23-year-old Hunter came to Companion Health with a history of gastrointestinal issues, brain fog, joint pain and fatigue which began in his college years. He had done allergy and food sensitivity tests in the past, yet despite giving up gluten and dairy, his symptoms continued.

As a recent college graduate starting his career in investment banking, Hunter was logging 75 to 85 hour work weeks and knew he also needed to adopt some strategies for dealing with stress. To compound matters even more, starting his career working from home during the pandemic made achieving a healthy work-life balance especially challenging for him. Some nights he had to work so late, he was literally going from his desk to his bed.

Enter Dr. Jorge, who, after spending time with Hunter during his initial consultation, ordered a full GI gut test and a ZRT hormone test. These showed a gut bacterial imbalance and abnormal cortisol spiking.

Dr. Jorge implemented a care plan that included a new supplement regimen and a strategy for successfully re-introducing foods into his diet. (To note: he has successfully been able to add gluten, berries and peanut butter back in.) Working with one of our health coaches, Hunter was able to expand his repertoire of healthy meals. This included recipes that he could prepare easily at home over the weekend to avoid resorting to take-out during his busy work week.

With the guidance of his health coach, Hunter learned some simple methods for breathwork and relaxation to integrate into his day. He discovered even short five-minute breaks to walk outside or meditate improved his productivity during the day as well as his sleep at night.

Hunter has expanded his diet, is feeling better and less stressed, and is a great example of how integral a client’s motivation is for making positive, healthy changes. From day one, Hunter was curious to learn and quick to implement any recommended changes.