A few words.....
I am very pleased to provide this testimonial for Kate Jay’s work with me as my AIP Coach.
I began working with Kate after a very sudden autoimmune diagnosis and subsequent drastic change to my health. I had lost 50 pounds in less than three months, I was experiencing significant pain, a racing heart, hair loss, tremors, insomnia and devastating anxiety as I sought to figure out how to alleviate my symptoms. I was a mess, physically and mentally, when I first started to work with Kate.
From the beginning, Kate was absolutely wonderful to work with. She was empathetic, encouraging and practical, and gently but firmly discovered where I was and what supports I most needed in my healing journey. I started at the bottom – prior to working with Kate I was a “can opener and microwave” cook. Kate not only gave me the tutoring and recipes to learn how to nurture my body and my healing through food, she provided step by step instructions of even the most basic cooking skills, so that now I am much more confident and proficient in the kitchen. Kate not only answered the “how”, but also the “why, when and where” of the role of proper nourishment to bring back my health.
In addition to the focus on food, Kate also highlighted the other pillars of the AutoImmune Protocol, and helped me to see how stress, sleep, movement, detoxification and so much more also needed to be addressed.
Kate’s calm and open-hearted conversation style made it easy to share my symptoms, hopes and fears, and her use of exploratory questionnaires and surveys helped to pinpoint my specific issues, and to identify a personalized approach to my healing. Kate has become a trusted and much-appreciated friend, who obviously really cares about each and every person she helps.
Working with Kate has literally given me my life back. I travel for a living, and was very afraid of being able to navigate travelling, eating out, etc. again while keeping myself healthy. Kate’s warm and reassuring guidance gave me the confidence to “get back out there” – I couldn’t have done it without her.
Although AIP is not a “cure” for autoimmune conditions, with Kate’s guidance my symptoms are basically non-existent. My weight has stabilized, my heart rate is back to normal, my hair is growing back, my aches and pains have disappeared, I have stopped shaking, I sleep through the night and my mental health has rebounded and even improved to better than ever. I now embrace life, and my health, with a new perspective and appreciation of how precious it is.
Kate has always been very generous with her time as we have worked together. I never felt rushed, and she was always there when I needed her. She even seemed to instinctively know when I was struggling, and reached out, just to check-in with me. We celebrated my successes, and laughed together at my “failures” (mostly in the kitchen!). I always felt supported and encouraged and that the attention I received was tailor-made – just for me.
I can’t even imagine where I would be in my healing journey if I had not chosen to work with Kate. They say a journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step, and the best first step I took was deciding to work with Kate Jay. I can’t say THANK YOU enough! - Valerie F.
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I started working with Kate about a year and half ago after an unsuccessful period of working with another healthcare practitioner. I was very hesitant about spending the money as I had already invested a lot in my health with no results. I'm so glad I took the risk as this experience was radically different!
Working with Kate is like working with both a friend and a coach. She is very practical and understanding while gently encouraging you in the right direction. Every session came with tips and ideas to improve my health beyond my own questions. Kate would review my diet and give helpful suggestions, give me tips to work on stress reduction and mindfulness, and encourage me to find joy again. Her healthy recipes are delicious! When I made a new recipe, my family would ask if it was a "Kate recipe" as then they knew they'd like it!
Some of the most significant improvements in my health have been blood sugar balancing, reduced rheumatoid arthritis pain, decreased brain fog and better mental clarity, and getting back to a healthy weight after being severely underweight.
Throughout the experience, Kate was extremely supportive. She was quick to answer any questions I had outside of our regularly scheduled sessions. I felt like she was always just a text away. This was so helpful after my previous experience. I often felt like I was talking to a friend and looked forward to our time together.
Now that our time working together has finished, I feel that I have the knowledge to manage my health. When I have a flare, I can hear Kate giving me advice to look at what caused it and how to quickly recover. Having the tools and the confidence to deal with chronic illness is invaluable. I'm 100% thankful that I somehow happened upon Kate's website and invested in working with her! - Shonna R.
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I began working with Kate in early 2018 after following the AIP lifestyle for about 6 months. I had no problems sticking to the overall AIP template and had already experienced profound healing, but was hoping to fine tune and customize my AIP experience to maximize my healing even more. Kate and I clicked immediately in our introductory call - I knew that she was the AIP Coach I was looking for!
