Posts classified under: Image

    Categories Optimism, Perspective

    Perspective Shift

    Our perspective is based on our life experiences, current situations, feelings, beliefs and stress.  It is impacted by our families and friends as well.  It may seem difficult at times to shift your perspective from negative to positive when life becomes too challenging.  Our life experiences change constantly making our perspective ever changing also.  Yet, it is the key to finding joy, peace and happiness in our lives.  Al Neuharth once said, “the difference between a mountain and a molehill is your perspective.”   I love this quote because it shows that our perspective can shift the way we look at our life, even in the worst situations.  And through my challenges I have connected with this belief that perspective makes things magical even amidst chaos.  On those difficult days,  shifting my perspective and recognizing my progress helped place life into focus unveiling the positive moments of each day.

    Creating this shift in perspective is a lifestyle choice.  It requires persistence, perseverance, consistency and repetition.  And through this process you begin to learn, heal and evolve through the challenge’s life brings.  My journey started 13 years ago and there were plenty of bumpy roads and rollercoaster experiences.  But I knew deep inside that I needed to heal the physical body to create a foundational support system.  And that made space for me to work on the trauma and abuse that had been hiding beneath the surface.  Albert Einstein once said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” And that was exactly what I learned along the way.  The more I focused on mindfulness, gratitude, self-love and perspective the easier life felt.  I felt happier, even if turmoil lurked in every corner or crevice.  We may not be able to predict the future or clear all the obstacles that may come our way, but we do have the power to choose to shift our perspective and find the blessing in each moment.

    Changing your perspective is never easy.  It takes time, consistency, perseverance and persistence.  It takes practice to shift your mind from a negative thought into a positive outlook.  After all, shifting the negative voice in our heads may require our attention a multitude of times per day. Some days are usually easier than others.  But, on those difficult days, filled with challenges the negative voice often gets into overdrive. And those stressful days require constant redirection and may feel overwhelming.  I must emphasize, it was not easy but it was absolutely worth the effort.  When I began to see challenges through this new perspective, I recognized each experience was an opportunity.  And the difficult, overwhelming and stressful days diminished exponentially. And suddenly things from my bucket list, no longer felt impossible.  And I began to work towards the future, as I realized my daily visualization were helping me keep the shift more stable.

    My perspective has been shifting consistently on my journey to healing the emotional and physical root of my chronic illness, severe digestive issues and anxiety.  But like anything in life healing goes through phases: physical, emotional , mental and spiritual.  The first 10 years were physical and geared towards healing by reducing prescriptions and symptoms of disease and illness.  The last 3 years were spiritual and emotional geared towards reducing overwhelming feelings by unravelling the root cause of my illness, trauma and self-limiting beliefs.  The quote that paved the way for my perspective shift was, “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change” by Wayne Dyer. And this premise gave me insights to begin some mindfulness practices that helped shift my perspective and fuel my day with a positive outlook. And I will share a few of those strategies that fueled me over the years.

    Strategies to Shift your Perspective:

    1. Breathe Deep and slow – take in 10 slow deep breaths with your eyes closed. My favorite is the 5-5-5 breath.  Imagine you are moving the air up your spine to the crown of your head. Breath in 5 seconds. Hold your breath for 5 seconds. And exhale slowly.
    2. Lay down in dragonfly position and combine with 5-5-5 Breath.  A great way to start your day with a new energy and perspective.
    3. Take 5 minutes to meditate or listen to a guided meditation.  A simple meditation is to visualize your day.  Imagine each moment from self-care, meals, meetings, driving, etc.  Imagine them all happening beautifully.  And focus on noticing the way you feel in those moments.
    4. When that negative voice pops into your head, recite an affirmation and take several deep breaths as you let it sink in.  You can try, “I am worthy of living, loving and having the dream.”  Or “I am good enough and I will get through this.”

    Now, it is up to you. Do you choose to shift your perspective?  Do you choose to find the blessings amidst the chaos?  Do you choose to make lemonade out of lemons? Yes, well it all starts with self-love, mindfulness and a decision to make the shift.  I hope you feel inspired to practice some self-loving perspective shifts and begin to experience the magic in your life.

    Categories Optimism, Perspective

    Making Lemonade with Life’s Challenges 

    Let’s face it, life brings us plenty of obstacles.  We face challenges and obstacles all day long.  And sometimes the challenges can feel like you are carrying bricks on your shoulders.  The difficulties we face in life place an emotional and physical toll on our body, mind, and psyche.  And it is often hard to shift our perspective when the stress just keeps piling up on us.  I know I felt life was overwhelming.  And during those stressful times, I often felt like curling up in bed and hiding.  But that isn’t always an option.  We have to keep moving forward.  We may not always do it for ourselves. But we do it for our families or those we love.

    I used to wake up every day with a sour stomach and anxiety.   I was stressed from the moment I opened my eyes till I closed them again at night.  I didn’t realize at the time that it was my nightmares that were causing such an intense physical and emotional reaction.  But after years of tackling the physical root of my symptoms, it was time to face the facts and deal with the emotional root of everything.

    As I began my journey, I started to follow a daily principle, I learned from Wayne Dyer;

    “Change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

    I used this premise to reflect on my stressful moments and find the blessing in challenges.  I learned from the dark moments to find meaning in each experience.  Trust me life was not easy.  And some days I cried often. On other days I experienced excruciating physical pain or headaches.  But I kept switching my perspective and focusing on the positive.  I made slow but steady progress.  Abd some days, I woke up smiling and singing.  I started to wake up happy, excited, and motivated.  Rather than stressed, overwhelmed and anxious.  And the nightmares began to diminish in the process. And soon the bright days outnumbered the dark ones.

