about
Maria Quintana-Pilling
Functional Nutrition & Lifestyle Practitioner
My Story
Hi, I’m Maria.
For most of my life I absolutely hated and dreaded everything about my period.
They were long, painful and heavy. As a teen, I would spend hours curled up into a ball. I feared big social events or vacations when “Maggie was in town”. There wasn’t much information about periods or how heavy periods could be a signal for something being out of balance.
So, when I developed fibroids by 30, I was unaware and confused.
I started taking the pill to manage the symptoms and, when I went on vacations, I would take the hormone pills continuously, so I won’t have to worry about my cycle.
The first fibroid was the size of a pea.
That little pea grew… and grew… and grew, until it had multiplied into a full fruit basket. I ended up with 12. One was the size of a grapefruit; another the size of an orange. Some were the size of strawberries and grapes…and of course, lots of peas.
As they grew, I was not sure when my periods would start or end. And other things started popped up:
- I was exhausted
- I developed adult acne and seasonal allergies
- I had night sweats
- My digestion went haywire
- My bowel movements were erratic, and
- I had embarrassing gas.
And through it all, I did nothing.
That’s really hard and embarrassing for me to admit.
I was not lazy or dumb. I was a senior portfolio manager at a prestigious wealth management & mutual fund company for god’s sakes! I had earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. I ran 5 and 10K races. I took spinning and yoga classes 3-4 times a week.
No. At that time, I simply didn’t know what I could do. I just didn’t know.
It’s not until my gynecologist told me I needed surgery if I wanted to even consider having kids that I started asking questions.
I was freaking out.
I had a myomectomy at 37, which led to a complicated c-section when I later had my baby.
After the surgery my period of discovery began.
I quit my amazing finance job to study nutrition to find answers.
As I studied and trained, I began to see how little things — good and bad — add up over time.
I finally saw
- how and what I ate impacted my cycle and overall health
- how my emotional well-being affected my cycle
- how my constipation and gas affected my hormones
- how things like acne and allergies were clues
It’s because of this lonely but powerful journey that I am now committed to help women understand that a lot is within your power to change so you can live pain-free, be productive, and have enough energy to do what you love.
I would love the privilege to support you as you embark on this journey.
If you are ready to explore how you can rebalance your hormones through diet and lifestyle, schedule a free 15-minute appointment and let’s chat.
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What Clients are Saying
“Easy to Work With”
“Maria has a genuine and patient personality that makes her easy to work with, and she was very responsive to any questions I had about any aspect of the program I was on. She does not work on a one-size-fits-all way, and worked to customize the program to my needs and to how my body was responding to the supplements. I would totally recommend her and work with her again in the future.”
DK, Oakland, CA
“Warm, Understanding, Compassionate, and Respectful”
“Maria was warm, understanding, compassionate, and respectful of the long journey I had already been on. I felt safe to let my defenses down, and began to trust her wisdom and guidance. It felt so amazing to not be going through this health struggle alone! It feels like we’re a team of powerful women coming together to care for my body. “
AB, Lawrence, KS
“Her program was life changing”
“I left my sleepy afternoons behind, and my
overall energy level increased noticeably throughout the day.”
Nancy, Petaluma, CA
“Maria is amazing!”
“Maria is amazing. I have worked with her both personally and eventually I couldn’t help but start referring all my clients to her professionally!.”
Bee, San Rafael, CA
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