I’ve always valued health, but I wasn’t healthy until I hit my 40s!

I know most people wouldn’t be able to recognize that from the outside looking in, but as a child, I was rather lethargic and got sick often. My mom often joked about how lazy I was, saying I didn’t even play with my toys as a baby.

Once I hit puberty, I had the most horrendous painful periods. Sadly, my mom never had cramps, so she wasn’t equipped to help alleviate my pain. All I wanted to do was lay in bed and sleep. Being awake was too painful.

By the time I was in my 20s, I was tired of being tired, so I asked my doctor about it. He brushed it off, saying “You’re a busy single mom, of course, you’re tired! You’ll be fine.” He was the professional, and I took his word for it. At that point, I was raising two little girls, in school full time, and had a job. I was EXHAUSTED!!!

I must also add I’ve been a card-carrying member of the “night owl”, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead club” for as long as I can remember ? Sleep was something I did when I had to or to escape pain.

As time went on, my health continued to decline. I started getting strange rashes on my hands. My face would itch and burn. My eyes would swell shut. I couldn’t lose the baby weight anymore. My periods got even worse. I felt like I was bleeding to death each time. I would eat something as simple and “healthy” as an apple or a salad, and I would wind up looking nine months pregnant.

It was a very frustrating period, and I started experimenting. I did the Atkins diet, and all kinds of workouts. I went Paleo, Vegan, and I ditched dairy and gluten. I felt amazing for a brief period when I went vegan, but that was short-lived. I eventually felt even more drained. I started looking for answers, attending all kinds of health summits, and even asking other women around me. I eventually decided I had hypothyroidism. I went to my doctor and got tested. I wish I knew what my numbers were back then, but again, I was told I was fine. I definitely didn’t feel fine. At this point, I had run out of ideas.

I’d been given a bunch of useless diagnoses like eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, and angioedema to describe what was happening to my skin, but none of those led to solutions. They also didn’t address how I felt.

I eventually had a friend suggest I look into endometriosis and get an ablation. That was useful but probably unnecessary in retrospect. At this point, I ran out of ideas and gave up. I was still exhausted, became absent-minded, and forgetful, and started slipping into a very scary and foreign suicidal depressed state. I had random suicidal urges. I would just start crying randomly for no reason. I stayed in bed for days drifting in and out of consciousness, unable to function.

Finally, one day, my husband dragged me off to a random doctor in our small town. I must have looked terrible, and I didn’t have any hope left for solutions. Everyone looked concerned as I dragged myself into the doctor’s office. That the nurse even asked if I was ok before she began to check me in. My response, of course, was no, no I’m not ok. I wanted to scream it with so much anguish from all the years of failed doctor visits. This, however, would be the turning point.

Dr. Susan Taylor saved my life! She was an oncologist who tested everything she could think of, and it turned out that I was severely iron deficient. She said that if I were pregnant, she would have me hospitalized and placed on an iron IV. Throughout the years, I had previously supplemented with iron off and on, especially while pregnant, because I was diagnosed as anemic with each pregnancy, but no one ever followed up on it after mentioning it initially. This makes me wonder if low iron levels can be a precursor to postpartum depression.

She immediately provided me with iron intravenously, and it was life-changing! Each week I would go to the hospital and get more iron. I felt amazing after each infusion. However, as the week went on, I would become depleted again. After a few weeks of this and catching up on things I hadn’t been able to do previously, I realized this was just a bandaid and I needed to do further research. There were obviously solutions out there, and it was up to me to find them.

I went back to watching summits and reading whatever I could find about health and wellness. Then, I got lucky enough to share my symptoms with Bridgit Danner during one of her online presentations. She told me to look into adrenal fatigue. This was a new term for me, and I went straight to Youtube, where I found Dr. James L. Wilson in a video titled “Do you have adrenal fatigue? Find out here.” In this video, he described a very detailed energy pattern that made it sound like he had been spying on me personally! I was dumbfounded and went down the rabbit hole into a world I didn’t even know existed previously.

