MY JOURNEY
I am thankful for the most challenging obstacles I have endured, because they have led to discovering the healing power of nutrition and how to Grow Forward.
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So let it be.
Jodie Stephenson
My Journey to Healing, Health & Native Nutritional Therapy
My body was numb, and my level of consciousness was distorted as I lay helpless on the living room floor. Paralyzed and terrified, I waited for the ambulance, unable to move or speak. Doctors quickly decided to airlift me to a larger hospital, fearing my condition was critical. After countless tests, the doctors discovered a benign brain tumor was causing me to have countless seizures that left my body and mind cripple. Within a month, I was in surgery, praying for healing and a second chance at life. A NEW PATH FORWARD... Moments like these change everything. I chose to let mine shape me for the better. With a B.S. in Exercise Science, I had always been passionate about fitness and healthy living. But after brain surgery, I saw nutrition as a powerful component for healing body, mind, and spirit. Determined to recover, I immersed myself in learning how food, environment, and lifestyle choices could restore health. Just months after surgery, I enrolled in the Nutritional Therapy Association and became a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. DEEPING MY KNOWLEDGE & HONORING THE BODY My hunger for knowledge only grew as I witnessed improvements in my own health. I went on to study advanced topics in digestive, metabolic, and hormonal health through the Institute of Restorative Health, deepening my understanding and belief that true wellness begins in the gut. When we listen and properly nourish our bodies, we replenish every system and cell and restore balance. By supporting digestive function, restoring microbial balance, providing my body with the nutrients it truly needed, and removing inflammatory triggers, I experienced a transformation—clearer thinking, calmer digestion, radiant skin, efficient metabolic energy, and renewed strength and resilience. Today, by the grace of God, modern medicine, and nutritional therapy, I am seizure and medication-free. BRING HEALNG TO OTHERS My journey not only restored my health but also blessed me with a vibrant, thriving family. Now, my mission is to help others experience that same renewal. At Native Nutritional Therapy, I use a functional bio-individual approach to uncover imbalances and your body’s unique nutritional needs. With digestion as the foundation, we help you unlock the strength, clarity, and vitality already within you. Discover your journey to optimal health—and Grow Forward with Native Nutritional Therapy.
MY FOOD PHILOSOPHY
Don’t conform to your diet, but let your diet conform to you and your nutritional needs.
Diet is more than what you eat, it is a way of life or a manner of living. What we eat changes the way we feel; the way we feel changes the way we think; the way we think changes the way we live; and the way we live changes the world. Food is an incredible life force that nourishes our existence. Not only does it provide essential nutrients for our being, but it also provides community, tradition, entertainment, and pleasure. Native foods should be embraced because of their restorative elements that provide a holistic approach to well-being.
WHY DIGESTION MATTERS
​The digestive system is the foundation of our health. Just as a tree depends on strong roots anchored in nutrient-rich soil, our bodies rely on a well-functioning digestive system to properly absorb and utilize nutrients. Every time we consume food, the digestive system takes on a complex and demanding role—it must communicate, break down, absorb, assimilate, produce, excrete, defend, acidify, alkalinize, rebuild, repair, and eliminate.
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The function of the digestive system is deeply interconnected with every organ, tissue, gland, cell, and microbial community within us. Even a single disruption in this system can trigger a cascade of imbalances, affecting the entire body. That’s why nutrition, digestive dysfunction, and inflammation deserve top priority when addressing chronic symptoms or disease.
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Prioritizing gut health doesn’t just relieve bloating or discomfort—it lays the foundation for vibrant energy, mental clarity, glowing skin, a strong heart, resilient joints, balanced hormones, an efficient metabolism, a powerful immune system, and most importantly, renewed joy in daily life.
The digestive system is intricately involved in a series of complex, interdependent functions. Even a single disruption can trigger a cascade of imbalances throughout the body.
DIGESTIVE ESSENTIALS
Break Down
Breaks down food into nutrients that get absorbed into the body for metabolic function. When the digestive system fails it provides a breeding grounds for oppertunistic bacteria and digestive discomfort.
Absorb & Assimilate
You are not what you eat but what you absorb and assimilate. The digestive system allow nutrients to enter the body and be used by the body for energy, repair and growth.
Produce
The digestive system works hard to create, salvia, stomach acid, alkaline secretions, 20 different essential enzymes, bile mucous and hormones If one of these elements is out of balance there is a domino effect impacting the entire digestive system and body.
