As we are starting a new decade I took some time to reflect on the last one. You can say that every aspect of my life has changed in the last 10 years. I started 2010 with moving to Canada, I was engaged to a Canadian and I had just quit my good-paying corporate job, sold my apartment and only brought 3 suitcases with my life in it to my new country of residence. I felt like the immigrant from 100 years ago must have felt, leaving a ship and standing at the point of entry in a new country with only a suitcase!
I was over 30 and starting all over. I moved to be with my fiancee but I had no job, no friends or family in Canada. It was just me and him. I remember that I was confident and had a good gut feeling that it would be just fine, but what a bold move it was.
After getting settled, we got married and I got pregnant with my first child soon thereafter. The glorious motherhood I had imagined did not come true for me at first. My hormones went crazy, I was told that I had to take thyroid medication and I suffered from postpartum depression. I had no professional help, no family and no friends as back-ups. My husband took some time off of work but also pursued his Ph.D., so most of the daily life things stuck with me. Oh, and did I mention I had a colicky baby who screamed most of the day and only slept for 2 hours in a row for 10!!! months?
I regularly felt that my life was coming to an end. I had system overload, I was overwhelmed, deeply fatigued, drawing from my last energy reserves, suffered depression and had an underperforming thyroid which is called hypothyroidism. And funny enough, I got pregnant again on the first birthday of my child. Here we were again. Hormonal mayhem started only this time with no breaks to nap or catch a breath and little support.
Somehow I survived this time but my body took a huge blow. After my second child was born I was officially diagnosed with hypothyroidism and after my request to test for it, also diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the autoimmune component of hypothyroidism.
It was now official that I had a progressive disease that required attention if I cared. And care, I did. I saw my future as a great mother and caregiver threatened by my own health and the way I felt on a daily basis. I knew that things had to change as I was not willing to accept this diagnosis as part of my life. I decided to search for answers on how to get better and what it would take. Unfortunately, the conventional medical system did not provide the support I needed and was looking for. So I turned to the alternative and holistic world to see what I would find.
My motivation to find my answers was intensified by my desire to be a good role model for my children. I wanted to be a mother who cared about health, her body and her abilities to fulfill her true potential. And I also didn’t want to be on lifelong medication in my mid-thirties. That did not feel right, given the fact that I was, and still are planning on living a long life.
I quickly became a “research nerd”. Every free minute I had I spent on the internet learning about my condition and what to do. I came about nutrition as a big piece of the puzzle. I implemented some dietary changes and noticed a big improvement in how I felt. I was hooked and knew that I wanted to know more. I became pretty good at connecting the dots with my hormonal imbalances, stress and thyroid health.
In 2015 I decided to go back to school and pursue a college degree in holistic nutrition. After my husband came home from work, I handed him the babies and went to night classes. Two years later I graduated from college with a degree and the knowledge that I was looking for. I felt empowered and encouraged, had I learned so much about my body, my health, and the science behind it.
In fact, I discovered my true passion. I never knew I had one so deeply until my health journey led me on this path. My health condition became my blessing in disguise and I knew what I had to do. The knowledge I gained was far too valuable not to share with others, who are also looking to solve their chronic health conditions.
The same year I graduated I founded Butterfly Holistic Nutrition + Lifestyle, an online practice to help others get their health back and step in their true potential.
Working and helping other people put their health pieces together is truly rewarding and fulfilling for me. I connect deeply with my clients and they help me as well to heal my soul.
Entrepreneurship changed my life again and here we are, stepping into a new decade with so much potential that still needs to be brought to light, for me as well as for my clients.
And for this, I am deeply grateful and truly blessed.
You can find more information about me here: https://butterflyholisticnutrition.ca