My Holistic Consultation + Update

If you follow me on Instagram, you've heard me talk a little bit about my food intolerance. I recently went to Haven, A holistic health center, to seek some help. I've always thought I was intolerant to dairy, and that dairy was the cause of my acne. I also have had some problems losing weight and I constantly feel bloated. I went to Haven to get a food intolerance done and a holistic consultation.

                                                   

What is Holistic Health?

For those who don't know or are unfamiliar - a holistic approach to health is that the body can heal itself if you put the right things in your body. Everyone has different foods they are intolerant too, and it's best that we avoid our food intolerance completely.

What is Haven? 

Haven is a holistic health center located in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood. It is owned and founded by two Naturopathic doctors: Dr.Alex Orton and Dr. Kobly Ourada. Their mission is to help people find the root of their health issues and what is preventing your body from healing. 

What am I intolerant to?

What we learned from my food intolerance test is that I'm intolerant to meat and mine salt. My food intolerance combination is potatoes and grains. What that means is, I can not have both within the same meal.

To be honest, I was kind of stunned at these results. Haven made it really easy for me to still eat good nutritional food. They gave me a grocery shopping list, supplements to order, and meal prep ideas. They also gave me ways to detoxify my body, naturally.

My Health Plan:

Dr.Alex made sure it was a smooth transition. I was given grocery shopping lists, meal prep ideas, restaurants that are friendly to my new lifestyle in Chicago, where to get the best bread, fish, etc. So many resources were available for all my new found needs.

Where I'm at now: 

I have to say, I  was a bit overwhelmed with the surge of new information. I wanted to start small. I recently cut meat out of my diet. It has been 3 weeks without meat. I definitely feel less bloated, which is interesting. I never realized how bloated I got after lunches or dinners. I've also avoided having potatoes & grains in the same meal. So If I'm going to have a veggie burger, I can not get potatoes or corn on the side.

As for groceries, I've picked up a plant based protein powder and snacks that are grain-free. I've also started introducing more fish into my diet.  I've also switched regular wheat bread for sourdough bread, which is a much better alternative for me. These changes have been a bit difficult, but nothing impossible. It's definitely worth it to give up the foods that are hindering me from being my healthiest.

My time at Haven was amazing. I feel super fortunate to have such a good and positive experience. Dr. Alex listened to all my needs/problems, and truly wanted to help me in all aspects.

I feel great so far! I'm exploring new foods and making sure to practice mindful eating habits.

If you are interested in scheduling a free consultation, click here.