    And the new perspective and joy gave me the courage to face my biggest challenge in life.  I was ready to face my trauma, which literally gave me that sour taste in the morning.  It was time to go back in time, re-experience my sexual abuse and find the blessing in a horrible situation.  I knew it was time to learn the lessons and forgive myself for something that was never my fault.  But as most people facing similar hardships, self-forgiveness is often the most difficult to achieve.  I kept focusing on a positive outlook and finding the lessons each day.  And suddenly the dark days diminished, bringing more days of sunshine and hope.

    I learned to praise my progress and recognize my success often.  It was a premise, I later called Progress, not Perfection.  And at the end of 2021, I realized I had made lemonade out of lemons.  I had faced my fears. I had seen everything I experienced as a little girl. I had seen everyone that was involved.  I recognized all the beliefs those experiences had created in my life.  And as I unraveled the self-limiting beliefs everything started to change. As I let go of the sense of unworthiness my life began to bring new blessings.  And as I realized, “I am good enough,” everything began to look brighter.  And little by little, the bitter taste in my mouth began to disappear.  The sour stomach disappeared.  The chronic shoulder tension from bearing the weight of a 35-year secret was relieved.  And finally, I began to feel like my happy, energetic, and joyful self again.

    And one day, I realized life had become lemonade.  Suddenly the lemons of daily stress no longer brought me down.  I was able to find blessings and lessons each day.  And I was able to make sweet lemonade with each sour moment.  I knew it was time to share this perspective shift and guide others to see the blessings amidst the chaos.  And in November 2021, I created a Lemonade Meditation.  A short-guided meditation to face challenges and find the blessings.  The lemonade meditation is a little piece of the magic that came from this new outlook on life. And it was a great way for me to guide others to use their 5 senses to re-experience life’s challenges in a new light. Over the months, I have shared it with friends and small groups.  And today, I am grateful to share it with you.

    Thankfully the days of waking up with indigestion, anxiety, and sour stomach are behind me.  But it all started by choosing to find the blessing amidst the chaos, making lemonade out of lemons, and recognizing the progress along the way. If I learned anything on my journey, it is the power of self-love and forgiveness that sets you free.  But most of all, making lemonade out of the sour moments brings sunshine and sweetness to each day.

    Categories Uncategorized

    Peace in Chaos

    It has been a long time since I published an article.  As I healed from my abuse and focused on forgiveness, life took me to a place of falling apart to rebuild myself.  I learned that we find our light in the darkness.  And we find our joy in the pain.  And we find our clarity in the fog.  We may not always notice the blessing in those difficult times but it is those dark moments that help us find our voice, vision and passion again.  It is funny that I had to fall apart to recognize that my soul had a vision but I had skipped a few steps on that path.  And building myself back together helped me realize living in the moment, recognizing the blessing and finding gratitude made the journey exponentially easier.  I had spent all my life pushing against the current.  I had always gotten a vision and forced myself into that role even if I wasn’t ready.  I had always created the perfect scenario for self-sabotage to creep in and stop my progression.  But the moment I changed the way I looked at daily life and recognized the lesson in each day, life drastically changed.  And day by day, I began to see that life doesn’t have to be difficult, if we listen, see, speak, taste, smell, and feel each moment.  So I invite you to slow down, savor the moment, even the difficult ones because there is a lesson there.  And the quicker you recognize the lesson and express gratitude for the life you have now, the quicker your dreams become reality.  And I invite you to make lemonade out of those lemons.  I invite you to find the sweetness in the sour.  Because life is short and each moment is meant to bring you closer to your joy.

    Peace in Chaos 

    Breathe my dear shed your fear.

    Feel my dear your dream is near.

    Sense my dear let the stress melt away.

    Taste my dear the sweet is in the sour.

    Smell my dear your peace is near.

    See my dear, the blessings are in the chaos.

    Breathe in your calm and release your fear.

    Feel the peace, release your resistance

    Sense the shift, allow peace to enter.

    Taste the sweetness in your sorrow.

    Smell the calm amidst the chatter.

    See the blessings my dear they are all around you.

    Categories Uncategorized

    Sunshine in Paradise

    Manifesting dreams into reality takes time and patience but it does happen to real people.  I started visualizing myself traveling to beautiful beaches and distant places when I began my healing journey years ago.  I learned along the way that sometimes we manifest things but if we aren’t living present and in the moment we don’t appreciate the blessing we have.  I have been blessed with many trips over the past few years and practiced plenty of mindfulness, self-love and gratitude to live in the present during each visit.  But sometimes it can be difficult with our stressful lives and our emotional triggers.  Emotional and physical symptoms can arise even in the most peaceful places.  I was blessed with a trip to Exuma with my son to Casa Mary with close friends.  It was a magical place filled with possibilities.  Yet on the first day, I had a migraine and felt disconnected from the magic of the moment.  I recognized it was time to practice self-love and find the root of my symptoms to unravel the reason behind this migraine in paradise.  I realized that I was feeling guilt and shame because my eldest son and husband stayed home to pursue baseball dreams.  Though it was not my fault and they were having fun on their own, the judge in my mind was blaming me for enjoying magic without them.  After reflecting and resolving the pain, I began to focus on gratitude for each moment and the stress melted away.  I shared a few magic moments and insights of this trip in my Self-Love community but was not ready to share with the world.  Usually on vacation my creative insights and writing is flowing but those little pesky emotions lingered under the surface.

