My Story
I struggled with digestive issues for as long as I can remember. I know, you might be thinking “of course I have digestive issues, who doesn’t?” Unfortunately, digestive issues should not be normalized and ignored because they can have very serious implications for your life.
In my case, my digestive issues eventually lead to anxiety, poor memory, brain fog, low energy, low moods, and even unexplained weight gain, affecting my productivity and how I felt about myself. I very vividly recall sitting in a board room meeting, where I felt “fog” in my brain and I knew something wasn’t right. It wasn’t until I went back to school to pursue education in holistic nutrition, where I learned that the signs and symptoms that I experienced where due to my poor gut health, resulting from my poor dietary choices, sedentary lifestyle and unmanaged stressed.
Stress is a common trigger for gut issues. Stress comes in different forms and as most people, I experienced stress through different stages of my life. However, the stress I previously experienced was nothing compared to the stress (and gut-related symptoms) I experienced when my dad was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at the young age of 59. Knowing that my dad’s time was limited, negatively impacted my mood and health. However, through my education at CSNN, I learned how to better manage these symptoms to help me better cope with the situation at hand.
Unfortunately, my dad lost his battle to ALS at the age of 62 on June 25, 2021. Although I am devastated by his loss, I am thankful to have been blessed with his positivity, drive and entrepreneurial spirit, which has played a key role in the birth of GutVantage. I also understand that there is a possibility that I inherited the ALS gene, which is a bit scary having seen what it’s like first-hand. However, according to epigenetics, a field of study that our environment and behaviour can influence the way our genes work, it gives me hope that I could potentially avoid ALS even with the gene. This has inspired me more than ever to better take care of my own health, so that I can be there for my loved ones as well as help others take control of their health, so that they can be there for their loved ones. I believe life is too short not to make health your priority, so why wait?!?!? Let’s connect!
Samantha's Credentials/Expertise
Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant – The Canadian School of Natural Nutrition (CSNN) equipped Samantha with the knowledge and gut wisdom to better serve you. Whether you are looking to manage your condition or alleviate your symptoms, she’s “gut” you covered!
Operations Management Expert – Her education in Operations Management from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has taught her the importance of continuous improvement and standardizing processes, both of which she strongly believes are important in the holistic nutrition industry. Samantha suggests that one must continuously work on their health in order to reap the benefits as there is always room for improvement. In addition, standardizing processes for her clients helps provide better guidance and direction, leading to higher chances of success for her clients.
Certified Pharmacy Technician – You heard that right! She is not against Western Medicine! She understands that sometimes there is no other choice and that is okay! Instead, she works with her clients to support the depletion of nutrients from taking medications by replenishing nutrients lost via whole foods and supplementation.