I live by the motto, “My live didn’t turn out as I planned, and that’s what makes it so wonderful.”
Three years ago, when I graduated high school, I planned to go to a small college and pursue a business major and dance minor. But I couldn’t follow through with that plan when my autoimmune disease suddenly became unmanageable with the various medications prescribed by my doctors.
Most of you know the story: when I was told surgery to remove my colon was my only option, I was determined to find a different answer. That answer turned out to be food! I started a grain free, dairy free diet and my symptoms disappeared.
Since I discovered the healing power of nutrition, my life’s passion became empowering others with this information through Empowered Sustenance and my books.
My newfound passion for nutrition and mind-body medicine led me to recently change my education path. Although I’ve been doing online college courses for the past two years, I’m overjoyed to be healthy enough to return to a college campus. I’m going to get a Health Psychology degree (psychology with a mind-body focus) at the mecca for mind-body and naturopathic medicine: Bastyr University in Washington!
Wish me happy travels, because I will be flying out and moving to the campus this Saturday! I will be moving from Northern Virginia.
What’s changing?
Although I’ll probably have to cut back on my blogging time when I resume school full-time in a week, I will absolutely continue blogging! Some of my posts will reflect this new stage in my life. Here are some of the posts I’m looking forward to writing:
- What’s in my holistic dorm room?
- What do I cook and eat in a dorm setting?
- Tips for healthy living on a student budget
Also, you may have noticed a couple more advertisements on my blog. I would prefer not to run the ads because I don’t have control over the content of the ad (Google does). However, the revenue from the ads makes it possible for me to continue blogging and I needed to place a few more ads now that I’m juggling the increased expenses of college. Thank you for understanding.
Can you help me?
I have a favor to ask you. I’ve spent the last few years living in Northern Virginia, although I spent most of my life living about 2 hours north of Seattle.
I’m not familiar with the area within 30-40 minutes around Bastyr. Are you familiar with the Kenmore area or surrounding areas? I’m looking for practitioner recommendations for acupuncture, massage, craniosacral and other forms of body work.
I’m sad to leave my acupuncturist and BodyTalk practitioners here – they have helped me so much with my health – and it’s always tough to find a replacement for a good practitioner.
I would also love any recommendations for local real food resources such as stores, restaurants, family farms or CSAs. Are there nearby restaurants that have options (or flexible chefs!) for grain free, allergy-friendly meals? Or even allergy-friendly meal prep/delivery? If you are involved in any natural living or real food groups or anything like that, I would also love some recommendations to help me get plugged into a community.
Please leave your recommendations in the comments of this post. I may not be able to reply to each comment, but I read all of them and appreciate it greatly. Thank you so much!
Congratulations! I have lived in the Seattle area for 15 years, but I am new to having to eat gluten free for the last couple of years. You will be amazed at the number of restaurants that offer gluten free items. Be sure to get to Fremont and The Flying Apron Bakery. Also, Capitol Cider in Capitol Hill has a totally gluten-free kitchen/menu. The Fish and Chips were the best we have had anywhere (pre-celiac). Also check out Janell’s Gluten Free stores. One is up in Everett and there is also one in Kirkland. http://www.janellsglutenfreemarket.com/
Kirkland also has Lady Yum…. a store of amazing naturally gluten-free French Macrons.
http://www.ladyyum.com/
Hope you have an amazing time here!
Welcome to the Northwest! I lived most of my life south of Seattle and now live in Central Washington. There is amazing scenery around here as well as great hikes. If you are ever able to make about a 2 hour trip east let me know. You would be welcome to stay with me. I am an active grandma type and have learned so much from your blog. I was diagnosed with an auto immune condition and have radically changed my diet.
I have a niece who is in admissions at Bastyr.
Blessings on your new adventure!
Welcome to Bastyr, Lauren! I hope that your time in the Health Psych program is wonderfully nourishing for you on every level, and I know that it will be exciting, challenging, and illuminating.
You have gotten a lot of very terrific recommendations already, so I’ll just add that once you’ve gotten settled in, you can check out the Bastyr University online community on MyBU. There are various discussion forums that you can subscribe to and post to, including one called “Advice and Recommendations.” I’m sure lots of other Bastyrians will also be interested to read any responses you get to your questions!
Also, as Janet mentions above, we have a Teaching Clinic where student clinicians supervised by licensed providers offer care, and students who would like to be patients there receive a great discount rate. There are some on-campus shifts, too, in Physical Medicine and Acupuncture (though I don’t remember if students can be seen on those, or if they’re only for staff).
all best wishes to you!
Christy Lee-Engel, ND, EAMP
Bastyr University Center for Mind, Body, Spirit and Nature
Oh, good luck adjusting to the move and starting at Bastyr! Your blog has been an incredible resource to me, and your posts are interesting and fun. Thanks to you, Katie at wellnessmama.com, and Mark Sisson at MDA, I discovered the ancestral health/alternative medicine community when I was thirteen. (I’m fifteen now.) I know there’s still a few years till I go off to college, but man, hearing about you going to Bastyr just makes me more excited! You are truly an inspiration. Congratulations!
Hi Lauren! Congrats on your new adventure! I live in West Seattle and I just started the NTP program! I love your blog and although I don’t have much to recommend, I have learned so much from everyone’s comments on your post. I am lucky to have a PCC and the West Seattle Farmers market right up the street from me. I am not sure if anyone mentioned this yet but there are also several Whole Foods in the area.. I would be happy to show you around the Seattle area and hear about your experience as an NTP!
Congratulations on the next step in your big adventure and welcome to Washington! I second what others have said about Dungeness Valley Creamery for raw milk, Jubilee Farms for produce, and PCC for groceries. Dr. Cortney George is a wonderful chiropractor in the Totem Lake area who focuses on atlas work.
If you’d like to come over for dinner some time, we’d love to have you!
Welcome Lauren, huge fan of your blog and posts! I can so relate to your story w/ulcerative colitis. Little did I know when I moved out here in ’90 that I would become a massage therapist! Anyway, 20 years later still doing what I love! I recently lost my space so now work for Dreamclinic (3 locations) Queen Anne, Roosevelt (near Green Lake) and Redmond closest to Bastyr. All therapists and acupuncturists that work at any of these 3 are fabulous and take their work seriously. If you ever want to hold a mini seminar or clinic let us know we have space available! You will have lots of resources at your fingertips from Bastyr. Good Luck and I wish you all the best!!! (:
So excited for you, Lauren! I know that Bastyr College is going to be an amazing experience for you 🙂
I am so excited for you and wish you much energy and positive healthy thoughts! Bastyr would be top of my list to do it all again.
I have been following your blog and recipes for almost a year now when I was diagnosed with celiac disease and much more closely with a SIBO diagnosis and SCD recommended by my ND.
I always start with empowered sustenance when a new item is to be added. Your carefully researched blog as provided me with so much information and saved me from a number of “oops” moments.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! and all the best in your studies!
Donna
You will love central market and PCC when you find them. There will also be farmers markets at least through September near you. When my son was born last year, we used a cranialsacral masseuse recommended by the lactation consultant at Swedish. Her studio was her home in Bellevue. I am sure you’ll find one closer to you but if not feel free to contact me and I will find her name for you.