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Healing and Paying It Forward

Writer's picture: Michelle OngMichelle Ong

How fortuitous that I am publishing this blog today on International Women's Day! I am reminded of the strength, courage and resilience of women in facing adversity. With this, I look towards my Mom who faced so many adversities herself but never gave up and exuded grace and quiet strength. She was my role model, and I wanted to be like her...


This photo was taken back in Jan 2020 when I was feeling better physically, mentally, and emotionally.


It was just a year after my Mom suddenly passed away while on a vacation in Melbourne with my sisters. . She suffered an aneurysm day after they arrived there. It was very unexpected as she didn't have any serious health conditions. She was full of life and was very active. In fact, they were supposed to go on a zipline day after they got there.

A few months later, my Dad was diagnosed with stage 2 prostrate cancer. I was still dealing with grief and other stressful life events that learning about my Dad's condition hit me fully on the face. My body went into full combat mode. I was tensed most of the time. I was only averaging 4-5 hours of sleep. My menstrual cycle went into disarray - making me bleed heavily for a month or more for each cycle. I would suddenly burst into tears, stare into space or would have thoughts of driving my car into a wall. I was gaining weight in the midsection despite my eating healthily and exercising 5-6X a week. I felt my world crumbling and I couldn't control it. Suddenly, I couldn't find ME. I was lost in a sea of emotions, and my body was manifesting this physically.


Thankfully, years of being mindful of what I eat and having daily physical movements prevented my body from totally collapsing. Another pillar of health that helped me soldier on was my spiritual health. I found slivers of light in the darkness through prayers and visits to the church. My faith gave me hope that things will be better. It also gave me strength and the courage to ask help from others because I realized I cannot get well on my own. I had to get better for my 5 children, and I needed to support my Dad in his own journey of healing from his own grief and his health condition.


I sought my OB GYN to help with my bleeding. Ultrasound showed that I didn't have any fibroids nor cysts in my uterus and ovaries. In fact, they were healthy! However, my blood tests showed that my Vit D level, red blood cells and iron were very low. I was given medroxyprogesterone (a type of female hormone called progestin) to stop the bleeding, and to replace the hormone progesterone which apparently my body is not making enough of. I also had to take a hormonal contraceptive to regulate my period called estradiol valerate which is also an estrogen. The 2 medications helped stabilize my menstrual cycle for a few months but I didn't want to take them long term. I opted for a natural way to address my symptoms by learning more about it.


Call it synchronicity or whatever but a fellow school mom reached out to me at the right time when I was looking to educate myself about holistic health. She just graduated from the health coach training program of IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition), New York herself and thought that I'd be interested in taking it up. I was already practicing as a Metabolic Health Coach then, but my training just focused on nutrition and physical movement. In May 2020, I trained to be an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and got certified a year after. During that period I discovered that grief and chronic stress/anxiety can wreak havoc on one's body. I was able to gradually heal physically and mentally as I applied what I learned on myself. It was such an empowering moment for me to be able to understand my body and know that I have the tools to be the best version of myself. More importantly, I found MYSELF again, and I am WAY BETTER!


I coach full time now, sharing IIN's mission to spread the ripple effect of health and happiness, because it has brought so much joy and abundance in my own life.


It is my hope that I will be able to encourage and empower you to be your happiest and best self as I help you fulfill your health and wellness goals.



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