EP# 88 - Holistic Victory: How Lora Ulrich Turned Health Challenges into Triumph
Mar 19, 2024Season 1Episode 88
"Cabo" Jim Schaller
Imagine overcoming a lifetime of health challenges and emerging not just victorious, but as a guiding light for others navigating similar struggles. That's the transformative journey Lora Ulrich shares with us, a certified holistic nutritionist who has turned her personal battles with perimenopause symptoms into a beacon of hope and empowerment for women worldwide. On today's episode, Lora distills 28 years of wellness mastery into actionable insights, offering her expertise in private coaching, group sessions, and effective online courses.
Join us as we explore Lora's compelling story, from her early years grappling with severe health issues to her revelation that dietary adjustments held the key to unlocking her well-being. She opens up about the simple suggestion from a naturopath that sparked her holistic health epiphany and how it has since fueled her dedication to helping women reduce belly fat, boost energy, and balance hormones. Lora's approach is not just about physical fitness but also fostering self-confidence and love, proving that health is a holistic journey encompassing mind, body, and spirit. Get ready for an enlightening conversation with Lora that is as much about finding wellness as it is about rediscovering yourself.
Imagine overcoming a lifetime of health challenges and emerging not just victorious, but as a guiding light for others navigating similar struggles. That's the transformative journey Lora Ulrich shares with us, a certified holistic nutritionist who has turned her personal battles with perimenopause symptoms into a beacon of hope and empowerment for women worldwide. On today's episode, Lora distills 28 years of wellness mastery into actionable insights, offering her expertise in private coaching, group sessions, and effective online courses.
Join us as we explore Lora's compelling story, from her early years grappling with severe health issues to her revelation that dietary adjustments held the key to unlocking her well-being. She opens up about the simple suggestion from a naturopath that sparked her holistic health epiphany and how it has since fueled her dedication to helping women reduce belly fat, boost energy, and balance hormones. Lora's approach is not just about physical fitness but also fostering self-confidence and love, proving that health is a holistic journey encompassing mind, body, and spirit. Get ready for an enlightening conversation with Lora that is as much about finding wellness as it is about rediscovering yourself.
This is the Good Neighbor podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, cabo, jim Schaller.
Speaker 2:
Welcome Good Neighbors. That was episode number 85 of the Good Neighbor podcast, the Estero. Today we have Good Neighbor Lora Ulrich a certified holistic nutritionist. There we go, how we doing.
Speaker 3:
I'm doing very well. Thanks for having me, Cabo.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, it's a pleasure to get to meet people in the community and help connect them with the community around us, so why don't we jump right in and why don't you share a little bit about what you do?
Speaker 3:
Sure, I've been a wellness practitioner now for over 28 years and I'm a certified holistic nutritionist and executive wellness coach, and I offer private coaching, group coaching and online courses focusing on helping busy perimenopausal and menopausal women crack the code to living a healthy lifestyle so they reduce belly fat, boost their energy, balance hormones, increase confidence and feel great and love their body.
Speaker 2:
That's very interesting. So how did you get involved in all this?
Speaker 3:
Oh man. So I grew up very, very sick. Actually, I had asthma and allergies and by the time I was like six years old, my father had an oxygen tank in my bedroom because I got he was tired of bringing me to the hospital so many times. So, asthma, allergies. I had a thyroid condition. When I was in fifth grade I had my thyroid removed and they found out that I had an overactive thyroid. They probably nowadays would have thought I had ADD or something.
Speaker 2:
But what?
Speaker 3:
happened was, though, as a young teenage girl, I found out very quickly that if I didn't take my medicine I'd be super skinny. So, like full disclosure at any age I probably would have toyed with that. But so what happened was they ended up giving me radioactive iodine when I was 17, because I was in the hospital like for the second time. They didn't know how they were going to help me, and they ended up giving me radioactive iodine which completely zapped my thyroid. I have barely any thyroid on my own, and that started my physical, mental, spiritual torture of weight gain and weight loss.
Speaker 3:
Weight gain and weight loss and not feeling good, and I have food allergies and I had fibromyalgia. Before it was even a word, I mean. I could go on and on about the health issues that I struggled with, and as I was in my mid 20s and I moved to Alaska of all places like all the hospitals in Minnesota and New York and different places I live nobody could help me. They just kept giving me more medicines and I kept feeling not good, and so, when I moved up to Alaska, I ended up with a naturopath doctor, and the first thing she said to me after I told her my story was why don't you give up dairy for two weeks? And I told her she was absolutely crazy, like why would I do that? But something she said to me over 30 years ago still sticks with me and I use it with my clients all the time.
Speaker 3:
Why don't we give this a try? What if it works? If you feel better after two weeks, then you have more information to make a decision. If you don't feel better, then go back to eating and it doesn't have to be dairy. There are many different things, but you know any changes that we want to make. You'll know after two weeks if you feel better and then you can make a decision. And that's what got me into this industry. I was like I need to figure out how to make myself well. So I, you know, started going to different trainings and getting educated and created it into a business because I knew I was not the only one that was suffering.
Speaker 2:
And now you can share your knowledge with people and it's interesting, it's very interesting and I love that. I love that saying is you know? Because if you try anything for two weeks, you know you're going to know yes or no. And that's the way to look at it, because if you say no, no, I'm not going to do that. Well, that could have been the problem, but you won't know.
Speaker 3:
Right. What if this is the answer right?
Speaker 2:
Exactly so. You mentioned a couple of different states there. Where are you from originally?
Speaker 3:
So I was born in Arizona and I was five years old we moved to New York. So I grew up in New York, in Westchester County, and when I was 23, I left New York. I lived in Rochester, minnesota, for three years and then I lived in. New York, did you really? That's so cool.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and then I.
