We all love food…….. Right?!? Well for the most part, most of us kids do (yes even you adult kids out there). If I were to ask the same question regarding exercise, it is more likely that I would get varied responses ranging from “Heck to the yeah!” all the way to “Hell no!” Nutrition and Exercise – the two most common things asked of us throughout our lives especially when it comes to our health. Practically every doctor visit you will be asked about how/what your diet is and/or how much do you (or what do you do for) exercise? But as many of us know or eventually come to know is that nutrition and physical activity play a huge part in our overall health. The conditions/illnesses/diseases or whatever you prefer to call health snafus all have the same two things in common regarding the avoidance of, delaying of, or management of such health maladies. Can you guess what those two things in common are? I bet you can! (wink, wink) 😉 Nutrition and Exercise!
So than why is it so hard for some and not others to get on board (and stay on) the health “kick” to just be healthy and well? Well I’d like to tell you but I really can’t. There’s so much confusion, so many hands in the pot stirring every possible direction, false advertising, media, people just putting out a gimmick for money and sadly people falling for it, hereditary factors, laziness, lack of motivation, frustration, bad luck, stress, etc. I mean there’s a lot of crap out there regarding this stuff. No wonder some of us run around like chickens with our heads cut off! Everyone’s body is different, and I don’t want people thinking I’m going to focus on weight management stuff here even though in some posts it may, but I want to focus on the two things which is supposed to aid us in being more “well” – again nutrition and exercise. However, I can’t deny that other topics will more than likely pop up here pertaining to wellness so be ready for those posts that don’t exactly fit into the categories of eating right and moving your body more.
So Rachel, what are you really about and why did you decide to start blogging?
First of all…….. I’m so glad you asked! 🙂
I really do enjoy helping people and seeing people happy especially after they see results they never thought were possible. The results I’m talking about are simply feeling better, inside and out, and as long as they got there in a way that did not hinder health, I’m all for it!
So let’s talk briefly about me as a health professional and my educational background. I currently work for an integrative pain program that focuses on physical movement and plant-based nutrition as two major components of pain management. The plant-based nutrition part will be a huge topic for my blog posts for I’ve personally seen changes in even me but more will come of that later. I am a certified health coach through the American Council on Exercise with several specialty certifications in Weight Management, Senior Fitness, and Nutrition Fitness. I have a Bachelor of Art in Health Promotion Concentration from Purdue University in W. Lafayette, IN; a Master of Education in Health Promotion and Wellness from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts; and a Graduate Certificate in Herbal Medicine from the American College of Healthcare Sciences in Portland, Oregon. However, it’s not my education nor professional experience that has given me the true experience, even though in some cases it has helped. It’s my own personal experience.
“Your health is your starting point – without it, you have nothing.”
Sienna Guillory
“I was never the healthiest and happiest kid……………….” Rachel
I was never the healthiest and happiest kid. My mother always cooked great meals, balanced and tasty. But I know looking back I ate too much and was not very active as a child. Topping out at 135 lbs in the 4th grade – I was made fun of daily in school, to where I’d go home in tears. Finally, in my 7th grade year my weight started evening out with my height so I was considered “normal” for my height and age. The summer before starting 8th grade my weight started plummeting but yet I found myself getting thirstier and thirstier, running to the restroom every 5 minutes as if I had drunk a gallon of water each time, burning eyes, tremendous belly aches, extreme fatigue, severe dehydration, and finally reaching 79 lbs Labor Day weekend of 1992. That weekend I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (use to be called Juvenile Onset Diabetes). Skinny as a rail and sick I thought to myself at least I didn’t get made fun of regarding my weight anymore, right? This was almost 13 years of hell for me……. the anguish of being “different” than my peers, the fear of food and weight gain always associated with insulin injections (because I wound up putting tons of weight back on – topping out at 230 lbs at the age of 22), the strange infections I’d get due to continuous high blood sugars, the depression that set in for being overweight, but motivation and energy for exercise was not there. Lets just say my whole body literally got screwed up and without going into vast details – I was giving up. I was giving up on living.
So lets move ahead from this depressing tale: for I do not want this to taint my blog site from its purpose of giving hope, motivation, and healthful insights – Two things changed my life that in turn improved my health and outlook on life. Those two things: Nutrition and Exercise I believe may have actually saved my life. No folks it did not just happen overnight, but little by little over the years and with encouragement from others the healthier changes transformed me into the person I am today. Happier, healthier, and so motivated to encourage and help others to get to that place of just “being well.” Nutrition and exercise – doesn’t have to be so complicated but yet it is. Habits make it that way; stubbornness makes it that way; and even the fear of change makes it that way. But as I stated earlier there are so many factors involved sometimes personal and other times external that can make it more difficult for people to becoming the healthier version of themselves.
With my blog site – I hope for those who do actually take the time to visit and read my posts it promotes inspiration, motivation, and provides information in ways that help you or someone that you know to get to a healthier place. Simply put, if I can even just bring a smile to your face, than I’d say I think we are definitely off to a great start!
Here’s to your health!
Blonde and Zesty 
I love this!! You are making a difference!! I am so proud of you
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