Why I became a Nutritionist

I became a nutritionist as I wanted to help people, and make a difference in their lives, as the people that have come into my life have made a difference in mine.

I believe Ann Wigmore says it best when she said that, “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” This quote couldn’t be closer to the truth in my case.

My story starts when I was 12 years old, when I began experiencing digestive upsets. I started to become sick to my stomach all the time; that year I missed 72 days of the seventh grade to be exact. Missing that much school was both difficult and frustrating for me as I loved going to school, and hated feeling the way I did. I would take a lot of antacids to cover up the symptoms, but it just made matters worse which no one realized for a while that they were making me worse (if you have an underactive stomach then the antacid will supress the hydrochloric acid even further hindering digestion). I went to a few doctors, and a few specialists and all my tests came back normal, and I was “healthy” according to medical standards so they labelled what I had as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and sent me on my way.

Not much was known about food sensitivities back then (both in the medical field and in the general population--and I grew up in a small city which didn’t help either). We didn’t have the money for a nutritionist or naturopath (and as a 12-year-old I had no clue what they were) and there weren’t that many readily available products on the store shelves to make it worth while to experiment. My mom finally linked one food sensitivity to Pork, as whenever we had ribs I got substantially worse, so I avoided it and didn’t have the severe flare ups but I still didn’t feel great overall. I just kind of learned to deal with it, throwing up before school was normal for me and it wasn’t that I had an eating disorder, my stomach was genuinely upset most days. Doctors were at a loss of what to do with me because tests were always normal. It was just something I would have to deal with.

It wasn’t until college that I got a co-op placement at a high-end fashion boutique in Toronto that I finally got some answers. I was talking to a friend and colleague that day and she said that sounded like what used to happen to her, and recommended an herbalist. So, she gave me his name and address and I went to see him. Being a small-town girl, this whole thing seemed weird to me. I went into his shop and there were lots of herbs, and other different items in it and a slender man. After talking to him for a bit, he told me to eat clay, take a few other things, and stay away from dairy and wheat. I was skeptical as I thought food was food, but my friend had great results so I had nothing to lose. I started to notice quite a difference in my health, and energy levels. I no longer felt sick to my stomach anymore, which was amazing after having been dealing with it for over 10 years. I was so amazed that something so simple could make such a difference in my health. It also helped being in a big city, and it being ten years later as alternatives were more readily available. I was glad I took a chance on him even though it was a little out of my comfort zone.

After that experience, I have taken the holistic approach to my life, and have continued to learn about nutrition and wellness (both on my own, through alternative medical professionals, and through the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition). I want to know why something is happening so I can correct it and not just take a pill to cover up the symptoms.

Throughout the years I learned to listen to my body, and that different foods can have a powerful effect on both your physical and emotional self. Everyone’s needs are different, everyone’s bodies are different. If you’re not feeling great, you aren’t eating optimally for you! Let me help you get where you want to be!

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