Why I Chose to Pursue the Functional Medicine Health Coach Route
Hi, this is me: Haley at 32, living a life full of good health and happiness. It took me many years to reach this point and I frankly didn’t know it could ever be like this, but I am so glad that I put in the effort and attention to grow into this whole, heart-centered person. And I am so thankful to be able to help others now who are ready to grow into their full potential, their full expression of love too 🫶
My Journey (abridged version lol) and My Why
It all started around middle school when my first sign of physical health issues began: daily headaches and so much fatigue. Around this time, I was also living two lives where I would bounce from my dad’s house to my mom’s house with my younger sister. I say two lives because both houses were like living in two different worlds dealing with four different adults and how they showed up as parents. Each with confusing messages around almost everything (religion, relationship with food, ways to show love, discipline, expectations, etc.) and all of these messages placed a lot of stress on my emotional and physical body. I slowly became more quiet, more observant, wanting to be invisible to prevent any negative attention, to prevent the wrath of getting in trouble. I became the obedient eldest daughter.
Later in my twenties, I would learn about how the first 7 years of our life determines our belief systems. What we believe about the world and our place in it. From a young age, my belief was that I was only good for being obedient and taking care of kids (I had a lot of siblings who I do love very much). Never did I think I was intelligent let alone a part of something much bigger.
Fast forward to high school, I began having random hives flare-ups that would last months and painful digestive issues that began and didn’t leave me alone until my early thirties. I saw many conventional doctors and none of them were helpful. None of them had the time nor the patience to educate me or my mom on how to take care of my body let alone dare to dive deeper to identify that I actually had a whole slew of health issues: anxiety, depression, disordered eating, phobias, migraines, chemical skin reactions on top of the presenting gut issues.
And that’s because, as I learned much later, that they were gastroenterologists. They were trained to focus on one specific part of the body. And at the time, they were not trained (nor did many believe) in the whole body approach to health.
So all this say, I had no other choice but to figure this sh*t out on my own. Because I was and still am DETERMINED to live a life of joy. I refuse to be miserable and feel miserable.
So after working in healthcare, then education, then digital marketing, I embarked on putting all my learnings to use as a health coach. I worked with a few clients and although I was able to help them achieve their health goals and more, something was missing. Finally, after three years of making up excuses, I finally enrolled in my year long training to become a Nationally Board Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach. And I am so glad I did. It has taught me what I needed to help my clients go from experiencing good results to experiencing transformational changes that impact every area of their life.
I am so thankful that life has provided me the lessons to grow from so I can passionately help others truly be well and live a life of immense joy. To help others identify what matters to them and to pursue a life according to their strengths, values and ultimately their vision.
It is a choice. It is effort. And it is so freaking worth it.
Let’s Talk About Healthcare
Our current healthcare system is set up to treat acute, in the moment infections, traumas, etc. It was never meant to treat, let alone educate our growing population, about chronic illnesses and diseases. However, it is estimated that 80% of our healthcare costs are associated with chronic health issues. These include: Diabetes, Heart Disease, Digestive Disorders, Depression, Autism*, Autoimmune disorders, ADD, Infertility and more. These chronic diseases affect 1 in 2 Americans and because other countries have adopted our western ways, many of the world’s population are afflicted with these health issues.
Many of us have grown to believe that because our parents suffered or are suffering with specific health issues that we too are destined to suffer. Thankfully, research is proving otherwise.
The problem is that our health system is not set up to address them. It is set up to 1) diagnose from a specific body system like my doctors did 2) prescribe a treatment plan or pill that will block or inhibit the body from reacting to the illness in a certain way (a bandaid that often causes other body imbalances/diseases) and 3) cross fingers and hope for the best.
Our healthcare system is not set up to address the root cause. Our overworked healthcare providers and staff are not incentivized to address the root cause. It’s a numbers game — how many patients can we see within a day, how many surgeries can we perform (main source of income for hospitals), and how many pills can be given.
And it is not to say that the healthcare system is evil or bad. No, it serves a specific purpose: to treat ACUTE, in the moment health issues. However, as a population, we have not learned how to take care of our bodies. We have not learned how to prevent health issues. We ignore the early warning signals that our very intelligent bodies send us and we only react when something is undeniably wrong. When our body begins to shut down because it can no longer keep up with the demands we place on it or the stress we endure and do nothing about.