    I had a vision of myself in a big Orange hat on the beach months before Exuma.  And I packed the big Orange hat.  The day I shared the poem in my group, I laughed thinking of Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat.  I realized I had subconsciously fulfilled the vision of a hurt little girl by living my dream with an Orange hat.  On the last day in paradise, I finally worked up the courage to take the pictures I had dreamed of in Exuma.  And the perfect opportunity came to spend time with my son and model for the camera.  I found plenty of beautiful places to show off the Orange hat and begin to unravel that creative mind through those pictures.

    Creativity finally came a few days after the trip as I enjoyed looking through the pictures and came upon a picture of the Orange hat sitting upon the rocks.  The visual inspiration helped me realize that sometimes life gives us darkness to guide us towards the light.  Life sometimes gets in the way of our dreams, passions and aspirations.  But the more we learn to find the blessings in the difficult moments the easier the journey becomes.  We experience challenges to give us the opportunity to grow and evolve.  Life is about making lemonade out of the lemons to find the sweetness in the sour.  Enjoy the poem written with love.

    Sunshine in Paradise

    The breeze calls to me
    soothing away the stress in my body
    The ocean calls to me
    washing away the doubt in my bones.
    The waves call to me
    Clearing away the judge in my mind.
    The sun calls to me
    Warming the courage in my soul.
    The birds sing to me
    Replacing the negative chatter in my mind.
    The butterflies fly to me
    Bringing hope and joy to my eyes.
    The waves come to my feet
    Cleansing my feet and inviting hope in
    The sand sticks to me
    Reminding me to dust away the fear
    The sun shines on me
    Refilling me with energy and vitality
    The breeze comes to me
    Reviving my senses with peace and tranquility
    The butterflies dance for me
    Reminding me there is light at the end of the tunnel
    The birds fly to me
    Bringing the courage to shine
    The sun caresses me
    Encouraging the courage to rise.
    The waves cuddle me
    Releasing the judge of my mind.
    The ocean soothes me
    Freeing my body from limitations.
    The breeze tickles me
    Reminding me that mother nature is on my side.

    Categories autoimmune, autoimmune crisis, Digestive Issues, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Fibromyalgia

    Grateful for My EDS III

    I know it sounds completely strange that I am grateful for my genetic debilitating condition.  I have Ehlers Danlos SyndromeBut the fact is that if I wouldn’t have been plagued with pain, symptoms and illness I wouldn’t have Published a book.  I am truly grateful for the years of pain, numbness and discomfort my condition gave me because it awakened me to the possibilities of a life without pain.  If I wouldn’t have lived most of my life in excruciating pain than I wouldn’t understand the gift of wellness I achieved.  So let me explain my pain a little better for you to understand the extent of my transformation.

    I began with symptoms in childhood with anxiety and digestive issues.  I don’t remember if I had physical pain at the time but I probably did.  I do remember I always had a Band-Aid or injury on the mend.  I did have a lot of infections, allergies, urinary tract infections and skin conditions.

    Fast forward to 8th grade, I already had pain in my neck and right arm.  The digestive issues were worse and feminine issues emerged. I began having frequent vaginal infections and chronic menstrual cramps.  The feminine issues progressively worsened because of my allergies to ingredients in feminine products but I had no idea.

    Fast forward to adult life, I spent countless hours at doctors’ offices and specialists because all the symptoms were overwhelming.  I was on tons of prescriptions and antibiotics regularly.  My debilitating symptoms progressed to the point where my right arm and right leg were completely numb.  My pain level was 9/10 constantly and needed modifications at work through ergonomics assessments.

    The conditions worsened with stress and during my nursing career disability emerged. II had a special chair which had neck, lumbar and butt support. And this chair took years to find after many alternatives didn’t work.  My arm was in so much pain that during my MSN education I had to get transcription to software o write my papers and assignments. I had a multitude of symptoms at this point in my life: reflux, IBS, bloating, injuries, skin infections, UTIs, vaginal infections, chronic pain, migraines and fatigue.  Wow I know that is a lot for anyone to handle.  It was a tough life but it made me the woman I am today.

    I am grateful and thankful for all those symptoms because they created an awareness inside me to change.  If I wouldn’t have been at rock bottom and filled with symptoms I wouldn’t have fought for a better life.  If I wouldn’t have known the truth about pain I wouldn’t have known there was a better way of life.  My awareness of discomfort pushed me into action.

    And those two beautiful gifts are part of what I teach today in my book, “The Truth about IBS and Anxiety.”

    The book is more than a triumph over digestive issues, bloating and anxiety.  It is a triumph over autoimmune disease, Fibromyalgia, insomnia, POTS, EDS III, Reflux, and Anxiety.

    My path to understanding my body came from a place of pain but it brought me to a deep sense of relief.

    So here I am almost 43 years old and in the best shape of my life.  I am more active now than I ever was in my teens and young adult life.  I have more energy, strength and vitality than I ever dreamed.  But if I wouldn’t have come from such a dark and lonely place I wouldn’t have achieved it.  And that is why, I created a Podcast, “Goddess Unleashed’ because I truly believe “Your Medical History doesn’t have to be Your Fate.”  If I could overcome a genetic condition that progressively debilitates you into a life of surgeries, physical therapy and immobility; than you can overcome your own genetic predisposition.

