We're relocating to Florida!

I am excited to announce that my family and I are embarking on a new adventure – relocating to sunny Sarasota, Florida! The decision to move has been carefully considered, as we believe it will not only improve our quality of life but also create an environment that resonates with our health goals.

One of the motivations behind this move is my husband's career as an airline pilot. By relocating to Sarasota, his commute will be significantly less cumbersome, allowing us to remain connected with our family and friends while taking full advantage of our travel benefits.

Throughout this process, we've learned the importance of pursuing our dreams, no matter how big or small. Initially, the prospect of moving seemed overwhelming. By breaking it down into manageable steps – with the support of our kids, friends, real estate agents, and a thorough checklist – we've been able to make this dream a reality.

For years, we've been contemplating where we might go next as our kids grew up and moved around, unsure of where they'd eventually settle. After visiting Sarasota and meeting with a realtor, we fell in love with a beautiful single-family ranch. It's incredible how smoothly everything has come together, and we feel extremely blessed to embark on this new chapter.

When my daughter asked if I was sad about leaving our current home and neighborhood, I responded by asking her if she felt sad when she went to college or moved to Charleston. She replied, "No, I was excited." I share the same sentiment – I look forward to the future with a heart full of cherished memories and anticipation.

There is an abundance of joy in this new chapter of our lives:

• A location with sunshine, outdoor activities, and beautiful beaches year-round.

• The opportunity to create a new home for our future.

• Building on my career and health coaching practice.

• Spending quality time with friends and family when they visit or when we return to NY.

• Fostering new relationships and experiences.

The joy of raising a family with someone you love, setting goals, and being open and willing to create new experiences is what this chapter is all about. The process may not be linear, but it is intentional. Part of life and good health is experiencing joy! And this move will bring us closer to achieving that on a higher level.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I am excited to share more updates with you as we settle into our new home and continue our journey together.

Thank you for being such an integral part of my life and business. The time we have spent together has been invaluable, and I look forward to our future growth and successes.

With gratitude,

Patty

A huge thank you to Nina Sher, our realtor extraordinaire!

We are so grateful to Nina Sher, a realtor with HUNT, who has been an invaluable resource during our moving process. Her Downsizing Made Simple class, which I attended last October, provided the clarity and guidance we needed to make this move a reality. We selected Nina to sell our house because of her expertise in real estate, marketing, pricing, negotiations, and kindness. Nina sold our house in one day, for over asking. Her unwavering support has made this transition smooth and stress-free. She even connected us with her go-to realtor in Sarasota. There are many Northerners who live in Florida! I highly recommend using Nina Sher, if you’re ready or getting ready to sell your home.

Client Spotlight: Kellie Gade's Weight Loss Journey

I want to introduce you to Kellie Gade. Kellie is in the middle of her weight loss transformation, and I think you’ll draw inspiration from her story. Before working with me, Kellie was 100 pounds overweight, suffered from a list of health problems, and was taking 13 different prescription medications. 

Kellie’s Story

“I never thought it would be possible to lose weight - and keep it off. I grew up drinking soda and eating sugary snacks, chips, processed foods, and fast food.  My father would buy whatever the food trend was at the time, and if it was in front of me - I ate it. For example, when Jax, the snack food (think Cheetos) was a thing, my father wouldn’t purchase just one bag - he’d get TEN. I learned that eating junk to an excess was normal. That lead to my mindless, emotional eating.

Over the years, I began packing on the pounds, especially after the birth of my daughter. But the extra weight slowly took a toll on my body. I had developed acid reflux, an electrolyte imbalance, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, back pain, seizures, blackouts, and suffered from mild depression. Seizures and random blackouts kept me from driving which took away all of my independence. If that wasn’t enough, one of my doctors gave me a questionable diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and MS. I felt so helpless.

We all know from watching TV commercials that there’s a drug for everything. Eventually, I took 13 different prescription medications and pain meds to deal with the side-effects.

I finally decided enough was enough. I didn’t want to feel awful every day for the rest of my life. I’m only in my 50s, and my husband and I have a lot of things we want to do. Someone from up above must have been looking out for me. During one of my chiropractic appointments for back pain with Dr. Kim Keeling from Sports & Spinal Wellness, she recommended that I make an appointment to see Coach Patty.

