My journey into nutrition was like many others; beginning with my own health battles.

In the beginning…

I was an overachieving nerd in school, which goes hand-in-hand with chronic levels of high stress. This stress led to all sorts of health problems: frequent colds and flus, anxiety and depression, stress-induced (dyshidrotic) eczema and extreme gastrointestinal upset, one of these being reflux.

My reflux became severe to the point of constant vomiting; unable to keep food or drink down; without food as a buffer, I would vomit yellow bile and it began damaging my oesophagus and teeth. I was put on medication (PPIs) to reduce the production of stomach acid to prevent further complications but what I unfortunately did not receive was education around the use, adverse effects or a recommended timeframe for use so I continued using them for 2 years. In these 2 years, I accumulated more chronic health problems that were treated with medication that further exacerbated my GI symptoms.

The journey…

I began paying attention to my body cues when symptoms arose. I realised alcohol was a no-no, meal timing, sizing and order of intake was important, but my reflux was still a problem. I sought a diagnosis by a gastroenterologist and as a 20-year-old girl, I was told that I have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) – most common in middle-aged men. My options were: surgery which will “trade symptoms for symptoms”, continue medication or (and bless my doctor for saying this) change my diet and lifestyle.