Debbie Roppo

I spent 20 years as an x-ray tech, eventually running an orthopedic practice. In 2013, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and told I'd be in a wheelchair in 5 years if I didn't go on medication. Having x-rayed women with this condition year after year, I knew what that future looked like, and I decided to explore alternatives. I researched what the top countries were doing for chronic care and discovered functional medicine, which focuses on finding root causes instead of just suppressing symptoms. I went through that exploration, found out why my body was attacking itself, and adjusted my lifestyle to address those reasons. It was the biggest blessing of my life. I left my career, became a board-certified health and wellness coach, and continued building credentials in emotional eating psychology and hormone health. Now I have an incredible practice where I help women experience miraculous changes in their health. My day involves marketing, seeing clients for hour-long sessions with detailed follow-ups, networking and collaboration with other women, and constant learning because studying health and how the mind works is my passion. I'm 59 years old, and I live very intentionally now. Every morning I get up between 4:40 and 5:30 for a minimum of 2 hours in meditation and grounding, making sure I align with my purpose for each day. I call it connecting with the Inner Empire Alchemist who sits on the throne, and she makes the decisions, not my old versions of myself.