Good health is a state most of us strive for daily, but attaining good health sometimes requires a journey that follows a convoluted and seemingly endless path; when you are on that path, one of your most powerful assets can be your fellow travelers. Support from those who have walked in your shoes can be enlightening and provide much needed hope. For many Natural Grocers customers, that support comes from our credentialed Nutritional Health Coaches (NHCs), many who were drawn to help others in part because of their own health journeys.

In 2000, while her friends were busy starting their careers, building relationships and families, and exploring the world, Kariman, the NHC at our Tucson River Road store, was faced with an unexpected and traumatic health crisis. She was suddenly struck with severe numbness and tingling in her arms, legs, and face. She was told she should be in a wheel chair, that the nerves in these parts of her body were less active than someone fully paralyzed, and that she would not be able to have children.

The darkest moment came when the top neurologist at her local hospital told her that he just didn’t know what was going on in her body. After months of expensive tests they ruled out multiple sclerosis, infection, brain aneurysm, and more, but didn’t have any hopeful treatments. Kariman was told to go home and come back in a month to see if anything had changed. In that moment, Kariman realized that the doctors were not going to have answers for her.

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' "  
~Mr. Rogers

Not having an explanation for the loss of neurological function was frightening, and after failing to get answers, or even hope from her doctors, Kariman came to realize that she was going to have to be her own first helper on the path to healing. She began to take personal responsibility for building her health by practicing yoga and drinking a greens drink. With these simple changes, she began to notice some changes in her health, which led her to explore other potential helpers including acupuncture and chiropractic care. The pieces finally began to fall into place when she got a diagnosis, and then later genetic testing, that led her to dive deep into the field of nutrition.

It has taken Kariman almost twenty years of learning, experimenting, and healing, and in some ways she feels like her life is beginning again. She beat the odds and has two beautiful children. She worked diligently to not only walk, but also run again. She had been too weak to play in the ocean with her children for most of their lives, and even walking barefoot on the sand caused pain in her feet. But on a family vacation just two years ago Kariman realized that the sand no longer caused her pain, and as she walked into the ocean for the first time in many years, she was able to maintain her balance in the waves. Being able to once again experience the joys of a healthy life has energized Kariman to help others find hope.

As a certified Nutrition Therapy Practitioner (NTP), Kariman works to inspire others to recognize that we each have the opportunity to make choices to build our health in both little and big ways each day. From the small choices, like whether to eat a cookie or a carrot, to the bigger ones, like where to look to find our best helpers, every day we make choices that impact our health. Customers who work with Kariman say that having a non-judgmental and empathetic collaborator who understands that there is no magic bullet and who can see their potential for health inspires and motivates them to be their own best health advocate.

"Health is a relationship between you and your body"  
~Terri Guillemets

Like Kariman, all of Natural Grocers’ NHCs are ready to support and empower you on your journey to good health. Through offering a host of complementary services including nutrition classes, cooking demonstrations (in select locations), one-on-one coaching sessions, and answers to your questions, your NHC can help you identify the choices you can make to move toward your health goals. Helping our community take steps to build their health and wellbeing is our passion!