Holistic health coach Kelley Nemiro warns of the risks of using birth control to treat negative symptoms.
When women are suffering from migraines or excruciating period pains, doctors commonly prescribe the hormonal contraceptive pill. This appears to be a great quick-fix solution but is actually the potential cause of many other problems. The body is a complex and delicate ecosystem. When something is out of balance, it is tempting to take a pill for it, but that does not address the root cause of the problem.
“The hormones in ‘the Pill’ can greatly alter the balance and health of the microbiome of bacteria in your gut,” says holistic health coach Kelley Nemiro. We are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of the microbiome in terms of functional health. An estimated 95% of serotonin is found in the gut rather than the brain. Interference with this neurotransmitter can greatly affect mood and anxiety levels, as well as libido.
This puts women on a vicious merry-go-round of medication. You may choose hormonal birth control to have more agency over your periods, only to find your mood dip and your doctor prescribes you antidepressants. Nemiro is passionate about finding the root cause of the problem rather than relying on medication that does not address the initial imbalance.
Nutrition, sleep, movement, and mindset are the tools Nemiro works with, to help her clients recover full health without resorting to lifelong medication. After being diagnosed with thyroid issues, Nemiro was advised she would be on that medication for the rest of her life. She found another way and now shares her findings with a growing community of health-seekers.
Nemiro grew up in Las Vegas and moved to Los Angeles for college. The accepted cultural notion of thin = beautiful led to an eating disorder that she suffered through many years of her early adult life. Stopped periods led to a severe hormonal imbalance and several years of ill health, and medication prescriptions seemed to be the only choice on the menu.
“It is crucial to ask for help in a situation like that,” says Nemiro. “Things turned around for me when I got a health coach and used a functional medicine approach. The mess I was in has become my message, and nothing makes me happier than now helping clients who are in similar places.”
Nemiro focuses on supporting her clients in creating sustainable habits for lasting changes. These may include breathing techniques, journaling, the right diet to support hormone health (which may look different for each person), and meditation. She advises starting with one thing at a time, rather than pressuring yourself to lead a different life overnight.
Following a discovery call to discover symptoms and health goals, Nemiro orders a specialised set of lab tests that give a detailed insight into the hormonal situation. They then work together over six months with a tailored plan to reach optimal health. Many coaches don’t investigate the physical aspect of hormone health, according to Nemiro. But this is key information as it affects everything from weight and mood to digestion, sleep, and energy levels.
Another important element of Nemiro’s work is around mindset. She is passionate about discovering the subconscious limiting beliefs that may arise from childhood traumas and get us stuck in destructive habits and patterns of behaviour. There is a much higher chance of new habits sticking if you have awareness of what is subconsciously holding you back.
These new habits then result in physical change. Even self-sabotaging habits are in fact trying to protect us. Nemiro realised her eating disorder wasn’t actually about food, that was just the conduit for her desire to be accepted. Unraveling the knots of these mental processes in a supportive environment can greatly affect negative symptoms without resorting to medication.
Nemiro recovered her health and discovered her passion for helping people through her desire to get well enough to start a family. “Everyone has their own motivation to make changes”, she says. “Once you fill your own cup and find what truly drives you, you can do anything!”
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