Food Culture: Teens Struggle With Belly Pain, Joint Pain, Exhaustion, Dizziness and more. - Take the Teen Symptom Survey!
Initial Data
I was invited to speak to students at Buena Vista Highschool's Global Cuisine class with Lea Ann Johnson, MeD, PCC. I spoke with ( and cooked with) 4 classes over 2 days.
During these classes, we had the students fill out a survey. Thirty-five (35) Buena Vista High School Students were asked to pick their top 4 symptoms that they experience regularly based on an extensive list I shared with them. Most listed more than 4.
The results were shocking, even to me who works in this field and has known for years that teenagers are really struggling with their health on many levels.
Ms Johnson has reported that the lessons had ongoing impact, inspired continued conversation, and has expressed interest in continuing this project.
What are Symptoms?
Symptoms are the language our bodies speak to us in. Symptoms are our body’s way of telling us that something is wrong and is how the body asks for our help. Symptoms are warning signs that often spiral into worsening long term chronic health conditions if we don’t honor them earlier enough.
Oftentimes, simply upgrading out food choices makes a huge impact to improve our health and our symptoms will calm down.
Chronic Health Conditions
I've been a Functional Nutritionist in Buena Vista, CO for 8 years. I have an intimate familiarity with the health issues people struggle with, the care available, and the cultural barriers and norms that make it difficult to eat better and take needed steps to calm down symptoms of chronic health conditions.
For 8 years I have worked with people with serious and mysterious health conditions. I have helped them calm down and even reverse pre diabetes, high cholesterol, autoimmunity, constipation, diarrhea, reflux, Gerd, fatty liver, IBS, exhaustion, anxiety, food sensitivities, hives, migraines, bloating, perimenopause symptoms, menstrual cramps, food sensitivities, belly pain, dizziness, bloating, and many other serious and life altering conditions.
I love helping people access a new lease on life, feel empowered in their body, and have more brain power than ever.
Early Signs
I work with private clients and conduct detailed intakes and health history and I know that most of the hundreds of clients I have worked with started with symptoms just like these when they were in high school.
Every one of them, and myself included, very much wishes someone had shown them how to heal from these issues and take more wise care of themselves earlier in life. This is what I do!
What Can Adults do?
I believe it is our duty, as community leaders, to help the kids get a good start to life, and go off into the world with the ability to joyfully meet their potential rather than saddled with pain, exhaustion, and worsening physical and mental health. Would you like to support teens in your community?
I am available for Food Culture Consulting with teens in your community. I can help you start and upgrade the conversation teens are having around food. This has the possibility of dramatically improve teen health. I think this is an urgent health issue and I invite you to participate with me to see how much improvement we can inspire and activate.
Hire us for Food Culture Consulting to find the best ways to upgrade the Food Culture and improve the health of teens and youth in your community.
Get Started with Nourish + Flow
I have created a program called Nourish + Flow to help people understand what their symptoms mean and how honor the needs of their bodies with wisdom, ease, and joy. I also utilize functional lab tests and deeper investigation for more complex health conditions.