In this episode, we have an insightful discussion with Alexandra Bucko, who is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner from Chicago, currently living and working in Croatia. She is in the middle of completing a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition and predominantly sees chronic and complex client cases in her practice. Aside from eating healthy, Alex loves to travel, lift weights, do yoga, and spend time at the beach.
Let’s hear her story!
It stoked the fire for self-exploration, the urge to figure out what was actually wrong…
Time Stamps
0:57-2:44
Bucko and Schoonover start with a warm introduction as our guest shares with us her story and what led her to where she is today professionally. Bucko explains how her career began as a project manager, but she got diagnosed with Lupus at 22, a disease that completely changed her professional aspirations. In this segment, she shares all the struggles she faced and what exactly brought her to the world of functional medicine.
2:55-5:57
Bucko shares how she navigated her health and personal journey after the diagnosis of Lupus and the rather interesting way in which she found out about her illness, mainly through discussions with a peer. She also talked about how blood work helped her identify the diagnosis.
6:04-9:38
While focusing on complex cases, Bucko explains how she uses functional lab testing in her practice. She also discusses how most people who come to her have already been on a long and exhausting journey both emotionally and financially while attempting to uncover why they do not feel well. Because of this, Bucko says she will often work with what the client already has to reduce additional burdens. She also signifies how important HTMA can be in such instances as it is quite inexpensive and can give you a good idea of the client’s health along with some advanced blood tests.
9:50-15:38
Bucko explains how she acquired her impressive knowledge of different types of functional testing and guides us through what that process looks like. This one is a must-listen for students who wish to learn more about lab testing but need some guidance on the options they can explore.
22:28-22:43
The two talk about the importance of testing and share their own experiences, which helped them truly understand the importance of not ignoring symptoms and getting relevant tests done to understand what is going on in the body.
22:52-23:55
We wrap up the podcast with some valuable advice for those who just graduated with a health coach certification and are looking to take their next step.
Key Takeaways
#1 Explore your Interests
Don’t get discouraged by small setbacks, such as an illness or a failure, because it can lead you to new career paths and help you emerge as much stronger than you were before. Make a point to view everything that happens to you as a learning opportunity, self-reflect, explore what really matters to you, and build yourself from there.
#2 Attend Seminars
Attending seminars and lectures can really help you increase the amount of knowledge you have and help you stay updated with recent advancements.
Memorable Quotes
- “Autoimmunity is a cluster of symptoms, it’s very rarely a condition itself, if ever.”
- “I just took the crumbs that I had and started researching.”
- “There’s a ton of tests that you have to do but money is the biggest factor. You sometimes need a second job literally just to do tests.”
If you loved this episode as much as I did, follow Alexandra at Alexandra Bucko, NTP (@throughhealthandback)
If you’re interested in learning more about functional lab testing, how to interpret them, and how incorporating labs can help boost your confidence, make sure to check out our podcast and stay informed about the latest developments and insights in the healthcare industry!
