I have not always been as healthy as I am today. While I was generally considered quite healthy growing up, there were many underlying health issues that continued to get worse as I entered my twenties and early thirties. Below is the list of health concerns that I had around age 30.

• Falling asleep/drowsiness in the afternoon.

• Feeling bloated/gassy after meals.

• Extreme sugar/grain cravings between meals.

• Frequent nightmares.

• Recurring sinus infections.

• Frequent migraines/headaches.

• Highly irritable if I didn't get a sugar fix.

• Many cavities after years without any.

• Weight gain even with strenuous exercise.

• Nervous leg bouncing and hand motions.

• Dizziness upon standing and fainting spells.

• IBS with tremendous abdominal pain.

• Vicious stuffy nose and post nasal drip episodes that prevented me from sleeping. Drove me crazy!!

Around this time, I had a health emergency that led me to passing out and in the hospital. Later, I was told that I was kept alive on my way to the hospital by steroid injections because my heart rate kept falling below 20 beats per minute.

After four days in the hospital and numerous tests no one could tell me what happened except that it wasn't a heart attack. No one talked to me about my diet or gave me any suggestions to improve my health. At this point, I knew something had to be done or else I was in for some serious health issues in the near future.

My sister, Tara, who is the owner of the Nutritional Wellness Center in Ithaca was, at this time, beginning to work on a list of health concerns that baffled every one she sought help from. So I followed her lead and began working with the same Nutrition Response Testing (NRT) practitioner she was working with. I learned that my diet had undernourished my adrenals to the point that they had trouble functioning properly and that poorly nourished adrenals have a hard time maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. (This answered the question why I always got dizzy when I stood up quickly.)

As time went on, my sister became healthy the first time in her life by following the nutrition and supplement advice of her NRT practitioner. Eventually, she had enough energy to learn how to be a NRT practitioner. Ultimately, she opened up her own wellness center. I, on the other hand, would get some results and then fall back into my old eating habits. My symptoms would always return. Once she became a NRT practitioner, I decided to let her help me improve my health.

Over a period of two to three years I would continue the cycle of improving my health and then reverting back to my previous eating habits. Each time I restarted my attempt to improve my health, it took longer to feel better. During this time, my sister told me I was the worst client she ever had.

Finally, I chose a healthy future over sugar, fast food and highly processed food. This is the best decision I ever made. Today, at the age of 40, I have none of those symptoms listed above. I have never felt better and am extremely happy I have taken control of my health.

And taking control of your health is what I want to help you to do!!