HOW I RECLAIMED MY BRAIN, MY BODY, AND MY MISSION

HOW I RECLAIMED MY BRAIN, MY BODY, AND MY MISSION

I was born as one of two. Identical twin girls, naturally birthed by a mother who believed fiercely in holistic health —so much so that she enrolled in a midwifery program and birthed us as part of a natural childbirth study. My father, a brilliant man with a science and pre-med background, raised us with a vision for a healthier world. Between them, I grew up label-literate by third grade, avoiding hydrogenated fats, and making home-cooked meals as part of our family routine.

I had the gift of both health and discipline — and it showed. Straight A’s. Perfect attendance. A 4.2 GPA. A full scholarship to play college soccer. And a dream of becoming either a doctor or a teacher. My twin became the teacher. I went pre-med.

But when I left home for college, I left my nutrition behind, too. I traded home-cooked meals for Mountain Dew and Frappuccino's.  I lived on canned chicken with cheese and chips in the microwave, Chinese takeout, and convenience food. I lost my way — and almost lost everything with it.

In one semester, I gained over 30 pounds, my athletic performance plummeted, and I nearly lost my scholarship. I failed two classes and lost my starting position on the soccer field.  I had to retake seven classes and labs while regaining my fitness to maintain both scholarships. It was a crash — academic, athletic and personal. 

But I fought back the only way I knew how: through food and exercise.

I returned to the way I was raised — shopping, prepping, and cooking real food. My brain came back. My energy came back.  I earned 7 straight A's that semester needed to reclaim my scholarship.  And I became the leading goal scorer on my team the following year. I even held school records for nearly two decades.

That experience changed everything. I switched my major from pre-med to nutrition and applied and accepted into Vanderbilt’s elite dietetic internship in 2000/2001.

THE BRAIN CRASH I NEVER SAW COMING

I kept playing competitive sports into my 30s — soccer, rooftop leagues, even competitive beach volleyball. But by age 36, my brain started hurting.  Badly.  There were intense and unrelenting headaches, memory glitches, insomnia, and emotional swings. I didn’t know it then, but I was living with the cumulative impact of post-concussive syndrome.

At age 37, I finally received the diagnosis. But by then, I had already gone through years of struggling — trying to self-medicate with alcohol, marijuana, and doctor-prescribed pharmaceuticals.  They became their own trap.

Once I knew what I was facing, I got to work. I returned to research — this time not for a test, but to save my brain and life.  I leaned on functional nutrition, lifestyle medicine, medicinal mushrooms, nutrient therapy, red light, grounding, detox protocols — every tool I could find. 

What I’ve learned is this: healing your brain is possible. But it’s not linear. And it’s never over.

WHY I’M WRITING THIS NOW

This blog isn’t just a project. It’s my calling. I’m here to guide others through their own healing — whether you're dealing with any type of brain injury, trauma, burnout, addiction, or simply the quiet unraveling of your health.

I’m here to say: You can heal. You can grow new brain cells, heart tissue, bone, joints and more. You can create the internal world that leads to a beautiful external life.

Today, I’m helping people one on one to help them heal using the same strategies I've used- more than once in my life.  And, I am designing a wellness-centered existence — one built around regenerative living, healing foods, and brain-first practices. I’m building systems — real ones, with land, gardens, fresh clean water, saunas and fire pits — so others can experience what full healing really means and looks like. 

This blog is a starting point. A map. A mirror. It’s where story meets science. Where root cause meets real life.

Welcome to the journey.  I am happy you are here and hope to help inspire you to transform your body, mind and life.

With love & conviction,

Rachael