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Welcome to Episode 3 of the Passionate Purpose podcast where we interview people over 50 who are pursuing new direction for their lives. It’s an opportunity for men and women to tell their stories, their way in their own words.
Today I will be speaking with Michele Stanford, who works as a functional diagnostic nutritional practitioner helping people regain, restore and renew their health. Many people have become acutely aware of how fragile their bodies really are, especially after receiving a negative diagnosis or experiencing a medical setback.
Michele helps identify areas where a body is out of balance. Then she offers nutritional advice and uses other natural therapies to restore that natural balance.
Before turning 50, Michele worked as a paralegal for 16 years, and even taught high school English classes for a decade.
However, after working in an office or classroom for so long, Michele started experiencing her own health issues. Traditional doctors were unable to help because they truly didn’t have any idea what was wrong with her. They ran a battery of tests, all of which were inconclusive.
Eventually, trips to doctors’ offices centered around managing symptoms with no real attempt to zero in on root causes of her problems. In the end, doctors wound up making her problems even worse. So, she took ownership of her health and did her own research. Her goal was to not only find out what was really wrong, but to learn what she could do to fix the problem.
In the process, Michele discovered a lot of helpful information about America’s food supply, toxins in the environment and how they work to impact everyone’s health.
She compiled all her research into a book titled “Informed Consent: Critical Truths Essential to Your Health and to the Health of Future Generations.” The first half examines problems with foods people eat and the environment in which they live. The second half gives them hope for a better life.
Interviewing Michele Stanford was an eye-opening experience for me. Ironically, this interview took place last fall days before I experienced my second bout of COVID. Battling through those symptoms, I had renewed appreciation for the benefits of a balanced and healthy life.
I have struggled with my weight since I was a young boy wearing “husky” sized clothing. I never really grew up understanding the importance of eating certain foods and avoiding a lot of the garbage marketed as food today.
In 2017, I got tired of carrying all that weight and lost 70 pounds. That was a blessing in disguise because I had a mini-stroke the following summer. I’m convinced it would have been far more problematic if I had not lost all that weight.
But, silly me, by the time I spoke with Michele, I had put nearly 40 of those pounds back on. Michele caused me to re-evaluate my dietary choices, which involved a lot of processed foods and eating out. She reminded me that food was a provision, not a convenience.
I’ve been very slowly taking weight off again, but not with diet gimmicks. Rather I’m making sound decisions to eat nutrient-dense meals and exercise better portion control. Like Michele predicted, I feel significantly better mentally and physically.
Michele said more people than ever are embracing organic fruits, meats and vegetables and seeking to buy them from local farmers rather than corporate grocery stores.
After we turn 50, our metabolism starts slowing down, which is why it’s even harder for me to lose weight today than it was five years ago. Still, Michele explained there are some things people can do now to help reset their bodies for a healthier lifestyle, such as:
- Making sure you get plenty of healthy fats.
- Getting adequate clean and good protein.
- Eating nutrient-dense foods.
- Avoiding gluten and processed foods.
- Engage your body in some type of movement.
- Enjoy restful sleep.
Today, Michele is a passionate advocate for helping people choose healthier lifestyles, and she loves seeing their lives improve. She explained, “Some people thought they were destined to be sick all the time and they’d never get well. But, after going through some protocols I created for them, they see improvement and remain committed to making changes.”
To connect with Michele, visit www.michelestanford.com. People visiting her website can download a complementary PDF titled “Quick Guide to Balancing Your Hormones.”
Michele’s book, “Informed Consent: Critical Truths Essential to Your Health and to the Health of Future Generations,” is available at Amazon and other bookstores.
If you’d like help in identifying a purpose for your life or to get help planning your next steps, I’m offering a complimentary brainstorming session to members of the Forward From 50 Facebook community. For details, connect with me on Facebook or visit www.forwardfrom50.com.
That’s all for this week’s show. Next week, I’ll have a fun interview with a super-enthusiastic man in his 70s who started a new career in his 50s, then retired and now enjoys a new life as a country performer at retirement communities in Florida. Thanks for joining me for today’s episode of The Passionate Purpose podcast.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.