My Story

In 2009, I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis. IC is an autoimmune condition that impacts your kidneys and bladder, and creating significant discomfort and reducing the quality of your daily life.

Conventional medicine offered no cure, only symptom masking drugs with harsh side effects.

I desperately searched online for answers“…How can I heal and reverse my chronic illness?”, “…What quality of life do women with IC have?”.

I found a stark contrast in how Western and Alternative medicine approached chronic illness diagnosis.

While conventional medicine often views chronic illness as a means to an end, signifying the end of your vitality, conversely, alternative medicine sees it as an imbalance in the body resulting from poor diet and lifestyle factors that can be reversed.

I began working with a pioneering Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine Practitioner, who specialized in gut health for patients with IC. She guided me through a strict autoimmune diet and lifestyle protocol designed to eliminate toxins and reduce inflammation. She was diligent, compassionate, and provided unwavering support, always taking the time to address my questions and concerns. Under her care, I regained my health and reclaimed the life I thought I had lost. I was even able to conceive and build the family I had dreamed of. To this day, I continue to work closely with her because of her intuitive and transformative approach to healing.

When I became pregnant, I went back to my old habits of eating gluten and sugar. It seemed ok at first, until my health took a big hit during the pandemic, probably due to chronic stress. My son was 2.5 at the time. He’d jump out of bed every morning ready to explore and play…but my adrenals were completely tanked; I could barely get out of the bed! I started having severe bouts of vertigo—scary!

Finally, I reached out to a functional medicine practitioner to run some tests.

In case you’ve never worked with a functional medicine practitioner, there are 3 things you’ll find out quickly:

1. FM doctors are just as frustrated with conventional medicine’s reductionist approach!
2. They can order and interpret blood tests so comprehensive, you truly get the ‘big picture’. They use optimal optimal levels as a reference point (before a chronic condition turns into a disease) so it’s highly preventative.
3. Functional medicine replaces conventional pharmaceutical drugs with supplements—quite heavy handedly!

My lab results were in. My nutritional levels were alarmingly low, but what truly concerned my doctor were my severely depleted ferritin levels. She was shocked that I was still functioning. Honestly, I attribute this to sheer responsibility and commitment we, as women and mothers, carry every day.

Moms are true warriors. Even when we’re sick, overwhelmed, anxious, or battling depression, we keep going. We take care of everyone—our children, spouses, elderly parents, work obligations, and social commitments—often at the expense of our own well-being. We show up for everyone else, but rarely for ourselves.

That’s why I want to change this narrative. We matter, too. Without us, the pieces we tirelessly hold together would inevitably fall apart.

While I appreciated the thoroughness of the testing, my experience with functional medicine left me conflicted. The supplements meant to help were making me feel worse, and my doctor grew increasingly frustrated with my sensitivity to treatments. Honestly, I was frustrated with my own body, too—why couldn’t I handle these high-quality supplements when I so clearly needed them?

This is when I decided to take charge of my own health.

During the pandemic, conversations with friends about health and wellness made me realize how much I loved educating and empowering others. When a neighbor suggested I become a dietitian, it clicked. But I knew I didn’t want to follow the path of conventional nutrition and dietetics, with its diet trends, and one-size-fits-all approaches.

With my life, family, and future at stake, I pursued a holistic education I studied Functional Nutrition and Blood Chemistry, becoming a certified practitioner. Ironically, the same field that initially frustrated me became my greatest passion, with powerful modification based on my own personal experiences, for creating tailored protocols for my clients' to support their healing.

Through mentorship with leading practitioners, I also learned that even the most natural supplements can overwhelm a sensitive body. This insight inspired me to develop a unique approach that prioritizes nutrient-dense, whole-food diets and lifestyle protocols to promote sustainable healing.

Every cell in our body has the capacity to regenerate, giving us the power to make profound shifts and restore our health. I am deeply grateful to the compassionate practitioners who guided me through my healing journey—especially during my darkest moments—and taught me how to advocate for myself.

Now, I help women, just like you, transform the areas of life that no longer serve you, reverse your symptoms, and reclaim the life you deserve.

Please remember…

Your diagnosis may shape your journey, but it does not define your destiny.