About Rachel
Specialties
Holistic wellness
Food allergies & intolerance
Healthy cooking
Diet and Weight Loss
Elimination diets
My Story
This is where I struggle...telling "MY STORY". Part of me feels like it needs to be dramatic and remarkable, but it is not. At least not to me. Let me start by recapping my life and how it led me here, and then share my passion for doing what I do...helping people like you.
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My childhood was a good childhood. I had two parents who loved and cared for me and my siblings. I took dance lessons and piano lessons (and love both to this day). Looking back, I had a lot of health issues: chronic kidney and bladder infections, and every virus coming and going. My adolescent/teen years were typical. I continued dance and piano, and added cheerleading. I no longer had bladder and kidney infections, but developed migraines and chronic headaches, exercize-induced asthma and mental health problems. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and later full-blown asthma, Bipolar 1 and panic disorder when I began college (which I failed at miserably). All of this before I turned 19.
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Fast forward to December 2013. I had been looking at a Health Coaching Certification offered at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition for a few years prior...but kept putting it off. On December 6, 2013 I started having severe pain in my left femur. This was originally diagnosed as a stress fracture (two years later they figured out it was a benign bone tumor)...so, I was going to have some time off work. My fiance (now husband) encouraged me to go ahead and enroll. So I did!
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During my program at IIN, we learned over 100 dietary theories, learned about food politics (it really is a thing!), and so much more! What stuck out to me was the information about gluten sensitivity. We were taught to listen to our bodies...and mine was screaming. I just hadn't listened. I gradually phased out gluten, started eating more real food instead of boxed, bagged, and frozen, and began taking high quality supplements. I have been 100% gluten free for over a year now, and I intend to be grain free soon. While this was a big thing overall, I am so glad I tried it! First off, I lost substantial weight (and about six inches from my waist)...let's face it, when we have extra weight, as I still do, we care being able to lose it. I also no longer feel drugged and get headaches after I eat, nor do I have digestive problems that were normal to me. More than that, I no longer get frequent (near daily) headaches, I no longer get migraines period, I no longer have asthma, and, most incredibly...I no longer have mental health symptoms or a diagnosis.
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This is not to say that everyone should give up gluten or grains, or that giving up either promises the same results. We are all different, and what works for one person may be counter-productive for another. I only share this part of my story to give you an idea of why I am so passionate about what I do. Food has more power than we realize...our bodies are more amazing than we give them credit for.
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Wellness is about much more than food! As your wellness coach, we will address all areas of your life...as they all impact your overall health and wellbeing. My beliefs are simple. I believe in striving for progress, not perfection. I believe that food can cause harm or create health and vitality. I believe in reducing the chemicals, additives, and toxins from all areas of our lives (not just our diets), and that you can leave more "wiggle room" in your diet if you reduce more in your personal care and environment (think toxic household chemicals). I believe that cheating and treating in your chosen eating plan are not bad...they are necessary. I believe in crowding out the bad by adding good. I also believe that your health should be more important than that food you think you can't live without.
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If you are ready to confront and conquer the roadblocks to your personal wellness, let's talk! It can be overwhelming and frustrating to go it alone. I will be there every step of the way. I am a work in progress too!
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