Hi, I’m Christina and I created The Thrive Program to share my passion for functional health, nutrition, and mindfulness, and as a resource to anyone looking to maintain optimal health, or struggling with chronic disease. I discovered the functional approach to health while on my own journey with a rare chronic joint condition called synovial chondromatosis. After seeing more than a handful of world-renowned orthopedic physicians and surgeons, multiple chiropractors, internists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and Ayurveda practitioners, and being told my condition was incurable and required lifelong surgeries, I began feeling discouraged and hopeless. I learned about Functional Medicine after hearing Chris Kresser speak on a podcast. I immediately purchased his books, began taking courses through his ADAPT Academy, and ultimately enrolled in the ADAPT Health Coach Training Program. As a healthcare provider by trade, I’ve spent many years treating western disease using the standard medical model. After learning the functional approach, practicing in this way began to feel inauthentic and I knew it was time to change gears.
I believe our bodies are innately equipped to heal and our health meant to thrive, as long as we provide the right environment for healing to take place. The Four Building Blocks we must address to support healing are:
- Nutrition
- Sleep
- Movement
- Mindfulness
Western medicine has convinced many of us that we have no control over our health–that disease is our fate, and genetics will overturn any efforts we make towards preventing disease. I’m here to tell you that this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth! In fact, recent evidence suggests that only about 15% of our health is determined by genetics, leaving a whopping 85% to potentially modifiable factors like nutrition, sleep, physical activity, environmental exposures. Whether you are looking to maintain your health, reach optimal health, or manage a chronic condition, much of the power to heal is within reach. One of the biggest problems with our current medical model is the lack of support available to patients to make real, sustainable change. Starting a new diet or lifestyle plan can be overwhelming for us all, and it simply takes more than a 12 minute doctor’s visit and a pamphlet on diet to make those changes. It is my goal to bridge that gap and guide you down a path towards a state of optimal being that is both enjoyable and sustainable for you and your family.
