Community Highlights: Meet Vesna Rysdale of NourishedAlive

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vesna Rysdale.  

Hi Vesna, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I had convinced myself that I was eating well, but I still felt “blah” most of the time. Something just didn’t seem right, so I started delving into nutrition through various podcasts such as https://nutritionfacts.org, www.pcrm.org, and books like Feeding you lies by Vani Hari, etc., searching for answers. The amount of information was overwhelming and left me confused and also frustrated at times. At first, there was resistance to hearing the truth, such as how our food is grown, processed, and packaged with so many chemicals that make us crave it more, yet we never feel satisfied despite how much of it we consume. This information was like a wake-up call. It forced me take accountability for my choices vs. listening to the marketing gimmicks telling me what and how much to eat. I always thought food was to be enjoyed and to nourish us. I knew that information meant taking back my power and that it would enable us to live a healthy and happy life. Most people consume some sort of processed food multiple times a day, day after day, year after year. The majority of processed food contains many endocrine disruptors that can stop gut-brain communication, leaving us feeling like we’re never satisfied. Processed food makes you relinquish control of your own health and happiness. It’s been linked to many chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis.

 My husband and I were raising a young family at this time, so all of it hit close to home, and made me determined to learn as much possible about nutrition and health, there was no turning back. At first, we decided to experiment by cutting out meat, then we eliminated all animal products, and today we eat as clean as possible and we’re feeling better than 10 years ago. We gained our energy back, we are able to keep up with our very active kids and live a full life. We support local farmers and are proud to support a CSA here in San Diego, Be Wise Ranch from where we get a weekly box of locally grown organic produce that’s delicious and nutritious. We try to be conscious consumers, but we’re not perfect of course. And this balance is what I love about nutrition and health. Now that I know how empowering this feels, I empower my clients to go from simply surviving to thriving. 

 Institute for Integrative Nutrition is the largest nutrition school in the world, through which I received my Certificate as an Integrative Nutrition and Health Coach. IIN teaches a holistic health and nutrition approach that has transformed my life, and now I am working to transform the lives of others. An integrative approach means that we cover many topics beyond food because health comprises of many aspects, including relationships, physical activity, spirituality, career and so much more. This holistic approach helps us get to the root cause of the issue so that we can nourish from within, in order to feel alive and show up in our lives 100% as our best selves. 

 A little bit about San Diego.  In my opinion, San Diego is a city that promotes and encourages a healthy lifestyle. It is one place that I always wanted to call home, but the journey had many twists and turns. From a war refugee to a health and nutrition coach today, here is a quick version of my background. I was born in Eastern Europe, in a beautiful country, Bosnia, that was shaken by a civil war in the 1990s, forcing us to flee as war refugees to safer ground. My parents and I arrived in the USA, not knowing the language or culture. I was just a young teenager, 15 years old back then. We felt scared, but we were hopeful, because we were given another chance. We first settled in a rural town in New Hampshire, and just a short while later, we moved to Boston, MA, where I started working at a hospital after graduating college. My passion for science and health became even more obvious. Upon graduating I was working on clinical trials that provide cutting-edge treatment for patients. I loved being on the front lines of clinical research. My role evolved and required me to travel across country and that’s when I first visited Sothern California. Each time I visited San Diego, my love for the city grew. San Diego’s beautiful beaches, the weather, people, culture, surfing, food, and especially how conducive it is to an active and healthy lifestyle. I knew that one day I’d call San Diego my home. 

 Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Honestly, it’s been a journey with many ups and downs, but each step of the journey has been filled with many rewarding and teaching moments. Coming to a new country, not knowing the language or culture, and starting all over after losing everything, was the biggest challenge, but when you are given an opportunity, you take it and make the most of it. I truly believe that nothing can stand in our way, except for us.

 We’ve been impressed with NourishedAlive LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m a certified Integrative Nutrition and Health Coach and owner of the NourishedAlive LLC, providing personalized 1:1 health and nutrition coaching. I help highly motivated individuals decipher and apply health and nutrition information that meets their bio-individual needs, helping them go from surviving to thriving in all aspects of life. 

