Meet Leah Gray
It is a privilege and honor to work with you as you learn to become the highest version of yourself. I approach my work with intention, shaped by my own struggles with various medical issues. At one point, I realized that the doctors I was seeing were treating symptoms rather than addressing the root causes of my suffering.
As a child, I was labeled as depressed, but living in a remote area meant there were limited treatment options. In my teens and 20s, I resorted to self-medication with alcohol and substances to manage my pain, which ultimately led to alcohol addiction. With support, I addressed this addiction in my late 20s and have remained free from it since.
Despite these challenges, I married in 1991 and launched a business while working full-time. However, in 1995, I was diagnosed with cancer. It was my gynecologist, not my oncologist, who informed me that my immune system had been compromised. This revelation sparked a desire to educate myself about my immune system and lead a healthier lifestyle. After undergoing surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, I was declared cancer-free.
I transitioned to a more meaningful career but struggled with learning and retaining information. During my one-year oncology checkup, a nurse mentioned “chemo brain,” a term I hadn’t heard before, which took another year to improve. I later switched careers, but while in a high-stress job, I was diagnosed with manic depressive disorder, now known as bipolar disorder. The prescribed medication caused adverse reactions, leaving me feeling sluggish and devoid of drive. The thought of living that way permanently terrified me, driving me to take control of my health.
Over about two years, I stopped taking medications and learned about natural treatments for depression. I began to prioritize my well-being, but complacency set in as work, family, and a divorce took precedence. By 2022, I faced a new cancer diagnosis. After enduring a double mastectomy and chemotherapy throughout 2022, I found myself struggling with numerous health issues, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stage 3 kidney failure, and type 2 diabetes, all while weighing 270 lbs. I was barely functional and unable to stand for more than 20 minutes due to body pain and neuropathy.
Sharing this personal and painful journey is difficult, but I do so to illustrate that I have navigated the roads of mental and physical illness and emerged cancer-free, healthier than I’ve been in years, and more passionate than ever about my new lifestyle. Through the principles of Functional Medicine, I dramatically improved my health by May 2024—an achievement my primary care doctor noted few could replicate. I now help others recover more quickly and prevent future health challenges using the knowledge I’ve gained.
