Unveiling My Journey: From Anemia to Holistic Healing with Shannon Nolder, Functional Nutrition Coach
Hey there, beautiful souls! Shannon Nolder here, your go-to gal for all things functional nutrition and holistic healing. I can be your friendly neighborhood functional nutrition coach too. But before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me spill the tea about who I am and why I'm so jazzed about what I do. I am a wife to a man who has kept me around for 24 years now, and a mom to 5 amazing children, 4 girls and a boy. (and no he was not the last, he was second to last) I would have had more children but the hubby wasn’t on the same page as me. He always saw having another baby as resetting the clock for another 18 years, until we could enjoy our time together later in life. With the last kiddo, he finally threw in the towel and got himself a vasectomy, ‘cause I was going to get my innards cut out or tied!
My husband has been in the same career for the last 21 years going on to his 22nd year. He has been very successful in his career, moving up the ladder whenever it worked for our family. I couldn’t be prouder of him! He is an amazing, honorable leader and very loyal. His personal quote is “ONLY HONOR IS BULLETPROOF” He has always been driven to be better and provide for his family! Without him, I would not be where I am today!!
“Only honor is bulletproof”
My story is a bit different, with his job security I was able to pursue owning and running my own business. I have done this since we started having babies (at the young age of 20) from a home daycare I opened when my youngest kiddos were little (10 years) to moving into a new world of Insurance inspections and audits, to a third party process server for banks (for the last 13 years), to being a Notary signing home loans and the like, (going on my 9th year) as well as helping property preservation companies take pictures for homes that have been abandoned or are in foreclosure, to owning and renting our class A motorhome. No, we aren’t rich we just decided to make an investment and hope and pray that renting it out would pay for it. So far, all the payments have been made for our rentals. We are going into our third year with that. I am a very busy person. I have a hard time saying no, but I have gotten better at that! We have been blessed with all the opportunities we have had.
In 2019, life threw me a curveball when one of my kids was diagnosed with hemolytic anemia. Cue the panic mode and endless nights of research and worry. It was like diving headfirst into a medical encyclopedia, trying to decipher blood work results, and navigating the murky waters of treatment options. Spoiler alert: It was a wild ride, filled with expensive treatments and moments of sheer frustration. But through it all, one thing became crystal clear—there had to be a better way. Here’s the nitty-gritty of her story…The doctors say it was caused by a case of Epstein Barr. Which we didn’t know she had in the first place, and never showed signs of it either. It was a wake-up call that catapulted me into learning on my own, bits and pieces of what was relevant for my kid. Over the next few years, it sent me on a whirlwind journey of research and discovery. I found myself poring over all her CBC and CMP blood work info, trying to make sense of it all and find ways to support my child's health. They tried all different types of treatments for her. At first, I did not really know much. I just said to help her feel and get better, so they started her on steroids, and other medicines while never once discussing vitamins, supplements, or diet. I had to bring these up multiple times until they said yeah that might help. These treatments they put her on were EXPENSIVE, to say the least. One of her treatments was $120,000 for one infusion. (she had 4 of those I think?!) After little success with the infusions, the hematologist suggested a treatment that included a drug in pill form. Once I read up on that treatment, I found out that is carcinogenic. I told them not No, but HELL NO! With that, I told them to find another option, and they said they’d have to get back to us and encouraged us to do their original treatment plan saying, “They have to put those labels on the medication, it’s not that bad.” Luckily, they found another option, but I did not stop advocating for my daughter. Thankfully she let me, as she was 19 at the time. We spent A LOT of money in the next coming years with no real relief in sight, she would have to continue treatment potentially for life. This next treatment was another infusion, luckily less expensive, but she was to get them every 3 weeks, it helped but didn’t seem to reset her system like we hoped it would.
“They have to put those labels on the medication, it’s not that bad.”