My coaching style is integrative which means that we cover many topics beyond food. What sets me apart from others is that I help clients get to the root cause, not just the surface stuff. I practice a holistic approach to health and wellness, which means that we look at how all areas of life are connected. Does stress at your job or in your relationship(s) cause you to overeat? Does lack of sleep or low energy prevent you from exercising? As we work together, we look at how all parts of life affect health. As a health coach, I do not dictate a diet, but together we explore why some foods make you feel better than others and how to strategically use that feedback. Together we co-create your health goals within reasonable time frames and actionable objectives, so you know exactly what you’re working toward. I understand that life happens, and our needs change; therefore, I work to equip clients with the self-awareness to make the best decisions for them in any given circumstance. I believe each person is fully capable of making well-informed decisions as their own expert, not the latest magazine article or fad diet book. 

The biggest gain for my clients is being able to develop a deeper understanding of food and lifestyle choices that work best for them; they report increased energy, better sleep, improved digestion, and they’re able to reach and maintain their ideal weight by nourishing instead of punishing themselves with diets or marketing gimmicks. They feel empowered to live a healthy and happy life. 

It’s rewarding to observe a client thrive when they’re provided with a nurturing and safe space which we create during our 1:1 session. All sessions are conducted virtually, right from the comforts of your own home. My clients feel safe to go deeper. They discover what has always been inside them, and start living the best life that they deserve now instead of waiting for when they retire or kids grow up or for some other reason. It’s like setting yourself free, by nurturing the deepest parts of you, that’s what feeling alive is like. 

Clients can choose their program or customize a plan. The Nourished program if for those looking to gain a better understanding of health and nutrition information, specifically what works and meets their bio-individual needs. Or, for clients who complete the Nourished program and are ready to be in a radically different place 6 months from now, we go deeper with the Nourished to Alive program. In this program, we build upon the health and nutrition foundations by adding mindset work. Clients are encouraged to evaluate their long-held beliefs, that may be holding them back. For example, I may challenge a client with the following statement: “you don’t want to lose weight,” and let that sink in. Think about it; we never want to ‘lose’ anything. We have evolved to survive therefore, losing anything sets our brains into a panic mode. Instead, we can consider an empowering question like “how can I gain more energy by making healthier choices?” It’s that simple yet powerful, and it works. 

NourishedAlive is not for everyone. This is not for you if you’re looking for a quick fix, if you’re looking for someone to do the work for you, or if you’re happy with where you are currently. 

NourishedAlive is for you, if you’re ready to define your health goals, create a plan, take action, make your health goals a reality, and you want to be in a radically different place 6 months from now. All programs are 6 months long, we meet twice a month or once a month. We can also create customized plans that fit your needs. There are also add-on services that include Pantry Makeover, Supermarket tours, Group workshops, and cooking classes. 

To get health and nutrition tips, you can sign up for a free weekly newsletter by visiting my website and subscribing. 

Special Offer for SD Voyager Magazine readers: pre-register for a Sugar Detox 10-day challenge that will be launching in September by visiting my website. 

How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
Individuals who are highly motivated and truly committed to their health and wellness journey can set up a free 15min health consultation session to make sure that NourishedAlive is the right match for you. At the end of this free session, you will receive 1-3 personalized recommendations to get you started. 

If you are ready to sign up for the Nourished program, where we explore the building blocks of health and nutrition to empower you with practical tips and tools that can be applied right away and will sustain your wellness journey long-term, visit my website to sign up via https://www.nourished-alive.com/programs. 

It’s never too late to start living a happy and healthy life, and today is a perfect time. I’d like to challenge you to prioritize your health, which is our greatest wealth.

I also enjoy collaborating with integrative and functional medicine professionals. Especially those providers who would like to, but may not have time, to dedicate 1:1 attention to patients who really need the support and accountability to implement a recommended plan to get and stay healthy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nourished-alive.com/
• Instagram: @vesnarysdale
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nourishedalive/

Image Credits
Julie Kern