An Interview with Bernadette Armiento

How long have you been doing what you do and how did you get to be a Health Counselor?

There wasn’t one ah-ha moment that led me here, but rather a series of small illuminations that all make sense in the present.

I spent most of my professional life working in the exciting, stressful and deadline-driven fields of advertising and marketing, including more than a decade with a major global financial services firm. I’m intimately familiar with how time-pressed, tension-filled and unbalanced life can get while trying to juggle the competing demands of job, family and personal well-being. While I enjoyed the intellectual stimulation of that world, it left me unfulfilled at a deeper level. I knew that I wanted to help people improve their lives in a more direct, interpersonal way, in an area that I truly felt passionate about. I wanted to help people feel better about themselves and to get in touch with what truly nourishes and brings out the best in them.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been a seeker of answers and information on nutrition, health, healing and fitness, and a “go-to” person among family and friends for answers about health and food.  Despite having grown up with a conventional perspective of doctors and medicine, I developed a curiosity about and passion for a less invasive, more holistic approach to health and healing.

I’ve also struggled with my weight for much of my adult life. I’ve tried many diets, gained and lost many pounds, sampled more supplements than I care to count, and read voraciously on every related subject. As something of a late-blooming athlete, I challenge myself physically, and I’ve often had to repair from overuse and strain from weight training, running, cycling, boxing, yoga, in addition to the everyday stresses of life.  Like most people, I sought the “magic bullet” that would solve all my health problems quickly, and prevent me from getting the ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.

What I did realize (no surprise!) is that there IS no magic bullet…vibrant health is in large part a question of figuring out what works on an individual level, and it’s so different for everyone, at different points in life.

Also ingrained in me from an early age was a passion for food and cooking.  Growing up in an extended Italian-American family, food was a source of comfort, celebration and reward, truly the center of all family gatherings, subject of rapt conversation, and seemingly the answer to all problems. (This, as we know, is both a good and a bad thing.) As I studied more on my own about nutrition and the psychological ties that can bind us to food, I instinctively knew I had to learn how to balance my strong emotions about to food as panacea with the need to nourish myself in a health-supportive way that served my body and lifestyle in the present.

In 2005 I was presented with a precious “if not now, when?” moment: my corporate job was unexpectedly eliminated.  After getting over the shock, I worked with a wonderful career coach who helped me get back in touch with my long-dormant desire to work more directly with people in an arena I felt really passionate about – health and nutrition.

That led me to enroll the Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s year-long program for Holistic Health Counselors, successfully completed the second-year Immersion program for high-achieving graduates, and was certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

Since then, I’ve been working to catalyze people to learn how to achieve balance in their lives, perhaps for the first time ever, by exploring their relationship to food, lifestyle and health in a safe, mindful manner.  I realized that others – especially people like me, professional women 40+ – could learn from my own journey. As I began working with clients (read some of their experiences here) I’ve gotten great results by following a system that helps people restore their bodies to balance, tap into their own healing wisdom, and discover new ways of being in the world.  And, while I’m still a work in progress, I feel and look better than I ever have, while maintaining a more realistic, easier approach to my health and fitness regimen.

What is a Holistic Health Counselor?
Have you ever received good advice that you were unable to follow? Has your doctor ever recommended a lifestyle change that you found to be unsustainable? Have you ever wanted something in your life, but found you couldn’t achieve it alone?

A Holistic Health Counselor (or Health Coach) like me is a knowledgeable advisor and mentor who provide ongoing support and guidance as you set goals and make sustainable changes that improve your health and happiness. Through working with me, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the foods and lifestyle choices that work best for you and implement lasting changes that will improve your energy, balance and health.  I will listen carefully and help you to navigate the world of contradictory nutrition advice to determine what changes are necessary for you.

The nutritional information I provide does not replace the advice of your physician.

Who are your clients exactly?

