Women In Wellness: Candice Schutz Of Wholeistic Wellness On Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

Self-Care is Non-Negotiable. This is crucial, and we all need to remember that we cannot take care of anyone else if we don’t take care of ourselves!

Today, more than ever, wellness is at the forefront of societal discussions. From mental health to physical well-being, women are making significant strides in bringing about change, introducing innovative solutions, and setting new standards. Despite facing unique challenges, they break barriers, inspire communities, and are reshaping the very definition of health and wellness. In this series called women in wellness we are talking to women doctors, nurses, nutritionists, therapists, fitness trainers, researchers, health experts, coaches, and other wellness professionals to share their stories and insights. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Candice Schutz.

Candice Schutz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, specializing in hormone health, and the founder of Wholeistic Wellness. She helps women over 40+ who are dealing with hormone imbalances (think — PCOS, hyper & hypothyroidism, menopause etc) and are craving to feel like themselves again. Her unique mind, body, soul process blends reviewing lab work, identifying food intolerances, handling stress, sleep cycles, exercise routines, and even reading labels and ingredients. She believes strongly that women who are dealing with hormone imbalances shouldn’t have to live with these symptoms anymore.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

In2008, as a new mom of two small boys, I was angry, frustrated and desperate for answers. I had just found out that my first husband was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. My mind raced. Why had this happened? How could this happen? In my mind, heart, and soul I had to fix this! I spent hours, and many sleepless nights researching. Was it the food? Our environment? Our lifestyle? There had to be an answer.

At our first appointment with the oncologist, desperate for answers, I noticed a big bowl of candy sitting squarely on the receptionist’s desk. I was perplexed. Was that for the cancer patients? I thought it was common knowledge that cancer not only loves sugar, but it actually feeds on it. And even if it wasn’t common knowledge, surely an oncologist’s office would know this, no? This enraged me! As we walked the white walled hallways to go back to speak with the doctor, frustration began to boil inside me. I tried to stay patient, but my first question was, “How does this happen?” The doctor grimly smiled and answered, “It’s just bad luck.” The anger in my veins boiled faster and I began to realize that the medical professionals, the people that were supposed to have all the answers to the questions I had, were not as all-knowing as I had hoped. Something was missing. While they knew the most about medicine and treatments once we were sick, there was a lack of preventative and alternative options. At this moment, I knew that I wanted to change things. I dove deep into researching endless nights, nailing down statistics, and talking to others that have gone through similar situations. We visited alternative practitioners all over. We asked a lot of questions. I began to understand deeply about our bodies, and how they work on a molecular level. I started understanding that It wasn’t our fault, but was it just bad luck? At that point I became obsessed with wanting to know more, and I eventually went back to school to become a Certified Health & Wellness Coach. My dream since then has been to guide, and educate to medically advocate for yourself, while simultaneously understanding there is a whole world of holistic alternatives that can often be used in conjunction with traditional medical advice. We need to understand how we can live in more of a proactive state, and truly love the temple of a body that we share with our soul in a deeper mind body soul approach. This is where my mission started and my wellness journey to help others began.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

After launching my business, Wholeistic Wellness it was time to launch. I am a private person, and I had to post on social media. This concept was frightening to me. How would everyone perceive me? Would I say the right things? My business mentor asked me to create a video, talk about my passion and mission to the world. Without thinking too much I did just that. I spoke from my heart and expressed my love of helping others on their health journey. That was a turning point for me. I realized I need to be that voice! I need to be heard, just as my clients do. I am that example for them to be heard. I help them take that next step to optimal health.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I want to reach a bigger audience, so I recently started doing more events and expos. For these events, I needed advertising and visual marketing, so I spent hours creating beautiful brochures, banners, and pamphlets. I proofread everything and had others proofread. At the event, I was so excited to put everything together and share my mission and purpose. I spoke all day with the expo participants about my wellness practice, surrounded by my marketing. We took dozens of pictures, and videos to document my excitement. After several hours, I finally sat down for a brief moment to look at the pictures and noticed a spelling error, a huge one! As I realized that this mistake would be documented for hundreds of people and the shame swelled up inside me, I suddenly laughed aloud! Although I felt embarrassed, I realized it actually felt great to be imperfect, to give myself grace. I had to follow the same advice that I gave to my clients. To make mistakes, then to truly give themselves grace, and to have intentions of love within. And now I look up every word in the dictionary whenever I make any marketing. The true lesson here is that we are all imperfect and make choices or mistakes that don’t define us. They merely help us grow and prosper, especially in our health.

