I’ve talked at length about gut healing and healing over the past few months. I figured it would be time to talk about my own healing story and how gut healing fit into the puzzle for me.
I have Multiple Sclerosis. I was diagnosed in 2009. My ten year “anniversary” will be coming up next summer, in August in fact. My how time flies. At first, I wasn’t aware of any type of healing. I thought I was going to be stuck on medication and at the mercy of my illness. How wrong I was.
After going gluten free for a while as a trial, I wanted to know more of the “whys” behind it. Why did that make a difference, why did that have anything to do with how I felt, why did the food I put into my mouth have a correlation to my physical symptoms and feelings. That led me to learn about Paleo. What I learned about just made sense. The science added up. I wanted to learn more and apply what I learned to my life. This was the start of my healing journey.
My research led me to learn about the Autoimmune Protocol, a more specific paleo template designed for individuals with autoimmune conditions that would give them the nutrient density needed to start healing their bodies from the inside out. I was hooked on reading as much as I possibly could. I wondered how did my doctors not tell me about this? Because they don’t know themselves. Sure, they know the anatomy basics, and immunology ins and outs, but somewhere along the line in their med school classes, they forget these parts. Doctors are only taught 4 hours of nutrition classes throughout med school. No wonder they don’t get the healing power of food. I also read a quote by a doctor that said “if I prescribed nutrition, I’d be out of a job”. That says it all right there.
Getting to my breaking point took a year and a half. I had been gluten free and paleo off and on, but going “all the way” and taking the plunge to full elimination AIP took awhile. I thought I could feel better just by being paleo and that would suffice. But I was wrong. One of my biggest barriers was I let the words of others get to me. I heard from others (who wouldn’t be eating this way either!) how hard it would be, and how impossible it would be. I let them talk me out of healing for a over a year. (HINT: Don’t do that!). Finally, I was able to stand up for myself and in my own power and started AIP in January of 2016.
Back to my breaking point for a sec. When I look back at my symptom journals from 2015, I was in rough shape. Constant fatigue, severe pain and strong sensory symptoms that significantly impacted my day. Not to mention GI symptoms and distress constantly. I had to do something different.
Starting AIP was the best gift I have ever given myself, because it gave me my life back. Once when I was dealing with total numbness on my right side during a relapse, I said to my then boyfriend (now husband) “I’d rather deal with pain, than this nothingness”. How wrong I was. I hadn’t met pain yet. The intense pain I felt for months made life almost unbearable. But AIP took that pain away. The exhaustion that made the idea of taking a shower, or even getting up off the couch to make a cup of tea sound overwhelming, evaporated. And the sensory issues, the tingling and really weird sensations that would leave me cringing significantly diminished.
Now, none of this happened overnight (unfortunately). I don’t want to give that impression; that I ate this way for a week and I was good to go. Not the case. It took time and effort and work. It took planning and cooking and dedication. But eventually, my days started to look different. And when I looked back after three months, I could confidently say I was a different person.
After three months I felt confident enough to try some reintroductions. I was successful with eggs, nuts/seeds, coffee, chocolate and a little dairy. Nightshades are still a no-go for me, and that will probably be the case for a while. Which makes sense, I saw the most improvements in my healing when I eliminated nightshades.
I feel like I owe a lot of my success to the efforts I put into healing my gut early on into my journey. I had bone broth regularly, I took supplements, including collagen daily, I tried to reduce my stress as much as possible and exercise smart as well. I knew gut healing was a long game, and I was all in. Often people think that gut healing and AIP (or any other healing diet) are two different things. But that isn’t the case at all! They are really one in the same. AIP is just one path to get to gut healing. And gut healing means disease healing as well.
Daily (or as much as possible) bone broth. This is one of the most healing things we can be consuming, so having it frequently is so helpful. I like to make mine plain, so I can flavor it as I’d like when I go to have a cup. Keeping it simple. I would see these awesome recipes, but they would be so time consuming and with so many ingredients, which I didn’t have yet. Just sticking to the basics at first, veggies, protein and fats, made it so much easier to wrap my head around. Once I got my pantry stockpiled more, I was able to branch out with what I was cooking. Support. I couldn’t have done this transition without my husband. He was and is my rock, and always has my back, no matter what crazy idea I have. Once I said I wanted to go all in with AIP, he was all in too. Find those people. If you don’t have them in real life around you, find them online. We have an amazing community!
AIP was the right healing path for me, but it might not be the right path for you. There are many options out there. The point is just to pick one, and start. You don’t even need to fit into a box with a label to start healing either. You can do that all on your own.
If you’re interested in hearing more about how to start your own gut healing journey, then join me on November 1st, 2018 at 3pm EST for a Free Webinar all about my 5R Method for Gut Healing. More information can be found here.
follow along on Instagram:
Or, comment WAITLIST to be notified when it’s ready!!
I’ve been talking to many of you about your questions regarding eating for MS.
There’s lots of confusion about what is “right” and “wrong”.
Lemme tell you, I’ll answer this in the guide for sure- and it prob won’t be the answer you’re expecting?
Drop any other questions below and I’ll answer them!!
