My path to living in a more holistic way was not easy or linear. At times, it felt like an unfair reality that I was living in because of the ups and downs, but I also believe that the health struggles I went through to get here were a blessing. I could not imagine feeling the way I do now (empowered, educated, energetic) if I hadn’t decided to change the way I was living (depressed, bloated, fatigued) and adopt a more holistic way of life.
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s when I was 17 years old. I was working as a camp counselor and was so exhausted by the end of the day which I felt was typical after chasing 10 year olds around all day in the heat. The major red flag was that I was gaining weight even though I was always running and sweating (I thought that meant I should automatically be losing weight). My Mom, who has Hashimoto’s, recognized that something much be “off” and scheduled an appointment for me with an endocrinologist.
I went to the appointment, they ran some blood work, and off I went. My follow-up appointment went like this: an official diagnosis that I do have Hashimoto’s, a prescription, and a “you’ll be on this the rest of your life but it’s not that bad” speech.
As a 17 year old, I didn’t know how to feel. In a way, I felt relief because there was a definite reason my body was reacting this way. But on the other hand, it felt weird to feel like I had this “adult" diagnosis and there was “nothing I could do” about it except be on medicine.
I went through college with not much more thought to it rather than “take your medicine, get your blood work every 6 months, and you’ll be fine.”
After my senior year of college, everything changed.
I had a really difficult breakup with my high school sweetheart and my Grandpa died that Fall. Now, the upside was that through all of that I actually had met the man I would marry (thank God for that timing). I just didn’t know it at the time…
I can say with 99% accuracy that the trauma of a breakup and the first death in my family set me into my very first Hashimoto’s flare up. That was the first time I had ever truly felt like I was out of control of my health. I was gaining weight, depressed, exhausted, disinterested with life, and simply miserable. I felt like I was a shell of the old Evie. I was physically dizzy, paranoid and in a constant state of worry which made me even more anxious!
I had enough of this dark place I was living in and my family could tell I was in need of additional support. I went to my primary care physician to discuss some options. He prescribed an anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication for me because there were no physical ailments he could see that would be causing my physical symptoms of dizziness.
I filled the prescription, took it home and just looked at the bottle. My gut instinct was that this was not the solution. I could not bring myself to take medication.
At that moment, I remembered that my PCP also said that he knew of a social worker who practices Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He said I could also try therapy and see if that helped. I decided that I would rather try talking to someone before I start taking medication. I want to stress how difficult this decision was for me because therapy was (and sometimes still is) a sign of weakness. It meant that even though I had “everything” I could ever want in life, I was still “unhappy for some reason.”
Fast-forward 4 years- I’m married and working at a new school as an Intervention Specialist in a classroom with students who had medical needs. I was in way over my head. To spare the details, I had another Hashimoto’s flare up which consisted of insomnia, weight gain, achy joints, skin issues, and depression.
I came home crying most days and I finally told my husband that I couldn’t do it anymore. I would not live my life like this anymore. I refuse to just lie down and let my health go. I needed long-terms solutions.
I didn’t return after that school year and I was working a in much less stressful environment (my adrenals liked this!) and was still experiencing some weight issues. I was a little discouraged because I felt like I was doing “all the right things” but nothing was working. I knew something was going on when my previously tired and true efforts to lose weight were not working.
Gas, bloating, diarrhea, upset stomach, pain after eating and constant headaches had become my norm.
At this time, “gut health” had become something I would see on people’s social media feeds but didn’t quite understand why. Why care about the gut? (funny of me to ask this now considering I care so much about the gut now).
I was doing the turmeric drinks, the bone broth, the fibrous vegetables, but still had trouble.
About 2 months into this self-guided healing, I found my functional nutrition coach. I won’t go into details of that process here, but I worked with him for 18 months to restore my gut function, metabolism, thyroid, and overall health in a holistic manner. That healing journey sparked an interest in my life that I can now see was lying dormant. I knew that I wanted..needed..to care for my body in a holistic way.
After years of exploring the gigantic world of “health,” I felt drawn towards making it more than just a hobby. My own experiences of hormonal imbalance, disordered eating, thyroid dysfunction and body dysmorphia led me down the path of significant healing. I had to learn how to view my body as a wonderfully designed friend rather than a foe. I learned how everything we eat, listen to, and even think affects our health. It’s up to us to make sure we are providing a healthy space for our bodies to flourish.
I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition because it aligns with how I live my life and how I teach my clients to live theirs- in a balanced way. As a health coach, I help people gracefully step out of that chaotic carousel and discover their true balance in life. Sure, nutrition is important, but so is our relationship with food, each other, and our careers.
Join me in leading a healthy life with a holistic approach. Schedule a consultation with me here. I look forward to hearing from you!