Then, finally, I got a diagnosis - metastatic thyroid cancer - and struggled to move on physically,
mentally, emotionally, and professionally.
About the Author
I was told thyroid cancer was the “easy” cancer
and that once you have surgery and get on the
medications, it’s pretty much a non-issue.
Well, that wasn’t how it worked for me. I struggled
immensely. I began to get sicker and sicker - I had
hit my rock bottom emotionally, physically, mentally.
I hated this cancer, this job, this life! But then, I
found nutrition. It sounds crazy but that was the
beginning of a huge change for me.
I started to feel better, crazy better, while changing
the way I ate. No more swelling, bloating, headaches, joint pain, stuffiness, irritability, or depression. I wanted to learn more and go back to more
school but I had already done enough of that, I
thought.
I continued to have ups and downs in my cancer
management and the stress of that while doing the
job I had once loved proved to be too much. After
much angst, I resigned.
I enrolled in another master’s program but for
nutrition this time. I started a nutrition consulting business. Me, a science teacher, starting a
business. But the fact of the matter is, if I hadn’t
received that scary cancer diagnosis and been
so sick, I wouldn’t have pursued this passion for
nutrition.
At times, I hate this story, my story, but it is what
brought me to where I am today. These things life
threw at me have become MY story. My WHY. And
now, that relatability factor I had with my students,
I bring to those I help in my business.
Because I’ve “been there,” I am able to help people
who have either hit their rock bottom or help those
trying to avoid hitting it. This story has helped me
push through the comfort zone of teaching and
out into the entrepreneurial world. And so far, I’m
loving it!
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Tiffany Flaten is a board certified (CNS) and
licensed nutritionist with an MS in Nutrition & Human Performance as well as a an
MEd. She is owner and CEO of Rock Bottom
Wellness, a nutrition consulting business that
specializes in finding nutrient deficiencies
that cause symptoms and disease. She helps
people when they’ve hit their rock bottom and
also guides people who are trying to avoid it.
Tiffany resides in Minnesota with her husband Steven and two daughters, Allison and
Olivia.
rockbottomwellness.com