Interview with Lydia of Divine Health From The Inside Out

Today I’m talking with Lydia Shatney who blogs at Divine Health From The Inside Out. Lydia recently completed her Nutritional Therapy Certification and I am learning that she has a lot to offer! She helped me out when I was recovering from my recent jaw surgery and her suggestions made a big difference very quickly. So I hope you will ask Lydia any questions you may have in the comments section after this post.

-PattyLA

What is your degree? What sort of help can you give to people with that degree?

I have a certification from the Nutritional Therapy Association in Nutritional Therapy. I can help to assess overall health conditions and support them through a dietary approach and supplementation.

Read here for a more in depth understanding of what this entails; What is Nutritional Therapy

What made you interested in pursuing that education?

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to obtain some kind of holistic health care degree or certification. I’ve spent my entire adult life passionately pursuing all sorts of avenues of health, healing, nutrition, herbs and so on. I finally decided to go through the course at NTA, because I fully believed in their foundational approach. Knowing that they would build upon the principals discovered by Dr. Weston Price was key in winning me over to the program.

You can read more about my experience with NTA here: Nutritional Therapy Association My Experience

My readers are usually very interested in the GAPS diet. How much experience do you have with the GAPS diet?

I have followed a GAPS diet for the most part for about a year and a half, in other words a GAPS template since I do not have serious health issues. (A few foods that are not allowed on GAPS, such as sweet potatoes, cream and sometimes rice.) This spring I did GAPS intro for myself and have been on full GAPS with a couple modifications since then. Prior to my starting GAPS I did lots of reading and spent time on the GAPS yahoo group. GAPS was discussed a lot during my training as Dr. Natasha had a lot of influence on my instructor Caroline Barringer.

I feel equipped to help assist the diet with assessing individuals on each area of digestion, from Upper GI, Liver & Gallbladder support, small intestine and large intestine. Through a thorough assessment I can see which areas are of greatest concern and approach them one by one. Diet is key, but as all GAPS folks know often the ‘cherries on top‘ are needed.

I have loads of GAPS friendly recipes on my site as well.

What areas of difficulty do you feel particularly equipped to help someone with?

I feel very equipped to help anyone with getting their blood sugar under control to then further their endocrine health. I strongly believe that endocrine health cannot be addressed fully until the blood sugar is well managed, followed by getting digestion issues dealt with as well. I healed myself from deep adrenal fatigue and have a passion to help others do the same.

How do you envision working with you being helpful to a person?

I think knowing how to address their foundations with a systematic approach, yet unique to the individual is a huge benefit. I know for me personally, it took me years of reading/research and trying many different things before I started getting my health back. Even then, I still missed so many key things that could have helped me. So, I believe that working with me will save people stress/time and frustration in having to know what will work for them. I have the education to be able to look at a person’s assessments and guide them as they unravel health issues. Add to that, having someone to walk beside you while you are working through health issues is invaluable in many ways. It is often a very lonely frustrating experience in that we don’t often know what step to take next, as well as lose the zeal to fight. I am here to guide/direct and be a cheerleader/coach for those who are weary. I know full well how discouraging it can be to be trying so hard with little/slow results. I am hear to remind people of why they need to press on and give them the courage to keep fighting, not to mention help them to get the results they are looking for.

How long does it take to see results?

It will obviously vary from person to person. Some people will see results within the first few weeks and iron out issues in a 3 month session. For those with deeper issues and endocrine issues this can take time to really sort itself out more fully, however one can see the shift happening relatively quickly. It really depends on how many issues one is facing and how deep they run. As anyone on GAPS knows full gut healing can take some time, but I can help to shorten that time frame, and make it much less painful.

How much do you charge and what do you get for that?

I offer two packages, a 3 month and 6 months. Prices vary, but the most you’d pay is $165 per month at this time for services. What is included; an initial one hour consult is free. Once we get started I take a thorough assessment from each client of their history, food journals and a nutritional assessment questionnaire, a one hour call to discuss the game plan and access to me via email, I create a dietary/supplement protocol that is unique to each client and additionally suggest lifestyle shifts to support the health conditions, including time for yourself, stress reduction techniques, fitness advice, alternative therapies as needed and more. I offer lots of resources, handouts, recipes etc. At the end of the package I will re-assess to track progress and firm up a final game plan to continue with for the client as they begin to work on their own. Once a client has completed a 3 or 6 month package they can sign up for a month of support as needed.

Contact me if you want to know more about my packages!

Wow, that is really affordable, how can you charge so little for all of that?

My goal is to make it affordable and thorough to really help people gain some ground. I do not charge by the hour at this time because I believe that hinders the clients desire to come and ask for more help. I feel it’s important for me to charge a nominal fee that encompasses it all so that we can work together side by side and troubleshoot along the way as need be. This breaks down to about $40 or less per week - many people pay more than that for regular chiropractic care and visits to other holistic practitioners. Also, I currently have low overhead so I can keep my prices pretty low for now.

Is there anything else you want my readers to know?

Right now I am running a Blood Sugar Control Challenge. This is an opportunity to work on a basic hormonal balance issue with a lot of hand holding along the way. Come on over and try it out.
Lydia Joy Shatney is certified as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner through the Nutritional Therapy Association. Additionally, she is a co-chapter leader for the Weston A. Price Foundation in Delaware County, Pa. (Find the group here on Facebook). Lydia is also a member of the Nourished Living Network. Lydia founded Divine Health in March of 2010. You can find Lydia on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.

Lydia offers specialized one-on-one counseling for those that are looking to transform their health through dietary advice (both food and supplements), learning cooking techniques, shopping guidance, as well as fitness inspiration and self-empowerment. These personal consultations are tailored to suit your specific needs and can be done over the phone, Skype or in person. Lydia will work with you in person locally or long distance across the globe. Lydia currently offer 3 & 6 month packages. In these packages you will receive phone consultations, email support, food journal evaluations, a thorough nutritional assessment, lots of handouts, supplement recommendations for your specific needs, information, recipes, tips, cooking ‘how to’s’ and more. Contact Lydia to sign up for your free initial consult call today!