An Interview with Karen Trubner-Kent

Who am I?

Hi, I'm Karen, a former interior designer turned Holistic Health Coach. I'm also a Certified Gluten Practitioner & a specialist in Environmental toxins. Welcome to my world of functional health & nutrition!

My primary focus is helping clients create change in their environment - especially around food , your exposure to toxic chemicals and things like managing stress and getting enough sleep. Why? Because this is where you can have the greatest impact on your health!

My mantra is simple:  reduce your exposure to things that cause you harm, while increasing your exposure to food & behaviors that are protective.
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Why daily pain led me to being Gluten-Free

Before I changed my diet, I use to have debilitating, DAILY stomachaches. (I’m talking about the kind that has you doubled over in pain).
 
By the end of my workday, my stomach would be so distended I’d have to unbutton my pants. Yeah, I know – it’s a bit tricky walking around like that! I had no idea what was causing the problem.

I was typically eating cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and I absolutely LOVED to snack on Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers. (It makes me cringe to even type that). One day, I happened upon a magazine article on Celiac Disease and gluten, and was captivated from the get-go. The list of symptoms described me to a ‘T’!
 
A subsequent doctor’s appointment was uneventful. The doctor literally took one look at me, decided I was far too healthy and said it was impossible for me to have Celiac disease because I didn’t fit the standard description. (Translation:  I wasn’t emaciated.)
 
Unconvinced, I took matters into my own hands with a mail-in (ahem) stool test.  No surprise - the test came back positive for gluten-sensitivity.
 
That was December 31, 2003.
 
I‘ve been gluten-free ever since and those stomachaches have long been a thing of the past!
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Like you, I didn’t know how to listen to my body. 

A sensitivity to gluten can lead to all kinds of problems. (I cover this in detail in my video series:  "A Gluten Primer - Everything You Wanted to Know From A-Z").

As my own health deteriorated  I became more aware of my immediate environment and how it had been undermining my health. This included moving into a brand-new home with zero awareness of the many toxic finishes, paint & carpeting that were almost certainly part of the problem.
 
It’s what led to my deep dive into Special Diet and Environmental Health (well beyond design and aesthetics), with the focus on the home as a place of healing and nourishment. It's a broad topic that includes food, nutrients, sleep, stress, relationships, exercise, as well as meaning and purpose (not too much, not to little – aka the Goldilocks Principle).

Here's what else you need to know

If you're familiar with Gretchen Rubin's book "The Four Tendencies", I'm an Upholder - which means if I believe in something (such as needing to be gluten-free), I pretty much just DO it!
 
At the same time, I understand that for most people, change doesn't happen that easily. But I'm an optimist at heart, and I love to view your challenges as potentially life-changing opportunities!

My favorite pastimes are lazy weekends at our cabin, spending time in Nature, and hanging out with my family. I also love to bake! But I've scaled WAAAY back on that in recent years. (Did you know that gluten-free baked goods aren't all that good for you? Did you also know there are many ways around that, so you don't feel deprived?)
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What is your training?

I'm a Certified Gluten Practitioner, an Environmental Toxins Specialist, and a 2014 graduate of Holistic Nutrition Lab, Full Body Systems. (Scroll over the dots on the map and you can find me in the top left corner!) 
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Disclaimer:  Working with a Health and Lifestyle Coach is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Rather, it's a means for additional support - something doctors & nutritionists typically don't have time for.
​If you haven't already done so, be sure to pick up your FREE Guide: "The Holistic Home - 7 Steps to Clean Up Your Diet, Ease Your Symptoms & Lose Weight"!