Hi! I’m Rachel
My journey to health and wellness was slow and steady. After growing up on the Standard American Diet (SAD), my body craved more than what Kraft, Chips Ahoy, or all the potato chips in the world could offer me. I tried some diets, but they never worked. Eventually I stumbled upon Eat to Live by Dr. Fuhrman, and I learned that in order to be healthy, I needed to supply my body with a rich dose of micronutrients, that only plants could offer. I also realized that I needed to address my food addictions if I wanted to actually find true health.
I had already started my journey and had made some positive changes when I was diagnosed with an inner ear disease called Meniere’s. While the disease is not lethal, the intense vertigo robbed me of my quality of life. There were days when I could do nothing but lay in bed sick. The only thing that comforted me was knowing that eventually one day I would die, and would no longer have to feel so ill. I know this sounds dark, but it’s honestly how I felt.
I was in a dark and miserable place. Doctors didn’t have much they could do. They tried medications, but the side effects all made me feel worse. So I looked to food. Through nutrition and diet modifications I was able to stop the constant vertigo attacks. BUT, not only did I stop the vertigo, the nutritional changes left me feeling better than I had ever felt before. I honestly didn’t even know it was possible to feel so well and have so much energy. I was in my mid-20s, and it was the first time I knew what it was like to truly feel good in my body.
This experience left me in awe of the human body, and the power of proper nutrition. It hit me that so many people are struggling with illness, or simply living with subpar health, unaware that they could feel better. It became my mission to change that. Wanting to share the power of nutrition with everyone, I got my master’s in Clinical Nutrition from Maryland University of Integrative Health, became a Certified Nutrition Specialist, plant-based Health Coach, and am now a Certified Nutritarian Health Coach from Dr. Fuhrman.
It all started with one small step, but eventually, I had a radical health overhaul, that left me no longer controlled by food, able to effortlessly maintain my 40-pound weight loss for over 10 years (in which time I’ve had 2 babies!), have abundant energy, and be free from the misery of Meniere’s disease.