Journey to Wellness with Carey Shannon
“I am wholeheartedly grateful for this program. I have experienced bloating and discomfort for well over a decade and have finally found relief! It has been awesome to learn what my body needs and that it isn’t too late to fix it! My energy levels have definitely improved, and I am down 8 pounds after completing the 28-day program. Carey is an amazing and inspiring coach! I will follow her anywhere!” Amy G. from El Dorado Hills, CA
“Carey Shannon is the real deal. I must admit that I didn’t know what functional medicine was before I met her but then I learned it was exactly what I had been searching for. Not only is she incredibly kind in creating a safe space, she really knows a great deal that ultimately helped me turn around the insomnia issues I had for so many years! Who knew that fixing that would lead to more energy, focus, and better relationships! I highly recommend her!” Heather O. Myrlte Beach, SC
“Timing is everything! I have been suffering from un-diagnosed Hashimoto’s for decades. I was finally tested for and diagnosed with Hashimoto’s a year ago. I decided I needed to change my diet, but didn’t know where to start. A week later I saw Carey’s post on Facebook that she had published her book. I reached out to Carey that I was interested in starting her program. Within a week I had read her book and we had a meeting to talk about where to start. I followed her 28 day meal plan. Within 10 days I couldn’t believe the change. I would never have thought the pain and swelling I had was due to gluten and preservatives. Carey and I talked 2 other times during the next 3 weeks. I could not have done this without her knowledge and positive words. My health and life have truly been changed for the better. I am so glad that I saw Carey’s Facebook post and reached out to her for help and guidance. ” Tara from Reno, Nevada
I started my journey with Carolina sunshine wellness with Carey on January 1, 2025. In the past year, I was diagnosed with an unspecified autoimmune disease, which totally caught me off guard. All these years I thought I was living a super healthy lifestyle. I was following the Mediterranean diet and exercised at least five days a week. I am a curious individual and want to do more for myself than follow the medical algorithm of disease treatment. I wanted to know what I can do to better my situation. Carey‘s program intrigued me. The road to inflammation was quite the adventure. Carey is personally with you every step of the way, guiding you with meal plans, shopping list, and recipes. Her program ensures you commit time to yourself with many options of ideas that will help you obtain your goal. Reset, recharge, reimagined has opened my eyes to processed foods in the connection to inflammation. I had a doctors appointment 10 weeks later for follow up on bloodwork. My doctor said to me, “ your blood work is normal. What did you do?” I followed Carolina sunshine wellness program! Big shout out to thank Carey for sharing her passion of caring for others. You are very much appreciated. I am grateful and blessed to have you in my life.
Betty C. -Myrtle Beach, SC
Journey to Wellness Through Body, Mind and Spirit, Focusing on Anti-Inflammatory Eating, Natural Physical Activity, and Cultivating a Joyful and Healthy Spirit
Carey Shannon
Your path to functional health and joyful living starts here — explore our curated products and programs that empower lasting change and whole-person wellness! Let’s walk this journey together!
Meet Carey Shannon, DHM, DFM, PhD
Functional Wellness and Joyful Living Educator | Board Certified Functional Practitioner | Coach | Speaker | Author
You know something feels off. You just do not know where to begin.
Maybe you are experiencing fatigue, recurring pain or discomfort, restless sleep, digestive concerns, energy crashes, weight changes, or simply not feeling like yourself.
I am Carey Shannon, founder of Carolina Sunshine Wellness. I combine functional wellness education with compassionate coaching to help you explore potential contributors to how you are feeling and better understand the connections between nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, mindset, relationships, and environmental influences.
When deeper insight may be helpful, I offer selected functional wellness assessments through Rooted Health Labs. The information gathered, along with your concerns, lifestyle, and wellness goals, helps guide the creation of a personalized Rooted Wellness Blueprint with practical areas of focus and supportive next steps.
When appropriate, I also provide education about professional-grade supplement options available through my Fullscript dispensary, where my clients receive a discount. These options are intended to support your wellness goals and do not replace medical care or prescribed medications.
I bring more than 30 years of experience spanning education, allied health, and whole-person wellness. I hold a Doctorate in Functional and Holistic Medicine and am a Board Certified Functional Practitioner and Registered Medical Assistant. I also hold a bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree in education, a Career Technical Education credential in Health and Medical Technologies, and a Certificate in Health and Wellness.
My goal is to turn complex wellness information into clear, practical guidance that helps you move forward with greater clarity, confidence, energy, and joy.
I do not assume. I investigate, educate, and help you create a personalized path forward.
Small shifts. Big impact.
Please note: I am a Board certified Functional Practitioner and hold a Doctorate in Holistic and Functional Medicine. However, I am not a medical doctor. I do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe. My services focus on prevention and education. They are designed to investigate functional imbalances, identify potential root contributors, support informed lifestyle choices, and complement the care of a licensed healthcare provider.
The WHY Behind My Journey
How My Autoimmune Diagnosis Inspired a Rooted, Whole-Person Funtional Approach to Wellness
Years ago, I accepted a new full-time position teaching first grade in my community. It was an especially demanding year, and I had no idea at the time how deeply the prolonged stress was affecting my body.
