My Approach
There is a saying that a health coach is not here to lead or even pull you up to the top of the mountain; she is here to walk side by side with you on your journey.
I will support you with information and compassion. I sincerely believe in the premise that we are a system, not a series of parts. Control what is controllable by taking care of your body and mind in a way that makes you feel happy and strong.
THERE IS HOPE
I like to say that feeling good is attainable; some of us just have to work a little harder for it. If you have had nagging issues or just want to “clean up” your habits , I am here to help you set goals and achieve them.
experience matters
I learned a lot from my courses at the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, but the most valuable part of my education came from my time at the Northeast Ohio Institute of Functional Medicine. Dr. Dorothy Sprecher has been practicing functional medicine for over 20 years, and generously allowed me to work side-by-side with her. I was able to to see the hands-on, real-world application of functional medicine, and take that knowledge with me to my own coaching practice.
About me.
If you saw me on the street, you would not peg me for a health coach. I am not dressed in activewear, holding a miracle smoothie and getting ready for my next Instagram video. I have been described most of my life as “unorthodox” and I have never been one to go by the book.
My career began as a newspaper reporter, and morphed into marketing over the years. I worked at a dog day care doing marketing, which was fun except for when my ankle was broken by a bulldog. I have three awesome, amazing children, a supportive husband, two dogs and two cats.
My passion is helping people. I have had a life blessed in so many ways but have struggled with my health literally since birth. Apparently I spit up everywhere as a child, which may have been an early sign of lactose intolerance. I had strep infections constantly, spending way too much time getting throat cultures and the inevitable penicillin shot in my beleaguered behind. I went to an elementary school that recently appeared in the USA Today as one of the top five most toxic schools in America. In high school, I had stomach aches every single day. I thought this was normal. I would look at other kids doing sports and think “How can they be out running when my stomach hurts so bad?”
THE MISTRUST BEGINS
Things really went downhill in 2009, when I had months of UTIs, and developed dizziness and asthma. My faith in medicine took a huge hit when an urgent care doctor prescribed Augmentin for a UTI and sinus infection, even though I told her I was allergic. “I think you’ll be fine,” she said. After several hours of vomiting, I called the doctor. She offered a tranquilizer drug to knock me out so I wouldn’t notice the nausea. As an aside, this was Easter weekend, I had Easter baskets that needed to be assembled for three small children, and we were supposed to leave for Florida in three days. A friend suggested I see a functional medicine doctor, which I rejected because of the cost. “If it was for your dog, you would pay $400, wouldn’t you?” She made an excellent point.
MY DAUGHTER’S EXPERIENCE
My daughter, Grace, was the first to venture into functional medicine after she suffered an H Pylori infection in 2014 at the age of 14. She had awful, unacceptable pain for months afterward. After an endoscopy at the hospital, which is a big deal for a child, the doctor dismissed her symptoms as “inflammation.” I mentioned to the doctor she seemed to get worse after eating the cookie they gave her at the end of the procedure. Should we keep her off gluten? “Whatever works,” he said dismissively. That is when I took her to Dr. Dorothy Sprecher, a functional medicine doctor just down the street from us. We got information and support, and natural options to provide Grace with relief from her symptoms.
A DIFFICULT CASE
I followed Grace to Dr. Sprecher in 2015 after months of not feeling good. My traditional doctors told me my labs were “perfect” and there was nothing wrong with me. My functional numbers indicated gluten intolerance, leaky gut, candida overgrowth, and multiple food intolerances.
Although my preliminary entry into functional medicine had helped, I really hit a wall in 2017, when I had nausea, headaches, sinus pain, dizziness and extreme fatigue. It escalated to where I could barely get out of bed. Several doctors said I had sinus congestion and offered Flonase. I finally bit the bullet and went to Dr. Sprecher, who asked if my home had water damage. It hit me like a lightning bolt. My heightened symptoms began when I cleaned black mold out of my basement with no mask. A horrific detox and $30,000 in mold remediation later, I began to feel better. (I can’t say the same for our bank account.)
A WORK IN PROGRESS
I believe that antibiotics and mold exposure led to an overactive yet worn-out immune system, and that is the root cause of my health issues. Unfortunately, the immune system does not recover overnight. I still get frequent colds and viruses, which exacerbate my Meniere’s Disease (vertigo and dizziness) and asthma. And seasonal allergies make spring and summer a challenge. To boot, either bad genetics or walking my two, rambunctious 100+ pound dogs has led to chronic back pain. So am I the typical, “I feel great and you should too!” health coach? Probably not. I am a work in progress. I am trying, and I am learning. I get knocked down, but I keep getting up.
The good news for my clients is that I have learned a LOT. Health has never come easy for me, and I have tried many things (IV therapy, acupuncture, etc.) to get better. I can 100% relate to the frustration and futility of bad health, and the almost desperate pursuit of a solution. I am here to help you find your answers and offer support in any way I can.
