I’m not even quite sure how to give a proper introduction to Claudia. She is inspiring to say the least. She is a Naturopathic Practitioner specializing in detoxification, an Herbalist, a Model, an Actress, a UCLA Grad, (although she states that her best education has been her own trials and errors in life), and has a Black Belt to top it off.
Her biggest passion though as she shares on her Instagram page @healingthesource, is helping others with their own chronic health issues heal naturally. After healing herself of over 30 different chronic health symptoms, she is a wealth of knowledge because of it.
Okay Claudia, I am jumping right in. How long did you struggle with your own health before you started finding the answers to heal yourself naturally? Was there a specific turning point for you?
I have had struggles with my health ever since I was an infant and I experienced an adverse reaction to a pertussis vaccination. Thankfully my body was able to make it through that experience, however, over the years, with a weakened immune system, I came down with many cases of strep throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, and countless colds. Having picked up multiple strains of strep over the years and having used antibiotics a handful of times, my skin took a big hit. I struggled with cystic acne from eighth grade until 3 years post college graduation. Every year I thought to myself, “this will be the year that I grow out of acne!” but it never happened until I took matters into my own hands. I “hit rock bottom” several times. One of those times resulted in me giving in to try Accutane, which was once used as a form of chemotherapy. I originally didn’t want to take it because I had known just how severe the side effects were, but I was desperate at that point. After finishing my round of Accutane, the cystic acne on my body was gone, but my face was still inflamed. I couldn’t believe it! I really thought this was the permanent solution, but instead, I was left with lips so dry that they bled, aching joints, constant bloating and more acne on my face. A few years later, I stumbled upon Medical Medium information and it really hit home. Intuitively I knew this was going to be a real solution–and it was! From there, I dedicated all my time to learning how to heal myself naturally.
What were your biggest underlying health issues?
Cystic acne was the only one I was focused on at the time because it took a physical and emotional hit (for over a decade). But then I realized that I had over 30 chronic symptoms that I was ignoring because I was so focused on my skin. Chronic fatigue was a HUGE one. I remember going to SoulCycle classes (indoor spinning) in college and absolutely loving it, but just one class would take all the energy out of me. I had to sleep for hours once I got home–it literally took an entire day to recover. Meanwhile, the other women in the class who were in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, were taking 2 classes back-to-back no problem! This is when I realized that it wasn’t normal to not have any energy, even after sleeping 8-9 hours a night. While other college kids were out and about late at night, I was in my pajamas and ready for bed after dinner, yet I would wake up feeling hungover without even drinking and the other kids would show up to class after drinking all night with no problem. For 2 weeks, I tried drinking coffee to see if that would help with my energy levels. Unfortunately, it completely destroyed my adrenals and sent me to the ER twice–once for passing out and the other for heart palpitations. I was sick and unable to walk long distances from that incident for a few months. Another difficult health issue was laryngitis, which is another result of strep. As an actress, this was particularly difficult, as I needed my voice to perform. Desperate to gain my voice back so I could open a show, I received steroid injections, which added to my health issues.
I know you incorporate Medical Medium’s teachings, but do you incorporate other teachings as a naturopathic practitioner as well?
I do! I incorporate techniques and tips that I have learned throughout the years, which have greatly helped myself, as well as my clients, friends, and family. I pull from Dr. Robert Morse, Joe Dispenza, Louise Hay, and several other wonderful mentors.
Is there a common factor you see many of your clients suffering from even if they have different symptoms?
A personal observation I’ve made is that nearly every person I’ve worked with has some sort of emotional stagnation, whether they realize it or not. Mental health is just as important to me as physical health, so I make it a point to better understand where my client is at in both their dietary lifestyle and physical health, as well as their mental state. There is something about a person who speaks their truth, honors their body, and stands their ground in love that is able to overcome dis-ease a bit easier than others. It’s quite fascinating, really. I’ve seen this case time and time again: a person has gone through committing themselves to Medical Medium protocols, for example, for a prolonged period of time. They see some improvement, but they hit a plateau and are unable to keep moving the needle. They finally decide to do spiritual/emotional/inner-child work, and BOOM! their chronic back pain is suddenly gone. Or their eczema clears up. Energy is a powerful thing. It’s absolutely crucial to consume high vibrational foods, like fruit, but it’s also important to raise your own vibrational energy by letting go of stagnant emotions and limiting beliefs.
I see you have a self-guided program on your website called Elimination Reset. Can you tell us a little about it? It sounds like most of us could benefit from it!
This is in the works and will be released soon. I’m very excited for people to have access to it! The Elimination Reset is for anyone who is looking to heal from smaller irritations like bloating and skin issues to healing debilitating chronic illness. While the program is mostly self-guided, you will have access to personalized guidance and protocols from me along the way (everyone has different needs!), as well as emotional healing guidance. This program will get the lymphatic system moving while supporting ALL of your eliminative organs to release what is no longer serving you.
