We live in a sick country. A nation that accepts the fact that once you reach a certain age, the rest of your life will be filled with chronic diseases, doctor’s visits, and endless prescriptions. That is the “norm.” It is very rare to see individuals that do not have a chronic disease and do not take any kind of regular prescription.
Growing up, my mom instilled in us the importance of good nutrition. She began researching nutritional interventions for her own health needs when I was an early teenager and transformed our family’s routine. It was my mom that inspired me to go into the nutritional field. At first, it began with me just wanting to be a nutritionist, helping people with meal planning and education. But then once I started college, I switched my goal to become a Registered Dietitian. Registered Dietitians are licensed to give nutritional counseling to those that have diseases. Dietitians obtain a Bachelors in Dietetics (which involves chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, and medical nutrition therapy), a rigorous internship (which consists of clinicals in the hospital, foodservice in the hospital, outpatient diabetes, WIC, school nutrition, dialysis, and private practice), a master’s degree, and finally a national board exam. Once those steps are completed, continuing education is required to maintain registration.
Many dietitians work in conventional hospitals or school nutrition. However, I had the desire to go in a more holistic direction, Integrative and Functional Nutrition. This desire to treat root cause problems instead of surface level symptoms, developed while I was studying for my Bachelor’s in Dietetics.
In 2020, two of my brothers were in a life altering car accident. They both came out of it with traumatic brain injuries that put them in the hospital and rehab for 101 days. During their stay in the hospital, I noticed that once they were able to eat, they were given the options to have all kinds of processed food, juice, and soda. It began to frustrate me that they were not given a diet geared toward repairing the brain (foods high in omega-3s, low in sugar, and minimally processed) and aid in their recovery. Instead, they were given a diet that essentially works against the recovery process. I thought to myself, “there has got to be a better way.”
About a year later, I was in class and we were going over different interventions for cancer. Mind you, this was geared toward intervening in a hospital setting. Instead of healthy foods that would enhance the immune system and help fight cancer, we were told to focus on calories to make sure the patient didn’t lose weight. The suggestions that were given were the hospital milkshakes, Boost, and Ensure. Those are filled will sugar, corn, and additives. This didn’t make sense to me at all. Most cancers feed off sugar, so why exactly are we pumping patients full of sugar?
At this point, I was already looking into integrative and functional nutrition, but these experiences sealed the deal. I did not want to be part of a conventional system, rather, I wanted to be able to help people prevent chronic disease, get out of chronic disease, and live a life full of energy and physical capability.
I believe God has a purpose for each of our lives. It is my goal to help people create lifestyle changes that will enable them to carry out all that is before them. The “norm” shouldn’t be living at doctor’s offices and taking a pile of prescriptions each day. The “norm” should be living a life full of energy, building, creating, fellowshipping, and making a difference in the world. It takes work, and it’s not always easy and fun. But it is worth it.
Patient Testimonies
I want to share two stories with you from my patients. These stories highlight the desire for change, what happens when the root cause is found, and how the hard work of change pays off.
About a year ago, one of my patients came in for her first consult with me. When I saw her and introduced myself, I could tell she was extremely fatigued and did not want to be there. In our first consult she began to explain to me that she felt tired all the time, would often need to take a nap during the day, was experiencing multiple headaches a week, high blood pressure, and also suffered from severe hormonal imbalance. As she began talking about her diet and lifestyle, I began to put together the pieces that needed change. At the end of the appointment, I gave her a few changes to start making and we scheduled her follow-up for two weeks. Two weeks later, when she walked through the door, I almost didn’t recognize her. Her countenance had completely changed. She was so bright and she walked in with a smile. We sat down and she began to tell me that she implemented the changes I had suggested and it made a huge difference. She no longer had to take naps during the day, her headaches were down to once or twice a week, and she had her energy and motivation back. In addition, when we took her blood pressure, it was significantly lower. We kept meeting and within three months, her hormonal symptoms were almost back to normal. During our last meeting, she gave me a hug and thanked me for helping her get her life back.
A testimony written by the patient. “For most of my adult life, I have suffered from severe seasonal allergies. These were not mild inconveniences that appeared during springtime. These were life-altering reactions that affected my ability to work, breathe, and enjoy daily life.
