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I’ve made so many friendships over the years with other Primal Health Coaches. We’re a unique population because we’ve all found better health despite our varying health challenges. My friend Dana of Primal Wife Happy Life struggled with post partum depression twice. For years she believed that she was stuck with her genetic predispositions until she began digging into the research. I won’t spoil the ending of the story but let’s just say that lifestyle and an elimination diet are powerful tools.

A Chance Encounter with an Avocado

Have you ever wondered how many calories are in a single serving of fresh avocado? I have, and I also pondered why eating something so natural and delicious was frowned upon because of the calorie and fat content. I understood for most of my life that I should avoid eating avocados, so when I walked by my coworker’s desk and noticed that she had a cut avocado and was eating it directly out of the skin (THE HORROR!!), I had to stop and ask, “What’s up?!?! You appear to be in such great shape and good health; how are you eating an avocado for breakfast?”

This conversation changed my life. I know that sounds dramatic, but it was a defining moment for me.

My Family Genes

My name is Dana Johnson, and I’m the girl behind “Primal Wife Happy Life.” The name of my brand has a ton of meaning as I was not always primal, or a wife, or happy. You see, I grew up assured that depression, anxiety, and drug addiction “run in my family.” And since what we focus on tends to expand, I ended up with forms of each of these. But I am living proof that our destiny does not lie in what “runs in the family.” Our bodies – if given the right environment – can thrive despite our genetic predisposition!

I have two beautiful daughters: Genaveve and Ava, and I’m blissfully married. My family is what drives me – they challenge me to be better consistently, and they are my biggest fans! If you ask my dad, he will tell you that I see what I want in life, and I always find a way to achieve it. One of my biggest goals has been to stop the idea or belief that we (my family) will, by default, inherit the genetic predispositions previous generations endured.

Out of Darkness

When I was diagnosed with post-partum depression the first time, I didn’t know much about it, so I figured it was inevitable. After all, my life at that time was a disaster. So, I went to the doctor, took the meds, and then weaned myself off after several years. Fast-forward 12 years, I had just married the man of my dreams, my career was taking off, and I was pregnant with another blessing.

Everything was perfect! Except, I got post-partum depression again – and MUCH WORSE! How could this happen? Reluctantly, I went back on the medications but was determined that I could heal myself naturally. But like many who begin a path toward natural healing, I didn’t know where to start. Through my research and the chance sighting of a co-worker eating an avocado for breakfast, I found Mark’s Daily Apple and Primal Nutrition. As I studied Primal Nutrition, it confirmed the innate belief that I do not have to succumb to my genetic predispositions. Primal methodologies align entirely with my goals.

After reading as many of Mark’s blog posts as I could consume, I felt committed to reconnecting to my body’s intuition and allowing it to heal from the post-partum depression. I believe we all come to a place where mindset meets motivation, and we can commit to ourselves for ourselves.

Connecting to Freedom

I eagerly moved forward with an elimination diet where I stopped eating several inflammatory foods for 30 days and began moving more. On my elimination diet, I removed grains, caffeine, dairy, sugar, and processed foods and was amazed to find the impact that the absence of these foods had on my wellbeing. What I appreciate most about the Primal Lifestyle is the freedom I feel about eating the foods I love. Once I cut the shortlist of foods from my life, I was free to eat as much of anything else I wanted. I learned how to listen to my body and understand true hunger and satiety to the point where I never had to count a calorie. I started walking every day and taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work, which was difficult initially, but I stuck with it and started feeling invigorated!

With my doctor’s acknowledgment, not only was I able to go 100% pharma-free, I gained muscle, lost weight, and started sleeping soundly. The best part, I was released from the bubble of white noise and sadness that I had been living in. Resulting in a deeper connection with my children and husband – we started having fun together!

As A Primal Health Coach Today:

I have energy throughout the day.
I enjoy stable moods.
I can recognize stress and mitigate it before it turns into anxiety.
I have the tools my body needs to heal itself.
I enjoy eating and don’t obsess over how much of this or that I should eat – which includes plenty of avocado consumption!
I am turning more and more into my healthiest self.

Paying it Forward

My experience with the Primal Blueprint and Mark’s Daily Apple cemented my belief in the power of the body to heal. When you find something that has such a capacity to affect change, you cannot sleep on it! I decided to become a certified Primal Health Coach, and since 2017, I’ve been “Primal Wife Happy Life.” I help women like me who, despite their suffering, have an innate understanding that they can heal. I offer the tools they need to connect to their body’s intuition and live the lives they know are possible.

Through this process, I believe that I connected with my life’s purpose and am grateful for the opportunity to increase impact by joining other Primal Health Coaches, like Jennifer, to help people connect to their sense of freedom. If you are interested in defying your genetic predisposition, exploring an elimination diet, and moving toward your healthiest self, check out one of Jennifer’s coaching programs!

Originally posted on April 7, 2021 @ 10:40