Katie Salter
m. ed., fmchc
As life-long “heath nut”with a personal passion for yoga and the healing power of food, I was perplexed when I began to experience debilitating fatigue, lethargy, muscle aches, and worsening pre-menstrual symptoms. After thriving for many years on a diet rich in a variety of colorful plant foods and almost daily yoga classes, my body was inexplicably growing weaker by the day. Conventional medicine chalked these symptoms up to “aging” or “perimenopause” and offered no suggestions for healing beyond taking medication which would, at best, merely suppress some of my symptoms. At the time, I was 43-years old and refused to accept that this was all part of some inevitable slow decline! Intuitively, I knew there must be a path to holistically regaining my energy and vibrancy. During my search for answers, I discovered the work of renowned Functional Medicine doctor, Dr. Mark Hyman. A visit to his Ultrawellness Center in Lenox, Mass. launched me on a path to recovery. It was there that I learned just how out of balance my body was despite embracing what I thought was a very healthy lifestyle. I worked my way back to optimal health by making adjustments to my diet and incorporating proper supplementation to address my imbalances and deficiencies. It was then that I truly experienced the power of nutrition and lifestyle on health and knew that I wanted to share this knowledge with others.
Through Dr. Hyman, I discovered the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA). The FMCA is a collaboration with The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), the global leader in Functional Medicine education. The FMCA’s 12-month online program emphasizes the core competencies of the International Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaches (ICHWC). At FMCA I consolidated my knowledge of the power of nutrition and studied positive psychology. I learned about the power of phyonutrients and the critical importance of consuming real, unprocessed, organic foods, as well how to implement a range of foundational and therapeutic diets. I learned that food is not merely a source of calories but rather critical information that has an impact on the functioning of every system and process in the body. Food is indeed medicine!
I am currently continuing my health education as a student at the Functional Nutrition Lab, a school that offers in-depth functional nutrition training for health providers.
As a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach I draw on my past experience in education to help my clients develop their own self-directed health goals such as losing weight, calming autoimmune symptoms, moving through hormonal transitions such as perimenopause and menopause with ease, optimizing nutrient intake for lasting health and longevity, and regaining energy and a zest for life. I respect the individuality of every client and do not impose a set program, bearing in mind that there are many different ways of eating that can support health and not everyone thrives on the same foods. When working with clients, I move beyond food and exercise to explore other factors that may influence their health such as stress, sleep, environmental toxins, relationships, spirit, and sense of purpose. Additionally. I have been specially trained at FMCA to partner with Functional Medicine practitioners in order to help support patients follow their treatment plans.
I live in Cambridge, Mass. and enjoy spending time with my boisterous family, practicing yoga, walking my dog, and learning about shamanic healing and vibrational medicine.