I began working with Patty one-on-one. I was so ready for change and soaked up everything she taught me. Patty’s 12 Steps to Better Health program taught me to think about food as medicine and so many other things. She shared her philosophy about self-care as the new healthcare, which resonated with me. I abandoned the lazy notion of taking pills to fix my problems and adopted a positive attitude that my health is my responsibility. Bandaids are not the solution and will not get to the root of the problem.  And that’s how my transformation began.

What is life like now?

My self-image has improved and I see myself as a vivacious, strong, and fun woman with lots of energy to do things and experience more fun in my life. I became religious about goal-setting and created a plan with Patty that I’m sticking to. I’m taking Empowered Pilates classes at Sports & Spinal Wellness, replacing soda with water, and preparing healthy meals at home -just to name a few. Pilates, Coach Patty, and I - have made the perfect trio!

As I lost weight and got stronger, my symptoms started going away. With the approval of my doctors, I’m down to only taking five medications. I have lost 45 pounds and have kept it off for a year! I aim to lose 55 more pounds and am confident I’ll get there. Best of all, I’m driving again! My first big trip was to visit family in Pennsylvania. I can’t even tell you how amazing it felt.

If you’re stuck and don’t know where to turn, make an appointment with Coach Patty - and get your life back!”

~Kellie

If you’re looking for some extra support to help with your health and wellness goals, I would love to talk with you! You know the challenges of trying to make healthy changes on your own can be exhausting and overwhelming.

As a Certified Nutrition Health Coach and RN, MSN, I work with clients in private one-on-one sessions or group workshops. My goal is to help people get their lives back by working together to create positive change in their health and well-being. Go ahead and sign up for a free 45-minute consultation and we’ll talk about your situation. You can also hit reply to this email or call my cell at (518) 221-9923. 

Get out and enjoy these beautiful summer days!

Coach Patty 🍀

Are you receiving the same level of healthcare you once enjoyed?

Healthcare providers have difficult jobs, and things are even harder now as a result of COVID, healthcare consolidations, quotas, pharmaceuticals, and insurance protocols.

There’s no shortage of stories online where people complain about the challenging state of healthcare.

Here’s a sample:

• Your provider never returned your call.

• You couldn’t get a sick visit and were referred to Urgent Care.

• You received less than stellar care because the hospital staff is overworked or lacking experience (traveling nurses, etc. is a huge trend).

• You waited months to get an appointment.

While I’m not here to offer advice on how to fix our broken healthcare system, I would like to provide suggestions on steps you can take to rely less on our healthcare system.

When you stop taking care of yourself, your overall health begins to decline. For most people, that means more trips to the doctor’s office for tests and prescription drugs. Look at your calendar, is it filled with appointments and follow-ups? For the most part, our healthcare system is set up to manage symptoms, not get to the root cause.

Rather than taking responsibility for our own health, we defer to medical professionals to fix us. But in many cases, they are not fixing our problems - they are managing our symptoms.

When your blood pressure is high - doc writes a script. Your cholesterol is high - doc writes a script. Your joints ache, doc writes a script. You have diabetes - docs writes a script. You are stressed - doc writes a script. All of these scripts have side-effects, which then takes on a whole new set of problems. It’s a hamster wheel. See the pattern?

So what can you do to stop relying so heavily on our healthcare system? You have to think differently and change your approach.

• Get your ‘house’ in order. Take responsibility for your physical, mental, spiritual, and financial health.

• Stop looking externally to others to ‘fix’ you.

• Peel back the layers and focus on getting to the root of your problems - in all areas of your life.

I challenge you to start taking baby steps around your health. When you start feeling better, you’ll have more energy to handle the bigger stuff.

Today is the perfect day to start. No excuses.

• Take a walk, ride your bike, run, or go swimming

• Eat fruits and vegetables

• Drink a lot of water

It’s not too late to get healthy, get your finances on track, lose weight, reverse chronic disease, get in a healthy relationship, etc. You need a plan. I can help you create a plan in any of these areas, and more.

Get a FREE 45-Minute Consultation from Coach Patty today!

You Can Reverse Thyroid Disease. Here's How.

