Success Stories
I have had the pleasure of helping many, many clients who have had struggles just like yours!
Read below to learn about their stories of healing and getting their life back!
Chronic skin rash, joint and muscle pain, GI problems, sleep issues. . .
I was referred to Nancy Lark through a friend who had some great results working with her. I was having all sorts of issues from a skin rash, joint and muscle pain, sleeping issues, and GI problems. After speaking to Nancy for the first time, I was very excited to start a program with her. Nancy is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to nutrition. I loved listening to her and learning things that I never knew. She is also a great listener and did not only realize that I had some nutritional issues, but she picked up from our conversations that my kids and husband may have some problems with nutrition too. She was looking out for my entire family; that meant a ton to me.
After a couple of weeks of working with Nancy I started seeing improvements with myself and everyone in my family. When I finished my last appointment with Nancy, I had no more joint pain, my skin rash was gone (on both myself and my one year old), my GI problems were better (so were my kids!), and I'm finally sleeping well and feeling refreshed. Along with my progress my husband lost close to 30 lbs. and said he feels like he is 10 years younger.
I am amazed at what Nancy helped me and my family to achieve!! The best part with Nancy is even though I'm done with my appointments she still cares and has checked up on me and has even shared recipes to continue to help. Also, during the entire process she was always available if I had a question or if I needed to talk.
I highly recommend Nancy to anyone that needs nutritional help or healing! Thank you, Nancy!
D.E.
Oxford, MI
I had to take a sabbatical to deal with my digestive issues until I found Nancy
After years of seeing doctor after doctor, enduring repetitive tests, and living with my debilitating and embarrassing GI symptoms, getting through the day had become such a challenge that I needed to take a sabbatical from school in order to solely focus on my health. Then I lucked out and found Nancy.
Unfamiliar with Functional Medicine, I was a bit apprehensive when I came to see her. But, after just a couple of visits, I was feeling more energetic and pain free than I had in three years. Following Nancy's dietary evaluation and supplementation, I suddenly had the energy to start exercising regularly. Several months into my program I continue to improve.
Unbelievably, I just got back from a hiking trip and spent 7 hours a day on the trail with no issues! As a third-year medical student, I can say Nancy's whole-body functional medicine approach is miles ahead of conventional medicine. If you've been down because of a disorder doctors can't seem to pinpoint, don't suffer for years like I did, go straight to Nancy!
Update: Shortly after I wrote this testimonial, my mother's cancer relapsed. It was because I was feeling so much better after working with Nancy that I was able to spend quality time with my mother in her last few months here with us. It was Nancy helping me to get well that gave me that gift, which means more to me than words can express.
How am I doing now? Every time Nancy asks me that the answer is the same - I keep getting better! I've always been a picky eater, even more so over time as my food sensitivities got worse. Nancy suggested adding protein smoothies with fruits and veggies as a way to easily increase the quantity and variety of nutrient dense raw foods in my diet. I was afraid to eat many of them and we were going to try to add digestive enzymes. She suggested getting a mixer that would pulverize the whole fruits and veggies to get the fiber and full nutritional punch from the smoothie.
I purchased a Ninja and I've got to say it’s amazing. I regularly eat blueberry, fresh kale, ginger, and acai smoothies WITHOUT any digestive enzyme supplements! It really goes without saying what a big difference eating raw greens and fruits makes. I never want to go back to my GF cookie and cheese eating ways!
Now my diet is impeccable, and most importantly, I have tons of energy and a big smile to go forward with my boards studying!
J.M.
West Bloomfield, MI
Unraveling 30 years of chronic health issues, leaky gut, chronic fatigue, and Lyme Disease
I first found Nancy in my online search for a Certified Gluten Practitioner, as I had been dealing with three decades of complex health issues and was currently focusing on healing my leaky gut as a foundation for improvement. As a health professional myself, my standards for hiring my own health care team are extremely high.
