Donna McHaffie, Health Coach
I was inspired to become a certified health coach during my healing journey from breast cancer. Embarking on a natural healing journey, forgoing traditional chemotherapy and radiation treatment, took me from feeling overwhelmed and confused to being confident and goal directed. One step, one day at a time, I knew that each small positive choice I made about my health added up to big, overall positive changes in my life! Hippocrates once said “Let food be thy medicine.” That one quote helped me to look at food differently. I started making changes. I stopped eating all the sugar. I started drinking filtered water. I stopped buying processed food and started making more food from scratch in the kitchen. Real food. Food that swims in the ocean and grows in my garden. And it wasn’t hard. Eating REAL food can be easy and fun! I did my own ” pantry makeover ” and learned to enjoy eating more nuts, seeds and colorful fruits and vegetables. And, I learned to make good, healthy substitutions for the “old foods” I was consuming. And, I am healing! This has been an amazing journey – full of “Ah Ha!” moments.
Donna McHaffie and Luna
Exercise? I found activities that I enjoyed doing and they became my exercise plan – and it’s been a fun journey! Now, I hike, garden and enjoy horseback riding!
Being a registered nurse for 28 years, I possess a drive for learning and research that is rooted in science and I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned with others. Having served over 20 years in the Navy reserves, I appreciate the diversity of people in the world. People are unique and unrepeatable and that’s why I delight in hearing people’s life stories.
I have learned to have an attitude of gratitude. I am thankful. Every morning, I thank the Lord for His many blessings in my life! From the first bloomed iris in the spring to an old woman’s smile at the grocery store to the smell of fresh cut grass to the sigh of my horse when she is relaxed with me – each of those moments is a blessing. Someone once said “There is no magic bullet to a healthier, happier life. The secret is ‘silver buckshot’.” It’s our culture, our belonging, our purpose, our religion. Having a positive outlook has yielded more life to my years!
I thoroughly enjoyed Donna’s “Make Health Your Hobby” online Zoom class! From the importance of having an Individual Retirement Account for Health to understanding the aging process to learning how to read a food label – I learned a lot in just 90 minutes and acquired some useful tools for my “health toolbox!”
Certified Health Coach
Donna received her Health Coach Certification from the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute, founded by world-renowned physician and author, Dr. William Sears. The Institute is a leader in science-based health and wellness education that focuses on the four pillars of health: Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude, and Nutrition (L.E.A.N.). A certification by the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute is obtained only after completing the extensive course work and meeting all requirements. Once certified, a Health Coach possesses the knowledge, tools, and resources to make a positive difference in the health of others.
