I was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and moved to St.Paul, Minnesota at the age of 15. I received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from St. Edward’s University in 1996 and worked at Dell for 5 years. After the birth of my second child, I decided to pursue a career change.  

 

I have been a Registered Nurse since 2005 and a Board-Certified Lactation Consultant since 2011. Over the years, I have worked in a variety of areas including Postpartum Care, Neonatal Intensive Care and Post Anesthesia Care. I founded Mommy’s Angels Postpartum Care Services, LLC in 2010 and have been teaching mothers the art of breastfeeding ever since.

 

I lived what I thought was a healthy lifestyle and for the most part considered myself “healthy.” However, I regularly experienced different symptoms that I thought were “annoying but normal” and assumed they were "things that I just had to live with" such as debilitating pre-menstrual cramps and headaches that I managed by taking round the clock Ibuprofen. I experienced seasonal allergies that developed into a year-round challenge that required regular allergy medication and occasional use of steroid inhaler. I also experienced digestive problems and extreme fatigue after having kids, which I attributed to being a working mom.  When I brought these symptoms up with my doctors, I was assured that I was young, healthy and all my labs were normal so "not to worry". 

 

My journey into holistic health began with the devastating news of my mother's diagnosis of endometrial cancer in 2011. I started researching ways to help her through chemo treatments; we started juicing and preparing specific foods to help boost her immunity. She completed her treatment and has incorporated what she learned in to her lifestyle and is still thriving years later. As for me, after learning about integrative medicine, I worked with a naturopath who helped me balance my hormones and address my gut health. After several months of working with him, I had more energy and I no longer required my regular allergy medications or Ibuprofen to manage my symptoms. I am happy to say that I have since overcome all those “annoying” issues and am living my best life! 

 

I was so fascinated by what I learned through the years that I decided to further my education by joining The School of Applied Functional Medicine in 2019 and began training to become a functional medicine health coach. After 2 years of immersive study, clinical application, and examination, I competed my studies in 2021. I have since been applying my knowledge to help my clients, family and friends achieve great improvements in their health. In 2022 I received my AFMC certification and added Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach to my list of credentials. I look forward to helping you on your journey to optimal health!