We asked Andria a few questions so you could get to know her better:

Tell us what the catalyst to wellness was for you:

I saw countless doctors all through my childhood and into adulthood who never knew what was wrong with me. I was always a “medical mystery”. We knew I had a hereditary autoimmune disorder but no one knew any why’s or how’s surrounding it. Experts told me: “You’ll need Zoloft to beat depression”, “You’ll need Ambien and Lunesta to help you sleep”, “You’ll never be athletic due to an autoimmune disease”, “You’ll never process food or filter toxins properly due to missing organs / autoimmune disorder”, and the biggie… “You’ll never conceive a child naturally”. I heard the word never more times than I can count. I had a very weak immune system and would get sick every 3 weeks or so. The medications they would give me made me sicker and never helped address my original issue. As sad as it was, not feeling well just became my “normal”. It was all I had known since childhood.

It wasn’t until I found myself unable to conceive that I found an inner strength to dig deeper. I felt broken. I was tired of Band-Aids, I wanted to get to the root cause of my issues…I needed to know the elusive answer to WHY. I would not accept the diagnosis of “unexplained infertility”. I knew there had to be some sort of explanation and I was determined to find it. In my research, I stumbled upon an amazing article Margaret wrote on autoimmune issues (which I knew I had hereditarily). I saw she was seeing a limited number of clients and knew it was my next step.

That turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. 

I no longer suffer from the major symptoms of depression, anxiety, or insomnia. I rarely ever get sick. I am managing my autoimmune disorder and best of all I am the proud mother of not one but two beautiful daughters. All the “impossibles” became possible through the power of healing and lifestyle changes. 

My main focus was reversing my infertility, which I accomplished. I never imagined how many ailments would be calmed through the process. I didn’t even realize how many issues I was suffering from until I was no longer suffering. The weight was lifted, I felt free, I felt whole for the first time in my life. I was hooked.

What was the hardest nutritional change for you?

When I started my journey, I was vegetarian. Turns out that’s not the best thing for my body. I had to find creative ways to introduce meat into my diet and find peace with doing so. When I shifted from herbivore to omnivore my health changed dramatically. That was the biggest challenge for me nutritionally, and honestly, it still is.

What was the hardest lifestyle change for you?

Shifting from a night owl to an early bird was tough. I had suffered from insomnia for so many years that it defined who I was. Being mindful of the effort I put into book-ending my day was tough. I had to really commit to a night time and day time routine in order to shift my sleep patterns and find any sort of balance. I found when I did this so many things improved including my focus, my appetite, energy levels, and most of all my mental health. This is one of the reasons I love helping others with their day to day routine…there’s an enormous payoff.

What made you decide to become a Health Coach?

When I saw the incredible benefits of life on the other side of illness, I was blown away. My entire life I was led to believe I just had to “live with it”. When I realized that wasn’t the reality, I thought of how many others were being told the same thing I was. I wanted to shout from the rooftops. I knew I had to share my story; I knew I needed to help others optimize their life. I knew it was my calling. I chose the Health Coaching side of it because honestly, that was the hardest part for me. I struggled the most with creating new habits (and breaking old ones), implementing what I had learned, finding time by designing a routine for my day, managing chronic stress and PTSD, finding my way out of disordered eating, and most of all believing I was worth all this effort. I know the obstacles, that’s why I feel my best fit is helping others navigate their way through theirs. I know the demands: I’m a Health Coach working a full-time job for Eat Naked Kitchen, I’m a busy mom and wife just to name a few of the hats I wear. I get it. I know how hard it is to find the time, but work with me and I’ll show you it’s there. With all my heart and energy I want to help others see what they are capable of. I think it’s invaluable for people to have a safe non judgmental place to turn to for full of support, expertise, guidance and understanding. That’s why I chose to work with Eat Naked Kitchen. The vision here is mind-body wellness with an abundance of support. To truly thrive, that’s what we need.

In one word can you describe where the “magic” happens?

Consistency. Consistency compounds and that’s where you see results. There is no quick fix, don’t buy into that. True healing and sustainable lifestyle changes are a result of the consistent work you put in. In this fast paced, instant gratification world, the “magic” happens when you slow down, get back to basics and show up for yourself every single day.

What is your best success story to date?

Besides being able to conceive my girls, it has to be my oldest daughter. She inherited my blood disorder and all the complications that accompany it. She’s battled since birth and was having episodes every 3 months. With Margaret’s help we started her health journey and as of today she has been episode free for well over a year. I had to shift her from the Standard American Diet (because at that time it was all I knew) to eating like I had learned to eat. That’s no small feat to accomplish (she was 4 years old at the time). What it took was consistency, patience, compassion and being an example for her. It was difficult but worth every second I invested. Over the years being the kid who brings her own special lunches to school, her own desserts and snacks to parties, her own classroom “treats” and to be a kid who needs to support her nutrition with supplements has been tough. There is a huge effort in understanding and pride in who she is that comes with all of that. I’ve worked really hard with her to give her the best life and health I possibly can. I adore working with kids and nutrition, it’s one of my favorite things to do. That’s why I complimented my personal experience in it with an additional certification.

What are your credentials? 

I am honored to be working alongside my mentor Margaret Floyd Barry as the Eat Naked Health Coach. I look forward to each and every client we help change their lives for the better. 

How can people work with you?

In my work at Eat Naked, I support in one of two key ways:

1. I work one-on-one with clients who are relatively new to this journey of incorporating real foods and lifestyle changes to support their health.

2. I also collaborate with Margaret to provide an additional layer of support to her clients who are navigating complex health protocols. She’ll tell you what you need to do to achieve your health goals, and I’ll help you figure out how to do it.

If you are new to Eat Naked Kitchen, you can choose to work with me through the website Work with Andria.