Hey there!
I’m Annie: Certified Nutrition Therapist Master, yoga practitioner & teacher, lover of all things travel, dance & getting in that good quality family/friend time…with a dash of humor sprinkled in between :)
How it all started
I’ve always been enamored with the human body. At the mature age of three, I proclaimed my love for dance and that love turned into a lifelong relationship. Dedicating years to finessing the art-form while pushing the boundaries of what my body was capable of, I learned the design of the human body is pretty spectacular. This love led me to earn a BFA in dance from a conservatory in Seattle (shoutout to my hometown, heyyy!) and upon graduating, moved to San Francisco to dance with several companies. My fascination with the human body continued as I received my 200 hour yoga teacher certification, diving deeper into the mind-body connection.
Now, one might assume that in order to dance and teach yoga, I was the healthiest I’ve ever been. However, it was quite the opposite. Aside from the casual dance injuries, like getting dropped on my head (nothing major, right?) I was really struggling with an array of health issues, that at times, were pretty darn debilitating.
Trust me, I’ve been there….
My health journey began long before I realized it. But the physical manifestations developed when psoriasis, or as I like to call it excruciatingly itchy raw patches, and unexplained stabbing pains in my abdomen, reared their ugly heads. I know. I sound dramatic here, but it truly felt this way. Fast forward about 8 years, when I was starting my senior year of college and that’s when my health really tanked, and fast at that. I was simultaneously diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and Addison’s disease. So at 21 and three autoimmune conditions later (psoriasis, Hashimoto’s & Addison’s), my health as I knew it was flipped upside down. Extreme exhaustion, brain fog, bouts of depression, digestive issues, and dizzy spells all became my new normal. Everyday became a game of mustering up enough energy to get out of bed and put a smile on my face. Trying to act like the healthy, twenty-something year old the world saw me as and it was exhausting. It’s a funny thing to have people (including doctors) comment on how healthy you look, but on the inside you know what you are feeling isn’t normal. I’m sure many of you out there know exactly what I’m talking about and let me tell you, you’re not alone. For a decade I lived in a haze of symptoms, feeling like my body was failing me, a truly scary thought to have.
There is a road to wellness…
Nutrition came into my life when I finally decided I was ready to commit to making a change in how I felt and take matters into my own hands. Keep in mind it only took me a decade to make this decision. Regardless, I always knew at my core there were things I could change in my diet and lifestyle habits to improve how I felt. But, I allowed a variety of factors like fear of change and outside opinions to cloud my beliefs. I attended Nutrition Therapy Institute to better educate myself on my autoimmune conditions and man, did NTI open my eyes. I finally found a place that was explaining the why to all of my health issues, that was backed by science and encompassed the whole person. I found the value in digging deeper to uncover the root cause for health challenges and was validated in knowing that changes in nutrition and lifestyle habits CAN make a difference in how you feel and there is scientific evidence to support this. This inspired me to work with a nutritional therapist and naturopathic doctor and the cloudy veil of symptoms finally started to lift. I began to feel like myself again, like I could finally take on the day with excitement instead of dread. Every day I continue to learn what my body needs to feel nourished. I continue to lean into this path of continual growth and education all while learning to show myself more compassion. I hope to share this with you all and support you in your journey to simply feeling your best.
Education & Credentials
Nutrition Therapist Master Certification, Nutrition Therapy Institute
200 Hour Yoga Teaching Certification, Purusha Yoga
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Cornish College of the Arts