I made it through the school year, but shortly after summer arrived, I became ill. I began experiencing extreme fatigue, joint pain, a swollen hip, and rashes on my face and breast. The doctor visits began, but answers were difficult to find. At one point, there was even concern that I might have inflammatory breast cancer. After multiple appointments, different treatments, and an extended course of high-dose steroids, I was ultimately diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder.
But my search did not end with a diagnosis.
That experience became a turning point. I wanted to understand what had contributed to the changes in my health and what I could do to feel like myself again. I began researching the powerful connections between nutrition, movement, faith, meditation, sleep, stress, and overall well-being.
As I began changing my daily habits, I noticed meaningful changes in how I felt. The more consistently I supported the foundations of my health, the more energy, strength, and hope I began to reclaim. Functional wellness principles and lifestyle changes truly gave me my life back.
Over the years, I continued learning, experimenting, and building healthier habits. Then, several years later, I became less intentional about my nutrition, stress, sleep, and daily routines. Gradually, many of the symptoms I had experienced before began to return. Once again, I found myself searching for answers.
That was when I fully understood that this could not be a temporary plan. It needed to become a sustainable way of life for me and my family.
I was all in.
It was time to clean out the pantry, create a plan, choose more supportive foods, prepare ahead, and begin our family’s journey toward lasting wellness.
As I continued to learn, I began sharing practical strategies with friends and family. I saw how powerful education, encouragement, and small, consistent changes could be. Those experiences inspired me to create Carolina Sunshine Wellness.
Today, I use my education, professional experience, and personal journey to help others better understand their bodies, explore potential contributors to how they are feeling, and create a personalized path forward.
I know what it feels like to search for answers. I also know the hope that comes when you finally feel empowered to take an active role in your own well-being.
If something in my story feels familiar, you do not have to navigate your journey alone. I would be honored to help you discover your next step.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
3 John 1:2 NIV
With you all the way,
Carey Shannon
Check Out Carey’s Top 5 Picks from her Functional Favorites List:
- Small Shifts I Love & Use:
| Baja Gold Signature Mineral Sea Salt | Hu Dark Chocolate Baking Chips, Organic 65% Cacao | Dandelion Tea |
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| Shakti Mat | Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (Nesting) | Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender |
Affiliate Disclosure + My Promise to You 💛
Some of the links in this guide are Amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through them—at no additional cost to you.
I’m part of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which simply allows me to share products I personally use, love, or recommend as part of a functional, root-cause approach to wellness.
Every item included here has been thoughtfully selected to support simple, sustainable shifts—things that can help you feel more nourished, supported, and aligned in your everyday life.That said, you are always encouraged to purchase from any source you prefer.
These links are simply here for convenience and to make it easy to find the exact products I’m referencing. Thank you for being here and for supporting my work in such a meaningful way.
Wellness Programs
Evidence-Informed, Lifestyle-Centered Programs for Whole-Body Healing
Our Wellness Programs combine the principles of functional medicine with practical, day-to-day guidance to help you uncover the “why” behind your symptoms and support healing at the root. Through personalized strategies focused on anti-inflammatory nutrition, digestion, energy, stress, movement, mindset, and even the environment you live in, we help you create the conditions your body needs to restore balance and vitality.
Carey Shannon, educator and functional wellness practitioner, integrates evidence-informed functional medicine perspectives to address the connections between nutrition, gut health, inflammation, autoimmune concerns, sleep, stress, emotional well-being, and daily habits. Each program provides supportive and educational care designed to empower you, helping you build sustainable lifestyle changes that complement—never replace—your medical provider’s recommendations.
Whether you’re beginning your wellness journey, navigating inflammation or autoimmune issues, supporting your family’s health, or seeking clarity and accountability, our programs offer compassionate guidance, practical tools, and a whole-person approach to healing through body, mind, spirit, and home.
Home to Heal
Because Root-Cause Wellness Begins at Home
Home to Heal™ is a personalized functional home evaluation designed to help you understand how your pantry, products, and environment may be influencing your energy, inflammation, hormones, digestion, and overall well-being. Your home should support healing—not contribute to hidden stressors or triggers.
Through a guided, step-by-step evaluation, we’ll clear the clutter, simplify your choices, and create a clean, nourishing environment that aligns with your wellness goals. Together, we transform your space into a true healing sanctuary—one that supports whole-body wellness through body, mind, spirit, and home.
Perfect for individuals or families seeking to reduce inflammation, support autoimmune healing, balance hormones, or live more intentionally with clean-living, faith-centered wellness principles.
The Healthy Family Initiative: Empowering Healthy, Resilient, and Connected Families
The Healthy Family Initiative is a family, school, and community wellness initiative supported by the growing impact of the Raising Well nonprofit. Together, we work to expand access to wellness education, social-emotional learning, family support, and educator wellness opportunities that help children, families, schools, and communities thrive.
Rooted in our mission to empower children, families, educators, school leaders, and communities to cultivate lifelong emotional resilience, healthy habits, and meaningful connections, our programs provide practical, sustainable tools that support the whole child, whole family, and whole community.
“Wellness is the complete integration of body, mind, and spirit-the realization that everything we do, think, feel, and believe has an effect on our state of well being.”
— Greg Anderson
