Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Gilbert.
Hi Samantha, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My passion for functional nutrition began with my own health struggles. Doctors offered short-term fixes, but nothing addressed the root causes. It wasn’t until I explored how nutrition affects the brain and body that I began to heal.
This personal transformation inspired me to dedicate my life to helping others. I know how overwhelming it feels to search for answers, and I want to offer hope to those who feel stuck.
For years, I lived with a painful relationship with food and my body. I cycled between compulsive eating and strict restriction, often pushing myself to exhaustion with exercise. I also experienced depression and anxiety from an early age, shaped by a history of childhood abuse and trauma.
As an adult, I faced chronic fatigue, digestive issues, changes in weight, and sleep and skin problems. Emotionally, I felt trapped by panic, loneliness, and shame. I spent a considerable amount of time searching for answers. I met with many practitioners and tried a wide range of approaches, from meditation and brain retraining to prescriptions, supplements, and a carousel of diets. I invested heavily in my health and, at times, felt even more confused and vulnerable.
My turning point came while I was working as a fashion designer. My mental health deteriorated, and I became so overwhelmed that I could barely function—to the point where I no longer wanted to be in this world. During this time, I used intense exercise to “compensate” for overeating, which only made the cycle worse.
Things started to shift when targeted lab work highlighted patterns that helped make sense of my symptoms. I learned more about my own nutrient status and methylation markers, and how those might relate to how I was feeling. With better support in place and my body chemistry more balanced, I could finally process trauma with a clearer mind and a steadier nervous system.
Today I eat with flexibility and joy. I don’t count calories or obsess over every bite. I respect my body’s signals and refuse to measure my worth by a number on a scale or a clothing size. I hope my story offers your readers encouragement and a starting point as they seek the support that’s right for them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I left a successful career as a fashion designer to start my own practice—it’s been quite the journey to where I am today. When I first started, I lived in my hometown of Portland, Oregon before moving to California, then North Carolina. I quickly realized that offering my services virtually was the most feasible approach, allowing me to help more people across different locations.
While building my practice, I worked for a local naturopathic doctor. As an employee, some of my biggest struggles were feeling undervalued, overworked, and underpaid. This experience fueled my determination to build my own practice—where I could have full autonomy and make my own decisions.
After going full-time on my own, I realized I needed systems in place to provide excellent care without burning out. I started offering comprehensive programs instead of individual sessions. Programs that walk clients through specific steps with high-level support—such as messaging between sessions—have been invaluable. When clients feel understood, heard, and supported, they get better results and stability over time. When appropriate, I partner with their medical care team. I’ve also committed to not working weekends, except when facing a deadline.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Eat for Life Nutritional Therapy?
I’m a nutritional therapy counselor who has worked with individuals and families for more than 20 years to address the nutritional roots of mental health challenges (depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and autism), digestive issues, fatigue, hormone imbalances, and chronic illness.
I help families—including children and adults—who struggle with mood, anxiety, hormonal, and food-related concerns build steady health through nutrition therapy and practical daily habits. My work is compassionate and evidence-informed.
I utilize specific diagnostic lab testing to target biochemistry and infection as the root causes to health challenges with specific expertise in heavy metal overloads, zinc deficiency, pyrrole disorder, methylation imbalances, and gut infections.
I create comprehensive food and supplement plans customized to each person—no trends or gimmicks. For example, many people don’t realize that copper can trigger serious mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and ADHD. This happens because copper lowers dopamine and increases norepinephrine in the brain. Copper is especially problematic for women, as estrogen increases copper retention in the body.
I provide comprehensive programs because nutrients need time to reach the cell nucleus—where all our genetic instructions are made. Since nutrients give our genes their marching orders, I support clients throughout this process with monthly check-ins and dedicated messaging between appointments, along with protocol updates as progress is made.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My encouragement is to seek out mentorships and have your systems in place before you open your doors. The doctors and practitioners I’ve been blessed to partner with have been invaluable to my success, growth, and learning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eatfor.life/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samig/
- Other: https://www.reviews.io/company-reviews/store/eat-for-life
