Ashley's Story: ScottsMiracle-Gro's Holistic Approach to Associate Wellness
Ashley knows how to juggle a hectic schedule. As a full-time senior analyst for ScottsMiracle-Gro and the mom of an active 5 year-old son, she’s used to being busy and feeling tired.
But after a long day, Ashley feels more tired than most. That’s because she struggles with Hashimoto’s Disease, an autoimmune disorder she’s dealt with since 2013.
But it wasn’t until she came to work at ScottsMiracle-Gro in 2016 that she found relief––all because she had access to our comprehensive benefits program that enabled her to take a holistic approach to managing her health.
A weight gain that didn’t make sense
It was during Ashley’s senior year of college that she started gaining weight unexpectedly.
“It just didn’t make sense,” Ashley said. “I was eating healthy and also training for a marathon. I knew something was wrong.”
So Ashley visited her doctor. After a series of tests, she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that causes hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid. It causes fatigue, weight gain and muscle pain, among other symptoms.
Bouncing from doctor to doctor
The news hit Ashley hard.
“I immediately started wondering ‘Why Me’?,” Ashley said. “But then it turned to determination. I wanted to tackle it.”
Unfortunately, tackling Hashimoto’s would prove to be harder than she thought. Ashley spent several years jumping from Endocrinologist to Endocrinologist, trying to find a doctor who could treat her unique disease. It was time consuming and frustrating. And it took a toll on her body.
But when Ashley joined ScottsMiracle-Gro, things started to change.
A support network unlike any other
Ashley immediately took advantage of our company’s LiveTotal Health benefits and reached out to a Wellness Center doctor, who focused on the root cause of her disease. Together, they researched how best to care for Ashley’s whole health, including healthy eating, exercise and stress management.
Ashley met with our company’s nutritionist, and together, they developed a plan of action.
“My disease can make me feel tired,” said Ashley. “So the nutritionist gave me practical ideas to save time, like cooking larger dinner portions so I have leftovers for lunch the next day.”
Ashley also took advantage of ScottsMiracle-Gro’s virtual fitness classes and physical trainers to get more physically active. Today, she feels better. And a lot more supported too.
“I feel like I have a whole team of people who care about me, and my health,” said Ashley. “I’m not alone in my disease anymore.”
Advice for others
Ashley’s biggest fan––her son––now joins in supporting her too. He helps Ashley meal prep and loves cooking healthy meals with his mom.
“He’s already making healthier food choices, and that makes me really proud,” she said.
Ashley knows dealing with a chronic disease can be overwhelming. She encourages those in her shoes to take it one day at a time.
“And find your team of cheerleaders,” Ashley said. “I’m lucky my team includes my work family, too.”
