How I Discovered My Heavy Metal Poisoning And Resolved My Digestive Issues

Cameron felt unheard and frustrated after struggling with digestive issues for years. As a professional in food, health, and wellness, she knew there had to be a better option. That’s when she found Parsley.

We’re chatting with Parsley Health member and founder of Freckled Foodie , Cameron Rogers, about how she found balance in her health journey and is working to solve her digestive issues for good.

PH: Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Cameron; a very freckled 27 year-old who loves all things food. I am the founder and owner of Freckled Foodie, an NYC based company focused on the food, health, and wellness space. Currently, my company focuses on content creation in an effort to make healthy living as approachable as possible. I do this across my handful of social channels (Instagram , Facebook , blog , Youtube ) and, my latest project, my podcast, Freckled Foodie & Friends . Along with creating content, I run a health coaching program, offer private chef work, and host workshops and events around the city. While I was interested in the world of health and food for a few years, my life was focused on my corporate job in sales and trading. After working in finance for five years, my life took a change when I was hit by a car while crossing the street and suffered from a concussion. During the time I spent recovering on disability, it became clear that my passions lied elsewhere and that life is too short to not pursue them. With all of this realization, it became clear I needed to chase my dreams and take a chance on myself, so that’s what I did. That was one year ago and I am so excited for my business to continue to grow.

PH: How did you hear about Parsley Health and why were you interested?

I struggled with digestive issues for about 4 years and was unable to get to the bottom of anything. I was extremely frustrated with the fact that my general physician was not focused on what was causing these issues and made me feel as if I was making some of them up, so I ventured out into the functional medicine world to find a practitioner that could help. While I loved my functional medicine practitioner, it posed a new hurdle as she was not a licensed doctor to prescribe medications and/or labs. I am someone who fully believes in the functional medicine approach, but also understands that some things call for prescriptions and lab tests. Because of that, Parsley Health was the perfect fit for me. When I came across the website online, I knew it was a dream come true.

PH: When you first came to Parsley, what were you hoping to accomplish with your health?

I wanted to get to the bottom of my digestive issues. Growing up, I was an extremely healthy kid. It wasn’t until college graduation that all of a sudden I suffered from extreme bloat, acid reflux, gas , and constipation. With that came two diagnoses of SIBO , a shingles outbreak, large amounts of anxiety , a hernia removal, and a parasite. I knew there was something more going on and a root cause, but I didn’t have the education to pinpoint what it was. I was extremely optimistic that Parsley would be able to assist in figuring it out and getting me back to the baseline that I spent majority of my life living and enjoying.

PH: When you had your first visit with your doctor, did you feel like it was very different than any other appointment you had had before?

After leaving so many doctor’s appointments crying and feeling frustrated beyond belief, I left Parsley finally feeling heard and with a glimmer of hope that I soon was going to find the answers.

PH: What has your health journey been like since starting?

It’s been extremely eye opening. It began with diagnosing and treating SIBO and then, most recently, diagnosing and treating my mercury poisoning. Doing an extensive blood test showed that my heavy metals were high, which, somehow, no doctor had found prior. After finding that, more extensive labs showed that my mercury levels were extremely elevated. Interestingly enough, having such high levels of mercury are correlated with a lot of the symptoms I had been experiencing over the past 5 years. The treatment process has been incredible in the sense that, while we are using prescription medicine, we are supplementing it with as many herbal and holistic remedies as possible. All of my doctor’s appointments have been incredibly informative and all conversations with the lab managers always provide the assistance I need.

PH: How do you feel differently now than you did before?

I’m still currently undergoing the heavy metal detox protocol , but the difference is already night and day compared to how I felt entering my Parsley membership.

PH: What has been the most valuable part about working with Parsley Health?

Having a team that believes me when I explain my symptoms and is determined to get to the bottom of it all instead of disregarding my theories.

PH: How has your improvement in your health impacted the rest of your life?

It’s provided me with the ability to wake up every morning happy and grateful and to pursue my dreams. I was in such a negative mindset after feeling so lost and confused when it came to my health and now knowing that there is an end goal, I feel determined to get there.

PH: What’s the next step on your health journey?

Continuing my heavy metal detox protocol and then re-testing my heavy metal levels to make sure we cleared everything out of my system necessary. After that, I plan on continuing to monitor my digestive issues to keep them at bay and begin focusing on my hormones.

Learn more about Cameron’s health journey on her blog, Freckled Foodie .

Feature image by Emily Bina.