I can remember my turning point quite vividly.
I had been working a corporate job that made me miserable, I was trying to maintain a strict diet and exercise regimen, and my skin was just not behaving. My face was red, itchy and hot constantly. I tried to cover it up with loads of makeup, but it would flake off throughout the day. I would sit in the subway and cry into my hands, feeling strung out on job stress, and letting my lack of self worth crush me.
I was sitting in a new dermatologist’s office in Midtown. I was been given multiple topical prescriptions by my last doctor, and none had worked (the last guy was kind enough to suggest injectables for my tired-looking, 25-year-old eyes though). The new dermo suggested that I take low-grade oral antibiotics indefinitely because “We don’t know why it works, but a side of effect of this is that the rosacea clears up.”
I’d had it. I had endured a lifetime of antibiotic use for ear, nose and throat issues and I had read enough to know that I should only be taking them if absolutely necessary. None of my doctors knew why patients get rosacea. They could only tell me to avoid my triggers (exercise, sunlight, alcohol) and medicate. I flat-out refused to live life this way.
I started to revamp my routine. I examined all my beauty products and tossed anything that contributed to irritation and switched to things found in nature. I stopped eating meat that didn’t have an antibiotic-free stamp and focused on my gut health. I quit my stress-inducing job and took a few part-time jobs to pursue my passions full time. I had attended a 200-hour yoga-teacher training before quitting the corporate world and now had the freedom to dive in. I took a course in meditation and nurtured my spirit. I started to really tune in to what made me happy and the ways I could build a sustainable life around that.
Now I am a certified Health Coach after completing my training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I use my background and training in yoga, Reiki, meditation, nutrition and spiritual practices to help my clients tune into their goals and create roadmaps for the journey to achieving them. I am a professional encourager.
I’ve been in your shoes. I’ve felt overwhelmed by the amount of information that swarms through your brain after internet searches for “detox” or “mindfulness.” I’ve lost my cool with co-workers and made teary phone-calls home. I’ve measured food to the gram with maniacal focus. My body has gone through heavy times and lean times. I’m here to tell you that I can help sort out the confusion and give you solid guidance on how to change your life. I have done it to myself, for myself. It’s time for me to help you.
-Gabrielle
"Why are you knocking at every other door? Knock at the door of your own heart." - Rumi
