“There is only one you. You matter and you deserve individualized care.”
-Sarah Steward, R.H.N.
A new beginning…
I spent years searching for a solution to my chronic health issues. Multiple encounters with dismissive health professionals who downplayed my symptoms led to a misdiagnosis. That misdiagnosis made it harder for me to get the care that I needed and caused me to be lost in the system for a decade.
I remember so many times wondering if I would always feel this way. Would I ever be able to live a normal life? Was it in my head? Navigating the fragmented healthcare system can make you think you are totally alone, it can break you down and make you feel hopeless. There is always a path to management though.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but that journey would bring me to a point where my mission and purpose in life became clear. Making those with similar experiences feel less alone and create resources to help them mange their health.
It was this experience along with witnessing very similar situations of loved ones dealing with the healthcare system, that propelled me into this work. I sat by so frustrated with the process, with how much falls through the cracks. I’d had enough and decided to take things into my own hands.
What began as research for my loved ones health issues evolved into exploration of my own health issues. The more I learned about a natural, holistic approach to health the more I recognized how the current system keeps us sick and is not geared towards uncovering the origin of a health condition. The focus was around treating symptoms, not figuring out why they were there, why they continued or the who experiencing them.
I quickly developed a passion for developing resources that would fill in the gaps left by the healthcare system and began studying to become a Holistic Nutritionist. I began to clearly see the difference between discovering the origin of symptoms versus simply treating and attempting to cover up symptoms; the latter seemed to be the most common in mainstream healthcare.
As I applied my knowledge with myself and with others I noticed how this approach restored hope, and most importantly refined the process of learning your body.
After years of struggling with chronic pain, digestive issues, medication dependence,cystic acne, and debilitating anxiety, I found a way to manage my health through a holistic approach and personalized nutrition.
Sarah Steward, Holistic Nutritionist
“ I felt a push to help others find the same path to managing their health. A way to fill in the cracks, and provide a supportive element that was outside of mainstream healthcare. It was from this desire The Nutrition Steward was born and came to be my mission in life.”
“As someone who grew up without health insurance I developed a tendency to look to home remedies and natural methods, thanks to my Mom, which later led to my interest and career in Holistic Health.”
The Inspiration Behind My Work
The three people who inspired my journey the most are my Mom, Dad and my Husband. My Mom really was the one who sparked the desire to learn and use home remedies because we didn’t have health insurance, so unless it was something very serious, home remedies were the method and practice, and I am so grateful she approached things this way. It was such a grounding experience throughout my childhood to use elements the earth freely gives to manage your health. So I suppose thanks to my Mom, we were doing things the holistic way before I even knew what that meant. Not only that but her unwavering faith has been a testament to me my whole life and I learn the value of perseverance from her everyday.
Sarah and her Dad
The system failed my Dad, and had I learned sooner what I know now I may have been able to save him. Sadly, I couldn’t. So everyday I work in honor of him. I strive to raise awareness of what’s happening, and support people in learning how to take ownership over their health.
Sarah and her Husband
When we met 15 years ago, we were both experiencing different health issues and walked each other through some of the hardest days. We desperately sought out answers that continued to seem out of reach. That time frame began my deep research into Holistic Health as we both realized the system could only do so much and it was up to us to take the power back over our health.
Sarah and her Mom
My Dad was a huge source of inspiration behind why I went into this work. For years I watched how the conventional medical system treated him, left him behind, gave him no hope and no real solutions. In spite of years of suffering with various health issues, he always took time to encourage me and take notice of the difference I was working to make. He always pushed me to keep learning and exploring. He taught me to be generous with my time and never stop looking for answers.
Sarah and her Dad
I’ve saved the best for last here, because without my Husband, absolutely none of my work would have been possible. His constant encouragement and steadfast belief in me has kept me grounded. He saw my purpose before I could and reminds me often of the importance of the information I share. He has supported me in countless ways over the years starting way back when I began my studies to now, as I provide Holistic Health Care.
