Today, I want to introduce you to my client Kristie, who has had a radical transformation since we began working together in January of 2018.
She enrolled in my Mental Health Nutrition Program, and with dietary changes, targeted supplementation, and mindset coaching, she has made amazing strides.
To give you a teaser, she was able to work with her doctor and come off all medication — she was on Prozac (antidepressant), Prevacid (heartburn medication), and birth control. She is down 35 pounds, her seasonal allergies no longer bother her, she has transformed her relationship with food, and her anxiety and depression are in her rear-view mirror.
In just four months, Kristie has made amazing strides with her health. This girl is the PICTURE of commitment and determination!
Instead of doing a typical case study, I did an interview Q+A style with Kristie, because she tells her story best!
Holly Higgins, NTP: What symptoms (mental and physical) were you struggling with before we started working together? How were they impacting your life?
Client Kristie: The symptoms I was dealing with before we started working together were weight gain (as a result of being on antidepressants), anxiety, panic attacks, depression, headaches almost every day, and fatigue.
Sometimes it’s hard to think of how I was even feeling before we started working together because these last few months, I’ve completely turned my life around and I find myself forgetting certain symptoms I was having since they no longer affect me. Before we started working together, my symptoms had a daily impact on my life, whether it was a headache every single day, feeling tired, or just feeling sad or anxious.
Holly Higgins, NTP: Did any other doctor or health professional ever tell you that your symptoms might be caused by your diet? If no, do you wish they would have?
Client Kristie: No doctor or health professional ever told me that my symptoms might have been caused by my poor diet. I have always been an anxious person ever since I was a child. I can remember going to a therapist as a young kid for all the worries I had. I had my first panic attack around the age of 16, and I decided to see a doctor because of it and all the anxiety I was feeling. My pediatrician immediately recommended going on Prozac to help with the panic attacks and anxiety.
I was told that anxiety and panic attacks are because of a chemical imbalance in the brain and that it was completely normal to need a medication to deal with these symptoms. A few years earlier, I was referred to a gastroenterologist for heartburn and was put on Prevacid for the symptoms I was having. This time, they did tell me that my diet would have an impact on my heartburn and its symptoms (but this was the only time I was ever told this by a doctor).
While I was on Prozac, I was actually losing too much weight (surprisingly), so my pediatrician switched my antidepressant from Prozac to Zoloft. While on Zoloft, I
gained around 60-70 pounds.
In the summer of 2016, I was at my highest weight, felt the absolute worst I’d ever felt, and decided it was time for a change. I wanted to come off Zoloft. I consulted with my doctor and I tried coming off of it, but my symptoms were still so bad (reminder: I was still eating horribly; fried food every day for example). Because I couldn’t come off Zoloft, I decided to switch back to Prozac, since I was losing weight on that medication. But this time, I wasn’t losing weight; I just kept gaining.
Overall, no doctor (other than the gastroenterologist) ever told me that my symptoms were related to my diet. To this day, it still bothers me that no one ever told me this and that my doctor’s first instinct was to immediately put me on an antidepressant to make my symptoms shut up without ever taking time to discuss with me or treat the root cause of these symptoms.
Kristie’s Symptom Burden Score has decreased dramatically since we started working together. She has experienced major improvements in digestion, sugar cravings, and adrenal function (energy).
Holly Higgins, NTP: When we first started making changes, how did you feel? Did you believe you would be able to stick with them?
Client Kristie: When we first started making changes, I felt skeptical of myself, but I started to feel great both mentally and physically. I never believed I would be able to stick to the changes.
When I first started in January, the plan was to complete a Whole30. I panicked as soon as I went to Whole Foods to get my food for this reset. Because of this, we decided to follow a modified paleo template and then work my way into a Whole30. This was the best decision, since I was coming from a bad place of eating. I was eating fried foods and sweets every day, so it was best for me to slowly make the transition to Whole30.
Even during my Whole30, I had thoughts that these changes wouldn’t stick, because every time I tried to change my diet for the better, I ended up failing. I was so scared I would return to my old ways, but here I am, four months later and sticking to a Whole30’ish/paleo diet!
Holly Higgins, NTP: What have you accomplished by making nutrition and lifestyle changes? How is your life different now than it was before?
Client Kristie: My life is completely different now than it was before. Not only do I look like a new person, but I also feel amazing! I’ve accomplished so many things, including losing 35 pounds, coming off an antidepressant, a heartburn medicine, and birth control. I’ve also gotten rid of my anxiety and panic attacks through nutrition and lifestyle changes. Overall, I’ve become a healthier person both mentally and physically, and have stopped using food as comfort, which was a struggle of mine in the past.
In addition to weight loss and improved mood, Kristie has also noticed clearer skin.
Holly Higgins, NTP: What would you tell someone who was thinking about working with me, but nervous to take the leap?
Client Kristie: When I first found Holly, I was so shocked that someone shared the exact same story as me. I was so excited to talk to her and see how our stories were so similar. Working with Holly has been the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve accomplished so many of my goals with the support I needed.
I’ve been inspired by Holly. My biggest goal is to show others that change is possible. If you’re stuck or scared to take the leap, I want to tell you that you’re not alone, and that with support, you can achieve your goals in a way that you’ve never succeeded at before. I never believed in myself, and I’ve come way too far not to show others that they too can change their life!
Thank you Kristie, for so bravely and openly sharing your story! You are an inspiration!
If you are curious about the work Kristie did with me, please check out my Mental Health Nutrition Program for more information.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: Kristie worked closely with her prescribing physician to come off of all her medication. I provided dietary support, clinical-grade supplementation, and mindset coaching. If you are interested in tapering your medications, please work closely with your physician to do so. Discontinuing a medication without a doctor’s guidance can be extremely dangerous. The timeline of your healing and your results may vary from Kristie’s. Everyone is on their own journey!