To work with Dr. Laurie Marbas, visit: https://www.drmarbas.com/ Healing happens in the community and in vulnerability. When we share our stories, we encourage others to pursue a healthy lifestyle and overcome challenges. That's why I'm delighted to speak with people who've gone through their own weight-loss, plant-based journey. I had the honor of interviewing Denise Norris, who spoke about her story. She was vulnerable and honest with her journey, the inspiration many of us need. ~ Denise's Story: Denis has been—and is still on—a journey toward health and healing. After reaching her peak weight of 500 pounds, she started making significant lifestyle changes to reclaim her life. Growing up, Denise's family was part of the "clean your plate" club. Intuitive eating wasn't encouraged, but shame and restriction dominated the conversations. Binge eating was a big part of Denise's life; once she hit her teenage years, so was purging. Consistently "numbing out" with junk food, Denise continued to put on weight. Then came the breaking point. In 2011, Denise was at her highest weight and lowest point. She knew that if she didn't do something, she wouldn't be able to keep living. She joined Weight Watchers and found a supportive community to help her. Though it was hard, she lost 100 pounds through the program. After switching to a plant-based diet, she lost weight, going from a size 8X to a size 8. But weight loss didn't fix everything. Internally, Denise still struggled to love herself and feel worthy of love in her mind and spirit. But Denise kept pushing to change her mindset. She now looks at her life holistically, focusing on building robust mental and physical health. Her journey today is to tap into her spirituality for strength, her community for support, and herself for love and kindness. ~Finding Your Anchor: Whether weight loss or otherwise, anyone on a journey to health and Healing needs an anchor—something that focuses your efforts and inspires you to keep going. For Denise, it's her faith. Coming back to her personal faith and church community made a significant impact on her mental and physical well-being. People of all or no faith backgrounds can learn from this. On your health journey, remember: Look beyond yourself for meaning and purpose. You are intrinsically worthy and deserving of love, even when you don't feel like it. Find like-minded people who share your faith, values, or beliefs. ~How to Heal as a Whole Person: Besides her faith, another essential part of Denise's healing journey today is the understanding that she's more than just a physical person. As a Registered Nurse, Denise sees how all aspects of life are integral to your health. Food is essential, and learning to eat right is important. At Mora, we know the power of a plant-based diet. But it's more than that—you are more than just your body and have spiritual and psychological dimensions that need care and attention. Denise sees and cares for herself as a whole person. Here are a few things she focuses on that are helpful to anyone's healing journey: 1. Pursuing counseling and learning to experience and process emotions. 2. Finding a community of supportive, like-minded people to help. 3. Focusing on health "basics" like getting enough sleep and hydration. Trusting that this is a lifelong process and taking things one step at a time. Being mindful about everything from emotions to eating. Healing as a whole person is essential and challenging. If you are looking for a supportive, physician-led group to reach your health goals, contact us at mora.com today. We'd love to chat and see how our science-backed lifestyle programs can help you reach your health goals. To connect with Denise: https://www.instagram.com/denisenorrisrn/