I never struggled with my weight growing up and could always eat what I wanted. I was never restricted and enjoyed a large variety of junk food until I discovered a gluten sensitivity and several Autoimmune challenges as an older adult. Suddenly, I had to go from never eating a vegetable to eating only vegetables and grass-fed meat on an elimination diet – my first diet ever. Taking gluten out of my life made me feel like I was going through the stages of grief. Why me? What can I do to get around it? Maybe gluten isn’t the problem. I was so angry that everyone around me was eating the foods I loved, and I was no longer “allowed.” Even though I gained more energy and felt much healthier, I still felt like my joy was gone. I was coming from a place of restriction, which was not where my soul wanted to be!
The Institute of Eating Psychology helped me to understand that the food sensitivities act as a doorway to help me learn that my body was not being nourished by these foods and that a shift needed to happen to move me into my next phase of evolution. I learned to love myself with my addictions to gluten, sugar, and caffeine, and let them go from within instead of fighting them in my head. These days, I no longer feel forced into eating vegetables. Instead, I listen to what my body wants and choose to eat healthier because it makes me feel nourished and empowered. Now, I try to educate others to do the same as we all struggle as a culture to resist these all too tempting foods.
I am Karen Heffron, a certified Eating Psychology Mind Body Nutrition Coach and Licensed Physical Therapist. I have received advanced education in Digestive Mastery and Insulin Resistance. I want to help women in their 40s who suffer from Arthritis and other Autoimmune diseases build a strong immunity.
I grew up in the Atlanta area and received degrees in Psychology and Physical Therapy. In my 22 years as a Physical Therapist, I noticed my patients were getting sicker and younger. When I started developing Hashimoto’s and Inflammatory Arthritis, I knew I didn’t want to decline like all of the patients I had seen. I started researching and found that these symptoms weren’t problems that needed to be fixed. Some issues are physical but others lie deeper and can impact the ability to heal.
By embracing your health journey, exploring your past, and learning to nourish yourself again, you can work to regain your vitality and spend your energy serving your purpose in the world instead of being consumed in a world of illness.