    The day I was diagnosed was an eye opening experience because the doctor praised me for everything I was doing to support myself.  And this came at a time when I was still plagued by pain.  And because I came from such a dark place I truly see, feel and experience the gifts I have been given.  I am truly grateful and thankful for my new life without pain and symptoms.  I am thankful that I don’t need prescriptions, surgeries and conventional treatments.  And that unique perspective is what I share on my podcast to bridge the gap between Conventional and Alternative Medicine on a path towards disease prevention and health promotion.  If you are looking for a way out of your debilitating symptoms, indigestion or anxiety than schedule your Free Clarity Call.  You have nothing to lose because you are already plagued by symptoms.  But you have everything to gain if and when you achieve your own unique wellness. Download journal tips, meditations and a FREE Copy of the book.

    Categories Uncategorized

    Perception is Key!

    Yesterday, I wrote about the power of our words.  We don’t always realize the impact our words have on others.  But today let’s reflect and go inward to the deepest and darkest place within us.  Our perception of the world around us impacts our reality.  The way we perceive interactions, communication, relationships and events creates havoc inside our bodies.  This distortion of reality makes us feel unsafe, unworthy, undesirable, unlovable and so much more.  These are only a few of those hurtful feelings and emotions that arise as our minds are taken over by Negative Nancy and Negative Norm.  Yep, there is a negative voice inside our heads. I call mine Negative Nancy and for those gentlemen in this space, your voice is Negative Norm.  The voice is constant and persistent.  And it can break you down to your core.  It can make you feel hopeless, helpless and alone.

     

    But it all starts with perception.  The way we perceive and internalize the way we experience the world impacts our physical and emotional wellness.  And now during this crisis it is essential to become clear and transform that perception to reduce the symptoms and stress we are experiencing.  Perception is something I gently brushed upon in my first book, The Truth about IBS and Anxiety.  But my next book is really going to dig into this unique pandemic experience to tackle the Root of our pain in exponential ways.  My next book, The Unleashed Technique – gets really clear on ways to tackle that internal perception and stop those illusions that keep us feeling stuck.  But for now, let me give you a piece of perception to guide you into a simple practice that is easily available to everyone.  This simple practice came to me at the cusp of publishing my first book and it supported me to appear on stage.  And it propelled me to get out of my own way and publish a children’s book which I wrote last summer.  And the reason it worked is it helped me go within and truly understand that there are two sides to any story.  And we live our lives telling ourself and others one version of the story that is very distorted.  And this distortion keeps us feeling frozen, stuck and helpless.  And those hurtful emotions and feelings stop us from truly accomplishing the things we desire most.  And it all begins with perception.

    Let me tell you a story to explain the two sides of the story that lives within us.  In November, I published a best seller and in the midst of something fantastic I let stress and overwhelm get in my way.  It stopped me dead in my tracks.  It left me feeling anxious, fatigued, stressed, overwhelmed and in pain.  All of these symptoms were because I was stuck in my story.  I was stuck in the story of me being a victim to the world.  I was stuck telling a story of being traumatized and hurt by a complete stranger and I let that get the best of me.  But now I know the story is very different and it served its purpose.  The purpose of that difficult time in my life was to get me here.  It was to get me out of my own way and share everything I have learned on this journey to wellness.  It was a way for me to really get clear and unite practices for evolution to support the community and my peers at the Frontline.  But first, I had to let go of my fears of being seen, being heard and being me.  These fears have been in my subconscious since childhood.  And I thought when I published my book in November of 2019 that I had surpassed them all but I was wrong.  My perception of reality was still holding me back.  I thought everything that was happening around me was an attack on me.  I allowed my story to take over my life and it broke me down over and over.

    Trust me the process was not easy.  Even this week, I have let go of a lot of past emotions that were keeping me frozen.  But there is so much freedom in letting go.  That is why in March of 2020, I finally broke my resistance and appeared on stage.  That is why I taught those ladies that it is essential to Release and Relax. I was nervous as heck the day before I revealed my truth on stage.  But I pushed through my own resistance and did something to help others see a little piece of hope at the end of hardship.  And now, I share this story to tell you that there is hope for you too.  Regardless of your current hardships, there is light and a rainbow at the end of the tunnel.  Some people may say I am being superficial or too frufru but I am not.  I have been at rock bottom many times.  I have felt excruciating physical and emotional pain.  I have picked up the pieces time and time again.  This week I finally worked through my perception and changed the story.  I realized that I have the power inside me to transform the way I feel about myself.  And it is time for me to practice what I teach and teach what I practice.  So here I am, being honest and true and telling you, perception is key.  And if you want to truly tackle your perception it begins with a very simple practice of transforming your handwriting.

    Trust me when I met my friend Josephine Diamond at the Author Training Academy, I had no clue that we were going to create unity in the world.  I had no idea that this simple practice was going to truly unveil the lies that my Negative Nancy had been telling me for 42 years.  But here I am sharing a simple practice that I have been doing every morning for almost 5 months.  And it all started with learning to write my own name in a new way.  It is such a simple practice that can create clarity and unity in your own home.  I made a commitment to myself that I was going to write every morning for 40 days.  And I have continued it several times.  Because each month that passed I noticed little leaps forward and big accomplishments.  I noticed the practice calmed my mind and centered my thoughts.  I noticed that even on the days I resisted and woke up early, I still did it.  I finally proved to myself that I commit to my word.  That when I promise to do something, I do it. And now it is finally time for me to share.  I invite you to my course, Crappy to Happy to learn how this simple practice of writing your name with pen and paper.  And I will guide you into some very easy practices to reduce stress, calm your nervous system and boost your immune system.  Trust me my journey to wellness was difficult.  But it doesn’t have to be that hard.  We all have the extra time now to change our story.  And it all begins with a pen and paper.  So if you truly want to transform your life and get out of your own way then join Josephine and I on this journey.  All you need is a pen, paper and your body.  We will guide you easily through the rest.

