My wellness journey began in 2015, when a dear friend of mine saw me for the first time in a few years, and was shocked at how much I had changed. At that time, I was addicted to cigarettes, drinking a bottle of wine every evening along with my pack of smokes. Fast foods were my favorite because they reminded me of my home growing up. I missed my mom.
Emotional Roots of Turmoil
My mother had passed away in 2010 from complications around obesity and diabetes, and heart congestion and I was lost without her. I was lost in grief, sadness, anger, resentment; I lost myself, my laugh, my self confidence. I functioned during the day at work, and smoked and drank myself to sleep at night. I faked it well. I felt alone, even though I was in a relationship.
In fact, I felt ashamed to be seen this way. But I wasn’t fooling the people who knew me “way back when.” I was only fooling myself. It was clear that everything was not okay, and I was a mess.
Emotional Eating
My relationship with my mother had always been tumultuous and she and I snacked and ate junk food when things weren’t going well in her life. I learned early on that food was medicine, but later learned that not ALL food is GOOD medicine. I was a skinny kid, and athletic kid, a competitive figure skater, a sprinter, a cross country runner. I ate whatever whenever and never gained a pound.
So in 2015, at the age of 45, having gained 50 pounds, I became pre-diabetic. I had angina frequently, developed chronic high blood pressure, and insulin resistance, just like Mom. My triglycerides and inflammatory markers were dangerously high, my legs hurt, and the doctor mentioned it was likely time for statins. Junk food and cigarettes were the coping mechanisms that served me during my grieving time.
Two years later, I would lose my dad to heart failure. My heart was broken.
Finding Grace
The reason my wellness journey began the night I saw this dear old friend in 2015, is because they said something so simple, yet so profound that it literally stunned me silent. I was silent for 3 or 4 days afterwards, contemplating what was said. I never touched a cigarette again.
It was a simple phrase. It was a command actually, but it was said with so much intensity, so much love, so much conviction, so much care; it pierced my heart.
They said simply,
“Never forget who you are."
And I remembered.
Once a person decides that they have had enough shame, pain and hopelessness, the universe brings options in many forms. We just need to recognize, to remember, who we are; to see our true selves. I needed to give myself grace, forgiveness, and compassion. I had found a catalyst in those words.
Wellness Influences
At this time I found three of the most important teachers that would shape the beginning of my wellness journey and give me the knowledge and tools to reverse the metabolic disease and depression that was taking hold.
Dr. Jason Fung introduced me to the concepts of Time-Restricted Eating and Intermittent/Therapeutic Fasting.
Mark Sisson, creator of the Primal Health Institute and Primal Kitchen products, introduced me to Paleo/Ancestral/Primal lifestyle and the Keto way of eating.
Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Spiritual Director of Himalayan Institute, initiated me into the yoga tradition of the Himalayan Institute, where I began an in-depth study of yoga and meditation.
The prescription was to eat whole foods, walk every day, embrace mindfulness, put down the fast food, start intermittent fasting, eat high-quality protein and vegetables with every meal. I became adept at getting and staying in ketosis and lowered my blood sugar, triglycerides, high blood pressure, and inflammation to healthy levels. Balance was found and life was good.
I felt better in my own body than I ever had.
However, a new challenge would be on the horizon that would stall my progress, and stop me in my tracks. That challenge was perimenopause.
Navigating Menopause
In 2020, I began to experience surprisingly steady weight gain around the midsection. Joint pain returned, and my motivation began to wane. What was going on? I was still living a healthy lifestyle, practicing yoga, eating whole foods, practicing time-restricted eating, smoke-free, walking, laughing, loving…
And shortly after these new symptoms, my period just stopped. It disappeared. There was no spotting, or inconsistent bleeding, as I had been told there would be. It just…left and never came back.
I began to feel a sense of loss that my period disappeared overnight. I was grieving my period and felt confused at this sense of loss and uncertainty! I always had painful periods so why wasn’t I happy to be rid of it? I didn’t know what to think, partly because my mom never spoke about her menopause. I experienced my mom as miserable, angry, short-tempered, and out of control during her menopause. It was a horrifying thought.
Finally, a hormone panel revealed the obvious - that I was producing very little estrogen and progesterone and was in the throes of perimenopause.
Finding Grit
So it was back to the drawing board to learn how to navigate this new terrain. I had to dig deep into the reserves of resilience for this one. Life without estrogen and progesterone was not nice. And I was not alone. My clients began to report that what worked for them when they were pre-menopausal was not working now that they were in menopause! I had to figure this out, asap not just for myself but for my clients.
I dug in, gritted my teeth and started researching everything under the sun about how to alleviate menopausal symptoms. I worked with a few Naturopathic and Allopathic doctors; joined several menopause orgs; and asked women in various stages of menopause about their experiences. I tried herbs, supplements, teas, gels, creams, sprays, and patches. I fasted. I lifted weights, I ate steak.
Full of Gratitude
My course, EVOLVE: 12-Week Menopause Mind-Body Transformation is the culmination of all my research and personal success. I share with you the best of what I have learned about how to balance hormones like insulin, grehlin, and leptin to optimize metabolism. We can stabilize mood, burn fat, grow muscle, maintain bone mass, and lower blood pressure.
If you are experiencing classic symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, fat gain, muscle and bone loss, this menopause support program is for you. Whether you have elected to use HRT/Menopause Hormonal Treatment or not, this program will be life changing. It changed my life.
I am now feeling incredibly optimistic; building strength, growing muscle, maintaining dense bones, moving pain-free, staying motivated, and feeling full of gratitude. I wake up with more energy and a positive outlook, embracing changes and giving myself grace when needed. I am resilient. I want you to know you are too and you can feel amazing in your own body.
