Written by Tasha Stevens, Integrative Clinical Nutritionist, B.S., NASM CPT, STOTT Pilates Instructor, Founder Happy Hormone Health
Photography by Jessica Feely
PART ONE of a six-part series uncovering the root causes of conditions affecting women’s health, and learning how to manage them through lifestyle.
When she hit puberty early on, at just nine years old, Tasha Stevens brushed off symptoms she was struggling with as “normal”. After all, when she was a kid it was widely accepted that periods could easily feel heavy and painful “just because”. Especially as a young girl when you’re first getting used to the experience of menstruation.
But as she grew up, Tasha continued being plagued with physical symptoms that made her more than uncomfortable in her body. Things that were downright painful and scary. At the age of 14, she experienced a bad appendicitis, landing her in the hospital for over a month. “I survived, but gained a lot of health issues, like rashes all over my body, and frequent trips to the bathroom,” explains Tasha. “I tried speaking out about my problems to doctors searching for something to make me feel better, but was often dismissed.” She grew frustrated with the lack of support she was receiving about her concern. So much so, in fact, her frustration redirected her future—Tasha decided to earn a degree in Clinical Nutrition to dig into her health herself, determined to discover some answers.
At 19, she finally felt a flicker of hope. “I was diagnosed with Celiac and colitis, which I learned to manage through diet,” says Tasha.
When she graduated at 23, she landed her dream job, as a Nutrition Coach for Lifetime Fitness. But the opportunity wasn’t evolving as she’d hoped. “I felt like a hypocrite,” shares Tasha. “I gained 30 pounds in a month, was experiencing multiple panic attacks, and felt like I needed to sleep all day.”
"I went from gaining 30 pounds to losing 50, and I got off medications".
When she went to the doctor to inquire about her symptoms, once again, she felt dismissed. “I was told it was all just normal for a woman my age, that metabolism slows down,” says Tasha. “I was prescribed Paxol for anxiety and depression—and that was just awful. I was left feeling numb.”
Her continued frustration with a lack of reasoning and support led Tasha to explore a wide-range of professionals and practices within the healthcare system, searching for solutions. A process that also cost her thousands of dollars. “I felt like there was something doctors just weren’t telling me,” says Tasha. “I firmly believed that nutrition held the key to my well-being, so fuelled by my intuition and determination I went back to doctors, sought out additional integrated physicians, and even did internships and training to find out the role nutrition and exercise played with my many symptoms.”
By 25, Tasha discovered that she had Hashimoto’s, and psoriasis. Then learned she also had Lupus. With more to come.
Rather than trying to force her body into submission with all she was experiencing and the “solutions” being offered to her in the form of medication, Tasha embarked on a journey to thoroughly understand female hormones, particularly, how our 28-day cycle can affect everything. “Essentially, I broke up with a narrowed approach to my symptoms and conditions, and anything to do with diet culture—the old mindset of deprivation and elimination. Everything that had gotten me nowhere,” says Tasha. With a focus on nutrition and lifestyle, she managed to change dramatically. “I went from gaining 30 pounds to losing 50, and I got off of medications,” explains Tasha. “Everything I do now is grounded in my hormonal cycle. Learning to tailor my entire lifestyle with this considered, I can function optimally.”
Living a new life with vitality, Tasha committed to applying her degree in clinical nutrition, and human development, along with her personal battle with multiple autoimmune conditions to help other women manage symptoms and uncover root causes of their health challenges with a holistic approach. “I have to look at what happened to me with purpose,” shares Tasha. “It’s been a long and gutting experience, but one that has equipped me to help more women avoid the frustration, despair, and physical pain that can stem from so many conditions without calculated support.” Having coached nearly 2,000 women with their health keeps her directed to continue offering targeted hormone-balancing nutrition and strength coaching.
“I wish the experts would have listened to my concerns instead of bushing me off. Empathized, asked for additional testing… I suffered with so much when I was younger. I thought I would be relegated to living that painful, frustrating life, and I would hate myself and my body… But the minute I saw my life change, recognizing that I had the ability to affect my circumstance for the better, I felt empowered,” says Tasha. “I know how critical it is to establish the right approach to these conditions, and I feel grateful for the opportunity to help women truly understand they have the authority over their own bodies.” And she’s looking forward to sharing more, right here in the pages of STRONG as a new columnist where Tasha will address; hidden sides of hormonal imbalance, cycle-synced nutrition, eating for hormone efficiency, and cyclical strength training. “I want women to know it’s possible to change their life. To have the confidence to do everything. To know there are options.”
