Amy Papa

My journey to becoming a Health Coach and a Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner started with my son.

My son was diagnosed with GERD at the age of 9. The gastroenterologist told me that he would need repeated esophageal dilation to relieve narrowing symptom and he would need to be on medication for the rest of his life to control his acid reflux. That treatment plan was no way acceptable to me. Deeply disappointed, I started looking for alternative treatments. Several months later, after extensive research through reading books, watching videos and talking to people, I finally discovered Functional Medicine. Luckily, I found a very good functional medicine doctor and witnessed how the doctor successfully helped my son with diet changes and nutrition. Not only did my son’s acid reflux go away, so did his iron deficiency anemia, restless leg syndrome, ADHD, and etc. I was amazed! It was no less than a miracle to me!

I became very interested in nutrition and was eager to learn more. I wanted to find out exactly how food and nutrition could be so magic, I wanted to know why my parents though living a very “healthy” life style but still suffer from high blood pressure and coronary artery disease, I wanted to find out why so many people were developing chronic diseases, and I wanted to find out whether I could change my path which seemed to be destined to poor health. So I took nutrition courses from Harvard and Stanford (because I wanted to know what the highest educational institutes were teaching about nutrition) and then a training program through Dr. Sears Wellness Institute and became a Certified Health Coach. Two years later, after I trained under world renowned Functional Nutritionist Andrea Nakayama I became a board certified holistic healthcare practitioner as a Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner.

What I have learned has completely transformed my life in all aspects. Before, I was forty feeling sixty. I had aches and pains everywhere and I had to pull myself up from squatting; brain fog plagued my day everyday of a mom of three; frequent colds and flus, pre-diabetes, Bell’s Palsy, infections, trip to ER for chest pain…… It was not fun! But now, after life style and diet changes and proper nutrition, I feel at the best of myself in a long time! I can play sports with my kids for two hours straight and feel fantastic! I can run up and down chasing my kids on the playground without worrying about my knees! My tooth sensitivity is gone! I don’t need an afternoon nap any more! I have a clear mind every day and getting a lot more things done! I am learning piano and ice skating, reading books, and taking more courses!

The more I learn about nutrition the more I become passionate about it! Once I thought I would retire from taking care of my kids but now I feel it my mission to spread health and nutrition knowledge and help more people get back their health and stay healthy!

Learning about nutrition and taking control of my health was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life and I believe it will be yours too.