It has been a long time since I have done a quest post on my blog. I wanted to bring some guests on this blog to share with you stories, knowledge, and more info about health and wellness. I never claim to know it all and can assure you I don't. But what I do know is how to ask for help or when to learn from others. So today we are welcoming Victoria Vines onto, The Adventures of the Wild West's blog. She is a Holistic Health Practitioner here in the DFW area. I grew up going to school with her and recently found out about all the good stuff she is diving into. Her first mentor Dr. Mike was my chiropractor too and I swear to you every word he spoke about health and wellness just fuel my soul. It helped me find my path and truly realize the importance of what I was learning. I hope you enjoy this blog and learn a little bit about Victoria's journey and can dig out some inspiration and a realization of the huge role our emotions play into our well being.
Thank you so much for this opportunity, Deborah! It’s my pleasure to be your guest blogger. I hope my journey encourages and excites your readers!
-How did you get into the world of natural living and health? Was it an event or exposure that started it? Tell me about that experience.
I think intuitively I have always known that it is important to eat right and exercise. I grew up with general knowledge about health and well-being, and I took some health classes starting in high school. My grandma is big into using supplements and food instead of going to the doctor, so I think I picked up some of that from her! “Being healthy” is something I’ve always known about, but living it out in my life has not always been easy.
For example, I certainly did not eat as healthy as I could have for most of my life. I always craved junk food and most of the time I let myself have it. When I gave in, I was hard on myself for eating it and did not see it as a reward or something that can be enjoyed in moderation.
The big wake up call for me was during junior year of college when I found myself experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome, which turned out to be Mononucleosis. I went to multiple conventional doctors who told me that my only option was to go home and rest. I felt defeated and hopeless. I knew that resting would be part of my healing journey, but I also figured there must be more I could do. In addition to the mono, one of the doctors told me I had depression. (Hint: don’t ever surrender to labels – this was just a lengthy low point for me). Throughout my life, I was a person who “bottled” my emotions, not knowing that this habit would eventually catch up with me. Between going through a difficult breakup a few months previously, feeling helpless from my extreme lack of energy, and not really knowing what I wanted to do career-wise, I was full of unprocessed emotions that I did not know were contributing to my illness.
Later that month I went to get an adjustment from my chiropractor, Dr. Mike Traxler. Dr. Mike had a nutrition program that I had heard about previously but didn’t think about taking part in until I saw him. I asked if there would be anything that could help me in it and he confidently responded that it would increase my energy.
I remember calling my mom to ask her for her opinion about making the commitment to this program. Being the wise person that she is, she told me her thoughts but then turned the question back at me to ask my opinion. The feeling that surfaced was one I’ve only felt a few times in my life when I know something is REALLY a good decision. I answered confidently that it was “absolutely right for me.” Little did I know that this program would both change my life and propel me into a career that I LOVE.
With Dr. Mike guiding me, I learned how important it is to take a well-rounded approach to health. He combined nutritional supplements, dietary changes (easy and tasty ones, I might add!), emotional clearings, and patient education to empower people to take control of their health and feel better naturally. Dr. Mike was the first person who told me that our bodies are designed to heal. He emphasized the importance of rest and play in the healing process and taught me a lot about how our emotions affect – for better or for worse – the health of our bodies.
-In your journey was there ever a point where you had a huge mind shift? A point where it just clicked that everything we eat, do and so forth has a huge impact on your body and well being?
I would say there were two really big moments for me in terms of mind shift. The first was when I started clearing emotions with Dr. Mike. I had no idea how emotions – specifically trapped ones – could affect my health. It was not so much that I felt bad when I had them, but how AMAZING I felt when I cleared them! This really taught me about the interconnectedness of our bodies. Experiencing these immediate shifts after doing simple emotional work amazed me but at the same time left me dumbfounded.
This curiosity led me to further explore emotional health and how it affects our bodies. By the end of the year I enrolled in the same training that Dr. Mike took to become a Holistic Health Practitioner.