After implementing the suggestions that Kate made, I felt as though some of the missing pieces in my 'food as medicine' journey fell into place - I immediately noticed that my digestion improved, some lingering, low level autoimmune symptoms resolved and that I had a more mindful relationship with the food that was healing my body. The most significant improvements to my health that I noticed were hormones balancing after years of being out of whack, enjoying extra energy and a reduction in stress levels.
Kate is extremely thorough, caring and knowledgeable in her coaching and I have to say that she is one of the best AIP recipe developers out there. I felt very fortunate to work with her and ended up learning about so many ways that I can support my health, in addition to the way I eat. Kate introduced me to a number of practices that enhance the way I follow AIP and together, we were able to determine where adjustments should be made. My experience in being coached by Kate empowered me even more to advocate for my health with my medical/natural medicine team and I really felt like I had an ally who understood the unique challenges of autoimmunity. I am so glad that I sought out AIP coaching and would highly recommend working with Kate to anyone hoping to get more out of AIP - no matter what stage you are at! - Ann T.
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Kate Jay will always stand out as one of the milestones in my journey toward healing. I had known I had Celiac for about 8 years and had been diagnosed this year with Psoriatic Arthritis, Sjogrens Syndrome, Raynauds, and was told I was trending toward Hashimoto’s. A rheumatologist wanted to put me on meds with cancer potentials that ran in my close family.
I sought out alternate paths and found Kate in my research. This woman is the most knowledgeable and personable nutritionist I’ve ever met (which is saying a lot because I’ve been at this since high school and I’m now 31, as well as an Exercise Physiologist major). She takes a full view approach at your life and truly cares.
Because of her advice I have the energy to enjoy my family again, to eat things that made me dreadfully sick before (like broccoli and brussels sprouts) without side effects, and to find relaxation while juggling life. I can finally move on from poor health because Kate Jay was there to guide me. Thanks again, Kate, you truly have made a difference in my life. - Nikki G.
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At a time where I found myself overwhelmed with information (wading through terms like FODMAPs, oxalates, lecithins, and nightshades)- trying desperately to figure out what was “safe” to eat, and what would set off yet another reaction - Kate became a steady source of first-hand knowledge and support.
She helped me figure out what was right for ME, for where my body was at - even if that meant I wasn’t strictly adhering to an AIP diet. Instead of following a script or set of rules, she focused on high-density nutrition, addressing deficiencies and imbalances, and improving overall system functionality. Even if I didn’t understand all of the mechanics, she patiently explained concepts, and broke ideas down into manageable pieces that I could wrap my head around.
She took the time to create a tailor-made plan that was flexible and adaptable to my changing sensitivities and needs - she provided a ton of resources, and even wrote out personalized recipes that I didn’t need to adjust further (which I haven’t found anywhere else)! She was encouraging, and introduced possibilities, instead of leaving me feeling restricted. With her, I wasn’t just some misunderstood edge case, with unexplained hyper-reactivity and symptoms - I was seen and heard with compassion, and left with a sense of hope.
Working with Kate has been an instrumental part of my healing journey, and helped me become more attuned to my body’s unique needs. The practical steps she’s provided have laid the groundwork for developing deeper personal awareness, more sustainable eating habits, and a healthier relationship with food. Kate is obviously passionate about the work that she does, as well as her pursuit of lifelong learning - I have no doubt that she’d be an asset and ally on anyone else’s health team. - Sarah M.
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Before I started working with Kate I was stuck on the elimination phase of AIP with continuing symptoms that caused me to further limit my diet. I was frustrated and discouraged.
Kate helped identify the source of the issues I was having and helped me work thru them, all the while keeping me motivated and helping to make sure I was enjoying food again. I now have more energy, less anxiety, and significantly reduced symptoms. I have also very happily reached the reintroduction phase of AIP. I would highly recommend working with Kate on your healing journey. She has been invaluable to mine. - Annie C.
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I have been working with Kate for almost 3 months, and I am amazed by the results! My skin looks way better than before, the quality of my sleep improved a lot, and I lost 9 pounds (while my goal was set to lose only 5 pounds so I could look nicer, as I was not overweight). Kate closely monitors my progress— we touch-base every week, and she makes herself available whenever I have a question.