I feel like her doctor just wanted a patient for life, had too many other patients, or did not have enough time to really figure her case out. They don’t have the time to talk about nutrition with their clients, it’s just a blanket statement, make sure you eat a healthy diet. But that doesn’t mean the same thing for each person. What is healthy or good for my body may not be healthy and good for your body! I also know that nutrition isn’t always a mandatory course in school, and functional nutrition definitely isn’t taught unless that’s the field they choose. They are taught to use the medicine that the FDA approves, and people can make money off of.
During all these treatments and new protocols and as I was starting to find my footing, COVID-19 reared its head, and I found myself delving even deeper into the world of health and immunity. I became a sponge, soaking up knowledge about different supplements, herbal remedies, and natural healing modalities. I found myself drawn to the world of holistic health and wellness. I watched countless informative videos on naturopathy, herbal healing, and the power of food as medicine.
While on this holistic learning journey, my husband had been talking with some people at work and was hearing all this talk about life coaching. He said something I didn’t believe in at the time and maybe a little bit of that is true now, He said, “I think you’d be an amazing Life Coach you should look into it.” So, because I know that often we fail to see what others see in us I started looking into and began on the path to become a life coach, finishing my certification in May of 2023. But Something was missing. One day as I was listening to training on life coaching, one of the questions they asked was “What is your niche?” I had NO IDEA, so I took some time of self-reflection and deep soul-searching to find that answer. I knew I wanted to help people and that I sometimes have an out-of-the-box thinking style but being quiet and listening isn’t always my strong suit. I get filled with so many ideas to help solve the person’s problem instead of letting them discover it themselves, something I still work on today! But how did I want to help people? I knew I had lots of knowledge to share and while talking to a few friends I found myself sharing some of the holistic practices I had researched and tried myself. It was then that I realized that I wanted to help people learn how to listen to and heal their bodies as naturally as possible. I began searching for ways I could learn more and I stumbled upon the world of holistic healing and a term I hadn’t been too familiar with functional nutrition coaching, around the end of 2023. More to come on the rest of my story in a minute. I want to get back to my daughter.
Back to her story in the timeline. She recently moved to a different city in July 2023 and sought out a new doctor which has been amazing thus far doing more testing and research specifically for my child! She also found out that on top of the hemolytic anemia, she has hemochromatosis, (a genetic mutation because my husband and I are both carriers of that variant) and she is now having different treatments and monitoring her HA. We are still managing her symptoms and trying to keep her body healthy. But being 23 she’s not quite ready to change her lifestyle the way mom suggests. I give her little nuggets of information to help her whenever we talk, or she comes to visit. I also feed her healthier food while she’s home and show her different options. It’s a work in progress. But I am so very thankful she found this new doctor. She has been amazing thus far!
Ok, back to the rest of my journey. So, I was searching for ways to help people with their health and healing. I found lots of options but when I stumbled on to the school I am still attending, it was just the right fit for me. From the moment I found this school, I saw the way they taught and who the teacher was, and I was hooked. Not knowing how we were going to fit it into the budget, I discussed this with my husband who is very calculating and insightful when it comes to decisions, he saw a spark in my eyes and soul, and he knew he had to say yes! He said, “Do it, I know you want to do this, we’ll figure it out.” Which is what we did. I couldn’t be happier; it was the best choice I have ever made aside from marrying that man I call my husband. Guess what, I jumped in, I took the leap of faith. Though at the time paying for schooling wasn’t in our budget, I knew we’d make it work. I started school, I devoured every piece of information, soaking up knowledge like a sponge and feeling more inspired and empowered with each passing day. Here I am, knee-deep in coursework, soaking up knowledge like a boss and feeling more inspired than ever. I'm on a mission to empower others to take control of their health and well-being, one holistic nugget of wisdom at a time.
So, whether you're struggling with health issues of your own, looking to boost your immunity, or simply seeking a little guidance on your wellness journey, know that I'm here for you, every step of the way. Together, we'll navigate the ups and downs, celebrate the victories, and create a life of vibrant health and vitality. Welcome to the journey, my friends—it's going to be one heck of a ride!