Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Akopiantz.
Melissa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The beginning of my story is one that is all too common among women. In my teenage years, I was plagued with a negative body image and crushing insecurities, which manifested in the form of anorexia. Moving into my adult years, I continued to struggle with food. I sought solutions through misguided diets, falling into the cycle of deprivation, indulgence, and guilt. I knew that something needed to change. The final push into embracing a nourishing lifestyle came when two of my children suffered life-threatening accidents and my diagnosis of IBS and Hashimoto’s disease. Then and there, I transformed my relationship with food and health, recognizing that nutrition is a critical tool for lasting wellness and would be the key for my own transformation, as well as my children’s recoveries. My life-long relationship with nutrition and health has developed over the years and has become more balanced with age.
We are all fantastically flawed, and learning to embrace those flaws is a good thing. During my personal journey, I learned how to quiet the inner critic and practice compassion. To be successful in our path to wellness, we must learn to be kind and forgiving of ourselves. Something that has helped me to accomplish this is meditation. Mindfully acknowledging the passing of all thoughts and dismissing the self-deprecating ones. Life is hard enough on its own; we don’t need to be our own impediment to success.
Through my own personal experience and review of the literature, it is my opinion that when seeking lasting healthy solutions, diets do not work. They deprive you of important macronutrients and lead you into a perpetual cycle of cravings, overeating, under-eating, and splurging—without a clear understanding of why our bodies feel that way. Taking notice of your emotional and physical cues are integral to a lasting and sustainable lifestyle.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Nourishing Lab – what should we know?
Nourishing Labs provides individualized, simple and phased nutritional advice and support, using the latest research and the principles of eating whole foods, to women and their families, in a non-judgmental and empathetic way, to help them make lasting changes to lead more balanced, active and vibrant lives.
Why I am different as a nutritional consultant:
1. I have both a classic and holistic education in nutrition that allows me to combine the two to achieve optimal outcomes.
2. I am empathetic to the journey and challenges having been on my own roller coaster of poor diet choices over the years. I used nutrition to help address my own illnesses, IBS and Hashimoto’s and help two of my children deal with life-threatening injuries.
3. I have invested the time to develop a program designed for families that is compassionate and sensitive to your families goals.
4. I offer a wide range of nutritional services that include one-on-one sessions that progress according to your comfort level and pace and needs. You can meet with me if you are looking for one session for inspiration or if you want a more customized package of twelve sessions that can address:
Digestion issues
Gut health
Low energy
Weight loss
Sugar cravings
Skin health
Teen health and wellness
Customized overall health and wellness tips
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My children are my greatest supporters throughout my journey. They have provided me with continued support and encouragement to pursue my dreams outside of raising them. They in turn benefited from the knowledge I learned through different acupuncturists, energy healers, osteopaths, schooling etc. I would not be where I am today without them. They are my guiding force and inspiration everyday!
Pricing:
- Initial consult with health history- 135$
- Follow up sessions- 110$
- 6 month program- meeting 2 times per month- 1,260$ total
- Speaking engagements- depends on size and location
- Create Your Own Wellness Event With Nourishing Lab- ie: luncheon 100$ per person
- Free GutLove Program starting May 20th
Contact Info:
- Address: 22-3 Pleasant Street
Wellesley, MA 02482 - Website: https://nourishinglab.com/
- Phone: 617-817-4300
- Email: melissa@nourishinglab.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nourishinglab/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissaakopiantz/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/graymelissa3/boards/
Image Credit:
Anastasia Sierra
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