About

What exactly is a health coach?

Good question! As a health coach I work with my clients to help them get balanced, healthy and happy. This means that I guide them towards making long-lasting changes to their diet, lifestyle and everyday routine which have a profound impact on their overall wellbeing.

You may want to consider hiring a health coach if…

• You are trying to finally act on your New Years resolution to “get healthy” or “lose weight” but keep putting it off because you are too busy and find it too overwhelming
• You are a woman concerned about your health and the health of your family. You want to make positive changes to your lifestyle but don’t know where to start
• You feel like the many conflicting demands of your life are resulting in very high stress levels and you need to invest in taking care of yourself (both emotionally and physically)

My approach to health coaching

I practice a holistic approach to health and wellness, which means that I look at how all the areas of your life are connected and affect your body and wellbeing.  A good diet is a major component of healthy living but stress, a lack of energy and low levels of physical activity also affect your health in significant ways. As your coach I will examine your lifestyle as a whole and  you and I will work together to achieve your goals in areas such as weight management, stress reduction, food cravings, sleep and energy.

My programs aren’t restrictive: rather than dwelling on all the negative things you shouldn’t be eating or doing, I gradually introduce healthy foods and activities into your daily routine.  This will make achieving your health goals a fun and fulfilling process with sustainable results (I can promise you that there will be no calorie counting here).

By the end of your program you will have a deeper understanding of the foods and lifestyle choices that work best for you and will have implemented lasting changes to improve your energy, balance and health. These are invaluable skills that you will be able to use for the rest of your life.

About Nirvana (that’s me!)

I believe that nurturing your body and spirit has a profound effect on every aspect of your existence and that even small changes to your diet and lifestyle can cultivate an awareness in you that is life-changing. It is for this reason that I am passionate about helping clients lead a healthy and balanced life. Taking a few minutes a day to enjoy the sunshine and perhaps read a beautiful poem is just as important as eating whole grains!

Originally from [sunny] Cairo, Egypt, I now live with my husband in [cold, cold] Cambridge, MA (which I love, don’t get me wrong). I believe in slow-living in this fast-paced world (I’m trying) and I am attempting to teach myself Persian cuisine (its a work in progress).

I am not militant about any particular diet — I listen to my body and give it what it needs. However, I am very strict about making sure that what I eat is “real”, clean food — no chemicals that were cooked up in a lab should end up on my plate, thank you very much.

I am especially drawn to the ancient principles of Ayurveda and often incorporate its wisdom in my practice.

My Education

I received my training to practice Health Coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. My work at IIN consisted of linking traditional wellness philosophies such as ayurveda and Chinese medicine with modern health concepts.

Prior to joining IIN I got my BA from The George Washington University. I am currently working at Harvard University, where I have also been studying Sustainability and Environmental Management (I’m taking a break this semester). I am eager to incorporate caring for the environment into my wellness practice (happy earth = happy people).

Want to hear more? Let’s talk!