Alara’s Story

In 2003, Alara K. Castell moved to the big city for a career in the fashion and jewelry industry. At first, the lightening-fast pace, intensity and high pressure were all a part of the glamour. After a while, that same glamour became downright grueling.

It meant never having a second to breathe. Working 12 to 14 hour days. Having the kind of mood swings usually reserved for 1 week a month. On an endless cycle of colds, flues and what seemed like every other possible ailment, Alara was beyond tired and stressed. Pimples and eczema (that she hadn’t seen since she was a teenager) were now a constant struggle. It seemed that she didn’t have time for herself, let alone her fiancé.

With only 10 months to go until her wedding day, Alara realized that if she didn’t make a change, both she and her marriage would end up in an unhappy and unhealthy place. She believed that in spite of these stresses, she could find the way to a happy, balanced life. Evaluating every aspect of her life – from food to exercise to personal relationships, and beyond – she discovered simple ways to make positive changes in her life. Alara ate different foods. She dealt with stresses differently, and identified ways to lift her spirits. When she made these changes, her moods balanced, her pimples and eczema disappeared and she felt calm and at peace. Her relationship with her mother improved. Her energy was higher, and her sex drive was stronger… Consequently, her fiancé was happier too.

Alara was able to achieve a happy, healthy balance and began to enjoy her life. She knew the profound impact that this would continue to have on the lives of both her and her soon-to-be husband (now husband), as well as any additions they’d make to the family in the future.

In this, Alara realized that she wasn’t alone and that others were feeling the same stresses and pressures. She decided to combine her personal passion with the credentials to help others achieve the harmony and satisfaction that she had.

Alara is now a Holistic Health Counselor, a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition,* accredited with the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and training to be a Vegetarian Chef at the Natural Kitchen Cooking School. She helps others to identify their path to “healthy inner beauty,” as she continues on her own.

*The Institute of Integrative Nutrition is the only nutrition school that studies integrates each of the different dietary theories, including traditional philosophies in combination with modern concepts, such as the USDA food pyramid, the glycemic index, the Zone and raw foods. She studied with leading wellness educators, including David Katz, Mark Hyman, John Douillard, Barry Sears, Mehmet Oz, Sally Fallon, David Wolfe, and Deepak Chopra, among others.