I Had ‘Cortisol Face’ and Severe Vitamin Deficiencies—Here’s How I Took Back My Health
The Lo Down: On Our Bodies
Physically, emotionally, and mentally, I felt off. After moving to New York City, I began experiencing a perfect storm of health challenges: chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, vaginal health issues, and vertigo. Doctor after doctor gave me little more than shrugs or blanket advice that left me feeling unheard and misunderstood.
Worse, I saw the toll of stress showing up in my face—what we now call “cortisol face”. My skin looked inflamed and puffy, my energy was at an all-time low, and I felt completely disconnected from myself.
It wasn’t until a comprehensive vitamin level test revealed severe deficiencies that I finally had an answer. Like so many women, I wasn’t giving my body the foundational support it needed to function: basic, critical nutrients.
The Vitamin Deficiency Problem We Can’t Ignore
Here’s the truth:
90% of women don’t meet their daily nutrient requirements from diet alone.
75% of women are deficient in vitamin D, impacting energy, immunity, and mood.
1 in 5 women of childbearing age is iron deficient, leading to fatigue, brain fog, and hormone imbalance.
These gaps aren’t minor—they’re foundational. Stress, lifestyle, and our modern diets amplify these deficiencies, creating a ripple effect across our health.
A Gap That Needed Closing
At the time, solutions for women like me simply didn’t exist in the ways I wanted. The products on the shelves were loaded with harsh chemicals, lacked transparency, and ignored the reality of women’s unique health needs.
I realized that if I was feeling this way—lost, underserved, and frustrated—then millions of other women likely were too. So, in 2016, I founded Love Wellness, a brand focused on clean, body-positive, doctor-developed solutions for women’s health. We even make what I think is the world’s best multivitamin for women.
But Love Wellness was always about more than products. It was about creating a space where women could feel seen, supported, and empowered to take charge of their well-being. Through education, community, and care, we’ve worked to flip the script on women’s health—one step, one conversation, and one product at a time.
Daily Faves for Feeling My Best Now
Even though I’ve recovered from my deficiencies, I still have days I need support - from getting nutrients to de-puffing. Here are a few of my faves:
Why The Lo Down: On Our Bodies?
That same mission—to advocate for women’s health, to uncover the truths about our bodies, and to create spaces where real conversations happen—is why I’m writing this Substack.
I want to dig deeper into the issues that led me to create Love Wellness in the first place:
Why are women so often dismissed in healthcare settings?
What systems still fail us, and how can we challenge them?
What should women know about their bodies that no one has told them?
I’m sharing my journey because I know how hard it can be to navigate your health when no one is listening. I want The Lo Down: On Our Bodies to be that resource—a space where we can unpack the gaps, share knowledge, and demand better for ourselves.
This Is Our Story
So I’ll ask you:
When have you felt unheard or underserved when it comes to your health?
What tools, information, or support would help you feel better?
Drop your thoughts in the comments—because the conversations we have here matter. When we talk openly, learn together, and demand better, we start to close those gaps for good.
Because women’s health isn’t a niche issue. It’s the issue.
The Lo Down – smart takes on women, our bodies, and the balance we deserve.
I have felt this a lot as someone who has always lived in a bigger body. I feel there is a very real unconscious bias in our health care when it comes to weight, in particular with women.
I have been dismissed often because of my weight. The assumption is I am unhealthy and lazy. I am the opposite. I live a very active and healthy lifestyle.
My cancer was almost missed because of this bias and if I wasn’t such a strong health care advocate for myself I shudder to think what would have happened to me.
Happy you are having this conversation. It is importance 💜
Really loved this, thank you! The compression pants you recommended are out of stock, do you know of any others? x