My Quest For Epic Health: My Health Journey.

Two years ago I diagnosed myself with Celiac Disease after spending 3 years and $3000 on doctors office co-pays. That continues to be the best decision I have ever made( besides marrying my husband) and I am never looking back. Despite my doctors constant reassuring comments that "I was fine" and that "all of my labs checked out", I knew and my body knew, that I wasn't "fine". I was 27 years old at the time, spending days unable to get off the couch laid out in indescribable back and stomach pain. I was calling into work "sick indefinitely".How had this become my life?! Four years earlier, I was a vibrant adrenaline junkie: surfing, swimming, hiking, kayaking and spending 2 to 3 hours at the gym working out every night. Now here I was four years later, hardly able to get off the couch or stay awake for more then 6 hours each day. How did I get to this point? "No doc. sorry, but I am NOT ALL RIGHT." I remember distinctly a moment the day before I cut gluten and sugar out of my life, sitting in a doctor's gown on the cold table and the doctor asked me on a scale of 1- 10 what would I rate the quality of my life? My answer still haunts me to this day... in that moment, all things considered .....I replied," a 3." He sent me to the pharmacy with a slip for anti-depressants which I put in my glove box of my car and drove away and have yet to return to this day.

I cut gluten and sugar out of my life the very next day. I had trusted and had relied on my doctor to guide me to restore my health and vitality. I invested three years of my life having every scan, scope, lab and test imaginable and at the end of the day I had nothing more to show for my efforts then a medicine cabinet full of pain killers and a presciption for anti-dperessants in my glove box. I had a good friend who at the time was attending classes at the Nutritional Therapy Association that suggested to me to eliminate both sugar and gluten out of my diet for 30 days to see if that would help. I followed through with her advice and got INSTANT relief for my pain, mental clarity and lethargy. She became my guide helping me navigate holistic healthcare putting me on a strict healing diet, liver detox and adrenal restoration regiment. It was all fascinating and NOT EASY. ( To this day I think going on a liver detox may be one of the most challenging thing I have EVER done in my entire life and I am pretty fearless.;) Most noticeable for me right away was the mental clarity-- I could THINK! Next came the impressive weight loss, I lost 18 pounds in 2 months, without exercising! Boo-ya! This was followed by restored energy and pain free days turned into months which have now turned into two years!

I began to think of food as medicine. Each day I would think about what NUTRIENTS I could fuel my body with to help HEAL. Nothing was off limits, every ounce of bone broth, kombucha, keifers, kavass, vegetable, fruit and meats made me feel STRONG and ALIVE! I cut out sugar and for the first time was able to be in tune with my body and LISTEN to what it was telling me. Before I would eat what I thought my brain wanted which usually justified my need for ice cream or chocolate.;) When I cut out sugar my body distinctly craved red meat and greens- all greens: sauteed spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli. Real food that was full of life and nutrients became my medicine, every bite provided my body with energy, healing my body and restoring my health.

In the past couple years I have been "glutened" a number of times, each notable and each debilitating me for 3 days+ reuniting me with my former self and my couch. Those days are fewer and farther in between as I continue down this journey to reach epic health. This past year I completed the Nutritional Therapy training course at the Nutritional Therapy Association and my goal is to pay the blessing of my restored health forward. My story is rather extreme but I know I am not alone. I had a friend that suggested for me to eliminate an allergen and to heal my body with food I regained my life and my health. I know that there are many people out there that are being failed my western medicine, that have a similar story not so unlike mine of tests and co pays, unanswered questions and mounting frustrations. Its hard to advocate for your health when you don't feel well . I have been there. But I didn't accept " you're fine" as an answer. This is my story, my passion and my new path in life to be your advocate and guide to health and wellness so that is someone where to ask you to rate the quality of your life between 1-10 you could honestly say your life is an 11!

Cheers to epic health!