Like so many practitioners, Ishbel Cavaleri found her way into the world of functional nutrition as a result of her own health challenges. An established Pilates & Yoga instructor, Ishbel has always had an interest in health and wellness. Yet, she spent years navigating the ups and downs of her own healing process. It wasn’t until she completed IRH’s The Art & Science of Gastrointestinal Healing and The Art & Science of Optimizing Hormones that she finally experienced true healing – and went on to build a booming business helping others do the same.
As a teen and young adult, Ishbel experienced chronic sinus infections which resulted in her taking as many as 10 rounds of antibiotics in a single year. Over time, her health challenges grew to include a range of digestive issues, chronic fatigue, and amenorrhea, all of which were greatly affecting her quality of life. By her late 20’s, Ishbel was no longer able to make it through a full day of work due to her debilitating symptoms.
It was at this time that Ishbel decided to pursue her NTA training. Using nutrition-based principles, she began making progress on her own health. But, a PCOS diagnosis around the time Ishbel and her husband were planning on starting their family left her searching for answers. Through continued work on her diet and in partnership with a naturopath, Ishbel was able to successfully get pregnant and delivered a healthy baby girl. Yet, her periods remained inconsistent and she was still suffering from a number of digestive issues. This is when she found the Institute of Restorative Health.
Ishbel always knew something was missing in her journey back to wellness and she found that in IRH. “The ability to run testing is what drew me to IRH. It allowed me to identify factors that I would have otherwise never known were at play and the IRH protocols showed me what to do and in what order, saving me so much time and frustration.” Since applying what she learned in Levels 1 and 2, her digestive issues have completely resolved and she has the energy she needs to do the things she loves every day. She’s also enjoying regular menstrual cycles, something her doctors told her would never be possible as a result of her PCOS.
Having worked with nutrition clients prior to IRH, Ishbel knew that the clinical skills she was learning were complete game-changers and she set out to relaunch her nutrition coaching business. “I brought in all my IRH tools when I reopened my nutrition business. In fact, I believe so strongly in the testing component that I no longer offer nutrition-only consults. All of the programs and packages I offer today include the testing and protocols I learned through IRH.”
The results speak for themselves. Ishbel’s business Ishbel Well has been able to help clients finally turn their health – and their lives – around. “I’ve worked with so many clients who were in the same position I was. They were so ill they couldn’t function in their day-to-day life. And, together, we’re able to change that. To see people be born again and see their lives open up again is an incredible joy.”
When asked what the key to her clients’ success has been, Ishbel says that education is at the heart of everything she does. Her goal is to empower people and educate them in a way that – once their work together is done – that they know what they need to do to take care of themselves. Not only does this lead to great results, but it leads to referrals, too.
Ishbel also believes education as a business owner is important. “It’s an ongoing process and you’re constantly learning as you go. It can be difficult and not enough entrepreneurs talk about the extreme challenge of balancing life and work,” she says. When asked what some of her most important learnings have been, she shared the following:
Be a perpetual student: Ishbel notes that investing in yourself and in your business, like she did by enrolling in IRH and by hiring a business coach, is critical. “A lot of clinicians don’t receive the education they need. Instead, you need to go out and find it.”
Identify a handful of business leaders you can learn from: In addition to investing in her clinical skills and working 1:1 with a business coach, Ishbel follows business leaders like Marie Forleo and Lesli Bitel as a way to stay on top of trends and best practices in business and marketing. She subscribes to a few mailing lists and makes a point to read them once a week to get new, fresh ideas for her business.
Remember that done is better than perfect: “This has become a hugely important message that I remind myself of all the time,” says Ishbel. As a practice, she’ll timeblock her calendar for the various tasks she needs to get done. Being a busy mom and business owner, that might mean she only has 2 hours once a week to plan out all of her social media content. This makes her focus on progress rather than perfection and prevents her from procrastinating or overcomplicating the process.
Take days off: For Ishbel, Wednesday’s are “Pajama Day” meaning she takes the whole day off. She does whatever she feels like doing – as long as it doesn’t involve work. “It can be easy to fall into 16 hour days as a business owner. But, your health will suffer and your relationships suffer. Taking time to unplug will actually help your productivity in the long run,” says Ishbel.
Know that no one has it all figured out: Ishbel emphasizes that, even with her incredible business success, she is constantly facing new challenges – “You’re going to have setbacks – they are going to litter your work week. But, there is always an answer for every problem. Take a deep breath and you will figure it out.” Ishbel recommends staying focused on your success stories and remember that, had you given up, you wouldn’t have been able to help those individuals. She also stresses the importance of being honest and vulnerable with fellow practitioners about the challenges you face, citing “It provides more opportunities and freedom for us to find the answers. We don’t want to let perfectionism thrive, we want to let people thrive.”