You are also an herbalist. Do you incorporate herbs with all of your clients? How valuable do you think herbs are for healing?
I sure do! I think that everyone–no matter where they are in their health–should be incorporating a few herbs in their daily routine. I wholeheartedly believe that herbs (and fruit) are the key to true healing. Herbs empower the body to cleanse and properly filter out all toxins and obstructions, thus boosting circulation, aiding in lymph filtration, cleansing the liver, and encouraging energy flow to the cells. Herbs are the real pharmaceuticals.
Even if we feel great right now, what 3 herbs would be beneficial for most of us?
Lemon balm for stress & inflammation, cleavers for the blood and lymphatic system, and cat’s claw for brain and liver support.
Okay, now to some fun facts about you.
What does your typical breakfast + lunch look like?
Fruits!! I usually do fruits (whole fruits, smoothies, & juices) until 3-5 pm. I keep it juicy 😉 Sometimes I’ll make a big salad for lunch if I’m craving more greens. I don’t really have meals–I like to graze on high vibe foods most of the day (and never go hungry!).
Your go-to healthy dinner?
It always changes depending on my mood, but lately I’ve been enjoying a sweet potato noodle & veggie stir-fry. I just love the texture of sweet potato noodles and how well they soak up flavor (plus they’re gluten free!).
Favorite go-to drink.
Watermelon juice in the summer is my jam. I love making it myself, too, because I’m able to get around a gallon of juice just from one large watermelon! Score!
What does your morning routine look like?
It usually looks like having 32 oz of lemon water, 32 oz of celery juice (or I’ll do another fresh fruit juice if I’m out of celery), a fruit smoothie or the Medical Medium Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie, making my bed, 10-15 mins of red light therapy or a walk around the neighborhood, 10 mins of rebounding, a 10-20 min yoga stretch, maybe a short ab or booty workout, and then getting to work.
Favorite form of self-care.
I like to think of self-care as how I take care of my mind and body on a regular basis. It’s not just about taking a bubble bath or putting on a face mask, although I enjoy taking the time to do that, too. Self-care, to me, is avoiding foods that cause inflammation, a regular meditation practice, getting in sufficient nutrients every day, making sure I move my body and get that lymphatic system pumping, etc.
As a model and actress, I am guessing you have more exposure to toxic hair and makeup products. How do you handle this?
Yes, it can be tough to navigate this sometimes! Usually I’ll bring my own hairspray to offer the hairstylist to use, but honestly, they mostly like to use their own products because they know how it’ll hold my hair and how it’ll look in the end. I understand that it’s more about the art and end-product than it is my preference for cleaner beauty products, and that’s fine, but I definitely make sure to hold my breath when it’s sprayed on me (not that it makes THAT much of a difference). I will always wash my hair extra well the minute I get home. As far as makeup goes, that’s not something I really have a say in, either, especially if I’m modeling for a makeup company’s line of products. These things don’t concern me too much because it’s not a daily occurance. In my regular daily life, I don’t wear makeup unless I go out to events, date-nights, or to dinners with friends, so I’m usually bare-skinned and clean!
If you could only pick one health book that you think the majority of the world could greatly benefit from reading, what would it be?
Cleanse to Heal by Medical Medium
When you do take time off, what is your favorite way to spend it?
Either with my mom or boyfriend doing something active! I love hiking, biking along the beach, doing a weekend getaway around Southern California, going on long walks, etc. For a chill day, I love watching movies or sitcoms, doing yoga, getting in an infrared sauna and sweating it out, hanging out with my cat, or cuddling up with a good book.
Lastly, do you have a motto, fun fact, wellness tip, or anything else I should have asked you and did not?
You asked great questions! I appreciate it so very much. I think a tip for life is to always trust your intuition. If you feel that something is off–whether it’s in your body or in a situation where you feel uncomfortable–always listen to yourself and don’t second guess it. If you go to a doctor over concerns of your health and they tell you “everything looks normal,” it obviously is not normal. Something is wrong and your body is trying to tell you so. If you feel uncomfortable in any scenario, get up and leave. You are doing yourself a disservice by forcing yourself to endure a situation that may cause trauma, stress, or affect your adrenals. You are not selfish for protecting your mind, body, and soul.
To work one on one with with Claudia, see her self-guided programs that she offers, or shop her herbal tea blends check out healingwithclaudia.com
Instagram @healingthesource
Thank you so much to Claudia for taking the time to share this with all with us! I always gain insight from doing these interviews and I hope you do as well!
Grateful you are following along! Xx Riane
Find me on the daily @herhealthystyle
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