One Green Smoothie at a Time - Grateful Fox Nutrition

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Savannah Curtis, founder of Grateful Fox Nutrition, located in Jackson, MI, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I’m an integrative health coach and holistic nutritionist. I created Grateful Fox Nutrition to help guide others towards healthy, holistic practices that create better health for the individual. Do you want to try a plant-based diet? I have recipes for days! Do you want to try meditation? Check out this amazing video I found! Do you want to try your hand at journaling? I have just the writing prompt for you!

Tell us about yourself

May I tell you a story? It was the Friday of my first week as an intern at the mental health facility I had been thrilled to get an offer from. It started like a normal morning. I got my tasks for the day from my supervisor and went back to my office (I know! My own office!). By midmorning, my stomach started hurting badly enough for me to call my doctor. She spoke the words I feared she would say that I could be having a miscarrage. She instructed me to check and see if I was bleeding. The next thing I remember is someone banging on the bathroom stall and asking if I was alright and if I could unlock the door. It wasn’t a miscarriage; it was an ectopic pregnancy. My fallopian tube had ruptured, and I was hemorrhaging blood; that’s what caused me to pass out. I was rushed to the ER, where the doctor told me I was lucky because women died from ectopic pregnancies. I had surgery to remove my left Fallopian tube and the tiny embryo. I was devastated. I felt like everything was out of my control.

I realized I could control what I ate, or even better, what I didn’t eat. It wasn’t long until I met Ana (my name for my anorexia). Ana made me feel in control and powerful. I began to shrink. I felt beautiful. I could see my bones, but to me, I saw beauty, and I loved it. At my lowest, I weighed about 100 pounds. I loved my anorexia, but it was hurting my family and slowly killing me. On April 28, 2016, I decided I needed to heal. I was in therapy, I was on so many medications I needed a morning and evening pill container, and I had all the doctors, but they weren’t healing me. I needed to heal myself. So, I decided to go to the library for a cookbook to help me on the journey.

I remember standing in front of the plant-based cookbooks and scanning the titles. That’s when I saw it for the first time. Crazy Sexy Juice. “What the f*ck?” I whispered to myself in the quiet aisle. I pulled it down, and Kris Carr’s infectious smile gleamed back at me. I opened the book and leafed through the pages of recipes. It was just fruits and veggies, “those were safe foods with little calories, but nutrient dense. I could do this,” I thought, clutching the book to my chest. I tried a green smoothie first. It wasn’t bad, and I could keep it down. It was also super simple to make.

Later, I tried my hand at juicing. I could feel my body sing as the chlorophyll filled my body with the nutrients I had been depriving it of. Food wasn’t the enemy, it was fuel. I slowly started to shift my mindset on how I viewed food and calories. I know Ana will never fully go away, but she’s no longer calling the shots. I take everything a day at a time. My mantra is one green smoothie at a time because even when something outside of my control happens, and it will, I can control what goes into my body (or better yet, what doesn’t). I’m plant-based because that’s what my body needs to feel its best. I start my mornings with a green smoothie and some journaling.

As I learned more from Kris Carr, I realized I wanted to help people. I wanted to become a health coach and holistic nutritionist. Almost as if the universe could hear my decision, I received an email from Kris Carr suggesting a school called the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, or IIN. I enrolled in 2021 and am on track to graduate in 2022. IIN has given me advanced knowledge in all holistic practices that I had started investigating in my healing journey. They introduced me to concepts like primary foods, the foods that nourish us off the plate, and secondary food, the food on the plate. The knowledge I am gaining from the program has made a huge impact on my life and the life of the ones I love. IIN calls this the ripple.

I love helping others. Many times during my struggle with anorexia, I felt so alone, like I was on a dark island with no hope. I don’t want others to suffer like that. I want to be the light that shows them that recovery is possible. I want to help others shift their mindset with food from one of fear to one of love. I know that’s what I needed, and that is what I want to offer to others.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is that I get to spread the word on eating disorder awareness and holistic health practices that help make everyone’s life better. Hearing that I helped someone seek treatment because of my story is healing to me. I’m honored that my story had such an impact.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The hardest thing for me is trying to do everything myself. I’m still trying to figure everything out, and that can be both intimidating and frustrating. It’s times like this, you need to remember to breathe deeply. Even though I may not have all the answers, I can breathe, get myself into a calm state of mind, and make better decisions.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Invest in yourself.
Trust the process.
Done is better than perfect.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://gratefulfoxnutrition.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savannahoharacurtis/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Vegan_Sav

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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