The second shift occurred when I started my PSYCH-K® training almost a year later. PSYCH-K® is a process that allows you to change beliefs at a subconscious level and release trauma affecting the brain. The subconscious mind is very powerful and in charge of a lot of our physiological functions. When you go through this process by changing limiting beliefs about health you can actually feel your cells become more alive and like your body is working with – instead of against – you to be healthy. This was certainly the case with me! I began doing these balances about how I wanted my health to be, and immediately it was SO much easier for these goals to become a reality. This experience with PSYCH-K® showed me how essential the subconscious mind is in both attaining and maintaining health.
Examples of beliefs I transformed are: “It’s easy and fun for me to be healthy.” “My body heals itself, naturally and quickly,” and “I effortlessly maintain my ideal weight.”
-How did your discovery and involvement into this world evolve? Like mine started so simple with swimming and then meal planning and learning the importance of gut health and so on.
My discovery and involvement in this world of health has evolved multiple times and is still evolving. When I went through my training to become a Holistic Health Practitioner I learned about how different foods and supplements are perfectly created to heal our bodies naturally. I took classes that taught me about the use of homeopathy, pre- and probiotics, glandulars, as well as about how the different organs and systems of the body function. This training was on a physical level, while most of the classes I have taken since then have focused on emotional health and the subconscious mind’s impact on wellbeing. What we eat and the exercise we do affects how our body functions, but if you’re doing everything right on a physical level without getting the results you desire, the odds are that there is an emotional or subconscious root to the problem. I love learning about all aspects of wellbeing and experimenting with how I personally feel the best. Over time, I’ve found that variety is important in everything we do – from our diet, to exercise, and even our everyday life habits. Sometimes getting up early and working out is best for us, while at other times doing a craft or something else we enjoy to lift our spirits is just as healthy for our bodies! True health is both liberating and enjoyable.
-What is the one biggest and most important thing you’ve learned so far that you think everyone should know?
The biggest and most important thing I’ve learned so far is to TRUST YOURSELF! Because of bioindividuality (every person’s body being unique), every individual has different needs for nutrition, exercise, and rest. While there are generalities for what is better or worse for certain people, it’s important for every person to be his or her own authority when it comes to their bodies. So I say listen to your body, trust your intuition, and get connected to the Higher part of yourself. Trust it when it speaks – whether that is what food to eat or what choices to make in life. We all have a unique journey so trust yourself to make the best decisions for you!
-How has this whole journey changed you?
This journey has changed me from a sick, hopeless, and anxious person into a healthy, energetic, and confident human being. I can honestly say that I am the healthiest and most empowered than I have ever been. I never knew life could be this good! That’s not to say I don’t still have my ups and downs, because I do. But, my highs are higher than before and my lows are higher than they used to be. I have a deeper sense of trust in the fact that everything works out the way it should. And, when I am experiencing a low point, I know that I have all tools necessary to get to a better place. Lastly but certainly not least, I have gained a career that makes me want to go to work every day. I never knew I could love helping people as much as I do, and I’m blessed to have finally found what excites me!
-What do you currently do in the health and wellness world? And how are you helping people with that?
-What do you currently do in the health and wellness world? And how are you helping people with that?
Currently in the health and wellness world I am a Holistic Health Practitioner, PSYCH-K® facilitator, EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) practitioner, and Matrix Reimprinting practitioner. Some people want to do only emotional work with me, but the majority of my clients see me for bioenergetic testing (also known as muscle testing). Through this testing we can eavesdrop on the body’s energy system to determine if an issue is physical, emotional, energetic, or lifestyle related. This testing can also tell us which supplements are best for each person to take, if they need to clear any emotions, which form of exercise is best at that time, and know if there are any subconscious blocks affecting him or her. This holistic approach to health truly allows people to heal quickly and easily.
-If you could give anyone a piece of advice or encouragement that is sitting on the fence and is still skeptical about health and wellness what would it be?
I would say to absolutely go for it! You deserve to feel good and to invest in yourself. You may not even know how good you can feel or how happy your life can be until you get started! There are plenty of small steps you can take to a different future that are easy and fun for you. If you would like or need support, there are plenty of people such as myself out here to help guide you in your unique journey.
If you would like more information or to schedule a consultation with me, visit aboundingvines.wixsite.com/
Ignite the healer in you!
Thank you so much Victoria for sharing with us. I know I have learned a lot and absolutely love what you are doing.
Thank you for reading this weeks blog post. If you want more info about what Victoria does her links are above and if you enjoyed this blog post please comment or share.
Deborah West
