Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Ganz.
Hi Jackie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
If you told me I would be a Functional Medicine Health Coach, I’d be like, “What’s that?!” I always loved health, wellness and nutrition, but it felt like more of a hobby. I was pretty focused on acting and being an artist and that was that. Being anything else felt like quitting. Then my dad suffered a massive stroke that almost took him from us, and the story I had been telling myself for years suddenly shifted in an instant. It was crystal clear. For the first time, I felt like I could be brutally honest with myself and my family. I wasn’t happy, I hadn’t been happy, and I wanted to do something else with my life. At this time I was several years into my own healing journey with functional medicine, and finally after decades of suffering and being told my symptoms were “normal,” I felt my best. I wanted to help people feel the same. I decided to embark on my health and wellness professional path with the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy and then on to get my board certification. I became a sponge, loving everything I was learning and feeling like I got my spark back. It’s been years now, and I haven’t looked back once. I’m truly passionate about helping clients build small habits into their daily and weekly routines because it’s those small consistent habits that really amount to the big lasting results.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ha! Absolutely not. At the same time I was diving into this new and exciting venture, I was also stepping into the role of caregiver for my father who had lost use of his left side — two very different learning curves. He has since passed, but the extra years we got together were a gift, and we really made the most of them. My appreciation and compassion for the body, mind, and soul has deepened from being a health coach, a caregiver and a mom. So has my patience, resilience and strength. I have two boys —a toddler and an infant, and any mom can tell you that it’s the hardest job. Balancing work and home life while also practicing self-care is a real art (to put it nicely). When I feel exhausted and depleted, I try to take a deep breath, get present, shift my perspective and give myself some grace. Some days I’m better at it than others.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I help my clients implement diet and lifestyle changes. I work with them on nutrition, movement, sleep hygiene, stress resilience, and creating a clean and supportive environment. I work primarily with women to regain their energy and free themselves from the constant food chatter and yoyo dieting. I’m passionate about gut health, balancing blood sugar and helping new moms nourish themselves and their growing families. When it clicks (either when working together or months after) and a client shares they’ve hit a goal or lowered a biomarker, it gives me so much joy. I have been the patient and know what it feels like to not feel well or feel misunderstood. I also know that life gets busy and there will always be celebrations and travel and things that throw us off our routine. It’s my hope to help as many people be able to enjoy those moments and indulgences without shame or guilt, press the reset button and get back to their healthy habits without skipping a beat.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’m a really strong swimmer in the butterfly stroke and I biked from San Francisco to Los Angeles 3 times (that’s where I met my husband!)!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thepurepractice.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thepurepracticela
Image Credits
Marie Buck Photography
