My name is Angela Atkins and I am an integrative health and nutrition coach. I’ve studied at the Institute for Nutritional Leadership and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. You are probably wondering what an integrative health coach is - and the best way for me to describe what I do is to share my story with you.

My journey to health and wellness came after neglecting my own health and then only, after being very sick for many years, did I come to trust my body's innate wisdom.

Stressed from the Start

I married young, had three children, and after 17 years got divorced. Stress became my constant companion - from worrying about where the family's next meal was going to come from to finding a job that would pay for our basic necessities. Stress overtook my life.

My health had begun to deteriorate when I took a job that placed me into a chronically stressful environment, more so than ever before. As my stress increased, so did my weight. Within a few months I had gained 45 pounds and exhausted all the time. I would drag myself out of bed in the morning, already drained of energy, go to work, and then come home to fall asleep on the couch until dinner time. I’d eat and go directly to bed.

This daily cycle continued for about five years. My adrenal hormones were shot. My thyroid was working overtime but my body couldn’t handle the hormone and I was totally depleted. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. At one point when the pain sensations were so bad, even taking a shower felt like little needles piercing my skin. I thought I was at my lowest point physically but without relieving the stress, my body continued to deteriorate.

New Beginnings

Fortunately, in 2006, I married a wonderful man. He is my soul mate and closest ally in all things. In 2008, my husband had shoulder surgery. I took a couple days off work to help to care for him during his recovery, but the day after his surgery, I started having abdominal pain. I rationalized it thinking I had another ovarian cyst. (I'd had them in the past and I didn’t want to sit in the ER being pumped full of pain medication just to wait for it to rupture.) I felt I could handle it.

Over the weekend, the pain level increased and I was sure it must have ruptured. I thought I’d start to feel better. Instead the pain lingered. I went to see my doctor and was sent for x-rays. I returned work only to receive a phone call from the doctor and being told to go directly to the emergency room - I had a ruptured appendix!

I clearly remember being on my Blackberry after my emergency surgery managing things at work. I was more focused on being the Dedicated Employee instead of resting and helping my own recovery.

Two months later, I began having severe migraines that caused violent, uncontrollable vomiting. The headaches were so debilitating that my husband had taken me to the ER five times before he could convince a doctor to admit me to find the cause of this intense pain. Apparently, ER doctors are not trained on eye health and no one had taken time to look specifically at the source of the pain even though I told them repeatedly that the pain was in the middle of my eye.

By the time I got to that point, I had lost the vision in my right eye. I am so grateful that my husband was my health advocate because I was unable to do it for myself. He insisted that an ophthalmologist examine me in conjunction with the neurologist. Within minutes of the ophthalmologist’s exam, he diagnosed me with acute narrow angle glaucoma. I had emergency surgery to open a new channel for drainage in my eye. I have recovered some sight in my right eye but have lost my peripheral vision.

Once again, I was home recovering from surgery but this time, unable to read, I couldn't continue to work. My body had forced me to slow down and stop working when it began to breakdown. It had now forced me to address my health by not doing anything but rest and recover. Within a month of the eye surgery, however, I was diagnosed with severe depression. By that time, I had seen many doctors who treated my individual conditions and not a single one was communication with another. I was on medication to treat glaucoma, depression, thyroid and high blood pressure. My body was exhausted and depleted.

I finally reached the point where I knew I had to take control of my health and start my reducing my stress. I decided to take another job that would be less stressful. I met a wonderful integrative doctor who was willing to listen to my story and help me recover my adrenal function.

Light Bulb Moment: Celiac Disease & Mindset Change

When I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease the light bulb went off. Stress was only one factor that was keeping me sick. The food that I was eating was not providing me with the nourishment my body required. I was eating far too many sweets, pastries, bread, high sugar drinks, and not giving my body the vitamins and minerals it was craving.

For years I had tried too many diets and fad diet tricks and none were wholly successful. I struggled to lose the weight I gained when my thyroid crapped out. I tried counting points, low glycemic foods, hot wraps and anything someone told me might help. I starved off 25 pounds by calorie reduction and deprivation. I never felt satisfied after eating and always was hungry. I knew this was not the right way.

Learning to Listen

Then I heard about bioindividuality. I already knew that I was allergic to many different foods besides gluten. The list of foods was extensive, around twenty different items including all cow’s dairy. So I took all of them out of my diet and customized a plan where I was getting lean protein, higher fat, non-starchy complex carbohydrates and an adequate amount of calories that I no longer felt hungry between meals. I learned what vitamins and minerals my body was lacking from a batch of blood tests and starting taking supplements.

Not only did I start feeling better but I lost 30 pounds in 25 weeks almost effortlessly. My blood tests began to show the changes taking place in my body. I had been gluten-free for a while but now I am totally grain-free and feel the best I ever have. I eat only organic, whole foods – nothing processed or manufactured.

It has truly been the most enlightening time of my life. I overcame my addiction to sugar - slowly - but without major withdrawal symptoms. I no longer crave chocolate, pastries, or any other sweet, carb-laden foods that held me captive for years. The food I eat now fuels me for the day.

My passion for holistic healthcare and nutrition came while during my research for healing myself. With the discovery that mainstream health information the public receives is either outdated or contrary to optimal health, I knew I had to speak up and try to make a difference. Our healthcare system is broken and you and I suffer for it. We don't have a health care system, we have disease management system. We need to take back control over our health and advocate for wellness preventative care. Our current method of treating a disease after it has taken its toll on your body with a medication only takes us from unhealthy to chemically dependent or worse, toxic. I want to empower you with the knowledge to restore your health with whole foods and natural supplements. My goal is to help you take control of your health in the same way I did – based on your body’s individual needs.