Kate is not a regular type of nutritionist; she is more than that! Because of her background of working as a chef, she does not simply tell you what not to eat and then you starve and crave; instead, Kate tells you what to eat and teaches you how to make healthy stuff tasty! If you are the one who decides what to serve on the dining table, you want to hire Kate, so your entire family can benefit from her expertise. My husband lost 19 pounds (yes, he was overweight to start with) and his blood sugar level now is within the healthy range. Kate really should have charged him as well. - N.H.
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Kate, I would like to tell you I made the right decisions working with you. Throughout our journey, I felt supported and understood. You gave me a lot of information, recipes and tips on top of the data from the testing we did, which helped me a lot and will continue for the future. You have a capacity to adjust depending on the symptoms and most of all you are very kind. My digestion, anxiety and stress have improved and I don’t feel the symptoms any more. Thank you very much. - Annie LC.
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I have loved working with Kate! She has made a huge impact on my autoimmune/wellness journey and has been there every step of the way to offer sage advice, problem solve, and support me. Kate has tremendous knowledge and when a change was necessary for me, she was the first to help me reach the next level to wellness.
I definitely feel that working together has made a huge difference in my treatment and protocol. Kate is always responsive, well informed and resourceful with such a positive manner! After having seen many providers and specialists, Kate was just the addition to my team that I needed to see some solid improvement. - Marti L.
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I am very happy that I chose to work with Kate Jay. With Kate, I found the accountability and education I was looking for when navigating the autoimmune protocol. I found Kate to be a knowledgeable guide assisting me in improving my health.
I benefited from Kate's experience and knowledge of functional health recommendations. One big learning was that the AIP diet is more about adding nutritional dense food rather than the elimination of certain foods. I gained a lot by being open to Kate's suggestions on how to add nutritional dense foods, never thought I would use the phrase "breakfast soup".
My health improved significantly over the 5 months I worked with Kate. I lowered my blood sugar 3 month average and my inflammation markers. I also had improvements in my mental alertness and sleep. Outside of health improvements I also feel better after meals - never overly full or bloated, so nice to feel satiated not sedated.
Partner with Kate if you are looking for accountability, education and encouragement in your journey to improved health and wellness. - Anne H.
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I had the pleasure of first meeting Kate last year. I was suffering from poor digestion, upper GI distress, chronic joint pain, terrible psoriasis on my face, and constant stress. As a celiac I had been avoiding gluten. However, my body was acting as if I had been ingesting it for some time.
Right away Kate put me on an paleo/AIP eating plan that helped ease the bumps in my digestion such as breathing before eating, chewing my food 30 times before swallowing, and not drinking any fluids with meals. This helped somewhat. However I still had much healing to do.
Kate suggested I take a stool test called the GI MAP to help figure out what was going on in my gut. I decided first to get a free stool test from my doctor to rule out a stomach infection and a biopsy from my gastroenterologist. The stool test was normal but the biopsy results uncovered stomach "gastritis" of an unknown cause. The solution? Nothing! My doctor literally told me "at least you have a stomach" And he compared me to patients who were way worse off!
That's when I knew that Kate would be able to help me as her eating suggestions already were very useful. So I went ahead with the GI MAP. The results actually showed that I indeed DID have a stomach infection called H Pylori, amongst other insidious bacteria that had caused my strep throat as a child as well as psoriasis. Also it was discovered that I had bacteria responsible for causing arthitis which explained my constant nagging aches and pains since early adulthood.
Kate was so amazing throughout my H pylori protocol. I could drop her a line any time with questions and concerns, and she responded in a timely manner. I liked her "can do" attitude and her encouragement to eat AIP -- a feat in and of itself, but more challenging with kids and a job. She sent me loads of tasty recipes and was my own personal cheerleader.
After the 3 months I had successfully beat H. Pylori only to find that I had an imbalance of yeast which explained my strong sugar cravings, and bad skin. I asked Kate to help with that and sure enough she came through with supplements that blasted away my yeast -- which had been responsible for much of my gut and other health problems for most of my life! Yes, it was hard to eliminate sugary foods, but I did it one day at a time with Kate cheering me on!
Thank you Kate! I now have very smooth digestion, much better skin, and I can eat foods again that have been off limits for months, like quinoa, coffee and chocolate. Whoo hoo!
I would definitely recommend Kate to those who are suffering from ailments and autoimmune problems that their doctors cannot fix. - Liz K.
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Hiring Kate was definitely one of the smartest decisions I've made for myself probably ever. I have been playing around with diet for 20 years of my life: researching, trying to read between the suspicions that I had and almost always ending up more stressed out and a little less happy. SHE has all the knowledge, all I had to do was listen and what I ended up with were results.