Sarah and her Husband
“One size fits all methods that are used across the board, do not honor each person’s unique biological circumstances and it can contribute to further health related issues. Medications and treatments may help mitigate symptoms but they can only go so far. When there is no attempt to uncover the source or origin of a health condition or symptom it keeps many in an endless cycle.”
Conventional vs. Holistic Healthcare
My take on the conventional healthcare system may seem harsh but if you zoom out and look at the big picture of how the system works, there is no real incentive to keep people healthy. We don’t constantly hear about medical gaslighting or dismissive doctors because people are fabricating stories, these are people who put faith in the system and the system failed them on an overwhelming level, I was one of them.
Many symptoms are dismissed or downplayed, health conditions aren’t discovered until they are full blown, preventative care tends to boil down to excessive screening that carry risks, and much of the education that medical professionals get barely touches on on how much nutrition affects everything.
There is little to no recognition of how imperative individualized care is. The system is set up like a factory line, with less and less time to spend on patients and too much time focused on medicating with no investigation into why something is occurring. In most conventional healthcare settings, the necessary time needed to give one on one attention simply isn’t available, and again, there’s no incentive to do so. Conventional care is best for acute problems, short term therapies, specific treatments and emergency situations like a broken arm, or needing stitches.
Conventional care focuses on treating the symptoms or disease but often fails to look at who is experiencing this problem, what are the circumstances? ow should the care be tailored? So much gets overlooked that can be contributing to the current health experience as a whole but time is so limited the system doesn’t allow for individuality to be a piece of the process.
Of course you want your symptoms or health condition to be addressed but you deserve to be treated like a human not a file folder. You deserve options and resources not hurdles that prolong your discomfort.
Believe me, I know there are many skilled, compassionate health professionals out there, many of them are colleagues of mine, sadly though, they are fewer and far between and it can take a long time to find them. So what happens in the interim while you are waiting for care or searching for answers? That is where a Holistic Approach to health can serve you.
A Holistic approach is personalized to your needs and situation. It seeks to empower on an individual level so you can find the best ways to manage your health. It looks at the whole person, and asks who has this health condition instead of only looking at the health condition or symptoms. This approach evolves with you, as you age or your symptoms or situation changes.
A Holistic and Conventional approach can work together, but the focus should always be on uncovering the reason a symptom is present, not covering it up or masking it. There is a time and place for Conventional methods but the end goal should always be individualized care and revealing the origins of a symptom or health condition.
Its very important any time you come into contact with any health care provider that it feels like a partnership in order to help you manage your health not like you have someone ruling over you, talking down to you, telling you what to do then checking out. Health professionals may have knowledge and access to resources and tools that you don’t have but they are not in your body, you are. Doctors and any health professional for that matter are not gods, they are human, they make mistakes, they miss things, their motives can be manipulated. Interaction with health care providers should feel collaborative because at the end of the day it should be all about you.
When it comes to any care you receive, you should feel seen, hopeful, heard, supported and encouraged when it comes to your health. If you don’t, it’s time to seek out other options, or providers.
Are you ready to see how a Holistic Approach to health could serve you?
Sarah Steward, R.H.N
Thank you so much for visiting!
I’m Sarah, a Holistic Nutritionist and Holistic Health Practitioner. Until I learned about the Holistic Approach, I was unaware of how much our unique circumstances and life experience affect our overall health. The services I offer revolve around individualized care that recognizes you as a unique person, not just a set of symptoms or a health condition. Together we find ways to nurture your mind, body and spirit collectively to help you reach a balanced state, where you can manage your overall health. Having someone on your healthcare team that can support you through a different approach and set of skills, will allow all aspects of your health to be considered. This will in turn make make you feel like you have more resources and ability to manage your health. My work is solely devoted to crafting personalized plans with nutrition and lifestyle recommendations that honor each person’s unique needs. If you feel a gentle, methodical, holistic approach to health would serve you well, I would love to support you. Let’s see if I can help!
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Curated by Sarah Steward RHN.