Today we’d like to introduce you to Patti Beggs.
Patti, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey into the wellness industry began in Atlanta. I was a Flight Attendant for Delta Airlines for 22 years. In 1988 while on a layover in England, I had a developed a very bad cold. I visited a drug store in search of something to make me feel better. I found many natural choices and was drawn to the pure essential oils. Purchasing eucalyptus oil was the beginning of my journey into a new career path focusing on natural and holistic health.
I continued educating myself and opening myself to alternative therapies. I visited a destination spa and had my first therapeutic massage. In 1989 I co-founded Natural Body Spa & Shop, and we opened our first location in Morningside. Our concept for Natural Body was to create a wellness spa and shop where people could experience massage, facials, and other body therapies that also offered an array of products so that people could take the spa experience home with them. Natural Body is now is a successful franchise operation.
In 1996, Natural Body was chosen by the Atlanta Olympic Committee to create a spa in the village for the olympic athletes. This would be the first of its kind as this had never been done. My job was to create it and run it. In the four weeks, we operated the spa we were booked solidly everyday. It was a success and an amazing experience. Natural Body had become a growing business, and my day-to-day activities had become focused on supporting the franchisees. I felt the need to move on and go back to my first love, being a therapist and wellness educator. So, after ten years I sold out to my original business partner and I moved to Wilmington North Carolina to open a small Natural Body wellness spa and shop. Within three years I had a group of physicians approached me to purchase the business. I sold it to that group and moved to Brevard in western NC. In Brevard, I opened another day spa and wellness shop called Elements Spa.
I loved living in the mountains and being a spa therapist, working closely with my customers in helping them with holistic skin and body care. Many of my customers, like myself, were aging and wanted an alternative to invasive medical choices for anti-aging. So I chose ‘pro-aging’ naturally and developed the ‘1 Minute FaceLift’ skin formula and ritual. I formulated a natural skin organic rejuvenation face oil and combined it with the benefits of facial gua-sha massage. I was excited to launch my 1 Minute FaceLift; however, my life changed drastically when I was diagnosed with Lyme disease.
My health began to deteriorate. Sleep was becoming difficult and I was developing cognitive problems, experiencing more fatigue and body aches. I pushed myself and continued to work as much as I could, thinking that if I continued to support my immune system while leading a healthy lifestyle, these issues would resolve, and I would be able to get back to work full time. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I thought if I just kept going, I would be fine. It was really hard to finally admit that I was not getting better, I was pushing myself too hard, and what I thought I was doing to support myself was actually working against me. My body seemed to be screaming at me. I was now completely deaf in my left ear with constant ringing, chronically fatigued, and found it more difficult than ever to concentrate on anything. Vertigo had become a looming inevitability in my life, frequent and unpredictable. As time continued to pass my illness progressed and was affecting nearly every part of my body. Cardiac issues, difficulty breathing, digestive distress, as well as other neurological problems.
By May of 2016, I felt defeated by this disease. I decided to go back to my primary care doctor for more testing. During a physical, she knew I had always had a heart murmur, but this time she said, “Your heart sounds very different, I think I need to refer you to a cardiologist.”
This was a pivotal moment in my life. The time I spent on things I enjoyed and the time I spent on ignoring my health challenges did a 180. My cardiologist diagnosed me with bicuspid aortic valve disease. This is a congenital birth defect; however, Lyme disease played a role in the advancement of the calcification in my aortic valve. An opening that should have been the size of a nickel was the size of a cocktail straw. My Doctor could not believe I was functioning at all and said that without aortic valve replacement, I had perhaps 3–6 months to live, depending on my activity. I had open-heart surgery within three weeks of diagnosis. During that hospital stay, it became apparent that my heart could no longer pace on its own and a second surgery for a pacemaker implant was performed.
The next six months was an interesting balancing act of getting well again. I had several post-surgical complications. The protocol blood pressure medications prescribed after aortic valve replacement almost killed me. I went by ambulance to the ER when my blood pressure dropped to 57/35. I developed pleurisy, pericarditis, and frozen shoulder. After being told how wonderful I was going to feel after the valve replacement, I was, to say the least, a little disheartened. Healing was challenging. During my healing process, I was still suffering from digestive dysfunction and was diagnosed with gallbladder disease. Oh, happy day, another surgery to remove my gallbladder.
In four years, I had four surgeries, and four Emergency Room visits. I know stress is a primary immune disrupter and it drives many people’s illnesses. During most of my long downward spiral with Lyme disease, I was also coping with family illnesses and deaths. Within two years, my younger brother, my mother, and my father died. My sister suffered a stroke.
Our journey’s through this lifetime takes many twists and turns, and mine was now challenging me in so many ways. I had to dig deep to walk through the pain and suffering, but I was very lucky to be in an industry that enlightened me to many mind-body-spirit practices that enriched my life and helped me get through my healing crises.
I still have some symptoms remaining, but now it’s all about rebuilding my immune system and keeping my mind-body-spirit strong. You don’t get better right away, it can take years, but the important thing for me was finding acceptance with where I was, while not giving up hope that I would get better. I am so grateful for my family, my work and my friends. My health is better, and I am working again. My focus and excitement is again on promoting the 1 Minute FaceLift to those seeking healthier, less costly & less risky alternatives to combatting the aging process we will all experience.
There is a Japanese concept I learned about called ‘Ikigai’ that embodies happiness in living. It is, essentially, the reason that you get up in the morning. Your ‘Ikigai’ does not have to be some grand ambition or highly noble life’s purpose – it can be something simple and humble, like tending your garden or walking your dog. I am grateful because I had many people, my dogs and my work that gave me purpose and helped me every day to put one foot in front of the other until I could feel the sunshine on my face again. And it feels divine!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My life has had its ups and downs, but it is what you choose to do with it that matters. Some of my best lessons have been the hardest. My health challenges were my hardest but humbled and taught me so much. I am grateful for life.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with 1 Minute FaceLift – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My two businesses are 1 Minute FaceLift and Elements Spa. I am known for my holistic and natural approach to health and wellbeing. I am a massage and skin care therapist, wellness coach and I make my Organic 1 Minute FaceLift Rejuvenation Face Oil in small batches to ensure the freshness and quality. I am very proud of my 1 Minute FaceLift because it truly is an organic facelift. It not only decreases lines and improves texture of the skin but it also softens scars. What sets me apart…I walk my talk!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I plan to continue to educate on wellness with a focus on Lyme Disease and Anti-aging – Start a ‘1 Minute Wellness Tips’ blog and promote alternative choices for health and wellbeing.
Pricing:
- 1 Minute FaceLift Kit (includes 1 oz. Organic Rejuvenation Face Oil, and Jade massage tool. $55.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1 Minute FaceLift & Elements Spa
29 W. French Broad St. Ste. 104
Brevard, NC 28712 - Website: 1minutefacelift.com
- Phone: 828 884-2701
- Email: info@1minutefacelift.com
- Facebook: 1minutefacelift
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