Speaker 3:
I've been. I lived in Fairbanks and North Pole, alaska, for 14 years and now I've lived here here I actually live in Fort Myers, florida. We moved here full-time almost 17 years ago.
Speaker 2:
Wow, what brought you to Florida? Don't say the weather because I Was born in Wisconsin that's one Wisconsin. It gets too cold, I love it, I love it. So what? Are there any maybe myths or misconceptions Surrounding what you do that we could maybe clear up for our listeners?
Speaker 3:
Absolutely, especially now that you know I'm gonna talk about focusing on me as a holistic nutritionist and a menopause Wellness coach. There are several myths and misconceptions, so one of them is the one-size-fits-all approach. Right, many people believe that there's a universal solution for nutrition and wellness during perimenopause and menopause. However, each individual's body and hormonal balance are unique, so it requires personalized approaches tailored to their Specific needs. It is not a one-size-fits-all Another huge misconception.
Speaker 3:
I have women coming to me of all different ages saying oh, I'm starting to gain weight, but my doctor said that it's just get used to it. Uh, no, menopause does not mean Inevitable weight gain. So while hormonal changes during menopause can contribute to weight gain, for some individuals, for sure. It's not a universal truth, though, because if you put together a low glycemic diet, regular exercise, stress management, adequate sleep like the things that we hear about, but actually implement these things into our life and up in an easy Like, it needs to be realistic to incorporate it into your life so that you'll be able to maintain a healthy weight, regardless of what stage you are in perimenopause or menopause.
Speaker 2:
Perfect right.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, there's, can I share, can I?
Speaker 2:
I'm sure you got a list. Go through your list. Yeah, absolutely I do.
Speaker 3:
I actually have two more. Cool thanks. I appreciate it because they're just so important. Another misconception is that natural remedies are always safe. Sorry about that. So who's just texting me?
Speaker 3:
Um, while natural remedies can all offer valuable support during this time of our life and actually any time of your life, right? It's crucial to recognize that not all natural products and supplements are safe for everyone and that they can interact with medications or underlying health conditions. And most supplements don't even contain the amounts that are listed on the label. Therefore, they're not even the correct amounts and ratios to effectively provide support. So it's super important to consult with a qualified professional before incorporating any supplementation or treatment. I absolutely believe that supplements are important to any treatment plan, but I see so many people just going to the store and doing, you know, like the Schmogersberg approach, and not even understanding if what they're doing and taking is going to benefit them or not. So that's a huge one.
Speaker 3:
And then I'll share one last one. I mean I could go on and on, right, but the last one that I'll share, so I don't take up too much of your time is that menopause is a sign of aging and decline. So menopause is a natural phase in a woman's life, but it doesn't signify the end of vitality or health. With the right support and lifestyle adjustments, women can absolutely thrive during and after menopause, embracing the changes as an opportunity for growth and wellness. It does not mean you're going downhill.
Speaker 2:
Wow, see, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Right, let's see.
Speaker 3:
Light. It's not the end of the tunnel Cabo.
Speaker 2:
Right right, no right right. It's just the beginning, it's another, it's a different phase.
Speaker 3:
It's the beginning of a different phase.
Speaker 2:
Yep, so outside of work. I'm sure you keep busy, but what do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Speaker 3:
Yeah, so I love to be outside in nature. I love to go hiking with my husband. I also have a local hiking group. It's called Lady Trekkers. You can find us. I have a Facebook group and once a month it's the third Saturday of the month we go for a hike and I pick a different location somewhere in Southwest Florida, so it's Lady and then Trekkers is spelled T-R-E-K-K-E-R-S. And then I love to go to the beach, into the mountains and motorcycle riding or boating with my husband. I love to travel and here, locally, you'll find me at Club Pilates, either in Fort Myers or Astero.
Speaker 2:
That's important Four times a week. Got a stand shape right.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2:
And she is great over there.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, Shannon and her team do a great job.
Speaker 2:
So what's one thing that maybe you wish your listeners knew that maybe they don't know about what you do?
Speaker 3:
That's a good question, cabo, so I would like listeners to understand that in my business, it's not just about managing peri and menopausal symptoms. It's about empowering women to thrive during these phases of life. I'm all about providing personalized support and evidence-based strategies to help women navigate the symptoms and issues that they're experiencing so that they feel like they feel resilient and vitality. And, just once again, it's not just about surviving. It's about thriving and embracing this journey with confidence and joy, so that you really do feel great and love your body.
Speaker 2:
Love it, love it. I want our listeners go about getting in touch with you.
Speaker 3:
So my website is loraulrich. com, but let me spell that because both of the names are spelled differently than people think. It's L-O-R-A-U-L-R-I-C-H. com, and on my website you'll find recipes. I've got blogs with tips and information resources and I also have a metabolism-boosting recipe e-book that people can download for free. And if you happen to be listening to this before March 23rd, you'll see on the top of my website there's a link to register for my Zoom masterclass on March 23rd, which I will be reviewing shedding your menopausal, menopausal.
Speaker 2:
Wow, you're a busy woman.
Speaker 3:
I'm on a mission, it's my passion, because I know what it feels like to not be well. So since I've cracked the code, I just I have to share it with everybody.
Speaker 2:
I love it and you got to be passionate about what you do. Any last words for our listeners.
Speaker 3:
Thank you, cabo. I appreciate you having me on here and I appreciate that you do this for our community. I actually didn't even know you existed until I heard Shannon on. So that's fabulous that you're providing this service for the community and I mean I hope everybody has a good day. It's a pleasure doing that.
Speaker 2:
I love it. I love it and thank you for being such a good neighbor and we will see you out in the community soon.
Speaker 3:
Thank you very much, Cabo.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast Estero. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, Go to GNPestero. com. That's GNPestero. com, or call 239-296-2621.