Genetics, Functional Labs, Nutrition, and Symptomology
I created Food For Your Jeans to fill an unmet need for people looking to optimize their well being, vitality, emotional resilience, cognitive sharpness, and find answers to reasons why they have not felt their best. My family's own healing journey has informed what I have decided to focus on with Food For Your Jeans. Their story includes: traumatic brain injury, cranial cervical instability, vagal nerve dysfunction, mold toxicity (multiple times), heavy metal toxicity (multiple exposures), volatile organic compounds (voc's) toxicity, parasites, small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), candida, parasites, food intolerances and allergies, hypo-thyroid issues, POTS syndrome, adrenal fatigue, cognitive issues (memory, speech, brain fog, light and sound sensitivity), chronic fatigue, brain and optical system auto immune issues, para-thyroid dysfunction, colorectal cancer, melanoma cancer, and pancreatic cancer. I used functional lab testing, nutrition, and genetics which gave me the most answers to the root cause of the issues my family members experienced. I like to tell people it felt like i was looking for the keys to their house in the darkness of the night, and then genetics turned on the lights, and it all became obvious and clear.
A Wellness Detective - Let me Help You Find Your Keys:)
I would best describe myself as a "wellness detective" - we empty the box of puzzle pieces on the dining room table and we begin to try and put the puzzle together. I gather subjective information, history, diet, and symptoms. I use prior lab work. I bring in a mountain of genetic data and like to establish a baseline with a nutritional assessment too. For almost every client i recommend starting with a Genetic Test, and a MicroNutrient Panel to establish baseline nutritional status. From these two tests alone, almost without exception, every client has told me they have never looked at their health and functioning at the depth these first two pieces provide. And that's just the start:). Functional testing as needed but i use discretion here, as these all start to add up (gut, toxicity, infections, inflammation, cytokines, food allergies, hormones, lipids, neurotransmitters, etc). I do want to emphasize i tend to spend your money on testing like it was my own, if we can be 85% right with a $10 week long trial on a supplement to confirm suspicions, i recommend that every time. On the flip side, i honor peoples desire to get 100% clarity by spending $300 on a functional lab test that will completely resolve their questions of the last 10 years.
Some sub-parts of the puzzle usually start to become clear, and as we gather more information on our journey, almost always the puzzle becomes clearer, and different parts start to become connected. Bringing into focus both the major patterns, as well as missing pieces we need to look for (what functional tests would help inform or clarify what is going on ?). The client is an intimate part of the solution - they tell me about food, and diet, and which things feel better, and which supplements result in different responses as well. It is a clear partnership. If there is little engagement - the outcome will be slower and likely compromised. Most clients become enthralled on this detective journey - and learn quite a bit about the human body, their specifics, and enlivened how to take ownership of their health. I tend to do quite a bit of research between appointments for each client, and this is all shared at appointments or via email. This research usually benefits multiple clients sooner or later, and is not charged to the client. I am connected to a group of like minded colleagues i access for advice, their experience, and to bounce ideas off of - this is very valuable. I also regularly attend bi-weekly webinars where 50-75 health professionals review case histories of selected clients (permission authorized of course), in a live Q&A format. I have not shied away from bringing this knowledge to bear for my clients. Its one way how we all learn.
I find myself often engaged when other practitioners are also working with the client - i work well as a piece to the puzzle, or the primary/lead piece. The goal is always better client outcomes, not ownership or roles in the clients healing process. It is important to tell you I am not a MD, ND, or DO. I do not prescribe pharmaceuticals. I am not against them, and sometimes i encourage them, specifically for certain infections (parasites, lyme, etc). I am a certified Nutrition Coach, Functional Genomics Coach, and in process with several other certifications (Brain Health, Detoxification). I have partnered with a local DO and work together at a clinic several days a week - the clinic includes: Chiropractic, Massage, Acupuncture, Hydro static Body Fat Testing, Dry Needling services. We have visions to continue to expand into other modalities.
We Are All Different, Quite Literally
As you might imagine, based on my approach, i don't encourage one size fits all attempts to right the ship. Each individual is just that, an individual. However, how clients respond to prior protocols is extremely helpful information to understand their system and how it works. Like a puzzle or onion, one layer at a time will be discovered and clarified. I find it critical to stay humble, curious, and open to new information - there is more we don't know than we do know about the human body. Like a fingerprint, our genetic information, labs, symptoms all form a unique picture of us. My goal is to bring that picture into focus, balance and harmony. Your birthright is vitality, resilience, and sharpness. Discover your genetic blue-print, and find your sweet spot in all areas of your life. It will be uniquely you.