My clients tend to be busy people who juggle many competing priorities, are successful in other areas of their lives, but who have previously put their own health low on the to-do list (that’s one thing we work to change first…!).  For the most part, my clients:

• Have tried, and failed, to reach their goals on their own or with another system
• Realize that they can’t do it alone, and appreciate the support and value that the right guide and catalyst can provide
• Are usually overwhelmed by the enormous amount of diet and nutrition information available in the media and are confused about what exactly they should be doing -- so are doing nothing, or doing what worked for them in the past, but it isn’t working now
• Routinely struggle with their weight, energy level, and addiction to caffeine and/or sugar
• Eat (or overeat) based on a need for comfort, love, stimulation or other emotions
• Are either inexperienced cooks who want to learn how to confidently prepare easy, delicious, nutritious meals from unfamiliar “natural” ingredients…
• …or want to broaden their options for healthy cooking and eating without deprivation, boredom or hunger
• Have specific dietary restrictions, such as food allergies or sensitivities, or have had a recent diagnosis that they need help with navigating
• Want to make physical activity a larger part of their lives, but aren’t sure where to start or how to improve what they’re doing already

While I’ve successfully helped both women and men of all ages, I’m developing a growing specialty in women like me who are over age 40 who are dealing with perimenopause- or menopause-related changes and who want to optimize their health for this next major phase of their lives.

What type of people do you work best with, and what will be expected of me?

My approach s best with clients who are

READY to change the paradigm of how they take care of themselves and relate to food – maybe for the first time ever

WILLING to invest the time in and be patient with themselves (and me) as they pursue lasting lifestyle changes, rather than the latest “quick fix” fad

OPEN to trying new foods and experiences as part of our work together – who can bring a sense of curiosity and fun to the process of discovering what really nourishes them, at every level

This is truly an “inside-out” approach to health, and takes a certain level of active commitment.  We’ll start with wherever you are, and tailor the program as needed to fit your schedule.
 

For what type of person is this approach NOT going to work?

My approach is not for someone who doesn’t want to or isn’t able to participate fully in the process – who says “just tell me what to eat and not to eat” and then consistently makes excuses for not completing assignments or following recommendations.  

I also feel strongly that good health starts with good cooking.  It doesn’t have to be complex or gourmet-style… but I really believe that to take control of your health you need to cook, at least a little bit. Don’t know how?  That’s OK, I can teach you.  A big part of my program is introducing you to new foods and easy, delicious recipes that even novice cooks can make. So if you really don’t think you want to cook at all – then perhaps I’m not the Health Counselor for you.

What is your Program like?

I call my program the Shining Life Healthy Vibrance program because it’s designed to

1. Start wherever you are
2. Set realistic goals that can lead to lasting changes.
3. Devise strategies to work with your lifestyle, not against it
4. Tune in to your cravings and learn from them
5. Explore healthy, delicious whole foods and “crowd out” less health-supportive choices
6. Discover a way of eating brings out the best in you
7. Find movement that moves you
8. Manage stress and make time for relaxation/reflection
9. Make life more comfortable and juicy with enlightened self-care
10. Focus on the progress, not the setbacks

What’s Your Food Philosophy?

• Real, whole food – not one diet right for everyone
• Eat what you love, and the best version of it
• Everything in moderation
• Quality over quantity whenever possible
• Make health-supportive choices
• Have fun!

Why is your practice called Shining Life Nutrition?

During the time I was between my corporate career and starting nutrition school, I had a powerful dream that helped me coalesce my thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. In the dream, I was overlooking a beautiful mountain vista.  The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and I felt amazing, centered and alive.  I turned to my dear friend Sandy who was standing next to me, and exclaimed, “I have a shining life!”  When I woke up, that vibrant, alive feeling was so strong and really stayed with me.  I realized that I wanted to help others achieve the same feeling… and so, when it came time to name my practice, “Shining Life Nutrition” conveyed everything I wanted to share.