Today we’d like to introduce you to Alisa Turner.
Hi Alisa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My path into functional nutrition and metabolic coaching grew out of my own experience rebuilding my health after many years of burnout and disconnection from my body.
For much of my early adult life I worked in a demanding sales career that required constant travel and long hours. I was often working 16-hour days and on the road most of the week. Over time that pace, combined with years of disordered eating and alcohol use, took a significant toll on my health and nervous system.
After the birth of my son I also experienced postpartum depression, and later navigated two profoundly difficult divorces. During that time I began realizing that the way I had been living and working simply wasn’t sustainable. My metabolism was struggling — I was about 25 pounds overweight while eating barely 900 calories a day — my energy was depleted, and my body was sending very clear metabolic warning signals, including blood sugar, liver enzymes, and lipid markers deep in the red danger zone.
When I eventually stepped away from my corporate career, it gave me the space to begin learning about nutrition, metabolism, and nervous system regulation in a much deeper way. What started as an effort to heal my own health gradually turned into a professional path.
Seven years ago, after a true rock-bottom moment, I also quit drinking alcohol. That decision completely up-leveled my metabolic health and allowed me to build a richer, more balanced life. Words cannot fully describe the gratitude I feel for that one decision — probably the hardest and definitely the best decision of my life.
Through that journey I discovered that some of the most powerful changes were surprisingly simple, but required structure and consistency: strength training, prioritizing adequate protein and micronutrients, slowing down, cultivating supportive relationships, learning to say no to more things, improving stress resilience, and giving my metabolism the time and support it needed to recover.
That personal journey ultimately became the foundation for my work today. I now help others rebuild metabolic health, reconnect with their bodies, and create sustainable habits that support long-term wellbeing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Entrepreneurship always comes with challenges, but building a health practice centered around metabolic restoration has had its own unique learning curve.
One challenge has been helping people understand that many of the health struggles they face—weight gain, fatigue, blood sugar instability, hormonal symptoms—are often connected to deeper metabolic dysfunction rooted in a myriad of causes. There’s rarely one “smoking gun” or a simple lack of willpower or discipline driving their current symptoms. Shifting that mindset and untangling the layers of how someone’s metabolism arrived where it is today takes time, education, and patience.
Another challenge has been building a practice that balances science-based guidance with the reality of people’s lives. Most clients are juggling careers, families, stress, and complex health histories. Creating strategies that are both effective and sustainable requires a high level of personalization and a willingness to meet people exactly where they are.
From a business perspective, entrepreneurship itself can also be a demanding path. Building a practice that does deeply personalized work often means wearing many hats—educator, coach, researcher, and business owner—while continuing to adapt as the health and wellness landscape evolves.
At the same time, those challenges are also what make the work meaningful. Seeing clients regain energy, rebuild trust with their bodies, and improve their health over time—especially after telling me they feel like they’ve tried everything else and I’m their last stop on the block—is incredibly rewarding.
As you know, we’re big fans of Alisa Health. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Alisa Health is a metabolic health and functional nutrition coaching practice based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. My work focuses on helping individuals restore metabolic function and build sustainable health habits, particularly women navigating midlife metabolic changes such as perimenopause, as well as individuals in recovery from substance use or eating disorders.
Many of the clients I work with are struggling with issues like blood sugar instability, fatigue, weight gain, hormonal symptoms, and metabolic dysfunction that hasn’t responded to conventional approaches. My role is to help them understand how the body’s metabolic systems actually work so we can address the underlying drivers rather than simply chasing symptoms.
My coaching integrates nutrition strategy, strength training and muscle development, blood sugar stabilization, stress regulation, and lifestyle design. Rather than focusing on restrictive dieting, I help clients build metabolic resilience through consistent habits such as adequate protein intake, resistance training, improved sleep, and nervous system regulation.
In addition to private coaching, I also teach nutrition education at a local outpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in Charleston. In that setting, I work with individuals in recovery to help them understand how metabolic health, nutrition, and blood sugar regulation can support long-term sobriety and emotional stability.
Ultimately, my goal is to help people reconnect with their bodies, understand their metabolism, and create practical, sustainable strategies that support long-term health and resilience.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
While luck can certainly influence timing and opportunity, I believe most meaningful progress comes from curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to follow what genuinely interests you.
In my case, the path into this work grew out of my own journey to understand how nutrition, strength training, metabolism, and nervous system regulation interact to shape overall health.
Making the life-changing decision to stop drinking alcohol was also a powerful turning point. That experience reinforced my belief that real transformation rarely comes from quick fixes. Instead, it happens gradually through consistent choices, supportive environments, and a willingness to stay engaged with the process for the long haul.
Along the way, I’ve also been intentional about surrounding myself with people who are deeply committed to improving health and supporting others. Some of those connections came through unexpected opportunities, but many came from actively seeking out mentors, collaborators, and communities aligned with this work. Those relationships have played an important role in shaping my perspective and continuing to expand the way I approach health and healing.
So while luck may influence timing, I believe the most important factors have been persistence, curiosity, and a willingness to keep showing up for the work!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alisahealth.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/alisa_turner_health
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/alisa.turner.98
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisa-turner-health