Today, Ishbel’s private practice is booming and she’s looking to expand her offerings in the near future, including more programming around the gut-hormone connection and an integrated wellness app that offers individuals an affordable way to navigate their health conditions and diagnoses through nutrition, movement, and mindset. She’s also eager to become a Master Restorative Health Practitioner, with plans to complete Mastering The Art & Science of Nutritional Blood Chemistry and The Art & Science of Clinical Mastery in the near future.
Are you interested *finally* having the tools you need to heal yourself and your clients? If so, be sure to apply for our Level 1 class – Mastering the Art & Science of Gastrointestinal Healing. With the right tools, you’ll have the confidence you need to get your clients life-changing results and build a thriving practice just like Ishbel has.
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FAQ
These frequently asked questions expand on the clinical and practice-building themes illustrated through Ishbel Cavaleri’s case and practitioner journey.
Who is the type of client represented in this case study?
This case reflects a practitioner-client with complex, chronic, multi-system symptoms. These include digestive issues, fatigue, hormonal disruption, and a history of repeated antibiotic use. It highlights a population often underserved by conventional, symptom-isolated approaches.
Why do practitioners pursue additional functional nutrition training after initial certification?
Practitioners seek advanced training to address gaps in clinical application and complex case resolution. In this case, foundational nutrition helped, but deeper tools were needed to identify root contributors. This often includes testing, sequencing protocols, and systems-based frameworks.
What role does functional testing play in complex cases?
Functional testing helps uncover underlying contributors that are not otherwise visible. In this case, testing allowed identification of factors that had been missed previously. It also provided clarity on what interventions to use and in what order.
Why is protocol sequencing important in functional nutrition?
Protocol sequencing ensures interventions are applied in the correct order for effectiveness. Without sequencing, practitioners may waste time or worsen symptoms. Structured frameworks help reduce trial-and-error and improve outcomes.
What are early signs of deeper dysfunction in this case?
Early signals included chronic sinus infections, repeated antibiotic use, and digestive issues. These preceded more complex symptoms like fatigue and amenorrhea. Recognizing these patterns earlier may allow for earlier intervention.
How can repeated antibiotic use impact long-term health?
Frequent antibiotic use can disrupt underlying systems and contribute to chronic symptoms. In this case, it preceded digestive dysfunction and broader health challenges. This pattern often signals the need for deeper investigation.
What is the connection between digestive health and overall symptoms?
Digestive dysfunction can contribute to fatigue, hormonal issues, and reduced quality of life. In this case, unresolved gut issues persisted even after initial improvements. Addressing gut health was a key turning point in recovery.
How can unresolved gut issues persist despite dietary changes?
Dietary changes alone may not address deeper underlying factors. This case shows improvement with nutrition, but not full resolution. Additional tools like testing and targeted protocols were required.
What is the relationship between PCOS and functional nutrition approaches?
Functional nutrition can support individuals with PCOS through targeted interventions. In this case, diet and practitioner support enabled pregnancy despite diagnosis. However, ongoing symptoms required deeper investigation and intervention.
Why might menstrual irregularities persist even after initial improvements?
Hormonal symptoms may persist if underlying contributors are not fully addressed. In this case, cycles remained inconsistent until further functional work was done. This highlights the need for comprehensive, systems-based care.
What role does education play in client outcomes?
Education empowers clients to sustain results beyond the practitioner relationship. In this case, teaching clients how to care for themselves improved outcomes and referrals. It also strengthens long-term adherence and confidence.
Why do some practitioners eliminate nutrition-only consults from their offerings?
Some practitioners find that nutrition alone is insufficient for complex cases. In this example, all programs include testing and structured protocols. This reflects a shift toward more comprehensive care models.
How does clinical confidence impact business growth?
Clinical confidence allows practitioners to deliver stronger results and refine offerings. In this case, improved skills led to relaunching and scaling a successful practice. Better outcomes also drive referrals and business expansion.
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Ishbel Cavaleri is a Restorative Health Practitioner, certified Pilates and Yoga Instructor, and the founder of Ishbel Well – a private practice dedicated to educating and empowering clients to feel their best through a holistic and bio-individual approach to healing that targets the gut, hormones, and the musculoskeletal body. You can find Ishbel on Instagram at @ishbelwell.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Margaret Floyd Barry, FNTP MRHP is owner and Executive Director of the Institute of Restorative Health. She’s a functional nutritionist, author, speaker, educator, and real food advocate. Through years of experience working with the most complex client cases, including reversing her own autoimmune condition, Margaret uses a powerful system for restoring health by addressing the root cause of illness.
Today, Margaret teaches fellow practitioners the same proven system she uses to get her clients life-changing results through the Institute of Restorative Health – a two-year comprehensive functional nutrition certification program for qualified health professionals. Margaret also runs Restorative Corporate Wellness, a team of Restorative Health Practitioners facilitating health transformations with corporate clients. She is the author of Eat Naked and its follow-up cookbook The Naked Foods Cookbook. She’s also the host of the Clinician’s Corner podcast, where she interviews some of the world’s top experts in the fields of functional health and nutrition.
