Kim McKay is just one of the amazing vendors taking part in the 12th Annual Ottawa Health and Wellness Expo. Be sure to say hi to Kim on Saturday, January 27th, 2018 at the Shenkman Arts Centre. Buy your tickets now!
Who is Kim McKay?
Kim McKay is the compassionate coach who supports type 2 Diabetics in their journey to wellness and improved blood sugar control. Kim teaches her clients how to practice Radical Self-Care so that they can manage their condition and live life on their terms. Kim is the author of the “25 Tips for Recently Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetics”.
Kim was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic in 2004 and has successfully managed her condition for several years. She received diabetic education through a community support program and decided to open Rising Phoenix Health and Wellness Coaching in January 2017. Kim is a member of the community and has made Kanata, Ontario her home. Kim knows how critical it is to make lifestyle changes so that blood sugar levels remain in target. She has had to change her diet, increase her activity, use stress management techniques and makes her health her number one priority.
Because she has been a consumer of diabetic health care services, she knows first-hand that Type 2 diabetics are not receiving the information, support and guidance they need to assist them on their journeys. She is passionate about helping others who are ready to make changes to improve their health and knows that health is our most precious commodity. She encourages her clients to rise above the challenge of living with a chronic condition and is a role model for her clients. She believes it is possible to be a type 2 diabetic, control your blood sugar and reduce complications so that you can focus on other areas of your life.
How does Rising Phoenix help people achieve a greater level of health or wellness?
When someone is first diagnosed there is a lot of confusion, misinformation and fear. Kim’s experience has taught her that there are also many gaps in the current medical system and diabetic education often falls short in terms of providing the tools needed so that diabetics can successfully manage their care. Many people are given introductory overviews about diabetes and then left alone to self-manage their condition. As long as their blood sugars remain within target, there is very little follow-up. This approach leaves the clients feeling very alone and isolated. Diabetes is a chronic condition – one that changes over time and therefore strategies need to change as well.
Kim’s mission is to provide support and guidance to recently diagnosed Type 2 diabetics, who are making changes to their diet and lifestyle and to provide accountability so that her clients keep moving forward on their individual journeys.
She works with her clients in the following areas: nutrition, exercise, monitoring blood glucose, reducing risks and complications, coping well, solving problems and taking medications. Kim works with her clients to develop individualized health and wellness action plans so that they can achieve their health and wellness goals. Adjustments are made to the plan when needed.
Kim works with her clients so that they can develop effective coping strategies and so that they are better able to manage the highs and lows of being a Type 2 diabetic. She believes that each client has their own unique needs, issues and she coaches her clients 1:1 so that she can deliver individualized plans.
What Inspires Kim?
What inspires me most is the feedback I receive from my clients. Their success stories keep me moving forward. Watching the transformations my clients undergo is remarkable. Emotionally they go from feeling stressed, overwhelmed and anxious to feeling happier, having more energy and developing increased confidence so that they can make changes with greater ease and peace. They experience better blood sugar control, reduction in medications, increased activity, better sleep, more effective stress relief techniques and increased confidence. The clients I enjoy working with the most have made the commitment to themselves to make their health a priority, are open to change, provide feedback when they are struggling and when things are going well, they take action and integrate new approaches into their lifestyle. I am so grateful for their trust and their journeys provide me with so much inspiration. I love being their coach!