Are you one of the 20 million Americans who is affected by Thyroid disease? 

January is Thyroid Awareness month, and this one has special meaning to me because of my personal experience with thyroid disease. 

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto's disease, and more, you’ll want to read on. There’s so much hope and proof that you can reverse this disease - and most likely not need medication for the rest of your life, as many doctors prescribe. 

What is the Thyroid Gland?

The Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that is located in the lower front of the neck, under the Adam's apple.  

What does the Thyroid Gland do?

The Thyroid gland’s job is to make hormones, which are secreted into the blood and then carried to every tissue in the body.  Thyroid hormones help the body use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles and other organs working as they should.

Here’s the Science

The Thyroid gland secretes three hormones

• T3 - triiodothyronine

• T4 - thyroxine

• Calcitonin - peptide hormone

The thyroid hormones determine metabolic rate and protein synthesis, essential for all body functions and growth and development.  Calcitonin plays a role in calcium homeostasis (balance).

The brain plays an essential role in how the thyroid gland functions.  The anterior pituitary gland secretes a hormone called Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which regulates T3 and T4 in thyroid gland. TSH is regulated by the hypothalamus which produces thyrotropin-releasing hormone (THR).

Most common Thyroid terms and disorders:

• Hyperthyroidism - excess secretion of thyroid hormone - overactive thyroid

• Goiter - enlarged thyroid - autoimmune response to overactive or underactive thyroid 

• Hypothyroidism - deficient secretion of thyroid hormone - underactive thyroid

• Hashimoto's thyroiditis - autoimmune disease due to iodine deficiency  

• Thyroiditis - inflammation of the thyroid

• Thyroid Nodules 

• Thyroid Cancer 

Two disorders that relate to the Thyroid gland and are most common are Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism, both considered autoimmune diseases.( www.thyroid.org) American Thyroid Association)

Statistics related to Thyroid Disease

• 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease

• Up to 60% of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition

• Women are five times more likely than men to have thyroid problems

• One woman in eight will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime

• Undiagnosed or untreated thyroid disease may put someone at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and infertility.  

Source: Cleveland Clinic 

Symptoms of Thyroid Disease

Hypothyroidism (underactive)

• fatigue

• depression

• forgetfulness

• weight gain

• frequent and heavy menstrual period

• dry coarse hair

• hoarse voice due to goiter (enlarged gland)

Hyperthyroidism (overactive)

• irritability

• nervousness

• muscle weakness

• weight loss

• sleep disturbances

• vision problems, eye irritation, bulging

• goiter (enlarged gland)

Autoimmune Disease

Autoimmune disease is described as an abnormal condition and response to a functioning body part.  It can be triggered by infection or other environmental and genetic factors.  As a result of the trigger, inflammation occurs causing the immune system to work against itself, resulting in disease or system failure.   

A Conventional Medicine approach includes:

• surgery

• medication

• radiation therapy

A Functional Medicine approach includes:

• Getting to the root cause - decreasing inflammation

• Stress reduction

• Identifying food sensitivities & allergies

• Address leaky gut & dysbiosis (microbial imbalance)

Do This

Take preservatives out of your diet and do these things instead to improve the symptoms associated with Thyroid Disease.

• Take Probiotics

• Drink More Water

• Eat Fruits and Vegetables

• Eat Lean Protein

• Eat Whole Grains

• Walk in nature for 30 minutes a day

My Story

At the age of 30 after the birth of my oldest son, I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. My symptoms included fatigue, difficulty losing weight, and a large goiter in my neck.  

The endocrinologist prescribed Synthroid and told me I would have to take it for the rest of my life if I did not want to develop cancer of the Thyroid. 

About four years ago after the death of my mother and a major career change, I began learning about functional medicine and integrative nutrition. I slowly began to apply these principles to myself.  I started sleeping better, exercised more and most importantly changed my diet completely.  I lost thirty pounds and eventually my Thyroid began to function normally on its own. 

Today, I no longer take any medications.  

If you want support to reverse your Thyroid problems, please make an appointment with me to discuss your situation.

I understand what it feels like to be told you have to be on a medication your entire life. If you’re like me and hate taking prescription drugs, let’s definitely talk.

Stay happy and healthy!

-Patty