I found Nancy's diverse knowledge base, her many years of experience with complex cases, and her specialty training including Metabolic Nutrition, Integrative and Functional Medicine to be an impressive draw for me hiring her services. Nancy's compassionate, skilled and thorough approach left me feeling reassured that I was in very good hands on my path to healing.
As we continued on with my comprehensive program, Nancy was astute to quickly realize that more was at play regarding the need for further evaluation in genetics and infectious disease assessment, to truly get to the root causes of my health issues. She was the first practitioner of the large number that I had seen over the years who suggested that I could possibly have chronic Lyme Disease. This was confirmed as I went on to seek further specialty referrals to diagnose and treat chronic Lyme disease and co-infections.
I owe Nancy a huge thank you for her significant, skilled help on my path to healing. This year I was well enough to have written a book, Unveiling Lyme Disease: Is This What's Behind Your Chronic Illness? where I recount my health journey and outline suggestions for others who are chronically it and searching for answers.
L.D.
Ontario, Canada
I lost body fat, gained lean muscle, and took my life back
I started a 3-month program with Nancy in a bad spot. I had just had a baby 9 months prior and was overweight before getting pregnant. I had a terrible body image and had suffered from many issues with ulcers and acid reflux. Under Nancy’s watch, I started gradually with changing not only the way I was eating but how I was looking at food. She gave me a true education when it came to food. It was not the typical, cut junk and eat better but really analyze food. I found that much of what we find in our foods is chemically and genetically modified and unnatural –making it very difficult for your body to handle. In the beginning, it was simple tweaks, ones I would not have thought of for this type of program; EATING MORE! Go figure, but it worked.
After a month of modifications and really learning what I was putting in my body, we chose to do the elimination diet to see what foods may be causing my ailments. The elimination was a challenge but one well worth it. Along with this we tried a few supplements that were absolute miracle workers. After a month of the elimination in addition to a few ‘gut health’ supplements, my symptoms had almost completely subsided. And after years of stomach issues, this was a welcome life change.
The third month was reintroduction and putting me on a path I could sustain by myself. Nancy does not stress being strict and miserable as so many other diets do. She offers alternatives to what you are already doing; Simple tweaks that make unbelievable differences. Throughout my program, I lost over 8% body fat, which was over 16lbs of pure fat, gained over 12lbs of lean muscle and took my life back.
Nancy was an absolute joy to work with. She was more than accommodating, offering phone appointments when my schedule did not permit a face to face meeting. She truly understood where I was coming from and where I wanted to be. I highly recommend Nancy and look forward to continued success with all of her help.
L.H.
Rochester Hills, MI
I hit my bottom after a few trips to ER...then my husband found Nancy
I started this road with Nancy Lark a little over 2 months ago. I hit my bottom when I had to make a few trips to the ER Walk-in Clinic. I could no longer take the gas pain. I had major gas pains which were all the way up into my chest. Sometimes it was unbearable to even move. If I wasn't suffering from gas pains, it was diarrhea, and/or headaches. Diarrhea that wouldn't let me leave the house or headaches that sucked the life out of me and kept me in bed. There was the time last year when I aspirated while having a colonoscopy due to the anesthesia. I'm also allergic to the anesthesia that comes from the dentist office.
I suffered a lack of night vision, I was 10-15 lbs. overweight, unhappy, and quick to snap. I have been so miserable and have had a hard time existing and even living my everyday life.
My husband found Nancy Lark while surfing the internet for help for me. I honestly didn't think she could help me. But I was wrong! Thank God I was wrong!
She has given me my life back. I now can see while driving at night! I am happy! So happy! I am calm and not so easy to fly off the handle. I can live in the moment. I started running again. I lost 10 lbs. I have only had one headache since we started on this road, no stomach aches, no gas, and no diarrhea. I feel great! I had no idea how food could have related so much to all of these issues or had so much control over my body.
I am certain that Nancy will continue to help me! I highly recommend her!
D.G.
Rochester Hills, MI
Dizziness, low blood sugar, and Celiac Disease
I was diagnosed with Celiac disease about six months ago. The doctors just told me to start eating gluten free. But it wasn't just as simple as eating gluten free for me. As I started a gluten free diet, I felt horrible. I was always tired, would occasionally get dizzy throughout the day, and felt like my sugar levels would just drop out. I knew I needed help from someone who understood what I was going through.
