After choosing to live, I was held hostage by pain for 15 years. I felt like a bird whose wings had been clipped. My whole world and identity were tied up in being a high-performance athlete. I didn’t just run; I flew! This is what freedom feels like. Running was home to me.

I dreamed of a life where I was modeling, dancing, running, surfing, climbing and adventuring. I planned to create an outdoor program for teens…. Then, in an instant, so unexpectedly, my whole world came crashing down in an accident that broke 16 of my bones. There was a moment when I left my body, and I remember choosing to live, knowing my life’s purpose hadn’t been fulfilled yet. I was far from being done with living. 

That feeling changed during my recovery when I had days when my pain was a 20 on a scale of 10. The doctors said things would never be normal again, and athletics were out of the question. What?! I set out to prove them wrong, but my bravado faded as I numbed my pain and frustration with food. I no longer recognized myself; my gifts and passion were nowhere to be found as I slipped further and further away from my goals. 

I found solutions to decrease the pain, but I was still nowhere near my dreams. When I saw my sister transform her stress and postpartum depleation, I decided to give it a try!

One month later, I felt the lights come on in my body. I felt happier and lighter! Three months in, it’s the first time I felt like myself in fifteen years! My whole body exhaled with relief as trauma and tension melted away. Four months in, I joined a race off the couch and got 7th out of 76 women! I was expecting to get last place! My skin is toned and glowing. These nutrient-dense foods are the missing link that gave me my life, dreams, and hope back after trying everything!

Five years in, I continue to advocate for regenerative farmers, sustainable food systems, and giving people back their freedom, wings, and a sense of coming home to themselves.

Love,

Rita