It all began when my son was diagnosed with severe food allergies as an infant. He was covered in eczema, reacted to multiple foods, struggled with asthma, and just seemed to be getting worse and worse with each day. At the same time, I was still working full time as a public accountant, dealing with 4 hour daily commute, stressful deadlines, taking care of my family, as well as a sick child. I was nowhere to be found on my own priority list - surviving on coffee, Advil & 5 hour energy drinks.  My health plummeted, and in 2013 I found myself extremely sick with a severe Crohn’s disease flare, as well as thyroid issues.

 

At first I chose the mainstream medicine route, which meant taking immunosuppressant medications. At the same time, I was told that nutrition did not matter, I could eat whatever I wanted! I wish I questioned that advice back then.  Unfortunately, I developed a severe infection as a side effect of medication, which is a well-known risk. An emergency surgery saved my life, then a long period of recovery followed. For a long while I did not know whether I’d make it or not, that was a very scary time of my life. I knew I did not want to follow the same immunosuppressant medication protocol again, and that was the only thing doctors could offer to “manage” my symptoms. This is how my healing journey began.  My main motivation was my family, my children who needed me.  I was also committed to help my son get better, too.

 

I started researching nutrition, alternative and functional medicine, as well as addressing lifestyle changes for myself and our family. I also had to figure out how to feed a child while omitting several major food groups, this was quite a learning curve for me. I started reading food ingredient labels, and to my shock realized that many ingredients I couldn’t pronounce, that so many foods we eat today our grandmothers would never recognize as food! How could the human body be ok consuming all of these unnatural substances? That couldn’t possibly be promoting optimal health, especially for our children. No wonder our nation’s health statistics are so dismal! I turned to whole foods, creating recipes from scratch, converting others to be gut healing, nutrient dense and food allergy safe. 

 

It’s pretty amazing to discover our bodies’ ability to heal once given the right resources.  Through years of experimenting with elimination diets, probiotics, herbal remedies, holistic and alternative medicine modalities and more, both Crohn’s disease and thyroid issues are now in remission.  My son’s food allergies, eczema and asthma have also improved dramatically, which I’m so thankful for!  Through this journey I’ve discovered my passion to help others on the same path.  I want to share the message of hope and healing, as well as empower you to achieve your health goals and thrive!