I found Nancy on the internet about 2 months ago and was impressed with her background regarding Celiac clients. I decide to give her a call and see if she could help me. After I met Nancy, we started working on a regimen tailored to my personal needs, that taught me how to eat right and be healthy. Based on the critical state I was in, she wasted no time helping me to identify changes to my diet to repair the damages that have been caused from years and years of not knowing I had Celiac and eating improperly.
Nancy was able to gradually change my diet, causing my body to excel with each milestone. I have lost 25 lbs. in the last two months from following her advice and the information that she has given me. We have been working on lifestyle changes and exercise guidelines too. I have learned invaluable lessons that I will instill in my everyday life. I don't know where I would be without her!
M.F.
Sterling Heights, MI
A lifetime of daily migraines resolved!
For health reasons, I found it necessary to educate myself about nutrition. I knew my diet was awful, but my motivation came more from feeling so poorly all the time. I was always tired and had headaches almost daily. Suffering from migraines most of my life and having headaches every day I was losing hope that I would ever feel human again. Through the knowledge of a great instructor I now feel great.
I have been eating the same since I was five, so to change my whole lifestyle was a challenge but I was ready. I learned about detoxing, food sensitivities and the awful things junk food can do to our bodies. I can’t tell you how important this was to my overall health. I made a few discoveries along the way and foods that were causing me to feel lousy all the time. I have quit drinking pop, cut out all the junk food, and try to eat all-natural foods. It’s tough when I get a craving, but I learned there are great alternatives to the bad foods I crave now and then.
Instead of headaches every day and migraines every week, in the last 3 months I have had only a few headaches, and they were mild. It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be too and I can actually make plans ahead of time instead of living my life around the way I felt that day. I got my life back and am enjoying every day.
D.C.
Sterling Heights, MI
I had all but given up hope of ever feeling better
In April 2013, I was sicker than I’d ever been in my life and had all but given up hope of ever feeling better. My struggles began two months earlier, when I experienced a terrible headache and sinus pain that continued to get worse. Three different antibiotics did nothing to relieve the symptoms, and it soon got to the point where I could barely get out of bed because the pain was so bad. I then began to experience constant ringing in my ears. At this point, my doctor thought a sinus CT scan and visit to an ENT specialist were in order. Imagine all of our surprise when the exams and test showed nothing wrong with my sinuses or ears! Here I was, an up-to-this-point healthy 45-year-old mother who lived an active life. Now, I could barely function, and the worst part was my doctors had no idea what was wrong with me.
That’s when I remembered Nancy Raymond. As a health and fitness writer, I’d interviewed Nancy for articles and always found her an extremely knowledgeable source. I recalled how she had told me that people often turned to her when “traditional” medicine couldn’t find the answers, and how her job was to “connect the dots.” I figured it was worth a try but didn’t hold out much hope she could help me. After an in-depth consultation, I honestly could have cried when she said, “I think I may know what’s going on with you.”
Nancy determined I was likely suffering from possible food sensitivities and Leaky Gut Syndrome. The real cause wasn’t in my sinuses or ears but was triggered by an immune reaction to foods that affected my gut. I didn’t have a sinus infection, I had a “gut reaction”, which was why all the tests were coming back clean. On top of that, there were other symptoms I had that had been ongoing for years that she felt were being affected and/or triggered by the root cause- these food sensitivities. She put me on a detox diet, along with supplements, all designed to eliminate foods that were triggering my symptoms, calm the immune system and heal the gut. Within days the headaches and sinus pain started to subside, and the ear ringing went away completely. I couldn’t believe I was beginning to feel like myself again.
C.N.
Ontario, Canada
Multiple specialists hadn’t helped with a plethora of health issues
When I came to Nancy, I had a plethora of symptoms that were not being resolved with care from several specialists. I had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Sjögren's syndrome, which causes dry eyes and dry mouth.
