The Ramirez Family has embraced a lifestyle of healthy body, mind and spirit. The impetus of the family’s change in lifestyle started when Amapola enrolled in Dr. Antonacci’s Health 7 Class in 2012. Amapola was driven for information that could help her family and others. Her positive attitude was infectious and her open and caring heart was evident immediately when we met her. In particular, in addition to enrolling in Health 7, Amapola started a job at Easter Seal serving as an advocate for children and adults with disabilities.
Amapola began to notice that many of the people she worked with also had significant health problems. Quickly she realized that poor nutrition was often the cause of many of these health problems and/or exacerbated existing health problems. Amapola began to incorporate what she learned in Health 7 at home and to help the people under her care. Many of them found improvements in their health, although disabled. She even took one wheelchair-ridden patient that had been paralyzed due to a botched surgery as a child, to see Dr. Antonacci on a weekend, on her own time. She opened her heart and provided the best possible care she could for this young women. That is what makes Amapola remarkable; she goes beyond the job to be there for others.
Further, Amapola is bright, motivated, and intelligent and has a drive to find positive solutions in even the most difficult of situations. It is these qualities that have led to her success as a wife, mother, student and professional. Since we met her in 2012, she has completed her Masters degree, become a Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach and has expanded her relationship and parenting classes to include nutrition. More importantly, she shared what she learned with her family. Together, Amapola, her husband Rudy and two children now live a healthier, more positive lifestyle. They are an example of how families support one another to make the necessary changes for a more vibrant, productive life. Please read below for the story about Amapola’s personal journey and her family’s journey to health.
Amapola Ramirez – My Journey and My Families’ Journey to Health
I, Amapola Ramirez have accomplished many amazing things and I achieved my goals all thanks to nutrition and amazing people like Dr. Antonacci and Lisa. My life changed when I attended ELAC and had Dr. Antonacci as my professor. At the time I was a wife, mother and student and had my own business teaching families about “Breakthrough Parenting” and anger management in relationships. I learned so much from Dr. Antonacci that it transformed my views on health and motivated me to pursue a career in nutrition. I realized this was an important part of health and relationships and would allow me to offer more to my clients.
Dr. Antonacci’s class was life changing. Since taking his class, nutrition has played an important role in my life both personally and professionally. On a personal level, during a difficult time in my life I was able to feel great physically and mentally by changing my nutrition and walking and stretching daily. Bad nutrition is toxic to the body and not only makes you physically sick, but can impact your ability to focus, sleep and combat emotions like depression and anger in a positive way. I took what I learned in Dr. Antonacci’s class about nutrition and exercise and made it part of my daily life. These changes helped me stay focused on my goals and helped me get through a difficult time in my life.
Having a clear mind is amazing. I was able to look at my life on a personal level. I realized my marriage was not in a good place. I analyzed the situation and took action to what I felt was right for me. We separated temporarily and I have to share that it was the most courageous thing I did. The separation was needed so we both could grow and work on things individually. We are now in a better place as a couple and have a family together with two children.
The commitment and love I have for health and nutrition is the same commitment and approach I took to seek my happiness. It was not easy as many family members did not accept it but I did not let it stop me. I personally have learned that health is not just nutrition, but instead it is the positive connection of body, mind and spirit. For me, this approach allowed me to have a healthier and positive impact on my career, relationships, and spiritual growth, together. I learned it in Dr. Antonacci’s class and learned it in real life too.
Lisa inspired me to look beyond food and to look at what we put on our skin and how that impacts our internal body and our emotions. I already knew from Dr. Antonacci’s class that our internal body is impacted from what we eat, from our emotions, from physical stressors and from chemical stressors. Lisa taught me that many personal care products and household cleaners are full of chemicals that are toxic and can cause many health problems. In fact, more than 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into the body, impacting our blood and organs, so we should also take care of our skin. I never realized how the majority of the things sold in stores are toxic and contain so many harmful chemicals. Lisa inspired me to research more and to start paying attention to the ingredients on labels.
Being more aware has definitely changed my families’ life. We have changed our nutrition and what we put on our skin together. Now, when I go shopping my 7-year old son Alex helps me read labels on food and on personal care products to make sure we are buying things that won’t hurt us. And my son Andrew, now 13, helps me cook and prepare food in the kitchen. My husband Rudy, coming from a military background is very disciplined and has been an inspiration on staying physically fit. He rises very early each morning for his workout at the fitness center. The rest of the week he helps both of our children with soccer, basketball and simply fun playtime.
And we all have learned how to talk and communicate with love so we can work through issues in a positive way. My kids don’t get sick as they used too. We are all healthier emotionally and physically and as Dr. Antonacci and Lisa would say, this lends itself to a stronger spiritual path.
I am in love with health, fitness and nutrition and live it personally and professionally. It is my new life and the catalyst for this change was my taking Dr. Antonacci’s Health 7 Class at ELAC and in also meeting Lisa. After meeting both of them I completed my bachelor’s degree, obtained my Masters of Science in Human Services and then took a special nutrition program from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. I am proud to say I am now a Holistic Nutrition Coach focusing on bio-individuality. I am very exited to share what I have learned over the years with others. I have to say that God places the right people in your path to help transform our life. Thank you Dr. Antonacci & Lisa you guys are a blessing in my life.
Amapola Ramirez M.S., CAMS-I
Certified Breakthrough ® Parenting
Certified National Anger Management Association (NAMA)
Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach
ABUNDANCE GUIDANCE CENTER
826 Ocean View Ave.
Whittier Ca, 90605
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www.abundanceguidancecenter.org