Hi, I’m Deanna Sykes. I am a Nurse Practitioner with specialized training in family medicine, certified in Functional Medicine, and hormone therapy. I was drawn to Functional medicine because it is a more holistic application of peer reviewed science and looks for and addresses the root causes of chronic illnesses.
I met Dr. Krista in one of our Functional Medicine classes and we became instant friends and were delighted to have someone else in Alberta that uses this approach to health. We have been working together ever since to improve our patients’ health. I look forward to working with her to help you navigate your complex autoimmune issues.
Hi, I’m Deanna Sykes. I am a Nurse Practitioner with specialized training in family medicine, certified in Functional Medicine, and hormone therapy. I was drawn to Functional medicine because it is a more holistic application of peer reviewed science and looks for and addresses the root causes of chronic illnesses.
I met Dr. Krista in one of our Functional Medicine classes and we became instant friends and were delighted to have someone else in Alberta that uses this approach to health. We have been working together ever since to improve our patients’ health. I look forward to working with her to help you navigate your complex autoimmune issues.
A few years back I felt like a rockstar as a business owner, hairstylist and mom. It was common for me to trade sleep for productivity, eat on the run, and drink many cups of coffee in order to keep living my “dream life.” Eventually I found myself in a downward spiral. My energy & zest started to deteriorate and I became moody and depressed. After years of continuous over reaching, that resulted in a mountain of negative health symptoms, I was finally diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. The diagnosis was a shock to me. I was only 35 years young; it felt like life was starting and ending at the same time. I had to gain some perspective and figure out how to move forward.
At that time, the conventional medical community didn’t seem to know how to help me aside from prescribing thyroid hormones. After researching, I found out that diet and lifestyle can have a tremendous impact on your health. I implemented an AIP diet and started regular exercise and rest routines. Once I gained some momentum with my new routines, I was fortunate enough to find Dr. Krista. I started working with her in order to streamline my health plan, and with her support and guidance, I gained a sense of direction and more knowledge on how lifestyle affects autoimmune diseases.
I have learned how to balance my work schedule with personalized routines that support healthy eating, proper exercise and rest. It IS hard work to make changes but being sick is harder! Change and consistently implementing new habits are often hard. But guess what? We CAN do hard things. I picked my hard which was to change my lifestyle so that I could then live my life with more ease.
I believe in taking care of your health, because if you don’t you won’t be able to enjoy all the things life has to offer. For everyone, this looks a little different, but we all have a reason to feel our best! Everyone needs to take different steps at different speeds, to make positive lasting change and I like to help others figure out how to implement those healthy lifestyle changes. Because of my own struggles with Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism, I now have significant experience with AIP food planning, prepping & batch cooking. My personal health successes have come from finding a supportive health team, creating consistency in my new habits and rebounding quickly after setbacks. I am keen to share my experiences with you and support you while you take steps towards better health.
A few years back I felt like a rockstar as a business owner, hairstylist and mom. It was common for me to trade sleep for productivity, eat on the run, and drink many cups of coffee in order to keep living my “dream life.” Eventually I found myself in a downward spiral. My energy & zest started to deteriorate and I became moody and depressed. After years of continuous over reaching, that resulted in a mountain of negative health symptoms, I was finally diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. The diagnosis was a shock to me. I was only 35 years young; it felt like life was starting and ending at the same time. I had to gain some perspective and figure out how to move forward.
At that time, the conventional medical community didn’t seem to know how to help me aside from prescribing thyroid hormones. After researching, I found out that diet and lifestyle can have a tremendous impact on your health. I implemented an AIP diet and started regular exercise and rest routines. Once I gained some momentum with my new routines, I was fortunate enough to find Dr. Krista. I started working with her in order to streamline my health plan, and with her support and guidance, I gained a sense of direction and more knowledge on how lifestyle affects autoimmune diseases.
I have learned how to balance my work schedule with personalized routines that support healthy eating, proper exercise and rest. It IS hard work to make changes but being sick is harder! Change and consistently implementing new habits are often hard. But guess what? We CAN do hard things. I picked my hard which was to change my lifestyle so that I could then live my life with more ease.
I believe in taking care of your health, because if you don’t you won’t be able to enjoy all the things life has to offer. For everyone, this looks a little different, but we all have a reason to feel our best! Everyone needs to take different steps at different speeds, to make positive lasting change and I like to help others figure out how to implement those healthy lifestyle changes. Because of my own struggles with Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism, I now have significant experience with AIP food planning, prepping & batch cooking. My personal health successes have come from finding a supportive health team, creating consistency in my new habits and rebounding quickly after setbacks. I am keen to share my experiences with you and support you while you take steps towards better health.
Because of my funky hair colours, people often say they think I’m a little quirky, but really I’m pretty quiet and introspective most of the time. Other than reading books, my biggest passion is to assist and support others as much as I can! Back in my singing days, I preferred back-up harmonies over lead, and was never one for the spotlight.
I feel my gifts are truly found in helping others shine, so being Dr. Krista’s Administrative Assistant since 2018 has been the perfect fit for me!
She’s the lead singer, I’m her back-up! I thrive on helping patients feel welcomed, comfortable and cared for and every work day I have the privilege to do that! I look forward to meeting you in clinic or chatting with you on the phone soon!