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

My path to becoming a certified Integrative Health & Wellness Coach specializing in Hormone Health was not just a career choice; it was a calling born out of personal trials, profound loss, and an unwavering commitment to healing naturally. When I started my practice, Wholeistic Wellness, I dedicated my life to supporting women navigate the complexities of health and wellness with compassion, understanding, and expertise. My clients often start with me battling hormonal imbalances, like hyper/hypo hypothyroidism, PCOS, menopause, and even autoimmune diseases. I’m here to hopefully guide them to a brighter and healthier future.

When our hormones are balanced, our adrenal system is happy. A stressful, unhappy, anxious, sleep-deprived lifestyle takes a really negative toll on our body and affects our hormone health. In my practice, I focus on diet, exercise, sleep patterns, and stress optimization. I focus on three pillars: mind, body, and spirit. Contextualizing health as physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual helps to understand why we possess the same habitual patterns and triggers.

I approach the spiritual aspect of wellness through our feelings and interpretations of our own lives. For instance, do you look in the mirror and truly love and admire what you see? Are you proud? Do you feel joy and admiration when seeing your reflection? This puts a different perspective on our wellness journey and how we view our daily intentions. This pillar (spirit) is essential for emotional well-being and directly affects your hormone health and imbalances. Practices such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, or time spent in nature can reduce stress hormones. These practices create feelings of peace and fulfillment.

We approach the mind aspect of wellness through examining the level of stress, anxiety, and negative thought patterns that habitually occur within us. These patterns can lead to hormonal disruptions and cause adrenal fatigue. By utilizing many different practices including, mindful meditations, managing stress, positive mindset, deep breathing exercises, and journaling, we discover what truly lies within our soul.

The last pillar we focus on is our body. By examining exercise, nutrition, sleep, and lifestyle choices, we honor our tangible needs of our physical form. With the right mindset, emotional wellbeing, and spiritual strength, we can define better choices for our body. By laying a strong foundation with the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pillars our body has a sense of peace and fulfillment and becomes at a more optimal place.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing?

1. When embarking on our wellness journey, our emotional and mental state should be optimal. When you wake up in the morning, we all have to pee! Once you go, and then wash your hands (I hope you do this! lol) I encourage you to take a pause, look in the mirror intently. Tell yourself how much you are loved, how proud you are of the beautiful image you see reflecting back. If any negative thoughts arise, understand that it’s ok. Recognize them and blow them away. You have got this! You are amazing! When holding this space, you can make positive choices for your day and life.
2. You can make great decisions in your diet. I like to think of diet in moderation. Some foods that nourish our adrenal system include leafy greens like spinach, kale, etc. Avocados are excellent. Nuts and Seeds are great: chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Try to avoid seeds oils, though. Fatty fish are excellent including salmon, mackerel, and sardines, which are rich in omegas. Whole grains such as brown rice, oats, and quinoa stabilize blood sugar which is important for hormone health and regulation. Beans provide an excellent source of fiber. Lean proteins like chicken and turkey are excellent in amino acids and help with hormone production.
3. Sleep deprivation will alter your entire day physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Prioritize getting a good night’s sleep. Mindful breathing exercises can help before bed. Not having a heavy meal four hours prior to bed can really help aid in a restful night sleep. Keep your heavy meal for the afternoon! Also journaling prior to bed can really help. Set your positive intentions for the next day and lay your weary head on your pillow and thank your higher power for the beautiful day you just had.
4. Detoxify your household — so many things in your house have toxins. Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, and laundry detergent can affect your hormones. Some companies use soy that can make candles harmful to our health. Alternatively, pure oils in diffusers can make your home smell amazing.
5. Do things you love! That may be spending time in nature. That may be pampering yourself with a day at your favorite spot. That may be getting a massage or just sitting down to read a book. Always take time out for your brain to settle and just reset! No matter how much we have to do, let your mind relax, stay still, and take a few minutes to just do nothing. As women, we hold a lot of pressure and responsibilities on our shoulders. Don’t forget YOU!

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

If I could start a movement, I would require that health coaching with a certification would be recognized by medical insurance. Because as certified health & wellness coaches we are the bridge between our doctors/clinicians and our patients. Unfortunately, doctors just do not have the time to spend with each and every patient like they want to or need to. Many patients (including myself) have left doctors’ offices with so many questions. I only had 20 minutes — did I forget to ask any questions? I don’t completely understand what my doctor was saying. My doctor told me XYZ, but what exactly does that mean? What do my lab tests really show me? Am I really eating, exercising, and sleeping correctly? We, as health coaches, have spent many hours studying and preparing. With the knowledge and expertise to bridge the gap between the patient and the healthcare industry, we can help individuals find answers to their questions. With a focus on individuals, we serve as a healthcare concierge for our clients.