my healing story

Hi, I’m Natalia! Welcome to Natalia Azad Wellness. I’m going to share a little about myself and how I got to where I am today. Health and fitness have always been a part of my life as I grew up playing basketball, practicing martial arts, and playing whatever sport I could during recess and P.E. As an athlete, I was drawn to the fitness industry after graduating from USC in 2016. I became a certified personal trainer, worked at Equinox for 2 years and worked a year privately. Amidst my training career, I began developing celiac disease that took a toll on my mental and physical health. I had trouble sleeping, eating, socializing, thinking - it essentially took over my life. I sought the help of a gastrointestinal doctor but to no avail. My symptoms were brushed off as they weren’t measurable in western medicine. I decided to take my health into my own hands. I dove deep into learning about food and how it influences our cells and genes, and I was astonished that I hadn’t ever learned this before. I learned that everything I was eating, along with my internal and external environments, were contributing to disease. This newfound knowledge sparked a passion in me that I hadn’t ever felt before. I knew that this information was critical to healing myself, as well as others who were struggling as I was.

After a couple of years of trials and errors, unlearning and relearning, I finally healed myself from celiac disease. I discovered the way to heal oneself through natural medicine and decided to quit personal training and get a master’s degree in nutritional science at a naturopathic university. I was blessed to find the perfect school in Portland Oregon called NUNM. I’m now pursuing a master’s degree in nutritional science, and I’ve also become a certified health coach. The combination of my bachelor’s degree in psychology, my master’s in nutritional science and certification as a health coach are powerful tools to help people in their healing journey.

I believe that knowledge can be powerful, but it’s the proper application of knowledge that sets oneself apart from the pack. Therefore, I’ve decided to offer nutrition counseling along with health coaching so that my clients develop the understanding and skills to make long-term health changes. I work with clients who struggle with digestive problems and mental health. In my studies, I’ve learned how strong the connection is between our brain and our gut (which is now recognized as our second brain). I’m enthusiastic and confident in working with my clients to discover and address the root cause of their health concerns and work with them to make the proper changes to achieve optimal health.