Why? Because we have become so disconnected from our bodies. Perhaps it’s from the many systems at play and how they impact us. From a research standpoint, chronic health issues are a direct effect of environmental causes.
The environmental causes include:
Contaminated tap water - that contains hundreds of medications and drug substances, heavy metals, pesticides, chlorine, endocrine (hormone) disrupting chemicals and more. It’s crazy how much is in our water that we cannot see.
Nutrient-poor Foods - because of over farming specific crops and depleting the nutrients necessary for all earth life to thrive plus the rise of highly processed foods that strips most natural nutrients out, including fiber that feeds your good gut bacteria that supports your immune system, and then these foods are pumped with certain vitamins that many of us cannot even absorb.
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals - these are found everywhere and impact us on a hormonal level which impacts almost every system in our body. Plastic and synthetic materials, liquids and creams we use on our body, face, and hair, detergents and cleaning products, Tupperware and even the type of cookware we use are all infested with chemicals that confuse our hormones and cause imbalances.
Polluted Air - as a result of deforestation all around the world, of ocean disruption due to over-fishing, etc.
Childhood Trauma - almost everyone I meet would score medium to high on the Adverse Childhood Experiences test. And to me, along with the research I’ve read, it is no surprise. As a society, here in America, we are so disconnected and so full of anger, resentment, bitterness or greed that we do not know how to function or how to grow healthily as individuals and within a thriving community. We are a nation full of hurt, isolated people who subsequently hurt other people — whether is is on a psychological, verbal, sexual or other physical level. We are hurting. We are not focusing on creating healthy attachments with our children. We are focused on things that ultimately do not matter and are only hinder our ability to do all things from a place of love. We, as a group, are doing most things from a place of fear.
Hate is not the opposite of love, it is fear.
Lastly, trauma and the effects of it directly impact us on a cellular level. Our DNA responds to its environment. And that is one reason why certain patterns seem to “repeat” through generations along with a lack of awareness and self regulation. (I have a lot to say about this lol, but I recommend researching this more for yourself and noticing how it has played out in your life so you can learn from it and grow better because our future generations depend on us for changing the trajectory.)
So going back to chronic diseases (*including Autism although that is a delicate debate but research is proving it to be included in this list), they are all a direct result of lifestyle and environmental factors.
Thankfully, with a little awareness and a curious mind, we can deter health issues, we can support our DNA to stay healthy and NOT turn on specific genes. We can stop these generational plagues in their tracks and choose a healthier path for ourselves and our children. We can create a new ways of living. We can create new ways of thinking.
We can live a healthy, happy life that doesn’t involve relying on medication cocktails. And that my friends is where Functional Medicine makes its grand entry!
The Essence of Functional Medicine
Functional medicine is a patient-focused approach that seeks to identify and address the root causes of health issues rather than merely treating symptoms. It recognizes that every individual is unique, with their biochemistry, genetics, and lifestyle influencing their health outcomes. By delving into the interconnected web of factors contributing to an individual's health, functional medicine aims to create personalized, targeted interventions that promote true healing and sustainable well-being.
A Journey to Wellness
Health coaching with a functional medicine perspective takes individuals on a transformative journey towards optimal wellness. Rather than offering quick fixes, this approach encourages clients to embrace sustainable lifestyle changes, nourishing their bodies and minds for lasting results. The process involves setting realistic goals, implementing evidence-based interventions, and fostering an ongoing relationship between the coach and client to track progress and adjust strategies as needed.
Collaborative Care Redefined
Integrating functional medicine into health coaching also facilitates collaborative care between health professionals. As health coaches gain a more comprehensive understanding of their clients' health profiles, they can effectively collaborate with physicians, nutritionists, and other specialists to design a truly integrated care plan. This seamless cooperation ensures that the individual's health journey is well-supported from multiple angles, leading to better outcomes and a more satisfying healthcare experience.
All of this (and some) has led me down this route of being a part of a collaborative, supportive team for clients to truly get well and stay well!
If you want to chat further, connect with me on IG @wellandjoy.me or TikTok @wellandjoy
