Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Torres.
Hi Tara, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Thank you for having me! I’m a former Army medic from Eagle River, Alaska. I spent 7 years as a member of the Alaska Army National Guard with a deployment to Iraq. Alaska has many remote villages that are only accessible by boat or plane, limiting medical access for soldiers and their families. Similarly, Mongolia also has several remote areas without access to medical care. I was fortunate to have served as a medic in these communities providing medical and dental care to thousands of civilians in need.
I was diagnosed with celiac disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2012. These are both autoimmune conditions in which the body mounts an immune response against its own tissues. At the time I was nearly hospitalized due to the severity of my celiac disease and extensive damage to my gut including a gastrointestinal bleed. I was tired, bloated all of the time, had severe acne, and had many other complaints.
The recommended treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. However, despite following a strict gluten-free diet for months, I failed to feel better. Luckily, I found a doctor who practiced functional medicine and he tested me for food sensitivities, of which I had many. Looking back on my journey, it has taken me over a decade to get my health to where it is today. It has been a long journey learning about my body, how it works, and what nutrition and supplements are right for me. This journey included many trips to different specialists, changing my undergrad degree to Nutrition, pursuing my master’s degree in Human Nutrition & Functional Medicine, multiple personal training and nutrition coaching certificates, and hours of research and clinical experience.
It’s through my struggles to find functional nutrition solutions for my health, that a passion developed. Luckily, there is a ton more information out today about gluten and celiac disease. Whether you are starting a new gluten-free diet, struggling with poor gut health, have an autoimmune disease, or have other health issues, it’s helpful to have someone experienced navigate through all of the diet and lifestyle recommendations for your condition. This can get even more overwhelming when you have multiple conditions requiring different solutions. My goal is to help each of my clients develop healthy lifestyle habits over time, without the headache.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There has been more than one occasion where I set in motion certain things to start my own business, and it just never panned out. The business plan sat in a desktop folder for years. Occasionally I would open it, tweak it, and work on it over the years. But I honestly just don’t feel like it was in the timing for me until now. There are so many factors at play when it comes to opening a business and they all have to align for it to be possible. No it has not been exactly easy or smooth, but I’m grateful for the timing to have worked out the way that it did.
Now, I have far more nutrition and business education as well as more experience to better serve my community. The one thing that remained consistent was my passion and drive to provide the best experience to my clients and to continue to further myself. Ultimately, I think that is what has led me to where I am today. Starting and running a business is never without its obstacles but in the end, there’s always a lesson learned or take away. You just can’t give up.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am currently focused on completing my final two terms of grad school at the Universtiy of Western States. I’m pursuing my Masters of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine. Functional medicine is an individualized, patient-centered approach to medicine. Functional medicine addresses the root cause of someone’s disease and treats it from a holistic point of view. This includes using nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle recommendations such as exercise, sleep and stress management as a part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
As a functional nutritionist, my job is to help my clients choose foods that are appropriate for their health conditions and goals. I use professional-grade supplements, herbs, food, and other lifestyle modifications to help my clients achieve their optimal health.
I’m most known for my services in gastroenterology, weight loss, autoimmune disorders, and food sensitivities. My approach is designed to meet the patient where they are and not overwhelm them with information or a lot of big changes all at once. I believe in small changes over a period of time that leads up to a big cumulative change.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
First, I have to give credit to my mom who has been my biggest supporter throughout my entire life. Without her help, I wouldn’t be where I am today running a business, raising two kids, and a full-time graduate student. I had some great mentors during my 7 years as an Army medic which gave me the great medical and leadership foundation I have today.
I’ve also had the opportunity to work alongside some of the smartest medical professionals who helped further my education and clinical experience. I’ve also had some close girlfriends who have stepped up to help with childcare, setting up vendor events, helped with marketing, etc. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for these supportive people in my life!
Contact Info:
- Email: tara@taratorresnutrition.com
- Website: https://taratorresnutrition.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taratorresnutrition/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taratorresnutrition
Image Credits
@taratorresnutrition
