Hi, I’m Rachel.

Functional Nutrition Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach

For years, I watched motivated, disciplined women do everything right and still feel exhausted, hormonally out of sync, and disconnected from their bodies.

I have been there too. My own experience with persistent fatigue, digestive issues, PMS, painful and irregular periods, anxiety, and burnout reshaped how I understand health and what root-cause informed care really looks like.

I have spent over 15 years in the health and wellness industry, beginning as a personal trainer and health coach before fully transitioning into functional nutrition. That evolution came from seeing firsthand that movement and willpower alone do not resolve deeper underlying patterns.

Over the past four years working within functional practices, I have had the opportunity to support many women navigating these same complex, often overlooked experiences.

I am a Functional Nutrition Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach holding a Master of Science in Human Nutrition and a Master of Public Health. I am an Applied Functional Medicine Certified (AFMC) practitioner and currently pursuing my Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) credential through the American Nutrition Association, one of the most rigorous credentialing pathways available to nutrition practitioners.

I specialize in supporting high-achieving women who are navigating fatigue, PMS, painful or irregular cycles, and mood swings, and who have been told their labs look normal despite knowing something is not right.

My work is rooted in personalized nutrition, functional lab insight, and lifestyle support designed around your biology, your history, and your real life. Every recommendation is built to address the patterns underneath your symptoms, not just the symptoms themselves.

When I am not working with clients, you will find me walking my dogs, spending time outdoors, or experimenting with organic skincare formulations in my kitchen. I would love to connect with you on Instagram at @rachelsunley.

my story

Why I Became A Functional Nutrition Practitioner & Health Coach

For years, I struggled with debilitating fatigue, digestive issues, painful and irregular cycles, and anxiety. Every appointment ended the same way. I left with a prescription and no real explanation for why my body was responding the way it was.

Then one morning, at 23 years old, I could not lift myself out of bed. My body had reached its breaking point. After multiple specialists and countless tests, I was diagnosed with Raynaud’s syndrome and an autoimmune condition. I was given two options: rely on medication indefinitely or search for a deeper answer.

I chose the latter.

Everything changed when I met a health coach who introduced me to a root-cause informed approach. Within weeks of changing my diet, my digestion began to improve. Over time, my symptoms improved significantly, and repeat testing showed no signs of autoimmune disease. For the first time in years, I felt like myself again.

That experience changed not only my health but my entire career path. I became deeply committed to understanding how and why these patterns develop, especially in women who are doing everything right and still not getting answers.

I have faced my own ups and downs since then, including breast implant illness, mold-related illness, and pregnancy loss. Each experience deepened my understanding of how interconnected the body’s systems truly are, and how much is missed when we focus on symptoms in isolation rather than the full picture.

One truth has remained consistent through all of it. Your body is not broken. Symptoms are signals. When we learn how to listen and respond thoughtfully, the body has an extraordinary capacity to restore itself.

Today my work is rooted in supporting high-achieving women who are tired of pushing through, tired of being told everything looks fine, and ready to finally understand what their body has been communicating all along.

WORK WITH ME

Credentials & Training

  • Master of Science in Human Nutrition, University of Bridgeport

  • Master of Public Health (MPH), Health Behavior, University at Buffalo

  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Buffalo State University

  • Applied Functional Medicine Certification (AFMC), The School of Applied Functional Medicine

  • Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) Candidate, American Nutrition Association

  • Ongoing clinical mentorship through The Nutrition & Herbal Collective (CNS training)

  • Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Institute for Integrative Nutrition

  • Hormone Health Certificate, Institute for Integrative Nutrition

  • Advanced training in functional blood chemistry and environmental toxins

take the next step…

Your body has been communicating with you all along.

If you are exhausted, hormonally out of sync, and ready to stop guessing, there is a clear path forward. It starts with a simple conversation.

Learn More About Working Together

If you are ready to understand what has actually been going on and explore what personalized functional nutrition support looks like, start here.

WORK WITH ME

Book Your Free Clarity Call

Not sure where to begin? This free 20-minute conversation is a simple, no-pressure call where you share what you have been experiencing and we determine together whether working with me is the right next step for you.

BOOK YOUR FREE CLARITY CALL