I have always been intrigued by the complexity and wonder of the human body. I knew I wanted to help people since I was a teenager. Having grown up with a chiropractor in the family I experienced first hand how powerful getting adjusted can be. I went to chiropractic school myself so that I could offer these treatments to others. It was not until after graduating and starting my own practice that things began to change for me.
The Diagnosis
One afternoon, I found myself in my medical doctor's office complaining of extreme fatigue and a general sense that something was wrong. She ran some blood tests and reported back that I had good reason to be tired- I was hypothyroid. She wrote me a prescription for thyroid medication and told me I would have to take it the rest of my life. What my doctor did not understand was that I just graduated from chiropractic school, I did not believe in taking medications.....so I left and did nothing! I went through years of periods where I would feel o.k, and periods where I could hardly get out of bed. I was depressed, I was working out and training for triathlons and yet I was gaining weight, I had mood swings and brain fog and all kinds of digestive issues. Here I was, helping people every day, while I felt so much worse than they did. Something had to change.
The Help I Needed
I began to get interested in the Functional Medicine approach to healing. Having treated patients for various conditions with a lot of success, I finally decided to work on myself!
The Second Diagnosis
After another round of blood work, I discovered that not only was I hypothyroid, I actually had an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I was beside myself. How could I have let my own health deteriorate to the point that I now have an autoimmune condition? This should not be happening! I decided to apply what I knew to myself to get to the root cause of my health issues.
Back to Optimal Health
I made drastic changes in my habits. I immediately went gluten, dairy and grain free, I eliminated refined and processed foods, and sugars. It was not easy at first but it has been worth it. I started on a supplement protocol to heal my "leaky gut" as well as to support my thyroid. It took some time, but I slowly began to get my energy back, my depression lifted, I was sleeping great, I lost some weight, everything was looking up. My only regret is that my medical doctor did not connect the dots and get to the root cause of why my thyroid was not working. And, I regret that it took me several more years to discover how amazing a functional medicine approach can be to healthcare.
I chose to become certified in functional medicine through Functional Medicine University to further my knowledge and understanding of how the systems of the body all are intertwined. I wanted to be able to offer my patients the type of care I was searching for myself all those years ago. Now that I practice functional medicine in my practice, I strive to be thorough with my explanation to patients about what is going on with them, how it all relates and what they need to be doing to regain their optimal health. I spend the time explaining why it is important to make the changes I am recommending, and answer all questions they have.