Hi I’m Shannon Stephens, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, holistic health coach and HTMA practitioner. I specialize in helping busy moms with fatigue or burnout, digestive symptoms and hormonal imbalances.
Being a mom to an active toddler boy, I know how hard it can be to prioritize your health. My own health issues made being a new mom even more difficult which is why I’m passionate about helping other moms get past their symptoms and thrive in motherhood.
Health and nutrition has always been a passion of mine and I love learning as much as possible and sharing with others! I spent years learning what I could about health and nutrition, and then had the opportunity to get my 10 month long certification as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. Since then I have continued my education with trainings in HTMA and GI Map testing.
When I’m not learning more about holistic health you can often find me cooking adventurous meals with my husband, baking gluten free sourdough bread, hanging out with my toddler at the Bay, checking out a new farmers market, playing games with my family, doing yoga, or reading a good book on the back porch.
My goal is to help busy women in their health journeys in the easiest ways possible through nourishing their bodies with food, grace, mindfulness and self care. Health does not lie in a fad diet, but is a holistic journey full of nourishment and lifestyle changes. I can’t wait to help you on your journey!
My Story
My own health challenges helped lead me to pursing nutrition and holistic health.
After years of not taking care of myself and experiencing lots of chronic stress, my health was not at a good place. I had too many stressors on my body which started to showing up as imbalances and areas of my body not functioning well. I started experiencing terrible anxiety, panic disorder, reflux and nausea so bad I could barely eat dinner, constantly exhausted and couldn’t get through my day without naps. After going to a doctor I was was also diagnosed with adrenal fatigue, SIBO, and hypothyroidism. This started the route of constant rounds of herbal antimicrobials and antibiotics to “fix” the SIBO, but my body did not tolerate them well at all and each time it would simply come back.
I was forced to slow down and make time for my health. I couldn’t do the things I love and was limited in my life in so many ways by my health struggles. It was then that I realized how much good health truly matters.
I spent countless hours trying to get answers, I went to multiple doctors and I tried diet after diet in the hopes of feeling better.
I had very low energy and mood shifts which made it difficult to take care of my son and truly enjoy motherhood. I would feel dizzy, weak and like I was going to pass out just standing up sometimes.
My doctors would just say oh maybe I just have a sensitive gut, or “maybe we just need to hit the SIBO with antibiotics a few times a year.” Or “oh new motherhood is just exhausting”. I was so desperate, even though I was normally not a big medication fan I tried what I could, but most of the time the side effects weren’t even worth it. Thyroid meds left me with terrible headaches, antibiotics worsened my reflux, anxiety meds left me feeling too out of it, antidepressants made me too nauseous…
I felt like I couldn’t get help and would just be stuck struggling in motherhood. I was overwhelmed and didn’t know where to turn to next because expensive doctors and supplements weren’t getting me to where I needed to be. I lost hope in the next “new protocol” being the cure all solution.
Some stressful life changes and another antibiotic round was finally the last straw. I was so nauseous every day, underweight, and depressed and I knew there had to be another way. I refused to accept that this was just what I was stuck with.
In the past couple years Nutritional Therapy was something on my radar and something I wanted to pursue as I was always passionate about nutrition and health. I finally took the jump and worked with an experienced Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and went back to school to get my certificate.
I started learning that there was so much more to health than just treating surface level symptoms with a band aid approach. Digestive issues went much deeper and sibo was merely a symptom of underlying dysfunction. I actually learned how proper digestion worked and started pinpointing areas that I needed to work on. Things that no doctors had ever talked to me about – things such as stomach acid, bile flow, chewing food, eating in a rested state. I learned that not only were all those constant protocols not great for my gut microbiome and failed to address the underlying causes, but they were also hard on my liver. I learned ways to optimize my liver health and support proper bile flow and gallbladder function.
I started working on my health at a foundational level. Doing things such as balancing my blood sugar, fixing my digestive function, hydrating properly, addressing mineral needs so I was no longer anemic and dizzy (and I didn’t just supplement with more iron that wasn’t working). Instead of focusing on restrictive diets like low FODMAP, I started intentionally nourishing myself with whole foods, nutrient dense foods targeted to my specific needs, and plenty of protein.
I learned how minerals are so foundational to the body as they are essential to so many different reactions that perform important functions. My minerals were severely depleted and supporting their levels helped provide me with the foundation to heal. I could get my energy back, not feel like passing out and help give my thyroid and adrenals what they needed.
I spent time nourishing my nervous system, getting connected again, doing things I love, incorporating stress reducing practices, making my body feel safe with plenty of food and the minerals and nutrients it needed. Addressing my lifestyle was a huge factor that was missing for me.
As I started making these changes and learning more, I gradually started to see improvements. My liver was no longer making me feel like I had morning sickness all day, my SIBO was gone, my reflux improved, my adrenals and thyroid improved, I had stable blood sugar, my anxiety went down, I stopped having panic attacks, I gained 12 pounds, I could eat the foods I loved again, I stopped looking 6 months pregnant in bloating by the end of the day, I started having the energy to weight lift and play more with my son, and most importantly, I felt like I could be me again.
Getting my health back meant everything to me. I was able to do the things I love again and enjoy time with my family. I didn’t have to obsess over finding cures, spend hours bloated, miserable and dizzy on the couch, or miss out on things because I was too sick and nauseous.
I know the incredible toll health issues can take on your life. And I don’t want any woman to have to feel stuck in that. You deserve to thrive and enjoy motherhood.
I learned a lot in my health journey, and let me let you in on a little secret…
There is no magic pill that can quick fix all your problems.
Being healthy is a lifestyle. But it is life changing. So yes, there is work involved and change that is often even uncomfortable. But isn’t your health and getting to enjoy your life and your family the way you want worth it?
I now get to work as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and make an impact on the lives of other women experiencing health issues. I am passionate about nutrition, holistic health, lifestyle balance and a root cause approach to symptoms because I’ve seen the lifechanging power it can have.
If you resonate with any of my story, don’t hesitate to reach out! My Instagram DMs are always open or you can book a free discovery call to chat about your situation!
Let’s get you nourished and thriving!
– Shannon Stephens, NTP