During this time period, I learned that I had been under a constant low-grade level of stress my entire life. As a child abuse and domestic violence survivor, my set point on a daily basis was defense mode. If you had asked me if I felt stressed, I would have said no. I was fine since I was not dealing with those very stressful situations; I thought I was doing good. Life was great for the most part! However, I had never fully released those circumstances, and my nervous system was always on guard.

Are you holding your breath right now?

I held my breath all the time. I didn’t even realize it or know what deep breathing felt like. I was overworking my body in all aspects. Staying up late to complete things when I had the energy. Forcing myself to the gym 2x a day, trying to beat it into submission and make up for the lost time when I was too tired or sick to go. As I dove deep into functional medicine and learned more about how the body actually works, I decided I had to make a complete 360 to reverse all of the damage.

I kept digging and solved my skin problems by finding out what I was allergic to through testing and trial and error. I changed my daily routine entirely. I was also fortunate enough to have access to a functional medicine doctor through the referral of a friend. I was so happy to have a doctor who could finally test me and validate all of my concerns. If I wasn’t before, I was definitely hypothyroid when they tested me. He was ready to medicate me; however, I let him know I had been studying and informed him of my plan for reversal, which he agreed should work.

Within weeks, I felt better than I had at any point in my life! The weight started melting off, and I decided I had to learn more about health and find a way to share the information with more people. After looking at tons of options, I picked a school for certification as a health coach. For my 40th birthday, I celebrated by going to their live event and meeting some of my fellow health coaches. It was amazing to be there with so many others that had found healing through simple lifestyle changes. Later, I learned about SIBO and realized why I looked nine months pregnant when I ate certain things. I went deep into studying the gut, microbiome, and genetics.

Here we are, almost six years later, and I keep learning more and more. Recently, I looked back at the lowest point in my journey and remembered that as soon as I got the iron IVs, my depressive/suicidal symptoms vanished. They were gone, gone never to be heard from again. So much so that I had forgotten they ever existed. I wrote about this experience in Embracing Imperfections Vol 3, which quickly became an international bestseller and reminded me of my previous desire to help as many people as I could.

As the world mourned another celebrity suicide, I was reminded once again, and the conviction became so strong that I decided it was time to get back to work and share my story in hopes that it could save even one life. Over the last few days, and even as I was writing this, I came across even more information on depression and suicide being linked to things we don’t often talk about, like gluten causing inflammation in the brain or even untreated hypothyroidism. I feel so blessed to have found the people and resources that I did before it was too late. My experiences in life have culminated into a beautiful place that allows me to be a resource for many.

If you’re struggling with depression, chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalances, or any other health issues, know that you’re not alone. There are solutions out there, and it’s worth the effort to find what works for you. Start by listening to your body, and don’t be afraid to seek help from professionals who can support you on your journey.

Welcome to my world – a world where health is a journey, not a destination.

Related

Do You Remember Why You’re In This Room?February 23, 2018In "Symptoms"

Are You Ready to Say Goodbye to Gluten?January 24, 2019In "adrenal fatigue"

What Does It Mean To Be Gluten Free?June 4, 2019In "Special Diets/Restrictions"

These days, more and more food manufacturers are providing gluten-free alternatives to their products, from bagels up to pasta. However, the prevalence has led to a lot of misconceptions. The term “gluten-free” is widely linked with being healthy, but often in the sense of a dieting fad. Not everyone stops to think about what gluten-free really means and why individuals should or should not eat certain foods.

So, What Does it Really Mean to be Gluten Free?

Gluten pertains to the protein found in rye, wheat, and barley, and the cross between barley and wheat are known as triticale. There are individuals who truly need to follow a gluten-free diet for the sake of their health, such as those with celiac disease; for these people, gluten can result in damage to the lining of small intestines. But the vast majority of people have no problem digesting gluten.

Being gluten-free means eliminating gluten foods or products from your diet. Following any type of diet is challenging but adhering to a gluten-free diet is even more difficult. But with patience, time, and some creativity, you can find ways to effectively substitute gluten-free products and still enjoy the taste of your food. If you are following the advice of a doctor for any type of gluten-sensitive disorder, then you should also consult a nutritionist to help you plan your meals.

