My journey has led me to the beautiful gift of being able to ignite a passion for wellness beyond just treating symptoms. I have been in healthcare since 2001, when I graduated with my degree in nursing. One of my mentors during my nursing program had said to me that I was a "diamond in the rough." This led me down a path of wondering in each moment whether I was a diamond shining OR rough edges? I realized quickly I was never satisfied with my knowledge base and constantly striving to learn more.
After several years I found a hunger to further my profession, and by completing my master’s degree I could burn a little brighter as a Family Nurse Practitioner. The first several years in this new profession I was taking care of very sick patients with constant side effects from the drugs I prescribed to treat the symptoms of a deeper problem. This stirred a fire in my belly to search for treat that deeper root cause.
After my own personal crisis with autoimmune disease in 2003, I innately felt there must be a better way to treat the immune system gone array. I was forced to do radiation to my thyroid and be on supplemental thyroid hormone for life. It wasn’t until my firstborn was diagnosed with a terrifying autoimmune disease called ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenia) that I embraced the non-conventional world. After almost 3 months of hospitalizations, failed infusions of immunoglobulin (IVIG), and high dose steroids, I decided there was no way I would consider our last option-a chemotherapeutic drug called Rituximab. I was more motivated than ever to find another way. I had been following a few mentors (Robb Wolf & Chris Kresser) and heard about the autoimmune diet. I decided I would put my last ditch effort into the ring, little did I understand the power of a nutrient dense/anti-inflammatory food. This diet actually reversed my child's autoimmune disease in less than 1 week. No more drugs were ever needed. Let me be clear that I understand medications can be powerful and needed, but I now know there are many ways we can nudge our bodies to heal without medications. My favorite saying is from the father of medicine Hippocrates: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
This fire has now been burning for many years and led me back to school as a Functional Medicine Practitioner through the Kresser Institute of Functional Medicine in 2016. I also have completed special training in Perineural Injection Treatment-a non-drug way to treat pain.
I am more motivated today to shine bright while Igniting others to find their unique journey towards Vitality. No more band aids to fix the problem... let’s get to the root cause and guide our bodies toward healing itself.
Education:
• Carolinas College of Health Sciences. Associates in Nursing, 2001
• University of NC at Charlotte, Bachelors in Nursing, 2003
• University of NC at Charlotte, Masters in Nursing, 2010
• Lyftogt Perineural Injection Treatment, Master Class, 2016
• Kresser Institute Functional Medicine and Ancestral Health, 2016
• Dozens of advanced training seminars in Nursing, Nutrition, and Functional Medicine.
