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My journey towards Wellness began 19 years ago. You see, I have always loved working out and eating, especially sweets. As I aged, I understood that exercise alone will not keep me fit and healthy in the long run.
I came to America 22 years ago, and noticed that food tasted differently than in my native country, Romania. I gained 30 pounds in my first year in America, despite my regular workouts. At that time, I did not know anything about genetically modified food or excitotoxins (food additives such as aspartame, MSG, food coloring, and preservatives).
I soon realized that the food I was eating contributed to my weight gain. I started learning about food and made changes to my diet. My body changed, lost the weight, and soon enough, nutrition and health become a hobby.
My life journey made me pay close attention to the way I deal with stress, eat, and exercise. After losing my both parents to cancer and a few miscarriages, I gave birth to my son. After a few months, I noticed that my baby's development was different than other kids his age. My son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. Due to his condition, I learnt about how certain foods affect the brain, mood and behavior.
As a parent of a child with special needs, I experienced a lot of stress and lack of sleep. I developed stomach issues and had a few health scares along the way. As a result, I had to make changes to my diet and implement new habits to stay healthy. The most valuable learning experience for me was not just what to do, but also WHAT NOT TO DO in order to keep healthy, energized, and recover properly, especially after workouts and stressful seasons. It brings me great joy to help others by sharing what I learnt to get well. I believe that nutrition and exercise play an important role in our health, but there is so much more involved in experiencing true wellness.
For the last 20 years, I have been learning about Nutrition, Health, Wellness, Exercise and Psychology. However, the most transformative study was reading the Bible. It changed the way I think and live (according to what God says in his word). There are many things we can not control in life (such as the death of a parent, accident, autism). But we can control the way we live, eat and react to events. Most of the time, it is not what happens to us. But the way we chose to respond to what happens to us. With God's help and through my faith in Him, I overcame every obstacle in my life.
I believe that our health is a gift and it is our responsibility to take care of our bodies. "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." (3 John 1:2)
