I was in my early 30s, working in the booming telecommunications industry, (remember those days?) and incredibly tired, everyday. Was I supposed to be this tired at my age? Making it to the gym twice a week was a battle for me; I always had to fight the bigger desire to go home. And sleep, I just couldn’t get enough of it! What happened to weekend mountain bike rides, hikes, and runs along the ocean?
Naps sounded more appealing. And then I started nodding off while driving. Now that was a big red flag! Clearly, something had to change.
I left the telecommunications industry and took a two month break to rest and figure out what to do next. My job was waiting for me after my “sabbatical”, but I felt pulled in another direction. I decided to go back to school to study nutrition! Perhaps the answer to why I had no energy would be uncovered there. My co-workers and even members of my family thought I was crazy to give up such a good job, with an Employee Stock Purchase Plan and health benefits, but I knew it was what I wanted and needed to do.
After just a month of studying nutrition and applying what I was learning, I started to feel more alive, even keeled, and clear headed. I no longer felt the severe energy dips during the day or those bothersome mood swings. I also noticed many of my PMS symptoms started to go away too! I was shocked at how much impact the foods I put into my body had on my well being. Wow, and I thought I was eating pretty healthy before I started on my nutrition trek. After all, I did read SHAPE magazine and followed the major dietary trends and media advice on what to eat.
I went on to earn my Nutrition Consultant certification and my Masters of Science in Nutrition, and knew that I had found my life’s work – to help others discover and incorporate good nutrition into their lives so that they could get out of those downward spirals that drain energy and lead to lack of focus, stress and irritability. I am fortunate to have learned from great teachers and mentors over the years and am thrilled to pass on my knowledge, experience, and guidance to those seeking how to eat to be fully alive and energized everyday.
My philosophy
I started making those dietary and lifestyle changes in 1999, and still am doing so all these years later. It is a life-long journey! For example, just within the past few years I have discovered that my energy decreases and I feel foggy brained when I eat gluten containing grains. And I cannot tolerate even small amounts of caffeine from a cup of green tea when I do not sleep well! What you eat and drink needs to be fine tuned over the years and is dependent on many factors like age, hormone changes, level of activity, stress, illness, digestion, detoxification function, and food sensitivities. My philosophy is to meet people where they are: Some people are gung ho and want to make lots of changes right away; other people like to take smaller steps over a longer period of time. I will meet you where you are, and help you get where you want to go. I educate, offer support, and hold you accountable. You are a unique individual, and I will treat you as a unique individual!