HER Balance
For those who don’t know my journey, HER Balance started as Beauty Balance. Years ago, I became very sick, and although I was about 110 pounds at the time, my stomach became notably distended overnight. I went to the ED, and they asked me if I was pregnant. I told them no because I wasn’t Mary, the mother of Jesus, but they checked anyway. After a pregnancy test, some questions, and vitals, they sent me home and referred me to an OBGYN. During my visit with the OBGYN, they did an ultrasound, and the diagnosis given was constipation. I then went to my primary care physician to continue my search for answers. I love my PCP, but she did some labs (ones approved by insurance) and found nothing. I was fed up, I looked pregnant, I was uncomfortable, and I needed answers. That’s when I found Functional Diagnostic Nutrition. After completing labs, I found that my cortisol levels had plummeted, I had a leaky gut, and my intense workouts amid hormonal imbalance were only exacerbating the problem. My practitioner provided me with a 90-day protocol, and three weeks into the program, my stomach had vanished. Also, to my surprise, I noticed my skin was glowing and my hair was luxurious. This was the beginning of Beauty Balance; I wanted to help women gain confidence and get their sexy back through Functional Nutrition.
I started collaborating with Beauty Salons. It was an amazing experience as every time I was at a hair appointment, I would hear the same conversations. A client would explain that her hair was thinning or coming out, and the beautician would say, “That’s your hormones,” and that was the end of the conversation. I wanted to scream, “But you can do something about it!” And that fire within me prompted a collaboration journey with local salons in Atlanta. We hosted weekend workshops explaining the anatomy and physiology of the gut and its impact on hormonal health. The goal was to end the notion of “It’s my hormones, I’m 40, I can’t do anything about it.” Instead, we empowered women to work with their doctor and functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner to create an efficient program that elevated their health, confidence, and lives.
It was the beginning of something fantastic. As we continued the workshops, I realized that the common denominator among most of the clients was stressful jobs. Most were high-level executives in corporate America, and many were moms. Stress is the root of most diseases. A little bit of stress serves a purpose because when our body senses harm, our fight-or-flight response kicks in. This is what gives a mom the strength to move a car that is crushing her child. This is great for when we need it, and then our bodies return to homeostasis or balance after the traumatic event. However, it is harmful when our bodies are in a fight or flight response for too long. It causes elevated blood pressure, blood sugar, cortisol, and heart rate for an extended period, leading to conditions such as heart disease, hormonal imbalances, leaky gut, and obesity. Some people experience chronic stress for years; It could be a high-pressure job, a failing marriage, problems with the kids, or financial insecurity.
I wanted to change this. As a single mom who had suffered all of the above, I knew firsthand how one’s health could rapidly decline due to life’s circumstances. I changed the name of my company from Beauty Balance to HER Balance because the root of what my clients in the beauty salons were experiencing was based on their entire lives. She needed HER Balance. Therefore, I created a women’s wellness model based on functional medicine principles to improve the female experience by providing an integrative approach to health that addressed the entire woman rather than physical presentation or symptoms alone. We were made to thrive physically, mentally, socially, personally, and professionally. When women thrive, our families and communities follow. And by women, I’m talking about you. It’s time to get YOUR Balance!