We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bonni Wildesen Hise a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Bonni, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

There was a defining moment. And while I’d been deep in the world of health and healing for years, the biggest shift happened not in a classroom or on a stage—but in my bathroom. Mine.

Let me back up.

I started training clients back in 2003, and pretty quickly I realized something: the women coming to me weren’t just trying to “tone up” or lose a few pounds. They were exhausted, inflamed, puffy, stuck, and frustrated that their doctors weren’t offering real solutions. What I now know is that they were knee-deep in gut dysfunction—many of them on the verge of autoimmune illness (or already there without a formal diagnosis). So I did what I do best: I dug in. I researched with them, side by side, and together we started cracking the code on what their bodies were actually asking for.

That was the start of my obsession with gut health and root-cause healing.

But it wasn’t until years later—when I turned 40, and my own body betrayed me—that things really snapped into focus. I was working as a trainer, leading a walking/running group, eating well, living clean—and still, I gained over 30 pounds in a single month. No stress, no big life event. Just… 40. And a body that had had enough.

That moment on the bathroom floor? That was the catalyst. I’d helped so many women through gut chaos and mystery symptoms—now it was my turn. And healing myself required going even deeper into the world of functional health, hormones, inflammation, food intolerances, and mindset work.

Fast-forward to now? I still help clients navigate the same storms—but I don’t have to start from scratch anymore. I’ve walked the walk. I often already have the answer—or I ask the one question that unlocks it for them. I’m not just trained in health—I lived the turning point that changed everything.

Lesson learned? You can’t heal what you’re pretending doesn’t stink. And sometimes, your body is just waiting for you to finally listen.

Bonni, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, I’m Bonni, founder and Chief Wellness Officer of WildFREE Health—and I’m basically your brutally honest, research-obsessed, heart-led health detective wrapped in sass and science.

I started my career in the fitness world back in 2003 as a personal trainer, thinking I was just going to help people move more and feel better in their bodies. But what actually happened? Client after client came to me with “mystery symptoms” no one could explain. Chronic fatigue. Bloating. Anxiety. Random weight gain. Weird skin stuff. Hormone chaos. And most of them were told it was “just stress” or “getting older.” and even “you just need to lose weight.” None of it was helpful!

So I rolled up my sleeves and started researching. I became obsessed with what was happening inside the gut—and how the gut was connected to everything. I quickly became the unofficial health detective for my clients—finding patterns, making connections, and helping them feel better in ways their doctors couldn’t.

And then? My own body hit the brakes. I turned 40, gained over 30 pounds in a single month (while leading a running group and eating clean), and knew something deeper was going on. That moment was the true turning point—not just in my health, but in my career.

It led me straight into the world of herbal medicine and natural healing. I discovered the incredible power of herbs, spices, and teas to support the body—not in a woo-woo way, but in a real, grounded, science-meets-nature kind of way. That discovery became the catalyst for earning my B.Sc. in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and it gave me the tools to blend what I knew from experience with evidence-based practice.

Now, I get to help people—especially women over 35—figure out what the heck their bodies are really trying to say. I work with clients dealing with gut issues, autoimmune struggles, stubborn weight, and mystery symptoms no one else has been able to figure out. We do this through holistic nutrition, root-cause healing, herbal medicine, mindset work, and functional tools that actually work in real life. No BS. No fads. Just a whole lot of “Let’s get you feeling like you again.”

I’ve also got an incredible team of colleagues who help make the magic happen—from client support to community care. And because we love bringing healthy living into everyday life, I co-host a cooking show where we whip up feel-good, gut-friendly recipes with a side of sarcasm and joy. (Because healing doesn’t have to be boring—or bland.)

What sets me apart? I blend nerd-level science with soul. I meet people where they are and walk beside them—no shame, no fluff. Just deep listening, bold strategy, and honest-to-goodness healing. My clients don’t just learn about their bodies—they reclaim them. And usually feel better within days (not weeks).

What I’m most proud of? The thousands of “I finally feel like myself again” texts. The women who go from food fear to food freedom. The moms who get their energy back. The folks who stop living in survival mode and start thriving. That’s the win.

If you’re tired of trying to “push through” what your body’s been screaming about—welcome to the pitstop, where we stop the guessing games, dig deep, and get you back to feeling wildly, freely you.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Beyond training and credentials, it’s all about empathy, intuition, and a calm, grounded energy that helps clients feel safe—even when they’re talking about the stuff no one else wants to talk about.

In my world, we don’t shy away from the personal, embarrassing, or extremely private. I work with people on everything from poop patterns to hormone chaos to what’s going on in their marriage that’s affecting their gut. These are deeply private, vulnerable conversations. What my clients need—and expect—is someone who shows up with empathy, realness, and zero judgment.

One of my clients, Jessa, once told me I knew more about her bathroom habits than her husband. She came to me absolutely terrified she’d embarrass her kids or family—she had gas that could clear a room, lived in constant fear of not making it to the bathroom, and dealt with debilitating cramps she tried to hide. She’d already tried everything on her own, but nothing worked.

Within one week of working together, she went from ashamed and anxious to proudly texting me pictures of her poop—and I was just as excited about them as she was. Because truthfully? Your poop can tell you a lot when you know what to look for. Combine that with the right questions, the right support, and a plan that actually works with your body, and it becomes one of the most powerful tools we have for healing.

That’s what sets this work apart. I don’t pull punches, and I don’t give advice just because there’s a price tag on it. I genuinely want people to feel better—physically, mentally, emotionally. I bring deep empathy and straight-up truth, because healing isn’t just about knowledge—it’s about creating a space where people can finally exhale, drop the shame, and start feeling safe in their own bodies again.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Kerri and I have a bit of a “meant-to-be” story! We were both recruited separately for an alternative healthcare community that was all about connecting practitioners with people who needed real solutions. Each month, we’d host these health fairs, sharing knowledge and creating a space for people to reach out. At first, our meeting was just a typical “Hey, nice to meet you” in a group setting. But then we started collaborating on webinars and sessions, and something clicked. We had this coffee chat where we just knew we were supposed to meet. It was like meeting your next best friend. From there, everything just grew.

By last summer, we were doing workshops together, and people kept telling us we needed a cooking show. So, Health Hacks and Wine Racks was born! It’s been a blast.

When Kerri launched her 90-day program as a beta, I joined as a participant. It was incredible. Our collaboration filled gaps for each other—she’s the brutally honest, upfront and real type, just like me. That synergy has shaped our free community, monthly membership, and our 90-day program.

So, what we’re doing in 2025? It’s beyond what either of us imagined. We’re both moms of boys, with different ages, but we just get each other. The best thing that happened to me, hands down, was meeting Kerri through Alternative Healthcare Solutions. It’s been the foundation for everything we’re building now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wildfreehealth.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/wildfreehealth
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonni.wild.heal.your.ish
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bwildesen/
• Youtube: https://Youtube.com/@WineandDineDivas
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3RLE3eowINJiekolIboHHZ?si=sGNQk-U2Tf2c4wIBmsrYIg