Meet Heather
Who is Heather Stuensee?
My name is Heather, and I grew up in the quiet, rolling landscapes of southwest Wisconsin. As a young adult, I put down roots in the west-central part of the state. My path was far from traditional; college came a bit later for me—I was 30 when I earned my nursing degree. Being the first in my family not only to graduate from high school but to go to college was a big milestone, one that came with its own set of challenges. Those early obstacles shaped me, built my resilience, and gave me the drive to help others.
I’ve now been in healthcare for over 20 years, spending much of that time caring for older adults and witnessing the long-term impacts of lifestyle and disease. The more I worked, the more one truth kept standing out to me: we are what we eat. I watched countless patients deal with issues that seemed, in many ways, preventable or at least manageable. Over time, it became clear that diet and nutrition were at the core of so much of our health.
Ironically, despite all my knowledge, I began to struggle with my own health. I was exhausted, unable to lose weight, and not feeling like my best self. It felt hypocritical. I tried every external fix you can imagine but finally realized it was time to focus inward. For the past 15 months, I’ve dedicated myself to internal healing—embracing food as medicine. The results have been profound. My energy is higher, my inflammation is down, and even though the scale hasn’t dropped significantly, I feel better in my body every day. Now, I’m more convinced than ever: food is the foundation of wellness, and it’s never too late to start.
“Despite the years of training, I was troubled by how often conventional medicine didn’t address patients’ needs holistically.”
Just like you, I’ve had my share of struggles
In 2018, life dealt me a heart-wrenching blow. I’ve been bless with having 6 children. But sadly, we lost our 4th child at just two years old, I spent his life working on my masters degree. I was in my first week of the of my last class, a moment I’d been working toward for years. After my son’s accident, I didn’t want to continue. The weight of grief was overwhelming, and it felt impossible to focus on anything else. I was ready to quit.
But my husband and a close friend, who knew the depth of my commitment to helping others, encouraged me to keep going. They reminded me of my purpose and held me up when I couldn’t stand on my own. Three weeks after graduation, I took the national certification exam and passed, as if somehow my son’s spirit was there, carrying me through. I earned my state license by year’s end, but as I started working in a mainstream clinic, I felt something was missing.
Mainstream healthcare is designed around pharmaceuticals. My training is in nursing, not entirely medicine. I’ve been trained to see the entire person, their problems, personality and preferences. I was troubled by how often conventional medicine didn’t address patients’ needs holistically. Patients were looking for real solutions and alternatives. This realization set me on a new path—one that honored both my personal journey and the desire to help people heal on their own terms.
