I'm a coach, activist, advocate, and educator. My mission is to help high-performing women with Thyroid and Hashimoto’s disease regain consistent and reliable energy so they can work to achieve their dreams by maximizing each day at work and with their family, and feel amazing.
I am a certified women's health coach, thyroid and hormone specialist, and environmental toxins educator. As a functional medicine health coach, I look at the foundations of your health to lead us to the root cause of your health issues and to support you in your healing journey.
In my practice, I support women struggling with Hashimoto’s and Thyroid Disease, as well as women with chronic illnesses like Lyme. One of my passions is working with moms concerned about early-onset puberty and educating girls on body literacy so they can make informed choices about their health.
I hold a Master’s Degree in Health Science and am a certified Integrative Women's Health Coach. I have earned multiple certificates, including; IWHI Hormones 101, Functional Nutrition Lab Digestive Intensive, a certificate in Environmental Health from Lara Adler an expert on environmental toxins and integrative health, and Nicole Jardim's Fix Your Period Apprenticeship. I am currently working towards certification in Functional Medicine through the School of Applied Functional Medicine.
Why Should We Work Together?
The short answer, I am just like you.
I spent my late teens on numerous rounds of antibiotics and steroids from chronic tonsillitis and mono. I gained weight, slept poorly, had zero energy, and super heavy periods. I was given the pill to regulate my periods and help with teen acne. I believe that chronic illness, so many antibiotics, and the pill contributed to many of the health issues I had later in life. At the time, I didn’t understand just how out of balance my hormones were, or that the beautiful valley, full of fruit trees (and pesticides) that I had grown up in was contributing to my health issues.
In 2004, I had an unexplained illness that left me unable to eat much of anything, and I lost close to thirty pounds. I couldn’t drive, was missing too much work, and could barely function. Test after test was inconclusive, but when I stopped eating gluten I felt better. So, I went gluten-free and started feeling better and remained gluten free for about 3 years. At that point, I was feeling pretty good.
In 2008, I got married and about six months later we found out we were pregnant. We lost the baby at 8 weeks and stopped trying for a couple of years, and I went back on the pill. In 2011 we again lost a baby at 8 weeks. We were living in Lebanon and I was seeing an OBGYN/Endocrinologist. It was because of that Doctor, that we found out I had a genetic factor that was causing me to lose babies at 8 weeks and that I also needed folate instead of folic acid which could be dangerous for me in pregnancy. It was at this time that I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. We followed the protocol set by my medical team and 9 months later we had a beautiful baby girl.
Two years later I found I was pregnant again. We followed the same protocol and the pregnancy was healthy. However, mid way through my pregnancy, I was bitten by an insect, and the bite wouldn’t heal for months. We were living in Cambodia, and no one could figure out what the bite was from. I didn’t get sick from it, so we thought it was fine. I had my second daughter in Bangkok and we both seemed healthy. About a month after the birth I ended up with an intrauterine infection and was given a massive dose of antibiotics. Everything seemed to be fine and we went back to Cambodia for the final months of our time there.
Fast forward to our move to the United States 5 months later. I was feeling lethargic, moody, really many things that all new moms feel, but thankfully I had a wonderful Naturopath in Seattle who looked for the root cause, and didn’t just tell me that what I was feeling was normal. She did a huge number of tests on me and the tests came back positive for Lyme, recurrent mono, parasites, adrenal fatigue, and systemic inflammation from multiple infections. We worked out a nutrition and lifestyle wellness plan to help me start healing.
The journey wasn’t easy, my knees swelled to the point that I couldn’t walk, and I still felt terrible for months. I was caring for a newborn and toddler and my husband was traveling for months at a time. But with the help of my tribe, nutrient rich food, movement, supplements, and sleep I started healing. In 2016 I had to have a tooth extraction from a poorly done filling, and due to my chronic health issues, I received a bridge instead of an implant. I didn’t realize that people with chronic illness often reject implants. Having the extraction resolved many of the symptoms I was facing at the time.
Today, I am still on my journey to vibrant health. In 2017, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s which has led to further nutrition and lifestyle modifications, but overall I feel so much better. I know what it feels like to be at the bottom end of health and hormonal imbalance, and I know what it feels like to feel good, and how much what we eat and are exposed to affect us. As of January 2019, my Hashimoto's is in remission due to the nutrition and lifestyle changes I made. Food truly is medicine. As a Lyme and Hashimoto's warrior, I truly see the need for an integrative approach to women's healthcare.
My own journey has prepared me to help you, the woman struggling to overcome your own hormonal health issues, the woman who wants to heal and lead a vibrant and healthy life.
I’ve lived in Iraq, Lebanon, Cambodia, Nigeria, and Curacao
I have two precocious super silly daughters
My youngest daughter was born in Thailand
I love Matcha tea
I am a newbie mountain biker
I love the ocean, it instantly calms me
I have two rescue dogs. One West African Village dog and one Westpointer from Curacao
Get on the waitlist!
Coming Fall 2023 get on the waitlist for my new book about coping with complex chronic illness, navigating an unpredictable life, and living overseas. Sign-up to be the first to know when pre-ordering opens!