1. Welcome to Wellness: The Story behind Phos Wellness

A few years ago, I started experiencing a lot of scary and sometimes debilitating symptoms (think; joint pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, headaches, acne that made me feel embarrassed to leave my house, hair loss, persistent bloating and stomach pain, chronic sinus infections, depression, and anxiety).

Now, if you know me, you know I'm a recovering hypochondriac. So at the time, I was completely convinced I was dying when I started experiencing these symptoms. Realistically, I knew I probably wasn't dying, but I did know something was not right. And I knew that since I already had Celiac disease, it was possible that I had developed another autoimmune condition (people who have one are more likely to eventually develop others).

So I saw my doctor who ran bloodwork and thankfully had the foresight to run panels that most doctors don't standardly run. My labs indicated Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune condition that essentially causes my immune system to attack my thyroid. And I learned that all of the physical, mental, and emotional symptoms I'd been experiencing are actually pretty common symptoms of Hashimoto's.

While I was relieved to have a diagnosis and an explanation for my infirmities, I took the news pretty hard. I was only 27 years old and I had my whole life ahead of me. I was supposed to be young and vibrant, not have joint pain, hair loss, or depression. Plus, I already had an autoimmune condition! How was this fair?? I was angry and frustrated with my body.

But, after discussing the diagnosis with my doctor in more detail, I gained hope. This condition, like many other autoimmune conditions, would be manageable if I committed to making some lifestyle changes. So, over the years since my diagnosis, I've dedicated most of my free time to learning about not only Hashimoto's, but about autoimmunity, health, and wellness in general. I've been implementing what I've learned and have formed new lifestyle habits. I've been working with a Functional Medicine Practitioner to address the root causes of my conditions. And I finally feel like myself again.

Throughout my healing process, I discovered my passion for holistic health & wellness. And while my journey is far from over, I feel a calling to lean into this passion and do what I can to help others navigate their own health and wellness journeys.

At the time I'm writing this, I'm in the process of becoming a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach with Functional Nutrition expertise. I have created this platform, where I will continue to share my learnings, thoughts, opinions, and experiences. And I've started offering private and small-group Health and Wellness Coaching for anyone who wants to form habits that will help them achieve higher levels of health, feel good, and become the best version of themselves.

I have a vision to build a community where people learn and work together to implement healthy lifestyle habits that support our bodies and minds. A vision where we all feel so good that we're able to reach our full potential, and empower others to do the same. Phos Wellness is the manifestation of this vision.

As you'll see on the Phos Wellness homepage and social media platforms, the word "Phos" means "light" in Greek. “Phos” signifies illumination in the darkness and an orientation towards something greater. My goal is to help others feel great and be great - so that we can spread light into the world.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being here. Just by reading this, you have contributed to the community I am working to build. I'm so grateful for your presence here, and I hope that you'll come back for more!

Until next time,

ML