As a medical professional myself, I was frustrated that the conventional treatment I was getting seemed to only be treating the symptoms and was not addressing the causes of my symptoms. I was still using drops in my eyes 6-8 times a day and struggled with dry mouth. My hair was falling out, I had chronic bad breath, and low body temperature. I had my gall bladder out, had an upset stomach and digestive issues, compromised muscle function and low energy levels, eczema, frequent bruising, and tingling/numbness in my fingers and legs. I felt hyper anxious, wasn’t sleeping well, and was beginning to feel like I would never feel well again. A year earlier I ran a half marathon, but now I couldn't exercise at all!
Nancy put me on a program to quell the inflammation, heal the gut, and help support detoxification, along with supportive nutrition for autoimmune issues, and support for my adrenals. We eliminated gluten. In the last 5 months, nearly all of my symptoms have subsided. I am also noticing improvements in areas that I didn’t realize were connected until now. My hair has grown back; the central nervous system symptoms of tingling in my hands and legs is gone; I am able to exercise again; my anxiety is gone; I am not bruising like I was, and I continue to improve.
I am thankful that I now understand what led me to this spot and how to stay on track. Thanks Nancy!
A.G.
Ferndale, MI
Quelling my Ulcerative Colitis symptoms and Inflammation!
I came to Nancy after being diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. I was on medication prescribed by my Gastroenterologist after having a severe flare-up. I wanted to start a natural treatment that would help with my colon inflammation and work on long-term healing. Nancy was very patient and detailed in explaining to me how the digestive system works and recommended specific natural treatments for treating the inflammation in my colon. After using medical food and some other specific nutritional therapies that Nancy recommended for healing the lining of my intestine and to turn down the inflammation, I noticed measurable improvement in reducing the inflammation in my colon and my symptoms.
I've had a few appointments with Nancy over the last 6 months, and she has been very helpful to me during and in-between my appointments. She is very knowledgeable and it’s nice to have someone who actually takes their time to listen to your problem, and then provide explanation and guidance in treating your condition.
I am almost 100% over the colitis flare-up episode, thanks in large part to Nancy and the treatment she recommended. I will continue to stay in contact with Nancy and would strongly recommend her.
C.F.
Unable to ride the way I used to until I found Nancy
I am a long-time biker but had been having some problems the last few years with muscle cramping during long rides or during more intense cycling up hilly terrain. It was so frustrating. I would be on a ride and my muscles would spasm and cramp so bad that I would have to stop the ride because it was so painful. The problem began creeping into my daily life with muscular issues even when I wasn’t exercising.
I have a long ride I do every year in the spring. I also wanted to lose some weight and gain some muscle mass and get my muscles working properly so that I could actually finish the ride this year! Nancy worked with me and found that I am gluten intolerant and ran a full thyroid panel and found that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. She put me on a low Glycemic Index gluten free meal plan, and a supplement program to help get energy to my muscles. I had a great ride this year and finally enjoyed it again! Thanks Nancy!
J.A.
Brighton, MI
I’m too young to feel like this!
I contacted Nancy because I wasn’t feeling as well as I wanted to. I am in my early thirties, but had low energy, suffered from heartburn, constipation, and had arthritis pain that was getting worse. Nancy explained whenever anyone has GERD, she suspects food sensitivities as part of the problem. She also explained that food reactions create inflammation and that can create the flare-up of arthritis pain. She suspected I had Leaky Gut and suggested I do the ALCAT food sensitivity test.
My GERD has gone away, I am more regular, and my arthritis only acts up if I get exposed to some of the foods I am sensitive to. My energy level is up, and I lost about 15 lbs. since I started eliminating the foods and using a nutrition program to heal my gut.
Life is better when you feel good enough to enjoy it! Thanks Nancy!
J.L.
Kalamazoo, MI
Multiple food sensitivities, inflammation, brain fog, excessive fatigue, nausea, digestive issues, weight gain
I'm not sure exactly when I started feeling bad, I think it was a slow decline. Four years ago, I graduated from college, moved to a new city, started a new job, basically - I started being "an adult".