The Body as a Whole
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Brain Health​
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Nervous System Operation
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Heart Function
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Circulatory System Activity
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Thyriod & Energy Performance
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Liver & Detoxification
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Gallbladder & Detoxification
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Immune System Regulation
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Athletic Performance
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Muscular System Performance
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Strong Bones
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Mineral Balance
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Skeletal System Function
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Hormone Regulation
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Adrenal Function & Stress Management
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Reproductive Capacity
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Sleep Performance
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Mental Health
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Midochronial Operation
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Metabolic Flexibility
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Vitality & Longetivity
The digestive system's enteric nervous system contains more neurons than the spinal cord and considered the second brain. What you eat effects every part of your body and mind.
Communication
Detoxification
​The liver, bile and colon play a vital role in detoxification. The removal of waste products, hormones, chemicals, and toxins are a foundational component of health. Not being able to properly eliminate has a domino effect on every system and cell in the body.
Defend
80% of the immune system surrounds the intestine. A healthy diet and digestive function is critical for your immune strength. A poor diet creates constant stress has serious ill effects on your over all health.
Gut Microbiome
Your digestive system houses more bacteria than cells in your body. Without the gut microbiome you would not survive. They create a mucosal layer to prevent infection, make vitamins, aid in absorption and impact your hormones, memory, mood and metabolism.
Pleasure
Food is meant to be celebrated. The pleasure of eating should not only be enjoyed by your taste buds but by your body as a whole unit. Your body rejoices in a healthy diet with greater energy, joy, mental health, and motivation. Enjoy all the colors and flavors of food and how they benefit every system, organ, cell, and function in the body.
PRACTICE PHILOSOPHY
​I believe the human body is a beautiful work of art—deserving of love, respect, and nourishment. Nutrition and digestive function are foundational pillars to our health because every cell in the body depends on them for optimal metabolic function. Additional branches that sustain the tree of wellness include lifestyle practices and environmental factors that significantly affect our body's balance and the flow of biochemical processes.
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In my practice, I take a whole-body approach, honoring each client’s unique biochemistry and individual needs. I emphasize bio-individuality by carefully listening to the client, identifying root causes, and staying grounded in both modern functional nutrition and timeless, traditional healing wisdom. ​
Food and diet are deeply intimate aspects of our lives—what we choose to nourish ourselves with becomes part of who we are. To empower you to make aligned, nourishing choices now and into the future, I offer a supportive, educational space (in-person or virtual). In this space, you'll receive personalized tools, resources, supplement recommendations, and ongoing guidance to help you navigate your health journey with clarity and confidence.
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Nutritional therapy does not diagnose or treat disease. Instead, it focuses on uncovering hidden imbalances and blocking factors, while nourishing the body, realigning function, and eliminating barriers, so the body can naturally heal.
GROW FORWARD MINDSET
What does Grow Forward mean?
WHAT DOES GROW MEAN?
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To grow is to live with awareness, to know your why, and to align your path with purpose. Growth means learning from past experiences and decisions, and using them to make wiser choices, no matter their difficulty.
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Growth is about transforming challenges into opportunities, and viewing the past not as a barrier, but as fertile ground for personal development and the pursuit of your life’s calling.
WHAT DOES FORWARD MEAN?
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To move forward is to willingly continue your journey, even amid discomfort, fear, and uncertainty. It means choosing to look beyond obstacles with a mindset grounded in perseverance and hope.
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This forward movement creates transformational experiences, fueling a continuous cycle of growth and renewal
MY MINDSET & MANTRA
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Grow Forward became my daily mindset and my mantra during a vulnerable moment in my life.​Several weeks after brain surgery to remove a tumor that was causing seizures, I felt the onset of another episode. In fear, I turned to prayer and called out to my Heavenly Father. In that moment, I felt the Holy Spirit wash over me, and the words Grow Forward planted deeply in my soul.​ Not only did my fear dissolve, but so did the seizure symptoms. What remained was a profound sense of peace and reassurance. I strive to Grow Forward every day, in my physical, mental, and spiritual health. Knowing my WHY fuels my WILL to face life’s challenges with purpose and resilience.
DO YOU WANT TO GROW FORWARD?
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It is my mission to help you Grow Forward by addressing the foundational pillars of your health.