Ironically, my allergy journey began while serving in the military. After receiving multiple immunizations during basic training, I experienced a significant immune reaction. When I was evaluated at the clinic, I was told that sometimes the immune system responds aggressively after receiving numerous vaccinations at once. From that point forward, seasonal allergies became a constant part of my life.
Over the years, allergists confirmed what I already suspected: I was allergic to nearly everything growing around me. Grasses, pollens, trees—you name it.
For most people, seasonal allergies are annoying.
For me, they became debilitating.
As a farmer, I spend countless hours outdoors. During allergy season, I often had to wear extensive protective equipment simply to work on my own farm. Even then, I would experience swelling, hives, congestion, breathing difficulties, and severe discomfort. Eventually, the problem escalated into asthma. I was prescribed inhalers and found myself making more and more visits to doctors’ offices and emergency rooms.
At one point, my reactions became so severe that I required epinephrine injections. I developed what doctors referred to as farmer’s lung. Specialists were concerned, but despite numerous appointments, testing, medications, and thousands of dollars in medical expenses, nobody could identify why my condition continued to worsen.
The standard recommendation was allergy shots.
I tried them.
After my first allergy shot, I ended up in the emergency room within 48 hours due to a significant reaction. Needless to say, I was not willing to continue down that path.
Then came another major allergy flare. This time I was prescribed steroids along with additional medications. What happened next changed everything.
For the first time in years, my symptoms disappeared.
The hives stopped.
The swelling stopped.
The breathing issues improved.
I realized that inflammation was playing a much larger role than anyone had ever explained to me. But I also knew that living on steroids was not a solution.
There had to be a better answer.
That is when I began working with Amber Sproule at Peak Path Chiropractic.
What impressed me immediately was that Amber did not simply hand me a generic diet plan and send me on my way. She listened. She investigated. She approached my situation like a detective trying to solve a puzzle.
We started by exploring the usual suspects. Gluten. Dairy. Other common inflammatory foods. While some of those changes improved digestive inflammation, none of them significantly affected my seasonal allergy symptoms.
Most practitioners would have stopped there.
Amber did not.
After our third visit, she dug deeper into emerging research and introduced me to a concept that no allergist, physician, emergency room doctor, or specialist had ever discussed with me.
Certain foods contain proteins that closely resemble proteins found in specific pollens, grasses, and trees.
In other words, if you are highly allergic to certain environmental allergens, eating particular foods can trigger the same immune response as direct exposure to those allergens.
It sounded almost unbelievable.
But we tested the theory.
The results were immediate.
We discovered that peanuts and paprika were major triggers for me. Every time I consumed them, I experienced severe flare-ups including hives, swelling, and worsening allergy symptoms.
Once those foods were removed, everything changed.
For the first time in decades, my allergies became manageable.
Today, I can work on my farm without dressing as though I am entering a hazardous environment.
I can breathe.
I can enjoy being outdoors.
I am no longer constantly fighting hives and swelling.
I am no longer living in fear of another emergency room visit.
It feels as though I have been given part of my life back.
What amazes me most is not simply that Amber found an answer. It is that she cared enough to keep searching when everyone else had accepted my condition as something I would simply have to live with forever.
Three visits!
Three visits accomplished what years of appointments, specialists, medications, and emergency room visits could not.
As someone who values evidence, hard work, and results, I can say with complete confidence that Amber Sproule changed my quality of life.
If you are struggling with chronic inflammation, digestive issues, food sensitivities, unexplained symptoms, allergies, or health concerns that nobody seems able to connect together, I encourage you to talk with her.
Sometimes the difference between continuing to suffer and finally finding answers is having someone willing to ask one more question.
For me, that person was Amber Sproule.
And I will always be grateful for that.”
Yours Truly,
Cheryl Zuckschwerdt
“The Rancher”
This is why I do what I do. It’s for those with stories like Cheryl, it’s for believing that God has better plans for us than being weighed down by diagnoses and prescriptions, it’s for my family and friends, and those that suffer from chronic diseases, autoimmune disease, psoriasis, eczema, IBS, hormonal imbalance, severe PMS, high blood pressure, gout, allergies, low energy, and burnout. It’s for the changes, the stories, the results, and another life living healthier and thriving.
If you’re suffering and facing challenges with your health, I would love to sit down with you, hear your story, work together to find the root cause of the problem, and create a plan that will set you on the path to health and healing.