    I dedicate this too all my Frontline Friends that I left begin.  I wish I had the courage to show you these strategies when I was there with you. I wish I was strong and powerful to support you but now I am here to support you.  So join me in this special course I created just for you.  My friends that are caring for patients with Covid-19.  My friends in the Fire department.  My friends in the Hospital.  My friends in the Police Department.  And everyone in the service industry.  This is for YOU.

    Categories accomplishment, Advice, Anxiety, autoimmune, autoimmune crisis, Chronic Pain, Digestive Issues, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, fatigue, Fibromyalgia, gym, Health, hope, pain, Physical Pain

    Autoimmune Warrior

    What does it mean to be an autoimmune warrior?  It means you fight hard to overcome your symptoms and live the life you dream.  It means that there are battles and sometimes your fail but you get back up and do it again.  But most of all it means that once you finally succeed, it is time to share your story and help others accomplish the same.  It wasn’t an easy journey.  It was filled with obstacles and challenges.  It took me 7 years to perfect my process.  There were tons of rock bottom failures.  But we all learn from our mistakes.  That is when you find a way out, dust yourself off and do it again.  There were many times that I wanted to give up and eat junk food.  There were many times I wasn’t motivated to exercise.  There were plenty of hard days.  There were plenty of horrible days.  But every challenge I faced only made me stronger.  I have autoimmune leaky gut and a genetic syndrome called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.  The combination can be pretty debilitating and overwhelming.  If I wouldn’t have chosen to make my health a priority my life would be very different right now.  It wasn’t an easy decision to put myself before others.  After all I am a mom, wife and nurse.  All those amazing things means you put everyone else before you.  And I absolutely love doing that but when my health started to fail and it impacted my children’s joy, I stopped to reflect.  If I didn’t find a way out they would be faced with the hardships of having a chronically ill mom to care for and they didn’t deserve that fate.

    Leaky gut is a condition that allows particle of food to travel throughout your body.  These particles begin to wreck havoc everywhere.  Then your immune system begins to attack the food particles and your own body in the process.  Leaky gut and autoimmune disease is a backfiring of your own immune system.  Your body attacks itself creating physical symptoms and pain. I suffered from symptoms since childhood.  But I had no idea what or why it was happening until my 30s.  I’ve learned a lot on this journey to find wellness.  My journey took me through an educational journey to find answers for others that ended up helping me.  My career evolved from a Special Education teacher to a Registered nurse in hopes of helping children with special needs overcome their health battles.  And the amazing gift that unveiled was the very answered I needed for myself.  In the process my health eventually failed and crisis struck.  I desperately searched for a solution to my horrible digestive issues. Slowly my body began to heal and transform.  The journey helped me develop an incredible technique that I have used to support my clients and children.  I reduced and practically eliminated all my symptoms in my body.  And boy were those symptoms extensive.  I used to experience all of these symptoms almost daily: reflux, bloating, cramping, anxiety, fatigue, chronic pain, frequent illness, migraines, headaches, etc.  The symptoms became overwhelming and my life seemed to be falling apart.  I knew that there had to be a better way to live.  And I knew my children deserved better.  And I am so thankful and grateful for the journey that brought me here. But to truly understand the hardship, it is time to take you into a journey about genetics.

    I went to countless specialists and as my research evolved I knew there was a genetic condition behind all my extensive medical diagnosis and symptoms.  But it wasn’t easy to find.  I went to rheumatologists, Gastroenterologists, neurologists and then finally a geneticist.  And that was finally when I got the answer I was looking for, I was diagnosed with EDS III. Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a debilitating condition that impacts every organ, muscle and tissue of your body.  Most people with this condition have tons of surgeries and need assistive devices.  The pain and frequent injuries leave you feeling ashamed and useless.  Thankfully I was able to overcome that dreadful time in my life.  It has been amazing to see that I was able to develop a routine that has helped me become more active and energized.  It has been a long journey.  But I learned a lot along the way.  And the most valuable gift was that all genetic conditions, illnesses and diseases have a root cause that needs to be addressed synergistically for true success.  Trust me I was skeptical. I didn’t believe myself for years.  I didn’t truly accept that there were 2 root causes of my illness.  And then suddenly in 2019, as I wrote my book, “The Truth about IBS and Anxiety,” everything became crystal clear.  As I helped people heal, I truly began to see the transformations that were possible with my process and the gifts they experienced.  You see the truth about what I teach, is that it doesn’t only help mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa; it helps the kids and grandkids too.

    Think about it this way.  Reflect on your week or your month.  Was there a day that you were super stressed, anxious or overwhelmed?  Did it change the way you behaved?  Did it change the way you felt? Did it change the way you spoke to others?  Did it change their reaction? I bet if you truly think about it, you will say, YES, YES, YES.  I will give you an example.  My client, Demi, suffered from chronic illness, reflux, chronic pain and fatigue.  She felt hopeless and alone when we began working together.  She was sure she was doomed to fail and hopeless.  As we worked together to create a supportive routine for her, she began to transform easily.  Her weight seemed to melt away.  Her symptoms seemed to disappear.  Her energy and motivation increased.  And her life completely changed.  But it didn’t stop with her, it extended to the entire family.  Her husband and children began to eat healthier.  The more energetic and happy she became, the more fun and exciting their relationship became.  And her children began to change too.  When we started working together her youngest had anxiety and trouble sleeping.  He often complained of stomach aches and headaches.  As she began to improve the way she felt, their health began to change too.  She began to really see that her own health impacted the entire family.  She began to notice that the days she was stressed and overwhelmed, everyone was stressed and overwhelmed.  She noticed that when she screamed and lost her temper, her kids suddenly had a symptoms arise.  She noticed that when she wasn’t following her routine, it affected the world around her too.