I felt miserable every single day. I was so tired when I got up, no matter how early I went to sleep. I felt like my mind was super foggy and I had trouble focusing. Every time I ate, I felt nauseous, like I was unbearably full, for hours. Sometimes I even felt that way overnight, no matter how much or how little I ate. I was gaining weight no matter how much I dieted, and I started noticing pain in my wrists and shoulders randomly that would sometimes keep me up at night.
For about 3 years I went on with life, dealing with being tired and feeling sick all the time. When I got home from work, I would crash, sometimes falling asleep at 7pm. On weekends, I would try and go out but if I ate dinner first, I would feel too sick to go out afterwards. I felt like I was starting to develop anxiety - I was a wreck when flying, I was nervous to sit at a table where I was blocked in by people, I didn't like feeling trapped somewhere if I felt sick.
My family could tell that I was not as energetic anymore. My fiancé was frustrated and worried about me. I wondered how I was going to handle a job, potentially a family, for the rest of my life feeling like this. I have had allergies since I was a kid, but Nancy asked me to run a food sensitivity panel. She said I was a ball of inflammation, but I didn't expect to be intolerant to so many things. I took the ALCAT test in February 2012. I was intolerant to almost all grains (except millet, white rice, and corn), whey, soy, along with multiple other fruits and vegetables. With that many intolerances, Nancy said I needed to heal my gut, and part of that was to eliminate all those food for 3-6 months to give the immune system time to heal. It took me awhile to get started, but in May 2012 I finally decided to clear out the fridge and pantry and really try to cut everything I was intolerant to out of my diet.
Four weeks into my program my family began mentioning that I looked really good, brighter, happier - I felt better too, I felt rested, I didn't feel sick, and I had lost a few pounds. I had energy again; I could go out after eating or could get stuff done after work instead of just going to bed. I was more focused at work. Actually, I had wanted to find a new job, but I hadn't left my old job because I was so foggy, I couldn't even imagine going to a new job interview and learning a new job.
By the second month I felt so much better, I finally felt like I could start looking for a new, more appealing job (I did, and I got it)! My fiancé says I am my old self and fun to be with again. Just thinking about how I used to feel makes me feel sick! I can’t imagine living like that again.
It's now been almost 6 months since I cut everything out and honestly, it's not hard anymore. Now we will start the reintroduction of some of the foods to see if I can tolerate them again. I've lost about 37 pounds and I haven't dieted at all. Learning what my body hates changed my life!
K.L.
Orchard Lake, MI
IBS with bi-weekly ER visits
After years of suffering with bad cramps, followed by vomiting and bouts of constipation and/or diarrhea, I was told by doctors and hospitals that all of the above symptoms were caused by scar tissue and small intestinal obstruction. Prior to that, I had also been told by the same conventional doctors that I suffered from acid reflux and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Still, they would not look into what was causing all these symptoms, and I continued to suffer. I continued to make visits to their offices and to the hospital's emergency rooms when I would have an episode, often every few weeks. I kept eating the usual way that I had eaten all my life and kept having symptoms.
It was when I visited a DO's office that the first suggestion of one of the causes of my symptoms could be gluten. He tested me for Celiac Sprue, and it came back positive. So, I remained under their care, but it wasn't until I came to see Nancy and heard her call my suffering "Leaky Gut" and put me under her nutritional care that I started feeling great.
Thanks Nancy, feeling good feels great! I feel liberated from not eating the foods that were making me sick. Nancy, your suggestions have been great. I have to tell you I have not paid any visits to the hospital since October 2012, when I first came to see you. It is March 2013, and I have a feeling I am going to stay and feel well following your advice and protocols.
The hospital even called wanting to know if I have visited different hospitals because they have not seen me in 6 months! I told them, thank you for your concern, but I am under the watch of my private nutritional dietitian and that I know that I am where I need to be from the moment I saw Nancy. Thank you so much and God Bless you Nancy!
F.M.
Washington, MI