CANDICE WITEK IS A WELLNESS EXPERT, CORPORATE WELLNESS ARCHITECT, HOLISTIC NUTRITIONIST, PLANT focused CHEf AND CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH BASED IN MANHATTAN BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

FLOURISH WITH CANDICE GREW OUT OF CANDICE’S PASSION TO FIRST HEAL HERSELF THEN HELP OTHERS LIVE HAPPIER HEALTHIER LIVES. 

“It all started a couple weeks after my birthday in September of 2012. I recently moved to sunny Southern California with my husband, Brandon, my 5 year old daughter, 3 year old daughter and 6 month old son. As you can imagine life was extremely busy and full of excitement, or should I say chaos!

We just got settled into our new house, were working on getting the girls acclimated to a new school and getting my interior design business rolling again and life back to normal. I always nursed my babies as long as I could, and this time was no different, except Gabriel kept acting very strange when I nursed him on my right breast. Eventually he would not nurse on that side and kicked and bite and screamed at me when I tried to feed him. It took 2 weeks of this before I realized he was trying to tell me something. I immediately called the doctor. I thought I had a breast infection. After seeing my Ob/Gyn, she suggested I see a specialist and referred me to the Pink Lotus Breast Center in Beverly Hills. I went the following week for an ultrasound and biopsy. The doctor said the lumps were likely related to breast feeding and they would call me in a week. The next day I received a call from Dr. Kristi Funk, the director of the center. She explained I had some abnormal cells and I needed to return for a bigger biopsy.

On September 24, 2012 at 3pm, I sat waiting in an examination room with my husband when Dr. Funk entered the room. Her demeanor was serious, she had a serious look of concern. She cut straight to the chase and told me I had Breast Cancer!

I screamed and cried and asked if I was going to die! All I saw were my babies faces in my head and I could not bear to think they would have to go on living without me. It was the worst thing I could have ever imagined. Then I got mad! I was only 33 years old, I thought I was healthy. I exercised and didn’t overindulge in bad behaviors. How could this be?

On my way home before I could look my children in the eye, I stopped at the beach for a chance at some peace. I walked down to the water, sat there on the sand and thought and thought and prayed and prayed. It was then I realized that we have choices in life. We can choose to be grateful and live life in happiness, or not, and lose all the precious gifts we have been given. I decided then and there that I was going to research and educate myself in every possible way to help myself heal, Physically, Mentally, and Emotionally! I was in charge, and I promised I would make the changes necessary to Flourish and Survive! The rest was up to God but I wasn’t ready to die.” -Candice Witek

Through her education in the science of nutrition and overall wellness Candice connects with clients and corporations to facilitate authentic change. When Candice a mother of 3 small children was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at age 33, her world was crashing down around her. Feeling out of control and desperately wanting to regain her health and wellness she dove head first into the science of Human Nutrition and psychology of the mind + body connection and discovered 5 FUNdamentals of a Flourishing life.  Directed through a practical and ever optimistic approach, Candice helps clients improve their health, achieve their goals and develop sustainable habits to live a healthy and balanced life.  

Candice is extremely passionate about the benefits of human nutrition. Driven by the desire to help her clients, and her own personal health journey, she studies the latest research, evaluates competing theories and personally tests them out. She has a extensive library and is constantly reading the latest theories and ideas. Most importantly, she uses that knowledge to make recommendations for her corporate clients to create cultures of genuine caring for employees well-being through individualized corporate action plans and personalized private coaching. 

Candice adores cooking, in fact its her favorite medium of art. She grew up in the busy kitchens of her grandmother and parents, She believes in the power of real food, real ingredients and most importantly happiness. With her large family and friends, her kitchen is constantly messy and busy!  Candice loves creating tasty, clean, nutrient-dense recipes and dishes. She loves teaching others how to have success in the kitchen. Her recipes are kid-tested and approved and will get the whole family eating healthier.

Before starting her Health & Wellness business, she worked in finance & advertising for Fortune 500 companies like Goldman Sachs, Barclays Global Investors , J. Walter Thompson and eventually moved  into interior architecture working with many high profile and celebrity clients. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and completed her international health coach certification through Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  She rounded out her education with a number of other Certifications such as Plant Based Professional Chef through Roubxe Culinary School, Food, Mood and Pscyhlogy through UCLA and Mediation teacher training. Candice is a contributor for numerous health, wellness and lifestyle publications such as ABC News LA wellness expert contributer, Lionsgate entertainment wellness coach, St. John’s Hospital, USC Norris Cancer Hospital among others. To learn more about where Candice has been seen (CLICK HERE)

 Fast forward almost 6 years, Candice is flourishing in body, mind and spirit. 

In May of 2015 I unfortunately experienced a recurrence of my cancer, while that was at first a devastating revelation it also further advanced my determination to survive and flourish. I dove head first into more self reflection and what I found out was I now needed to conquer my mind. Stress, fear, anxiety, loss and sadness needed to be coped with and strategies needed to be found. I went through the necessary treatments both of western and eastern medicines and I rebuilt myself again. I currently enjoying sharing my path to mental awareness and coping strategies for all of life's challenging times. 

Its been 3 years and I'm feeling better than ever. Not only am I cancer free, but I am FLOURISHING! My new head of hair is beautiful, and my skin hasn’t looked this good since I was 20.  After all those years, struggling to lose weight, I am now 35 pounds lighter. Am I starving? NO! Do I deprive myself of anything I really want? NO!  Guess what else is healthy my mindset, my stress levels and my love of life! What I realized is pretty simple. A positive attitude is essential for the ultimate function of your body as a whole.

Seriously.  Cancer made me HAPPY! So please, join me on this journey for your employees.  My goal is to spread the knowledge I've learned as a woman, mother, daughter, certified health & wellness coach and motivational speaker.  Lets do it together!  Lets reclaim healthier and happier lives.

Are you ready for your Company to FLOURISH?