Hi!  Thank you for being here and taking the time to read my story. I hope it can lead you to finding some answers or at least make you feel not so alone, as you may be able to relate to some of what I've gone through.

Like most Americans, I grew up on a S.A.D (Standard American Diet); eating primarily fast food and processed frozen, canned & boxed foods. I thought processed food WAS FOOD! (It's ironic that the acronym spells out SAD, because it is! lol ) I didn't try a salad until I was in my early 20's! (I'm 37 now)  I had been overweight most of my life and on top of that I was always lethargic. 

I finally hit a point where enough was enough, I wanted to feel better and be comfortable in my own body!

So I set out on a journey to do so!

It wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. I started with finding a conventional doctor, and from there, saw conventional doctor after conventional doctor, because nothing was changing. I felt like a pinball in a pinball machine! 

In 2010, I decided to get the book Master your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels. This is where my eyes were first opened up to toxins & how it wreaks havoc on one's health!
I had to know more! I went into total research mode. This led me to reading more books based on health & wellbeing and scouring the internet for all things related. I then started looking for alternative care and other healing modalities in my area and giving them a try!
I believe knowledge is only power, if we implement what we learn. 

In 2012 I started doing yoga on a pretty consistent weekly basis and a shift happened. I went inward and started connecting with myself. THIS WAS HUGE! I had no idea how disconnected I truly was. Nor what was transpiring until a later date, as over time, yoga made me feel more grounded, calm and content with my life & myself. Which gave me the strength to remove myself from a toxic relationship and to seek out therapy (I still am in therapy and a huge advocate for it! I have more to my story than what you'll read here).  From this, I wanted to deepen my knowledge of yoga, so I went to become a yoga instructor and obtained my yoga teacher training certification in 2014.

During my journey, I also stumbled upon the Paleo diet, as I was trying to learn what I should be eating.  This diet helped me understand whole foods vs processed food and how processed foods (junk foods & fast foods) negatively affect one's body, mind & soul.   
I was able to lose 30lbs. l felt better in my new body, but wasn’t fully feeling the energy & vitality I wanted.
So I decided to try the Keto diet for a few months, but no change either. (And later learned that this diet is meant to be short term, as it is not healthy.) 
Next I tried the whole foods plant based diet for a year.  It was new to me to eat so much raw fruit & veggies! This made me realize my emotional ties to food. I was able to experience the power of vegetables and fruits, but it was not a sustainable diet for me. Although, I was using supplements to make up for the nutrients meat provided, I found out the hard way that MY personal biochemistry needs meat(some people do better with less meat in their diets, I just don't happen to be one.), as I experienced the following: gaining back the weight (and then some), seeing stars, having hot flashes and on two separate occasions, I went to the E.R. thinking I was showcasing heart attack symptoms but later found out it was extreme anxiety!   Once I brought meat back into my diet, I immediately started feeling better.  
I also gave intermittent fasting a try and found out that was not good for me either. It stressed out my body by not stabilizing my blood sugar; which caused a lot of ups and downs in my mood & energy.  

From my journey, I was able to see that conventional doctors working within the same network, do not team up together, to look at the person as a whole.
I needed a more holistic/functional/integrative approach in order to get the answers I was looking for. 

I sought out a Functional Medicine Doctor and got more insight into my health. I found out I have MTHFR, pyrrole disorder, gut & hormonal imbalances.  
(Please note:  I still see a conventional/western medicine doctor. I am grateful for western medicine for acute situations!)  
I also sought out a local herbalist.
 
I had to do more than just change my diet. I had a lifestyle overhaul. This had a lot of challenges. It was still new to me, to put myself first.  At the time I lost a lot of "friends",  as I no longer wanted to consume alcohol or stay up late and deprive my body of sleep.  (REST is SO important for healing AND maintaining a healthy life!)

Sometimes we hang on to an unhealthy lifestyle/habits, because we're scared to let go of the people around us who also have unhealthy habits.  We may tell ourselves, "If everyone else is doing it, it can't be that bad."
The familiar feels safe; outside of our comfort zone, it feels scary. 
So, we stay in situations that are not in our best interest.  I've learned this is an example of self abandonment. 
 Humans are meant to be a part of a tribe and if we do something that might jeopardize us being kicked out of the pack, we're less likely to do so. 
 
My path to wellness was lonely. It didn't have to be. I wish I had someone like a Health Coach to give me support, accountability and be a resource to help me come up with ideas on how to find a new tribe. That is part of why I became a Health Coach, in the hopes of being that for someone else! This is also why I offer community hikes and women's circles.  
 

What is Functional Medicine?

"It's an individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that addresses the underlying causes of disease and promotes optimal wellness.

It requires a detailed understanding of each patient’s genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors and leverages that data to direct personalized treatment plans that includes dietary & lifestyle changes to get you back to feeling your best."

I obtained my certification through the Functional Medicine Health Coaching Academy. Which is an approved and accredited Health and Wellness Coach Training & Education Program by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)! 
*A word of caution, if you choose to work with a different Health Coach please make sure they are certified and not someone claiming to be one, when their M.O. is to sell you supplements.  I DO NOT SELL NOR CAN I RECCOMEND any supplements or food plans to you, as that is out of my scope of practice.  Only a Doctor or Nutritionist can do that.

"Functional Medicine Health Coaches know there’s more to a healthy lifestyle than fad diets and unsustainable exercise regimens. There’s a gap between what clients know they need to do to be healthy and the intrinsic motivation they need to actually make and sustain those changes. Coaches bridge that gap."

I can empathize with you, because I've personally been there!
I know the hardships and I understand.
  Let my experience help save you, your valuable time & money!
I am a bucket of resources to help you along your health journey!
You don't have to go at it alone.

If you're ready to be a healthier version of yourself, then                          to set up a FREE 15 minute Discovery Call to meet with me & see how Health Coaching would benefit you! =)

 There are layers to each one of us and we have mental, physical & spiritual parts of us. It takes time.
I am still on my healing journey, hence the name of my business being called "Healing WITH Khristine"
I continue to learn through reading more books and taking more classes/courses.
I've taken classes to learn about EFT technique, Meditation, Tai-Chi, & Qi Gong, Healing Touch energy work.
I have completed a two year "Friends & Family" Herbalist program