Get to Know Dawn
Hi I'm Dawn, Registered Dietitian and Weight Loss Expert
I’m Dawn, and I'm on a mission to empower my fellow women to take better control of their health during and beyond midlife. No crazy diets or exercise plans, just real nutrition and simple lifestyle tweaks to help you feel your best.
Whether you are dealing with a new health challenge or are trying to better understand what you should be eating during these years, I will be your teacher, your guide, and your biggest cheerleader on this journey.
My Story
My path into this field was spurred on by the disheartening revelation of how often family and friends were being told by their healthcare providers to simply "eat less" or "exercise more" to lose weight or improve their mood. My loved ones’ illnesses were being chalked up to genetics or being ‘normal’ for someone’s age, and I knew there was more to it than that! It was then that I decided to dust off my Bachelor's Degree in Biology to pursue another degree in Dietetics and complete a 1,200-hour internship to become a Registered Dietitian.
As I began and progressed in my career, I continued to be saddened by the illnesses plaguing my clients that often seemed avoidable. What affected me most was how often I was hearing from fellow women how they didn't have any health issues until their 50s, and then everything went downhill all of a sudden.
As for me, I was sailing through perimenopause. My periods were lessening and although I was noticing some occasional mood swings, there was nothing too crazy going on.
Then BAM, menopause hit me like a brick wall. I was having 20+ hot flashes a day, couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t sleep more than 2 hours at a time, and all my clothes magically… shrunk.
I was shocked! I’m a dietitian, and I understand the inner workings of the body and what I need to do to nourish it, I was eating well and working out hard - where was the disconnect?
So I dove into my biochemistry books to figure out what was going on. I was reminded that when it comes to health and hormones, it is not just about estrogen - there is so much more
to consider, and everything must work together. It took some time, but through continued education on all things relevant to menopause, I was able to design and implement a plan for myself to get my symptoms under control and back to enjoying life.
At the same time, I was looking around and realized no one in the healthcare world was talking about disease progression beyond midlife, and if there was anything we could do about it. It was then that I became determined to help my fellow ladies through this process and Dawn Hedley, Wellness for Women was born! I have designed an all-inclusive program that will address not only your current woes but also reduces the risk of possible health issues in the years to come!
My Approach
Knowledge First
In order to make the best decisions for your health, I will teach you how foods, nutrients, and your lifestyle affect you from the inside out
Evidence Based
I will only recommend safe, effective and proven nutrition and lifestyle strategies and protocols
Personalized
Your program will be tailored to your needs and lifestyle. There is no "one-size-fits-all" solution for any health concern.
Root Cause
Although many client concerns may be similar, overcoming them is rarely the same. We will work together to uncover and overcome what is truly holding you back from feeling your best.
NonDiet
Diets don't work long-term. Instead of a restrictive eating plan, you will gain a better relationship with food for lasting change.
Compassionate
I will always listen to you and keep your concerns and goals in mind first and foremost and support you the whole way.
Realistic
Although you will need to make some changes and put in a little work we will set achievable goals that are not overly restrictive