About Me
My goals as a Health Coach are to help individuals who are seeking to improve their overall health; providing guidance and support to help people increase their energy and vitality, reduce their cravings, resolve health problems, eat according to their bodies' needs and live a more balanced lifestyle. It is also to teach and guide about natural remedies and green living using essential oils to create a chemical-free, non-toxic, vibrant and INSPIRED life.
I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Siena College and received my Health Coaching Certification from the State University of New York at Purchase in partnership with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in New York City. I am also accredited with the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP).
No one diet works for everyone. IIN is the only nutrition school integrating over 100 different dietary theories, combining the knowledge of traditional philosophies with modern concepts. I have studied under the world's leading experts in integrative and holistic medicine including Andrew Weil, MD, Deepak Chopra, MD, Walter Willett, MD, Mary Hyman, MD, Marion Nestle, David Wolfe, Bernie Siegel, MD and AnneMarie Colbin, PhD.
My Own Story
After spending my twenties eating the Standard American Diet I entered my thirties and was diagnosed with thyroid disease (Graves). At the time I didn't realize the impact that nutrition and stress could have in creating illness. I also didn't know that there were alternatives to following the traditional medical model for treatment so this is what I did. However, the thyroid condition provided me with my first wake-up call that my health was not optimal. It prompted me to really think about how I felt everyday.
I had suffered from chronic headaches, low energy, constipation, anxiety, depression and other mood-related issues for years. In addition, I had arthritic pain in my left shoulder and nails that were constantly peeling. Although I was at a healthy weight, these things pointed to someone not experiencing optimum health. I didn't want to take a multitude of pharmaceutical drugs for the rest of my life. I started to look at my life and health very differently. This led me to embrace the idea that sound nutrition and natural remedies were a better answer for me.
Luckily a friend helped me negotiate and reconsider what I had determined to be healthy eating and healthy food. The result was that changing the way I ate, changed the way I felt. Eating differently has had a huge impact on my health and all my little chronic health problems went away. This gradual process of learning the true meaning of nutrition and wellness led to my desire to help and inspire others to do the same.
In addition, I am passionate about green living. Eliminating chemical toxins is essential for good health. In my home, I use chemical-free products for everything from cleaning the kitchen to personal care items to lawn and landscape care. This approach includes the use of therapeutic-grade essential oils - nature's first medicine. My collection of oils basically serves as my first aid kit for cold and flu prevention, cleaning, air purification, first aid and so much more. My philosophy about whole food nutrition and chemical-free living even includes my dogs, who eat a raw food diet and experience the oils for a variety of purposes as well. I once heard an organic farmer depict himself as "a caretaker of creation". This is a philosophy of care for the environment and our bodies that really resonated for me. I want to bring this same inspiration to others.
