A journey of my own

I was your typical American girl growing up in a big family of nine. I ate your normal typical American meals; pizza, hot dishes, a lot of fish, beef, venison, milk and cheese (as my dad was an avid fisherman and hunter).

At the young age of 3, tragedy struck our family. I lost my sister who died at the age of 4, due to being born with a hole in her heart. I didn't quite understand what went on and why she suddenly disappeared. Being so young I did not realize what was I was feeling. I started to go down a path that would impact my life in a very unexpected way. I started to deal with extreme anxiety as a young girl; not really understanding the whys of this at that time. As I grew into my teens I still experienced anxieties (I remember my mom having me breathe into a paper bag-she told me that I do this not only when I was afraid but when I was happy-again this did not make a lot of sense), As I got to school age; there were a lot of fears and tears as I struggled with feelings of low self-esteem; comparing myself to others and even my siblings. So when I graduated high school; I began my own personal journey of health. I began working out regularly; this helped me with some of the anxieties I still struggled with. I tried my best to eat, what I thought was healthy. I was never a fan of fast food and was not a big soda drinker. I really did not even care for candy. However, I love my chocolate; today the darker the better.

Life was good until tragedy hit our family once again as my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and died at the young age of 71.; my mom 8 years later with a form of dementia. Now I truly experienced what it meant to feel the loss of a someone very close to me; I lost my appetite and dropped a lot of weight. At this time, I did not put together what we ate or what we were exposed to as the reason for the diseases my family experienced. My anxiety got worse; and came back with a vengeance due to the loss of my parents. I was then put on something for my anxiety. I still, at this time, did not associate food to be an issue or even that it could have an impact on my anxiety but did realize that staying healthy and working out seemed to help it.

Apparently, health was in my blood as I started a career as a medical transcriptionist for 11 years but seeing all of the health problems and the long lists of medication these patients were put on made me want to be on the preventative side of things, so I made my love for fitness into a career and became a fitness instructor as well as a certified personal trainer. As you can see through my journey, health was hiding out inside as it became more of a passion. I started asking why and how things were happening.

I continued to learn about fitness, nutrition and how the body functioned. I continued to make healthier choices. Then one day I stumbled on a Facebook challenge; 5 days of vegan eating; I thought why not. Was it an overnight epiphany? No but it showed me how I could feel without eating meat. However, growing up fishing with my dad I still had a love for seafood; so, I became a pescatarian, then gradually cut all meat out, and then cheese. (my daughter was diagnosed at the age of 10 of having a form of celiac and not being able to tolerate milk; I also was having issues with it as well; something I found out later in life can run in the family; more so in women). So, I have been off gluten and dairy for most of my adult life.) Was this an easy journey? No, but well worth it.

Suddenly another loss....my beautiful niece had been battling her own health issues that landed her in a care facility for most of her adult life. I came to her aid and moved in with my sister to help; talking to the doctors, staff, cooks at the facility and working with my nieces struggles. However, her battle was lost at the young age of 38. Now my desire to help people was in full force. My reason for starting this website.

So, you may wonder; how is my anxiety doing? I have gotten myself off of my medications, I love to juice and absolutely love eating a plant-based diet and feel great at the young age of 60. So, my journey has led me to helping others on their journeys to better health.

I will be sharing nuggets of knowledge that can help you gain an understanding of the whys and how's our bodies struggle with disease, sleeping issues, the aches and pains we feel along with so much more. I will offer different challenges that will also help you see how making certain changes can make your body feel and do it in the way that works for you.

All I ask of you is to allow yourself to be vulnerable and give change a chance and celebrate your successes along the way.

Lets start your Journey to a healthy life full of vitality!!!!!!