Blog

March, 13 2020

Welcome to my first blog! I cannot believe this but I am writing this during the COVID-19 pandemic - my loved ones and friends calling me to see if we have stocked up. There is such a sense of panic and fear. We cannot ever know what life has in store - and although we cannot control it, we can at least approach it in our most balanced selves.

I have never considered myself a writer; I am a professional photographer by trade until I went back to school for holistic nutrition. Although I am more comfortable communicating through images, my intention is to communicate with you , my audience, in the most authentic way I can - all in the interest to help you live a better, healthier life.

So why did I go back to learn holistic nutrition for several years? Not only did I struggle in my early twenties with hormonal imbalances (endometriosis, ovarian cysts and heavy periods) but my beautiful family (husband and three girls) were plagued with autoimmunity - PANDAS, alopecia and Hashimoto’s. The latest struggle? I had the experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer four months ago - a month before receiving a master certification in nutrition therapy.

Why tell you this? Because had I known all the things I have learned now a few years back, I would have been a lot better off. My endometriosis pain did go away through eating the right diet and I was able to get pregnant easily (doctors had warned me that I could be infertile after they had performed two laparoscopic treatments). But once my kids got sick, I knew it was time to figure out the root causes to our health issues - was it genetic? Our gut health? A detoxification issue? Problems with blood sugar? Adrenal fatigue? Sluggish liver? Was it environmental? Methylation? If it was out there, I asked it. I’m stubborn that way - I don’t just want a prescription - I want the answers, the root cause. But how to do that? That is what I went on a mission to learn. And the girls, it took time as I was studying and taking countless courses. I implemented what I learned bit by bit - but if paid off. They are doing so so much better. Hair grew back and anxiety went way down. But now the breast cancer? Yes - I still hadn’t dealt with my original root issue - the hormonal imbalance amongst other imbalances that promote cancer. Even though diet had led me to feeling so much better and pain-free with endometriosis, I still had a lot of estrogen in my system. I knew that because as I got trained in the DUTCH test (salivary hormone testing), I saw that my estrogens were through the roof. This helped because I became more assertive about checking a “benign tumor” they had uncovered three years before. I got an MRI in addition to my yearly mammogram and it paid off - they had originally cleared me as Ok for another year, but I insisted on the MRI. They found three tumors and they were all estrogen receptor positive - feeding on my excess estrogen. After a double mastectomy, I am recovering. I have learned about a new gene that I have (PAL B2) but I also know that the lack of self-care and managing stress in my life has not been the best. I am on a daily mission to heal, learn how to take care of myself and rest above all else.

As women we are so uneducated on our own hormonal symphony - our incredible 28-day cycle can give us a unique insight into our moods, our energy and our ability to manage and perform our tasks. I would want you and your daughters to be educated on how to live your life to its fullest by understanding your monthly rhythms. Our young daughters should feel empowered and fortunate to have these insights and how important sleep, proper nutrition and lifestyle play a role in their unique and delicate hormonal balance.

I am a big proponent on testing and not guessing - there are valuable tools to give us insight on our gut health, nutrient status, food intolerances and a wonderful test for women’s hormones. Therefore, your food and lifestyle recommendations should be unique to you! It can all seem overwhelming but that is why a great nutritionist will guide you to find your root causes and how to implement a healthy food and lifestyle that gives you peace of mind - a lot of it is at the end of your fork but it is also something I like to call “radical self-care”.