    The beautiful gift she thanked me for her compassion and courage

    The funny thing is that I didn’t realize I gave her that gift until now.  I actually created that audio about courage and compassion for myself.  Because getting on camera, writing my book and sharing my story has been a difficult journey.  It has tested my resilience and perseverance.  It has tested my patience and kindness.  It has tested me in all facets of my life.  But Demi reminded me that my journey is not only to help women.  She reminded me by helping one person, I help everyone around them heal as well.  Because if one person can make a different to transform the world around them, imagine the possibilities if more people do the same.  We all deserve to feel happy, energized and vibrant.  We all deserve to thrive in life.  We all deserve to reach our ultimate potential.  And it all starts by working on yourself first.  I never thought I could overcome my chronic debilitating pain.  I though I was destined to live a life of pain and fatigue.  I thought that surgery and physical therapy was the only way to reduce my symptoms.  But now I surpassed all my physical limitations.  I went from a girl that never exercised or played sports because her pain was so intense.  To a girl that rock climbs, dances and repels down waterfalls.  And it all began with a decision to work on me first.  And the same magical transformations happen when my clients unveil their own healing powers.

    Categories Antioxidants, Digestive Issues, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, pain

    Extra, Extra, Calling All Nurses!!!

    I bet you remember those words “Extra Extra” from your childhood and anticipated something filled with joy. Do you remember the pride you had on graduation day? The desire to help others truly heal and feel better. We chose this noble profession to change the lives of those in our community. Everyone of you chose the exact population you wanted to help. Adults, children, or some got even more specific and difficult. Mine was the Pediatric Emergency. It was my dream to truly understand the link between developmental delays and chronic illness. I knew that my life’s purpose long ago was to help others. But it actually worked the opposite way. In my career to help others heal, find happiness, health and joy, I actually achieved that for myself. I was in need of the knowledge I acquired in order to truly transform my genetic predispositions and overcome my autoimmune disease. But the thing they didn’t teach us as nurses was that prevention was the most important factor in wellness. They mention it I know. But if you walked in my shoes you would have a very different story. You see my illness started as a child with poor nutrition. I enjoyed all the sugary treats and junk food. I didn’t eat any nutrient rich foods like vegetables and fruits. I hated them and preferred all the junk. But the problem was my genetics began to gain the power. My allergies began to flare. I was always at the hospital with Benadryl at home and Epinephrine and steroids. I was that kid that was always sick and stuffy. I spent my life on antibiotics and sugary foods. And things continued to get worse. My digestive unrest began to emerge and tummy aches became worse. And my hair began to fall out. That is the saddest thing of all. I loved my hair. It was thick luscious and long. I had long black hair to my butt. And each year I lost more and more. I spent over 20 years telling doctor’s I had a nutrient deficiency. But there was no acknowledgement of my thoughts and experience. They always told me I was fine. All my labs were perfect. But it continued to fall. There was no information about supplements or nutrients to support healing and repair. I asked and hoped for an answer but nothing ever came. My hair continued to fall and the result is what you see today. I’ll share a video tomorrow with my 15 year old picture in the background. Then you will understand my sadness. But let’s get back to me. The eternal patient that spent more time at the doctor than having fun. My stomach kept getting worse and my pain began to spread all over my body. I had no idea I had a genetic condition until 3 years ago. So this is my mind putting together all the pieces using everything I learned on my journey and in my profession. By middle school my menstrual cramps were debilitating and I always had vaginal infections. I learned during my nursing career that the issue was sensitivity. I was allergic to sanitary products. And wet bathing suites always gave me a yeast infection. And my neck was already tense and painful. My right arm began to lose sensation and pain became excruciating. My arm was strangled by toxins. Again I know this now because I no longer experience these symptoms using exactly what is in this book. And it all began with the gut. Because my genetic condition causes every part of my body to break down. Little by little it was tearing me apart and making me feel older and older. I didn’t play sports or do any exercise. And truly it was because I was in pain. Had I known then that the exercise and stretching would have relieved the pain. I would have wanted to know. If I would have known that eating nutrient dense supplements would help me feel better, I would have taken them. But back then none of that existed. But now at a time that everything exists our medical system fails to empower prevention and support the process. We have everything at our fingertips and can learn more to truly make a difference. We have the knowledge and expertise to change things for our community. We have the power to truly make a difference in a large scale. A movement of change to help children and families stop this life altering practice and focus on prevention. Call me and let’s brainstorm. I am planning community events to support wellness. Working with local organizations. Let’s create a movement for change. Call me or email me for details.

    P.S. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-III. If you haven’t heard of it before, then check it out. Then you will understand the extent of my illness. And you will truly understand how far I have come. If I can recover from that you can recover from anything too.

    Categories Anxiety, Digestive Issues, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Stop Bloat

    The Journey to Published!

