Bio

Hi,
I’m Diana, a recovering perfectionist that lived a busy stressful lifestyle trying to meet the demands of family and career to the detriment of my health. My spiritual life was weak and my relationships were superficial or toxic. I had all the ingredients to destroy my health and traditional medicine failed me. After sacrificing my gall bladder, I knew it was time for a different approach. Holistic medicine provided my body the opportunity and resources to heal. I am now driven to share my journey of recovery to elevate, educate, and empower my clients to seek natural alternatives to health challenges. I also encourage my clients to be active participants in their own healthcare. My clients reach out searching for accountability and resources to reach their health goals.

I originally fell in love with the human body during my pursuit of an undergraduate degree in Dance Education. I continued my curiosity as a hobby through my journey obtaining my graduate degree in Business Administration/Marketing and eventually alternative certification to teach in a formal public school classroom setting. Over the course of a decade I taught Biology, AP Environmental Science, Zoology, Anatomy, Physiology, and Medical Terminology. I resigned from the classroom in search for a larger platform to reach more people with my experience and knowledge.

I am the founder and CEO of Optimally You and own Revolution Health and Wellness and Against the Grain Podcast with my husband, Dr. Chad Edwards. We utilize these platforms to deliver a functional and integrative approach for patients and clients while educating and empowering them to continue to seek holistic approaches to their health.

My formal functional medicine health coaching training was obtained through the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy which is designed and delivered in collaboration with The Institute for Functional Medicine. My education was provided by functional medicine pioneers such as Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. David Haase, Dr. Sandra Scheinbaum, Dr. Deanna Minich, and Dr. Margarita Tarragona. I also reinforce my foundational training with annual attendance to the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress.

I have been passionate about health and wellness through nutrition and lifestyle changes since my own health crisis in 2011. Headaches, chronic fatigue, bloat, rashes, excess mucous, depression, anxiety, fuzzy mouth and tongue, joint aches, skin aches, acne, irritability, halitosis, continual dental issues, weight gain, brain fog, gall bladder symptoms, difficulty taking a deep breath, poor hunger signals, binge eating, hair loss, and rapid vision changes  are just a few of the symptoms that  I researched and ALL concluded a connection to my gut.

I began a nutritional overhaul with a personalized 3 week elimination diet removing all inflammatory foods and continued through the 5R Gut protocol. I lost 30 pounds and ALL my symptoms while gaining a vibrant, healthy, optimal life! I am 8 years beyond that revelation and continuing my journey and research to help others experience a better quality of life. As a recovering perfectionist, I am able to help clients practice grace and forgiveness as they begin the process of personalizing their lifestyle and nutrition choices.

After experiencing my own success through nutrition and lifestyle change, I began focusing on my family. Converting my pantry to clean, anti-inflammatory options, exchanging hygiene and cleaning products for a chemical free home, and personalized supplementation has allowed one child to ditch his ADHD medicine, one no longer experiences asthma or allergy issues and has fully recovered from a TBI, teenage acne is under control, and diagnosed anxiety has become virtually non-existent. My family is thriving and learning sustainable practices to manage their own health.

My passion to conquer chronic disease through lifestyle change has forever empowered my clients to be advocates for their own health in an ever changing medical terrain influenced by big pharmaceutical companies and insurance giants. My clients are successfully ditching ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, hypertension, and blood sugar medications by altering nutrition, stress management skills, and better sleep practices. I have helped clients conquer and manage chronic diseases through facilitating lifestyle changes that are co-created to fit their existing routines and resources.

My clients love how their  improved agility and energy levels allow them the opportunities to enjoy adventures later in their lives. I am a  meal plan expert helping my clients optimize their health results one meal at a time based on their personal nutritional needs. Along with meal planning,  I am a champion for self-care! My clients  have reported experiencing lower anxiety and more joy in their personal, professional, and spiritual lives based on our co-created plans to manage stress and invest in themselves. I have had the privilege to celebrate weight loss victories, improved self-esteem, conquered health goals, bad habit permanent dismissals, lab work improvements, chronic disease remissions, and discovered self-worth!

I am the motivation mogul you need to connect your inner desires with results. Through guided exploration and positive psychology my clients discover their WHY to maintain their lifestyle changes when faced with challenges. I help clients identify obstacles and develop skills and strategies to overcome the identified challenges through mindfulness. My sessions are organized to honor my clients as the experts in their own lives which allows for personalization based on each client’s personal WHY.

My training and certification through Functional Medicine Coaching Academy provides the unique ability to facilitate the implementation of physician recommendations common to integrative medicine based on lab values. My sessions help clients become and remain compliant through ongoing education and communication. My clients are crushing their goals and shifting their lab values  through our co-created plans to apply the physician guided changes.

I believe lasting change is based on bio-individuality. Everyone is unique and requires a customized approach to their achievement of optimal health. This creation of a personal lifestyle and nutrition plan is tailored to the individuals current lifestyle, stress level, lab values, nutritional requirements, palate preference, culinary capabilities, financial commitment, social support system, or pre-existing health conditions.

I practice a holistic approach to health and wellness. I work with each client to understand how each area of their lives are connected. I support my clients in their journeys to design personal plans for lifestyle factors of the functional medicine matrix. Sleep/Relaxation, Exercise/Movement, Nutrition/Hydration, Stress Resilience, Relationships/Networks all impact quality of life and the ability to optimize health outcomes. Creating balance within and between these areas of life provides lasting results. Many of my clients are celebrating independence from sleep medications as we tailor evening routines that support better sleep quality. They are waking up rested and the new energy is being invested in co-created exercise programs that achieve their desired results. Better sleep and more movement supports stress resilience in other areas of their lives.