The benefits from working with Kate are having someone make a plan for you and hold you accountable, someone to cheer you on, and someone to trouble shoot when things don't go the way they should. She's your support system. After working with Kate, I am now enjoying the results of better digestion, fewer stomach pains and the biggest result is that I am in control now. I know what happens when I fall off my plan, when I follow it to the letter and what happens when I'm somewhere in between.
The most significant improvements in my health is astonishingly lower anxiety, better digestion and more energy. I believe everyone should have a Kate. When I hear people tell me they're trying this diet or that one, taking this large food group out- I give them her information. She knows how to take things out, put things in AND help you heal. It's all about the healing. If you really want to help yourself... hire a professional, prioritize yourself, your health and your happiness. You're worth it. Good luck! - Sarah M.
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I found Kate via a recipe from her blog and reached out to her within an hour of discovering she offered one-on-one coaching. I have been through over eight years of mystery health issues and no doctors have been able to figure me out, but I’d had a recent suggestion that perhaps it was an autoimmune disease. I had finally reached a point where I was ready to make any and all changes necessary in search of healing and committed to doing the AIP diet with Kate.
The benefits from working with Kate are several, but to group them broadly: I finally experienced some relief to nearly a decade of gut swelling and pain, I learned so many useful health/diet practices and am incredibly conscious of eating nutrient-dense meals, and she restored hope that I will be fully healed one day as I embark with the confidence to be my own health advocate.
Choosing to work with her has been the best decision I’ve made for my health so far. And I mean that in all sincerity. She was compassionate and supportive, met me where I was, and answered all my questions. She was accessible in the time between our calls and went above and beyond in providing resources for recipes and further education. It is clear she is as invested in my healing as I am. I absolutely could not have transitioned into this diet/lifestyle without her. I feel I even have a resource and a friend moving forward on my healing journey although our time together has formally come to a close. - Caroline B.
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Working with Kate has been incredibly helpful. Her compassionate insight and support enabled me to significantly reduce my symptoms. I received personalized support to gradually eliminate foods, as well as prepare to re-introduce foods according to the AIP, with many delicious ideas. However, Kate's support went far beyond guiding me through the protocol. We also discussed the full picture of my health, including sleep, self-care and digestion. I especially valued Kate's ability to help me problem solve when new symptoms or reactions came up. I would likely have given up on the protocol during those moments of confusion, but she helped me understand what may be going on and to persevere. It was definitely the right decision to work with Kate! - Megan P.
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Best Money I ever Spent. I hired Kate to help me with my AIP Diet for my Autoimmune Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have hired 3 other so called specialists who work with autoimmune disease, and charged much more than Kate. They all caused me more problems and horrible flare ups.
Kate was so knowledgeable with this disease and has been so wonderful to work with. Kate has taken me to a whole new level, I couldn't walk, even feed myself at times. I am now walking almost a mile a day and have a lot less flare ups. If I didn't cheat on my diet I would most likely not have any flare ups. Please feel confident in having Kate join you in your journey. Thank you so much Kate for all your hard work, I don't know what I would have done without you. - Kathleen B.
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Working with Kate kickstarted a healing journey that I continue to explore. The work that we did together highlighted the role that nutrition played in my overall wellness, and Kate was a fantastic guide as I explored how different foods affected my wellbeing. As we went through the elimination phase, I found I had increased energy. Kate was also able to support by supplying a variety of recipes to experiment with. As we continued to work through our time together, Kate helped me identify other areas that might need addressing. I was able to take her insights to my naturopath, who has continued to support me on my journey of healing.
I'm thankful for Kate's role in addressing my wellness! With her help in identifying signs that my body was in dysfunction, I've been able to take steps to address my overall wellbeing. It continues to be a work in progress, but I wouldn't be where I am now without Kate's help! - Brittany T.
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Kate is such a pleasure to work with. Since starting with her, I’ve had significant improvements in my digestion and mindfulness while eating, and have collected some delicious recipes of hers to boot!
She went above and beyond in our sessions, answering all questions about AIP, troubleshooting issues, and connecting me to various resources to further help. In fact, I have her to thank for finding my current (fabulous) functional medicine doctor who is helping to further improve my health.
Kate is compassionate, knowledgeable, and thorough and provides excellent support. I’d recommend her to anyone. - Krysta M.
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