    The journey to becoming Published was not easy. It didn’t just land in my lap. The path to create this book took me 7 years. It took me a 7 years to truly learn my body and overcome my IBS. It was more than a diet change to combat the overwhelming symptoms. The process would have been so much easier if I had a coach to guide me through it. But my path was perfectly set exactly as it was because I was meant to be the person to make the difference. I was created to change the world for others around me. My pain, heartache and struggles were a necessary part of my journey. Because they made me the woman I am today. And if I wouldn’t have overcome so much, I never would have published this book. I never would have transformed my career over the past 20 years from Special Education Teacher, to Nurse, to Professor, to Health Coach, to Hypnotist and finally Author. The journey was never meant to help me figure out my health problems. It was always leading me to a better good. A deeper purpose was always in my heart but luckily for me the path also brought me an awakening of my own gifts and self-healing emerged. And in the path to self-healing and wellness, I discovered a multitude of other gifts that had been hiding. I learned that my empathy could be transformed from a curse to a gift. I learned that my love for the community and helping others was in my path. I realized my career wasn’t set in stone. I realized I could be everything I dreamed and more. And in the process this amazing course by Angela Lauria landed on my lap. She popped up on my Facebook news feed in July and I loved every minute of the course. It spoke right to my heart and everything I had always dreamed. To be an author and share my truth. I took a leap and filled out the application. The universe didn’t make that easy either. I had to fill it out twice because it disappeared before I submitted it the first time. But I persisted and completed the application again. I never thought they would pick my story to be published. But they did. And my final interview happened in August while I was on family vacation in Hawaii. And the journey began. The path was not easy and it wasn’t supposed to be. It happened exactly how it was meant to unfold. I worked everyday balancing family life, full time nursing, and writing. I woke up most days between 4am and 5am when everyone else was sound asleep. I wrote till 6 am and got the kids ready for school. Then I left home before 7 to spend the day at the hospital. And I would return home again to finish what I had started in the morning. Some days were easier than others. Some days I finished a chapter in an hour. Some days the chapters didn’t flow at all. Some days were filled with anxiety and symptoms. Some days were filled with joy and love. But even on the hard days I pushed to overcome those obstacles and challenges. I worked to create a safe space for myself that would spark my creativity again. And the creativity would reemerge. And then one day all the chapters were finally written. Some needed an overhaul but they were written. And a sense of relief came over me. I had finally expressed my story on paper with a bigger purpose. I had finally overcome that fear of being seen and heard. That fear that had held me back this last year of evolution. I was finally on the path to my dreams. And it all started with a class about writing my book. This week has been amazing and stressful all in one bundle. Finally being a Published author can be checked off my list. But the path to help others truly transform their health and lives is just beginning to unfold. And yesterday was the hardest day of all. The day when all those pesky fears popped back into my mind. The fear of being seen and being heard. The fear of having it all reemerged in the middle of class. And tears began to roll down my face. In that moment I realized exactly who had made this all possible for me. But the emotions had never truly hit me until that moment. I wrote about him in the book but the tears had never flowed. I’ve told the story countless times but never really felt the emotions. My Angel that made all of this possible was a close friend and my own gastroenterologist, Dr. Angel Veloso. He told me 7 years ago that I needed to change or I was going to die. He told me Nursing was killing me and I needed a break. And if he wouldn’t have pushed me to leave the bedside I wouldn’t be here today. And that is why the tears ran down my face yesterday. The tears that not many saw. They all did notice my smile was not the same. My cheery upbeat attitude was hiding underneath. It was hard for me to speak to anyone when we went on break. I had to process all those emotions. I had to truly release those beliefs that triggered those feelings. And I did just that. I prayed, meditated and relaxed in the meditation room. I felt much more relaxed and centered. My fears were slowly drifting away. And then something was calling me back to the classroom. So I prayed and meditated some more in front of the giant crystalline stone. And suddenly I felt everything come back to place. I was my happy, energized and motivated self again. And I was thankful that the very person that opened this path for me was proud that I was on this journey. I had told him weeks ago about the book. And he was excited that I was going to help others with my story. And finally my inner strength and resilience reemerged to plan the path for the next year. I realize now the true potential within me that has unveiled. I finally see that I can truly help people thrive in life. And it all starts with the gut. So my path is set, my year is planned and my next journey is unfolding. The question I have for you is… Do you know someone that suffers from IBS and digestive issues? Do you have digestive issues or IBS? Are you willing to share your story to help me collect case studies for the book? Are you available for a call that could change your future? Do you want to eliminate the symptoms of IBS? Do you know someone that is overwhelmed and desperate for a solution to their symptoms? Then share this article with them. And if it is you than schedule a call. If you have IBS and are suffering with symptoms all the time. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Let’s chat….

    Categories Antioxidants, Anxiety, depression, Detox, Diet, fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Fitness, Health

    Case Study: Fibromyalgia

    Case Study: Fibromyalgia

    Author: Diane Vich

    Key words: Chronic Pain, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Depression, Anxiety

    Introduction:

    Betty Boop has suffered from chronic pain since childhood.  She developed juvenile arthritis at a very young age.  She was lonely as a child and enjoyed spending time with adults because there were no other kids around.  She was very creative and adventurous by creating her own friend that took adventures with her.  She remembered naps part of her regular routine for her since childhood.  Her mom was not very nurturing or kind, likely because she was suffering from the same ailments as her daughter.  This made Betty sad and often spent time alone.  Betty learned to cook as a child with her grandmother and loved food.  She grew to be an adult with chronic pain, anxiety, depression and arthritis.  Her favorite past time was cooking meals for her family, sleep, family time and painting.  She progressed in her illness to a point that the pain was unbearable and impacting her daily life.  She was extremely tired every day and could sleep most of the day.  She had trouble walking around alone.  She often fell and was not able to stand up alone.  Her chronic body pain was intense and numbness was developing in her hands and feet.  She could no longer deal with the pain and symptoms.  She had gone to countless Specialists and Doctors without any relief.  She finally decided, it was time for Holistic treatments and diet changes.  She remembered her grandmother used to use natural remedies to help her as a child.  It couldn’t hurt to try something new.  Western medicine had definitely failed her, it was time to find HOPE, somewhere…

