Have you ever had friends, family, or neighbors ask why you’re doing what you’re doing, especially at an age when many might slow down?
I get that question a lot. I’m 63 years old, and here I am, certified in holistic nutrition and functional medicine, diving deeper into health and healing than I ever have before.
For those of you who don’t know my history, my journey here wasn’t an easy one. It’s a story of pain, perseverance, and ultimately, empowerment.
Growing up, I was always sick. Major sinus infections, joint pain, fatigue—you name it, I felt it. At one point, I was even diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
In our household, my mother, a nurse, handled everything the way she knew best: with pills. No one ever taught us about the importance of healthy eating or how food could be medicine. We just popped the pills and went on with life.
For 30 years, I worked as a flight attendant, pushing through the pain, the exhaustion, the weight gain and loss cycles, the willpower battles. And no matter how many pills I took, nothing seemed to really help. I kept getting sicker, and the weight kept coming back.
Eventually, my functional doctor sat me down and said, “If you don’t retire, you won’t be alive in two years.” I had hit my breaking point. I was done with the constant cycle of sickness, weight gain, fatigue, and pills. I wanted more from life, more from my body, and more from my health. I wanted to heal—not just mask the symptoms with another pill, but truly, deeply, and holistically heal.
And here’s the thing I’ve learned along the way: it’s not just conventional medicine that can lead us astray. Even in the world of functional medicine, there’s a tendency to treat with supplements and pills rather than seeking the true root cause of the issue.
Healing isn’t just about throwing herbs or minerals at a problem; it’s about understanding *why* you’re sick, tired, or out of balance in the first place. Why is your energy drained? Why is your skin breaking out? Why is your heart racing?
And how can we get to the root cause to heal, rather than just managing symptoms? Functional medicine opened my eyes to the power of food as medicine. When you learn to eat the right foods for your body, everything can change.
Food can stabilize your mood, boost your energy, and help you feel alive again. And yes, functional medicine utilizes labs, supplements, and herbs to support this journey, but the goal isn’t to be reliant on those things forever.
The goal is to help your body remember how to heal itself so that you can return to true health—physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
It hasn’t been an easy road, but I wanted to heal more than anything. When my nutritionist told me to make changes, I did it. I followed the protocols, sometimes to the extreme, and quickly learned that healing is about balance.
Slow and steady wins the race. You don’t want to rush through the process, but you also don’t want to drag it out. You have to find that rhythm where your body can heal without overwhelming it. Healing takes courage, discipline, patience, and the belief that you *can* heal.
Surrounding yourself with people who support and encourage you is key. And trust me, when you commit to this path, you’ll find that your body, your family, and even your neighbors will notice. You’ll become a different person. You’ll feel empowered in ways you never imagined.
At 63, I’m happier, healthier, and more fulfilled than I’ve ever been in my life. But don’t be fooled—it wasn’t all joy and bliss along the way. Some days were hard. Pain came up, old emotions surfaced, and I questioned if I was making progress. But then, there were the breakthroughs—the moments where I realized how far I had come, and I thought to myself, *Why did I wait so long to start this journey?*
One of the most beautiful things I’ve learned through this process is that healing isn’t just about the destination—it’s about the relationships you build along the way. In the work I do now, I get to build those relationships with my clients. I don’t just offer guidance or advice; I walk with them through their journey. We become friends. I get to witness their progress, cheer them on, and celebrate their wins, no matter how big or small. And it fills my heart with such joy to see the miracles that unfold every single day.
So why am I doing this at 63? Because it’s never too late to reclaim your health. It’s never too late to choose healing over sickness, to prioritize your well-being over quick fixes, and to live a life that truly feels good. I’m living proof that you can transform your health, your life, and your mindset, no matter where you are in your journey. And I’m here to tell you that if I can do it, so can you.
Let’s do this together.