Sarah Bofinger Olympic Hopeful
Today, we bring to you a Nava Center Exclusive from Sarah Bofinger Olympic Hopeful. She is a force to be reckoned with and we are so happy that she decided to partner with us and even give us her amazing testimony. Read on to find out more.
My name is Sarah Bofinger Olympic Hopeful. I’m a swimmer, a triathlete, a trainer, and a coach. I was also born with hip dysplasia.
I’ve had a total of seven separate hip surgeries. I’ve always had arthritis and hip pain for years, which is mostly affected by changes in the weather. But in December of 2013, I began to experience my worst pain yet.
I went to see an orthopedic physician to try to find a solution. He took some x-rays and told me I was fine. “What about my pain?” I asked. “Should I be taking something for it?” I received no clear answers – only maybes and more questions for myself.
I was so frustrated.
I’ve always been active, never really worried about what I ate, and now I was taking all kinds of over-the-counter medications and prescriptions to try to help my arthritis and hip pain. Nothing was working. I needed a different approach.
A few months later, I was invited to a seminar for fitness professionals on integrative wellness and how it can help with sports performance and physical recovery. The doctor at the event was awesome! I learned about all the different natural supplements I could be taking to reduce the inflammation I was having. It was perfect, since I had been looking for a place that could truly help my body get better. The event was hosted by Nava Health and Vitality Center.
My experience at Nava has been nothing short of amazing.
I started out taking the nutraceuticals and supplements, which were all made of natural ingredients, that were meant to help with inflammation, and I began to feel a little better.
Then, I decided to try some therapies, focusing on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and IV Micronutrient Therapy—both of which are great for athletes like me. It was a winning combo! I felt great and I knew that if I continued, I would feel even better.
I started using Massage Therapy as part of my regimen as well and started feeling better still. (My Massage Therapist Kristen was amazing – she was so professional and also a triathlete so she understood my wellness goals as an athlete!)
Next, I made an appointment to try Chiropractic Therapy and saw Dr. Russ Antico, Nava’s Director of Chiropractic (and rated among the best in the area!). I had met Dr. Antico before at my gym where he saw me limping and said that most likely my sciatic nerve was pinched on my hip and that was why I was in so much pain. He could tell just by looking at me! At that time, I thought Chiropractic Therapy didn’t really fit what I needed for my pain, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! After my therapy, I now have more hip flexion than ever before!
The next stop on my road back to wellness was Acupuncture. It was such as great experience – calming and relaxing. By now, I was on board with this integrative approach that Nava was offering.
I could see the daily results in how good I was feeling!
I knew that my Nava physician and massage therapist and chiropractor and acupuncturist and others were all under the same roof and could discuss my goals and progress together and custom tailor my therapies to fit my exact needs.
And then, just when I thought I had it all figured out, I decided to explore some diagnostic testing at Nava to see if there was anything else possibly going on in my body that might still be affecting me. Turns out, I’m very allergic to both dairy and gluten! Wow! I learned from my Nutrition Expert at Nava, that this could also be reason for my hip inflammation and pain, not to mention my random stomach aches, acne, and low energy level. I’ve cut both dairy and gluten out of my diet and I feel great.
The past nine months have seen such an improvement in my overall wellness and fitness.