I shouldn’t be here. I almost died 8 years ago. I’m so grateful to be here on this earth to share this story. Most times, we think we’re invisible. I know I did. We know that deadly diseases surround us and people we know have them but we never think it can happen to us. Well at 26 years old I was proven dead wrong. The healthiest I have ever been, so I thought. I was working and going to school, exercising 3-5 days per week and eating a relatively balanced diet. My dad died from cancer when I was 15. My grandma died from cancer when I was 19. My grandpa died of a heart attack when I was 3 or 4. My genetics aren’t the best… Doctors gave me a 20% chance of beating Stage 4 Blood Cancer. Just typing that is so surreal.
I’m happy to celebrate 8 years cancer free this year! What I don’t talk about with most people are the side effects or chronic issues that I’ve experienced since my diagnosis. These are the symptoms that my doctors didn’t have explanations for. Digestion concerns, constipation, chronic nausea, fatigue, insomnia, menopause, obesity (yes, according to the charts) and anxiety are all health concerns that I’ve been dealing with since my diagnosis. Well, since then I’ve become a health and wellness advocate and enthusiast. Trying to give my body the nutrients it needs to heal and be well as well as teaching others. I wasn’t accepting the response from my doctors, “Just take Miralax everyday and it will help with your constipation or just take Zofran to help ease your nausea.” This wasn’t a good enough answer for me. My body was trying to communicate with me and I wasn’t listening…until I did. I’ve either completely eliminated or greatly reduced all of the abovementioned symptoms through lifestyle changes that I’ve made to better my health. Sustainable changes to which I no longer have to take medications for.
I’ve learned so much on my own journey and through my academics. I learned that we can’t change our genes but we can change their expression. I learned that only 5% of disease related gene mutations are fully penetrative (aka lead to disease). I learned that chronic lifestyle diseases now kill more people than contagious diseases. I learned that 99% of genetic info in the body is in the microbiome (aka our gut). I learned that 75% of the $2.5 trillion in medical care costs are from people with chronic and lifestyle related diseases. I learned that 1 out of 3 people (born after 2000) will have diabetes. I learned that US agriculture uses 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides/year (that’s 5lbs/person). I learned that in the last 25 years, childhood obesity has tripled. I learned that in the last 20 years, there has been a 400% increase in allergies, 300% increase in asthma, 400% increase in ADHD, 1,500% increase in Autism. I learned that we (as Americans) spend more on healthcare costs than any of the developed nations, yet we are the sickest. I could go on… I learned all of this and I am shook! We need to do better. I just recently completed my health coaching certification and this is a career that I am so passionate about. I’m now able to help others through their healing and wellness journey, just as I did. I’ve been there. I’ve experienced bad health. I’ve brought myself back to good health.
I know there is definitely a time and place for medicine but I believe prevention is the best medicine. We tend to be reactive as opposed to proactive with our health. Medicine may help acutely with symptoms but it likely won’t reach the root cause of your health concerns. This to which brought me to the name of my health coaching business, Root-Cause Health Coaching, LLC. I work clients to address multiple areas in life that attribute to health. Yes, the food we consume but also relationships, career, spirituality, exercise, etc. all of which affect our health as equally as the food we put in our bodies.
What is a health coach? I’m glad you asked. A health coach is a guide and mentor who empowers you and provides ongoing support and guidance as you set goals and make sustainable changes that improve your health and happiness (ICHWC). You can find all things health and wellness on the internet but lifestyle changes require support, accountability, and mindset shifts in order to reach optimal wellness. This is where I come in. Instead of focusing on calories, hardcore workout routines, and fad diets, I focus on bioindividuality that will be sustainable for you over time. I don’t compete but rather work in collaboration with other health care professionals to provide practical application of recommendations.
I’m so excited to be up and running with this career shift. I’m starting off by working with clients privately but my practice may evolve to include group-coaching, working directly with healthcare professionals, online coaching, gyms, chiropractors, naturopaths, etc. The options are limitless and I’m excited to see where this journey takes me. The best part is that I can work with clients in-person or remotely, from anywhere in the world! If you or anybody you know is struggling with their healthcare goals, please feel free to reach out me. I am currently offering a free health coaching consultation. Thank you for all your support and I look forward to sharing this next chapter with you!
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