My name is Rachel, and I'm a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and fitness instructor in sunny Tallahassee, FL! I'm a mom to 1 toddler and 3 cats, obsessed with acai bowls, and Captain Marvel is my favorite superhero.

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My journey into the health and wellness space began when I was in high school. Being a competitive dancer, I struggled with body image issues, and did the classic combo of lots of cardio + calorie counting to try and change myself. It was dreadful and soul-sucking. I started doing more research into health topics, and had this idea to have the most famous health website in the world called "Happy Body Blog".

Fast forward to college (Go Noles!), my understanding of food and movement began to evolve. I started to learn the benefits outside of aesthetic changes, and I wanted to help others feel better and move better. A new fitness studio opened looking for dance cardio instructors, and I jumped at the opportunity! Soon after I earned my ACE Group Fitness Instructor certification, as well as POP Pilates Advanced Instructor, BarreAbove, Mat Pilates, and more. I started studying to become a personal trainer, but the extreme focus on weight loss and measurements was disheartening. I didn't want to perpetuate the idea that everyone needed to get smaller and judge their body so harshly. (Though I did eventually complete the program, begrudgingly)

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At the same time, my health started taking a turn. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which sparked a lot of fear for me. I had watched my mom struggle with the same diagnosis that spiraled into other issues, and I was afraid of the same fate. My periods became painful, depression was setting in, and I started experiencing panic attacks. Out of nowhere, my childhood eczema returned with a vengeance. I went to multiple allergists, dermatologists, and other physicians to figure out what was going on, but I was only met with prescriptions to control the symptoms rather than answers about the root cause. It got to a point where nothing was managing my symptoms, and 90% of my body was covered in very painful hives. My face and eyes were swollen, and no amount of makeup could hide it. Even in the middle of summer and teaching workout classes, I was wearing long sleeves and pants to try and cover my skin as much as possible.

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I was convinced food was part of the issue. I tried those DIY food sensitivity and gut microbe tests, but it came back with such a long list of sensitivities that I became scared of ALL food. Figuring out what I could eat with no idea what was causing my problems only increased my anxiety, leading to orthorexic behaviors. I remember crying to my husband again and again because I was afraid of food and convinced it was hurting me.

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A friend reached out offering to help me, and this is when everything took a turn. She was a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, and her holistic view of how everything I experienced was connected was mind blowing. She helped me better understand the signals my body was telling me and actually bring more foods back into my life. In working with her, I knew I wanted to do exactly the same for others.

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Now here we are over 4 years later- my symptoms are a million times better, my relationship with food has blossomed, and I see it as the medicine it really is. I'm no longer afraid of food, and I finally feel in control over my own body and health! As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I'm here to help you improve your relationship with food too.