I am asked all the time what I did to solve my health problems. And this is a big question because I am still working daily on staying healthy. While I have fixed my digestive issues, decreased my anxiety, and wake up rested the journey is not over. Being a well woman is about making sustainable changes that you can do daily.
But my journey started in 2013. I found out I had a mass on my thyroid. I saw an endocrinologist or hormone doctor and she said the biopsy was inconclusive. In other words, no one could be sure I did not have cancer.
I had to have it removed because I have 4 kids and I am not a gambler by nature. It wasn’t thankfully. But after that surgery, I suffered from fatigue, constipation, difficulty sleeping, and just felt awful. I was drinking
I was put on medication to help my thyroid but nothing worked well. I saw every doctor I knew but nothing worked. I was exhausted, anxious, and had terrible bloating. So I decided to figure out myself. I searched through lots of scientific literature, listened to functional medicine experts, and applied what I knew as a doctor to find a solution. I learned that health is comprised of three pillars: nutrition, lifestyle, and mindset.
Nutrition is the first step to healing. The gut is a powerful organ. It can transform what we eat into the valuable nutrients we need to fuel our body. To feed our soul essentially. But it also can make us feel bad if it does not absorb properly the foods we eat. There are several reasons for this to occur, but the underlying mechanism is the same. It is the damage to the gut that causes it to become permeable or leaky to the bad things that are harming it. The damage occurs because the gut is exposed to several antigens such as environmental toxins or foods that disrupt the microbiome of the gut and this reaction causes the lining to be disrupted. Each person’s gut is composed of a unique combination of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, and more. About 10 percent of our gut’s microbiome is our own unique blueprint. People who have chronic diseases must make small steps to find out what changes will improve the function of their gut. See my post on gut heath.
Check out this great article on gut heath and ways to change it, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325293.
Lifestyle changes are the next step in healing. What do I mean by lifestyle changes. These are eliminating toxins from your environment, developing a movement routine, and stopping bad habits. Many women with autoimmune disorders are sensitive to phalates/sulfates, etc found in different products. I am not able to use products that contain gluten and have to watch the soaps, shampoos, even make-up I use to make sure it will not cause me any side effects. This took me a while to realize the stuff I put on my body is just as important as the stuff I put in my body.
I say movement routine because I do not like the word exercise. Exercise always implies that it is work. A movement routine could be walking, yoga, stretching, running, or anything that gets your body moving for 30 minutes a day.
I say movement routine because I do not like the word exercise. Exercise always implies that it is work. A movement routine could be walking, yoga, stretching, running, or anything that gets your body moving for 30 minutes a day.
Mindset is the last step to optimizing your health. Practicing mindfulness will help you feel calm but will also help your diet. Did you know stress can cause weight gain? It drives what we eat and also can promote a fat creating state. Eating comfort foods high in sugar and fat leads to a dopamine release which is our feel good hormone. The problem is that it makes us eat more and more and we get less and less reward from it. So we need to focus on reducing stress. There are several ways to reduce stress:
Find calming activities such as meditation, yoga or a gratitude journal (see my post)
Organize your schedule for the week
Prioritize your tasks
Delegate tasks
5 years later, I have addressed these three steps: my diet, added supplements, and changed my mindset and now I feel like myself. I am continuing to learn how to optimize my health.
I created this company to help other women who are struggling to regain control of their health. My mission is to support women, and educate and empower women to navigate their health journey. To connect women in a community to help teach each other. Whether you are a stay at home mom, entrepreneur, professional, or just plain curious about how to optimize your health then there is something here for you.