Many foods are naturally gluten-free, such as nuts, vegetables, fruits, fresh meats, and some dairy products. To be gluten-free means avoiding bread, desserts, pasta, cereal, beer, and many other foods on an extensive list.

Can Anyone Really Go Gluten-Free?  

There is really no serious danger in eliminating gluten. However, if you are eliminating a particular ingredient, take some precautions and be careful in replacing this ingredient. Experts recommend sticking to foods that are naturally gluten-free like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and dairy. However, double-check labels for sugar and sodium content.

Experts also recommend paying close attention to your fiber intake; a diet loaded with vegetables, fruits, quinoa, and many other non-gluten grains should do the trick. Individuals are also advised to take multivitamins to ensure that they are getting sufficient vitamin D.

Being Gluten-Free Is Not Just About Giving Up Pasta and Bread

Gluten shows up in unexpected places, like in foods containing soy sauce, which often contains hidden traces of wheat. Gluten is also found in potato chips, hot dogs, candy bars, lunch meats, prepared eggs, and salad dressings. Since the lists of ingredients do not usually include the term “gluten,” it can be tricky to spot unless the package specifically indicates that it is gluten-free.

You want to avoid things that say, “malt flavor” or “malt extract.” Experts have also found gluten in rye, barley, wheat, and brewer’s yeast. Even if these foods are labeled with “gluten-free,” they might contain gluten due to cross-contamination.

If you are considering removing gluten from your diet, it is best to speak with an expert, regardless of what your reasons are. Avoid self-diagnosis; it is always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before starting a gluten-free diet.  

If you’d like some tips and tricks to start your gluten-free journey please join our Gluten-free challenge!

Is the Gluten-Free Diet Just a Fad?

Gluten is an essential protein usually found in rye, barley, and wheat kernel that most of us consume every day. It comes in different forms and is often found in products such as wheat flour or other wheat-based products like malt vinegar, soy sauce, and a lot more.

Why Would You Avoid It?

There are many reasons why some people avoid gluten. For those with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the small intestine lining and can lead to severe malnutrition and digestive problems, consuming too much gluten can damage or irritate their bowels. People diagnosed with celiac disease must be very careful to limit or completely remove gluten from their diets.

Another group of people who need to avoid gluten or even wheat is those with wheat or gluten sensitivity. Symptoms of this type of condition include a consistently runny nose, sneezing, hives, diarrhea, abdominal bloating, headaches, and a lot more. If you’re already experiencing these types of symptoms, you should first consult your medical and health professionals rather than diagnose yourself.

There are long-standing beliefs that consuming gluten can also aggravate some existing autoimmune system diseases that you may already be experiencing. This includes multiple sclerosis, eczema, Crohn’s disease, and a lot more.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that consuming gluten is the root cause of the disease: rather, gluten exacerbates these existing conditions, contributing to flare-ups. There is also evidence that consuming gluten can add to overall body inflammation that leads to other side effects, such as joint pain (arthritis), depression, and fatigue.

Do You Need to Give Up Eating Cereal, Bread, and Pasta?

Definitely not! Fortunately, there is a wide range of products available these days that are good and delicious substitutes for gluten-based products. Although these products were once only found in specialty health food stores, most of these products have now gone mainstream and can be found in most grocery stores. Although these products may differ in texture, taste, and consistency, you will no doubt be able to find some that suit your taste buds and budget. I would suggest you still limit them in your diet due to the effects on insulin levels and production.

The Greatest Challenge

Eating out is very tricky because you generally don’t have any idea about the ingredients of your dish. But, it is easy—and becoming more common—to ask your server to find out if any barley, wheat, or rye has been used in your requested dish. Another challenge is learning more about food additives that contain gluten or wheat such as couscous, food starch, brewer’s yeast, and spelt bran.  

The good news is, many of today’s eating establishments and food stores provided excellent offerings and food labels in response to the growing number of people who have decided to go wheat-free or gluten-free for a happier, healthier lifestyle.

If you’re ready to click gluten to curb and move towards feeling better, thinking clearer, and looking fantastic join us in the free gluten-free challenge!