My Story
Thank you for being here!
It all started at a very young age. I remember cutting out pieces of nutritional advice from women’s magazines, like “healthy recipes,” “how to take care of your well-being” and “how to follow your bliss”. Yes, I actually had a big fat folder with all these cut-out scraps. I wasn’t sure why I was doing it and at that time, I sure didn’t see what I could do with it, but I loved creating collages with these little pieces of information. Little did I, as a young teenager, know this was my passion talking. Unfortunately, I did not listen to it, I was being guided, or should I say misguided, by my environment, which was telling me: do what you are told, fit into society and be happy. Well, how can you be happy with a cookie-cutter plan for your life if all of us are so different?
How can you be happy with a cookie-cutter plan for your life if all of us are so different?
Growing up multi-culturally and having lived in several countries, I have always sought a place of belonging for myself. Before I became a Certified Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach, I obtained a master’s degree in political science and worked in a range of international companies. However, I did not feel like I was living the life I was designed to live and it did not make me feel at my happiest. First, my body was giving me many signs that it did not want to be where it is was and second, I had no passion for what I was doing. You are probably wondering why I continued my unfulfilling career, well; frankly, I thought we were all in the same boat. I decided there must be a better way of living. I began listening more and more to what my body and soul where trying to tell me; this was how my journey of self-growth and spirituality started. Long story short, it led me to meeting the love of my life and creating circumstances to reconnect with my childhood passion.
A turning point to make the big change in my life was taking on the role of being a mother.
I moved to The Netherlands, got married, became a mother and amidst rediscovered that long-forgotten passion for Nutrition & Nourishment, my young girls’ passion finally emerged to the surface. I have to admit, a turning point to make the big change was taking on the role of a mother. It was then that I actually felt it under my skin - the importance of committing to a holistic lifestyle. Not only because pregnancy, post-partum and breastfeeding coupled with a lack of sleep poses an immense stress on a woman’s body but also because given the right Nutrition & Nourishment plans you can regain your health and wellness at any given moment. It applies to any stage of a woman’s life. If you are not paying attention is it easy to become depleted of nutrients and energy. But it is particularly noticeable when you are at your most vulnerable. No wonder so many women get into trouble at that stage of their lives and have difficulties getting back to their vibrant self. I too was depleted. It was then when I started diving deeper into the world of nutrition and body-mind connection. I was amazed by the significance of food along with its nutritional information. How food not only can heal our bodies but also has the capability to prevent many of the so-called chronic diseases, promote longevity and much more. Food aside from providing nutritional value, is actually functional on a cellular level in our bodies!
The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while Nature cures all diseases. - Voltaire
My well-being significantly improved, I can proudly say, it is better than it ever was before. I was inspiring those around me to make a change. My passion was guiding me, helping me and helping others like me. It truly felt great. I decided to make it official and started my studies at the Institute of Health Sciences, which combines evidence-based nutritional science with the Functional Medicine model. I became a Certified Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach.
I founded TERRA Nutrition & Wellness as a place for women like me; where I can offer my knowledge, my experience to what I call the journey to optimal health through holistic nutrition, lifestyle interventions and exploring underlying issues. As science and medicine keeps evolving, so am I; I am constantly upgrading my knowledge, acquiring continuous professional development, studying novel nutrition and the body-mind connection. My goal is to accomplish my Nutritional Therapist studies.
I also teach how to create abundance and follow your bliss through my Dreamboard Workshops. I help women to understand how emotions, nutrition and lifestyle choices can impact their lives. In simple words how to lead a balanced, nourished and happy life.
In Health,
Dina