Lizzie Nelson '06 is a holistic nutritionist who believes that everyone deserves to feel good in their body. As the owner of Gut Feelings Wellness, an online health coaching practice, Lizzie applies her training, intensive research, and life experience to create an individualized plan for each of her clients.

After a comprehensive health intake, covering health goals and health history, she meets with clients over Zoom every week to discuss specific action items to focus on in five areas of whole body health: eating nutrient-dense foods, managing stress, getting optimal sleep, increasing daily movement, and building community. As a coach, Lizzie particularly enjoys being both an accountability buddy, providing specific customized homework for each client and holding them accountable to establish new habits, and a friend who is there to celebrate a client's successes and achievements along the way. 

Because Lizzie understands the essential role of the nervous system in digestion, detox, as well as immune hormone systems, she's able to help her busy clients build lasting dietary and lifestyle habits that will shift their equilibrium from sympathetic (fight or flight) to parasympathetic (rest and digest) states. To help clients slow down and build up their self-care tool kit, she recommends things as simple as leaving your cell phone at home and going out for a walk tech-free, practicing mindful eating to awaken your senses (put all distractions away and chew each bite 20 times), and rethink exercise and try moving in a way that feels good to your body (stretching, walking, dancing, and flow yoga are all great forms of intuitive movement). 

Lizzie believes that "once you get a taste of feeling good in your body, you'll want more, and equilibrium begins to be restored." But she wasn't always feeling good herself. After graduating from the University of San Diego with a major in communication and marketing, Lizzie dove headfirst into a fast-paced digital marketing career, working with tech startups in Silicon Valley. During this time, she contracted a severe gastrointestinal virus, and over the next several years, continued to be plagued with IBS, gut infections, and a slew of other symptoms. She ultimately found herself in the hospital and hooked up to a feeding tube for over two weeks, while doctors conducted countless tests and prescribed what felt like endless medications. Over time, Lizzie began to research and experiment with the power of food as medicine and the role that living in a fight or flight state has on the body's ability to fight off viruses, heal, and function smoothly. This began her passion for utilizing simple tools – what we eat and how we care for our bodies – as the key ingredient to living healthier and happier lives. She eventually got off all the medications the doctors had her on (eight or nine by the end!) and healed her gut by removing inflammatory foods from her diet, falling in love with cooking, practicing better work-life balance, and prioritizing sleep and daily movement.  

Lizzie's interest in diet and lifestyle led her to a career change. She enrolled in Baumann College in Berkeley, CA  to study holistic nutrition. She also began to work at an acupuncture clinic as the practice manager to understand how holistic health clinics run. Following her graduation, Lizzie continued to work at the clinic; but just as she was getting ready to establish her own personal client base, the clinic closed its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That's when Lizzie launched her online health coaching business. She left San Francisco behind, embarking on a trip around the United States, visiting 10 cities and staying in Airbnbs while meeting with clients remotely for over a year. Her final stop was Denver, and that's where she trusted her gut feeling to put down roots and build her new community.

If you are interested in improving the way you feel, Lizzie recommends finding a health coach who's a good fit for you. Check out Lizzie's website. To receive her twice-monthly newsletters, sign up here, or follow her on Instagram. Finally, Lizzie has customized a few fall wellness tips especially for our Llama Notes readers!