    Case Presentation

    Betty suffers from a variety of medical conditions. She takes medications for cholesterol, depression, nerve-damage, thyroid, blood pressure and pain.  She has pain every day in her back, legs, arms, hands and feet.  She often gets treatments like injections and nerve blocks to help with the pain.  She is progressively losing her balance and stability.  She had difficulty walking and going up the steps.   The bones of her knees are severely damaged and need repair in the future.  She want to regain her strength, lose weight, energy and regain her life.  It is important for her to be able to spend time with the family and participate in activities. Her pain in 10/10.  Her muscles are in spasm with bursitis and tender areas throughout her body.  She had also gained 50 pounds over the last 6 months which has made everything worse.

    Management

    • Juvenile arthritis is caused by oxidative stress. The symptoms are pain, swelling, limping, joint stiffness, fatigue and irritability.  Which progress rapidly through life and.
    • Chronic Pain is caused by inflammation of the tissue causing tenderness and discomfort. In people with chronic pain the pain accumulates over time and the level of pain gets worse.
    • Fibromyalgia is chronic pain and chronic fatigue among other symptoms.  It involves inflammation and pain throughout the body.
    • Depression and Anxiety caused by oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, impacting the neurotransmitters and enzymes that support mood.

    Treatment

    • Physician to wean her of Rx medications as symptoms after 3 month detox
    • Supplementation/Dosage: (1) Nrf1, (2) Nrf2, (3) Omega, (1) vitamin D, (1) B vitamins and (3) Probiotic. Essential oils for chronic pain, mood and anxiety.
    • Diet: High in low sugar fruits, gluten free, high in green vegetables, beans, organ meats, bison, fish, shrimp, eggs and turkey (rare carbohydrate like cereal, cakes and dessert).  No sugar or iodized salt.  No inflammatory vegetables or fruits.  No precessed foods.  Sea salt and spices to taste.
    • Coaching: 3 months of coaching recommended
    • Motivational Statement: I am willing to change and grow. I am creating a safe and new future for me.

    Discussion

    A multitude of diseases (200+) are linked to oxidative stress and inflammation.  Oxidative stress is an imbalance between antioxidants and Free radicals.  Patients with chronic pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, depression and anxiety have high levels of free radicals in the body.  They cause damage to the body on a daily basis.  The body has poor capability of creating antioxidants like glutathione, catalase and SOD.  These antioxidants are the only way to fight free radicals, so as they decline illness, disease and decline progressively continues through life.

    Outcome

    1 month: Betty reports she has more energy. Is able to stay awake longer and not require a nap in the afternoon.  Her movement is a little better. Pain 7/10  She is happy with the progress but a little bored of the diet. She had lost 8 pounds.

    • Coaching Session: Betty realized that her health goal was to reduce her pain and mobility.  This will improve her ability to be with the family and enjoy playtime with her grandkids.  This was desperately important to her because she missed teaching and loved being around children.  All of these things were important to her because they made her happy and she wanted to enjoy her life.  She decided the diet was an important part of her healing and she needed to stick to it.

    3 months: Betty made a few diet mistakes but was able to stick to it most of the time. She noticed she felt worse after eating processed foods and gluten products.  She needed several coaching sessions to learn how to deal with her pain flare ups. She incorporate the essential oils, stretching routine and treatments.  She was happy the coach was available during her first pain crisis to give her strategies to help with the symptoms.  The coaching made her much more confident about her symptoms and ways to relieve them.  She had lost 20 pounds.

    • Coaching Session 1: Betty realized that her pain was worse and she had a headache. Her pain was 8/10.  She called the coach for a face to face coaching session.  The coach was able to teach her strategies to target her muscles to promote relaxation and pain relief. She taught her strategies for each of her pain areas, incorporating essential oils and the pain was relieved by the end of the session. She instructed her to continue using the treatments, oils and stretches daily for 3 more days.  Before the session ended the coach reviewed Betty’s health goal: to reduce her pain and mobility.  Betty felt confident and happy at the end of the session.   She knew that the coach was there to help her.  She knew the treatments were helping and she really needed to stick to the diet this time.  She realized she needed to stick to the treatments, supplements and diet for this to work.  She was motivated and ready.
    • Coaching Session 2: Betty successfully incorporated all the strategies for the last month of her treatment and finally felt better.  She realized it was good to incorporate the essential oils and treatments to help her with her symptoms.  The support really helped her through the month.  Her pain and numbness had improved. Pain 5/10 but relieved with treatments or exercise.  She was highly motivated and eager to keep this healing process. She wanted to reduce her pain and improve her mobility further.  She was dedicated to continuing this coaching for another 6 months to see the possibilities.  She finally felt hope that she was going to be able to enjoy life again.

    6 months: (After 6 months of coaching)

    • Coaching Session 3: Betty successfully incorporated all the strategies for the 6 months of her treatment.  She felt energized, free of pain and happy.  She was able to participate in yoga and exercise regularly.  She was painting again and spending time playing with the grandchildren.  Her pain was 3/10 daily, relieved by her treatment regimen and essential oils.  She used her oils daily and loved the benefits she experiences.   She was finally able to enjoy life again.  She was ready to take on new adventures and help her friends regain their lives again too.  She had also stopped a bunch of her medications with her Physician.  She only was taking her thyroid medication.  She lost a total of 48 pounds.

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