A Lesson From My College Years

One of my first lessons in this came during my freshman year of college.

I was 19, living on coffee and “no-fat” foods (remember that craze?). My meals were basically popsicles, McDonald’s yogurt cones, rice, plain veggies, and toast with honey.

When I came down with a massive head cold, I added DayQuil to the mix while still downing coffee and staying up late to write papers. That night, as I laid down, I realized my heart was racing. In the dark, I could feel every pound in my chest. I eventually fell asleep, but it scared me enough to stop the DayQuil.

By the end of the semester, my hair was falling out, my skin was a mess, I had no stamina, and I was too anemic to even donate blood—likely from a lack of healthy fat, protein, and nutrients. I got the grades, but my health was falling apart.

Thirty Years Later

Now, three decades later, I can see how disconnected I was from the truth:

What we put into our bodies is what we will get out.

Where This Series Is Going

That’s why I’m sharing this series, Rediscovering Holistic Health. Over the next few posts, I’ll be reflecting on:

• How food impacts not just our body, but also our mood and even our spiritual clarity

• A simple framework for thinking about health in body, soul, and spirit

• Why slowing down is the health habit we can’t afford to ignore

  
  

A Gentle Invitation

My hope is that these reflections will give you gentle reminders to pause, notice, and ask: What is my body trying to say? This is the kind of work I love guiding women through in my coaching—learning to listen to the whole self, not just silence symptoms.”