers who worked with me and supported my journey to heal.  

There are so many healing modalities available to us and I am forever grateful that I opened my eyes along this journey. 

Even though I thought I was already making the healthiest choices possible, I actually wasn’t– and I had no idea they were perpetuating my symptoms.   

So, food was the first area of my life I tackled “cleaned up”. 

I removed inflammatory foods from my pantry. I started integrating more fruits and vegetables in my diet. I used fresh herbs with my cooking as much as I was able. This shift in “cleaning up” my life forever changed my relationship with food.  

More than ever, I value where it comes from and believe that the food is medicine. And as an avid gardener, I’ve fallen even more in love with the soil, the seeds, and the process of growing fresh fruits and vegetables.

Next up on the clean up journey? Beauty and household products. I discovered that what I put on my skin and in my home were triggering my symptoms too. Now use an organic plant based hair color and use beauty products and household items that are completely toxin free.

Each little shift I made helped me truly tune into my body in a way I’d never done before. Because I learned to slow down. 

So, what happened once I made these changes?

My symptoms went away. My Hashimoto’s was gone. My digestive issues resolved. My eyes no longer felt like I had hairs stuck in them. And I stopped taking the six prescribed medications, costing over half my monthly salary. I am symptom free and I feel healthier than I ever have before.

I can’t describe the sense of relief that I felt arriving in this place– especially after navigating a medical system that failed me. Even though it was the biggest challenge of my life, I learned to trust my own instincts. To ask questions and to make sure I am working with professionals that align with my values belief systems. 

Getting my hands dirty and cleaning things up also led me closer to resolving the true core issue I’d been facing all along– I was disconnected from my body.  I didn’t know what my body needed to thrive.  

These symptoms were yelling at me to wake up and take control of what I needed to heal. I am so grateful I did not give up and I am here to make sure you don’t give up either as it is hard to navigate the system. I am here to help you to clean things up, live more consciously and feel empowered.  

After this health transformation and incredible dose of insight into what it really takes to heal, I decided I needed to help others. And that’s what inspired me to enroll at Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a health coach and serve you. To hopefully help shorten your journey to healing and feeling radiant.