Early Years – Chronic Illness
Since birth, I struggled with chronic illness. I know this because of what my parents shared with me based on the steps they took to combat the sickness that I experienced as a baby. I had chronic colds, ear infections, and allergies to laundry detergents and other items that were used on my body. As a small child through high school, I struggled with chronic fatigue and found it very hard to get up in the morning for school and then challenged to fall asleep at night. I grew up in a stressful home environment and found my parents struggling to keep food on the table. This led to creative dinners that kept us fed but were not the healthiest. At the age of 13, I started working in a restaurant and I just remember saying to myself, I will always have access to food now. This is where my relationship with food was created.
Impact of Poor Eating Habits
As I grew into my young adult years, I continued eating the Standard American Diet (SAD). A diet high in processed foods and sugars. It is what I knew. This continued my journey of chronic illness and many visits to doctors. I had chronic bacterial and sinus infections which were resolved with many rounds of antibiotics. I had several surgeries to resolve other issues occurring within my body only to create other problems later. I was still met with chronic fatigue, low energy and just never feeling well. Frustrated, I figured it was time to hit the gym!
Working with Personal Trainers
While working full-time and attending college classes in the evening, I finally decided to work with a personal trainer. I wanted to lose weight, feel better, and work off the stress from work and school. I was met with frustration again that my body was not changing. I was getting stronger but my body fat was not dropping even though I was eating healthier than ever before. Then during a session one day, my trainer suggested I might have food allergies and recommended I get tested. I took my trainer’s recommendation and contacted my chiropractor friend. I was tested for food sensitivities and sure enough, everything I was eating, my body was sensitive too. Another piece to the puzzle on my journey. Eventually, I was referred to a trainer who understood nutrition well and how it interacted with the body. I was met with great success and my body released a lot of inflammation. I felt awesome! After parting ways from my trainer, I took it on my own only to be met with failure again. I didn’t understand how the specific foods worked with my body and knew I had to figure this out. Frustrated, I reverted to old habits causing more damage to my body. My research then led me to Full Body Systems.
Certification
Enter Full Body Systems. As soon as I read about this program and learned more about it, I knew it was for me! I have a passion to help others. This training will allow me to educate and help those struggling with chronic health issues. Through this training, I have learned how the body should function to dismantle the dysfunction occurring within the body. I’m excited to help others on their journey to optimal health.