The Making of Sage House

In July 2017, I had an accident that changed my life. Three weeks before my wedding, I suffered a severe concussion; it impacted me in numerous ways: headaches, memory loss, sensitivity to light & sound, dizziness, nausea, rapid heart rate, fatigue. I also had difficulty reading, writing and concentrating, as well as problems with speech, balance, and emotional issues.

I thought I was getting better after the wedding, but I only started to get worse. I tried to go back to work because I felt guilty about missing it and pawning the work off to my colleagues. One thing I quickly learned is that most people don’t understand the severity of concussions. It’s literally your brain rattling against your skull – it’s like dropping your brain on concrete and seeing what happens. Also, everyone thinks you are OK, because you look fine, but you are so not fine. When I went back to work, I was on the computer at least nine hours a day, so I started having migraines twenty-four seven. Before the accident, I was never a headache person, I was a stomach ache person, so this was all foreign to me. I then knew that this was a bigger issue than I had initially thought. 

After going to several specialists in New York who told me “you’ll be better in two weeks,” my gut told me they weren’t right because I was only getting worse, not better.

Two weeks into marriage, I had to move away to seek treatment for six weeks in Rhode Island, at an Integrative Medicine doctor, who literally gave me my life back. I still have lingering issues on a daily basis, but I really think it was meant to happen to teach me to slow down and appreciate life. I was going too fast, taking on too much, and not living in the present. I had been working a crazy job and planning my wedding without any help from an event planner. 

At the time, I thought I was being as healthy as I could; I was working out and eating well, but when I look back and compare this year to last year, it’s incredible. I still need to learn how to not push myself as hard because my symptoms start to come back. I listen to my body more, and I have learned that I have to say “no” to a lot of events/activities because it’s just too much for me.

My husband has to constantly say to me, “Lauren get off your phone" or "get off the computer.” While I get frustrated with him, he’s right – it exacerbates my symptoms, so when I don’t need to be in front of those devices, I shouldn’t be. 

Drinking has been a whole other animal (which I used to do a lot of) but now I can’t even have a glass of wine without having a headache the next day or be extremely tired for two-three days after. I’ve learned it’s all about balance and really listening to your body (or your husband’s gentle reminders). 

All of this made me realize that I was put on this earth to help people and to share my health stories because I have a lot of them. As a result, I decided to start my own health consulting company called Sage House to help you remove the toxins in every aspect of your life. 

I hope you continue to follow along this journey with me.