About
Today, I am the girl that starts the day with yoga, journaling, and a green smoothie. But I wasn’t always that girl. I grew up in the south and my favorite food groups were mac & cheese and cookies. Running a mile was hard but I was genetically blessed so I didn't need to worry about exercise too much. Going to the bathroom, you know, number 2, once a week was totally normal (side note- it’s not normal) and I never left home without ibuprofen. Fast forward a few years and I was living and treating “symptoms.” I was running to the bathroom after almost every meal and gaining weight. My skin was a mess, cysts, and bumps all over my body. I was suffering from depression, anxiety and panic attacks. I went to the doctor and heard “you look healthy”, “everything looks okay to me, but I can prescribe you X.” I didn't want to take X, X didn’t work for me anymore. I felt most of my options were exhausted, so I started to research.
To be honest, my main concern was my skin. I was so embarrassed walking around in my mid 20’s with acne. I bought a book that promised beauty from food. This was my first introduction to food as medicine. I added in vegetables, especially greens, and removed inflammatory foods. I started to notice changes.
Around that same time, I enrolled in school as a health science major and picked up another major in psychology. I will admit, I am a self professed psychology nerd. One of my classes required me to choose a new habit to create, research, and apply. I chose exercise. Since that day, I have stuck to an exercise routine and I now believe that movement is medicine. Two pillars of how I live my life today were created during that time and I began to transform. I quickly lost 15 pounds, gained new energy, my skin started to clear, and the panic attacks went away.
It’s funny how balance in some areas can lead one explore other areas of life. I started to focus on the relationships in my life. I was in a relationship for 7 years and while on paper it was perfect, there was something that was telling me it wasn’t quite right and I chose to listen. I painfully broke off our engagement and continued my journey of self-discovery.
I kept up with eating well, moving my body, and incorporated helping my mind, maturing, developing autonomy and understanding boundaries. Small steps kept leading to big changes. Fast forward again and I have a career I am in love with, which is helping others on their health journey, thanks to IIN, I am in the healthiest place of my life, have an incredible marriage, and a son on the way. Every day I commit to continual learning, growth, and change. It is not, and was not, easy but it is worth it.
I share my story because, by learning and implementing small changes over time, my life has now exceeded my expectations of what I thought was even possible and I believe that can be you too! My definition of health has evolved and I believe health is not just about eating or exercising but looking at the big picture of your life which includes nourishment, movement, and your relationships. You may identify with some aspects of my health journey but everyone is different with their own unique needs. I am here to help you determine what works best for your body and mind and how to be your healthiest self!
