About the Creator of ASW™

My name is Margaux J. Rathbun, B.S., N.T.P. and I am the creator of Authentic Self Wellness. I wanted to thank you for the overwhelming support we have received. Every day, we get hundreds of visits from readers all around the world. Our Facebook page alone has grown from 34 fans to over 20,000 in a matter of just months! This is incredibly inspiring and I am grateful for every single one of our readers. It’s nice to know that there are so many authentic people out there!

I’d like to tell you a little about my background and how I came to start Authentic Self Wellness. I wasn’t always so “gung-ho” about living authentically. In fact, I was down-right terrified to be myself! That’s because I spent my entire childhood being bullied for looking different. My weight, height, hair color, and gap in my teeth all made me a moving target for insults and teasing. As a result of all the bullying I endured, I hated myself. I believed that if I was tall, thin, and beautiful that I would be safe, happy, and secure. This type of thinking got me into trouble. I spent many years sacrificing my health and happiness, striving to become somebody that I really wasn’t.

I didn’t want people to see the “real me” because I associated my true self with pain, anger, sadness, and fear. Becoming beautiful and thin was my ultimate goal. I figured that if I looked like a model and focused on fashion, I would be close to perfect. As a result, I developed an eating disorder at age 13. I started drinking alcoholically at age 18 so I could fit and party in with the cool college kids. I spent thousands of dollars on clothing, make-up, tanning, and hair dye just to keep up my appearance My entire life was smoke and mirrors. I felt like a phony.

After years of punishing my body to be thin and “beautiful,” I ended up in the ER. I had an epiphany that I needed to take much better care of my body or I was going to die. That’s when I discovered the natural health and wellness industry.

I started learning all about natural health and wellness. The topic of nutrition really spoke to me and it was clear that it was becoming my biggest passion. By changing my diet, addressing my food sensitivities/allergies, and eating a properly-prepared, nutrient-dense diet, my health improved dramatically. I felt like my old self; my authentic self. I felt so good that I stopped worrying about being thin, beautiful, and “perfect.” I was truly happy with who I was. I knew I needed to educate other people about nutrition and how it could help them. That’s why I began Authentic Self Wellness!

My mission is to encourage readers to live life as their authentic selves, the foundation of this being good nutrition.  Most simply put, “you are what you eat.” Every week, I post new articles about nutrition, health, and wellness. I also maintain the Facebook community with discussion boards full of support groups for a variety of issues including fibromyalgia, sugar addiction, eating disorders, and depression. Fans can share their favorite photos and discuss what helps them live authentically. I also accept article and recipe submissions to feature on the site. Every morning, a new Moment of Authenticity is posted, encouraging readers to pause and reflect on the simple and pure things in life. This has become one of the more popular features of Authentic Self Wellness.

The rapid growth and popularity of Authentic Self Wellness supports the belief that we are ready to return to a natural, healthy, and authentic way of life. We are tired of trying to look like the women in the magazines. We are sick of being told to conceal our wrinkles and hide our imperfections. We no longer want to starve ourselves to stay skinny. We want to stop eating foods that make us feel bad about ourselves.

Join me and the thousands of Authentic Self Wellness readers who believe in living life as their true selves. Share with us your stories, inspirations, recipes, articles, and ideas. I would love to hear from you!

Once again, I thank you for your support. I look forward to joining you on this incredible journey to health, happiness, and wellness.

Sincerely,

Margaux J. Rathbun, B.S., N.T.P.

Creator, Authentic Self Wellness

Margaux J. Rathbun is a passionate foodie who believes in the body’s innate ability to heal itself with the use of properly-prepared and nutrient-dense food. She lives outside of Portland, Oregon and enjoys biking, cooking, and writing articles about health and nutrition. Learn more about Margaux’s private nutrition practice by visiting www.authenticselfnutrition.com or clicking here.