Or, comment WAITLIST to be notified when it’s ready!!
I’ve been talking to many of you about your questions regarding eating for MS.
There’s lots of confusion about what is “right” and “wrong”.
Lemme tell you, I’ll answer this in the guide for sure- and it prob won’t be the answer you’re expecting?
Drop any other questions below and I’ll answer them!!
:: first, comment WAITLIST below to be notified when my new Eating for MS Guide is available!::
When I was first diagnosed with MS I didn’t even think to ask if anything else besides medication would help me.
It didn’t even occur to me that changing my diet or managing stress would also play a part in my disease.
It took a few years, several relapses and failed medications for my BOYFRIEND (now hubby) to ask my neurologist if any diet would help.
And even then, my neuros answer was 🤷🏻♂️.
If you also haven’t considered it, let me be the first to tell you:
✨IT’S ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE✨
to decrease your symptoms and influence your long term prognosis by implementing lifestyle changes.
What we eat
How we move
How we manage stress
Our toxin burden
Our hydration status
Etc etc etc
all go a long way in helping us MSers live better with MS.
I lived this transformation; from totally exhausted and unable to get off the couch to hiking mountains or playing golf,
I KNOW it’s possible for you, too.
I’m in the final stages of putting together a comprehensive resource on Eating for MS, comment WAITLIST and I’ll let you know when it’s ready!!
:: first, comment WAITLIST below to be notified when my new Eating for MS Guide is available!::
When I was first diagnosed with MS I didn’t even think to ask if anything else besides medication would help me.
It didn’t even occur to me that changing my diet or managing stress would also play a part in my disease.
It took a few years, several relapses and failed medications for my BOYFRIEND (now hubby) to ask my neurologist if any diet would help.
And even then, my neuros answer was 🤷🏻♂️.
If you also haven’t considered it, let me be the first to tell you:
✨IT’S ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE✨
to decrease your symptoms and influence your long term prognosis by implementing lifestyle changes.
What we eat
How we move
How we manage stress
Our toxin burden
Our hydration status
Etc etc etc
all go a long way in helping us MSers live better with MS.
I lived this transformation; from totally exhausted and unable to get off the couch to hiking mountains or playing golf,
I KNOW it’s possible for you, too.
I’m in the final stages of putting together a comprehensive resource on Eating for MS, comment WAITLIST and I’ll let you know when it’s ready!!
This is one of the most impactful shifts for my clients, to totally reframe their idea of consistency.
Because at one point perfectionism took over and told them the lie that only perfection = consistent.
This shift clears the way for action.
Action that allows for slow change to take place, that changes your life.
Change that allows for your body to start to repair.
Repair that allows for less MS impact on your day.
If you’re ready to change your life but in a way that fits into your life, DM me CHANGE and we’ll chat!!
This is one of the most impactful shifts for my clients, to totally reframe their idea of consistency.
Because at one point perfectionism took over and told them the lie that only perfection = consistent.
This shift clears the way for action.
Action that allows for slow change to take place, that changes your life.
Change that allows for your body to start to repair.
Repair that allows for less MS impact on your day.
If you’re ready to change your life but in a way that fits into your life, DM me CHANGE and we’ll chat!!
I’ve seen this trend with women under 35 and over 35.. so let’s see if we can adapt this for others living with MS!
Those of you who are living with MS for just a few years ask a question and those of us who have been living with it for many years will answer!
Who knows, this may bomb, but the idea is fun!!
Ask away!
I’ve seen this trend with women under 35 and over 35.. so let’s see if we can adapt this for others living with MS!
Those of you who are living with MS for just a few years ask a question and those of us who have been living with it for many years will answer!
Who knows, this may bomb, but the idea is fun!!
Ask away!
Last week I wanted 0 to do with working out.
I love working out,
I love being able to lift heavy things and feel strong.
But last week?
Nah, I was all set.
However.. I have some goals and abilities I want to maintain.
Strength training is one way of the consistent ways I help myself to feel good despite living with MS.
So I made sure that there wasn’t a reason I didn’t want to workout besides my inner toddler, and lo and behold- there wasn’t.
So off I went.
I gave myself permission to go lighter and slower, which helped me be successful in doing it at all.
I often find that when I stop strength training for a while, everything starts to hurt, so that’s obviously not what I’m going for.
I also have a goal of gaining muscle. Muscle decline happens anyway with age, I don’t need to help it along with not moving.
✨Following through with my daily habits is a form of self care.✨
If you’re done with thinking:
“I know what to do, I just can’t seem to do it”
DM me ACTION and we’ll chat
Last week I wanted 0 to do with working out.
I love working out,
I love being able to lift heavy things and feel strong.
But last week?
Nah, I was all set.
However.. I have some goals and abilities I want to maintain.
Strength training is one way of the consistent ways I help myself to feel good despite living with MS.
So I made sure that there wasn’t a reason I didn’t want to workout besides my inner toddler, and lo and behold- there wasn’t.
So off I went.
I gave myself permission to go lighter and slower, which helped me be successful in doing it at all.
I often find that when I stop strength training for a while, everything starts to hurt, so that’s obviously not what I’m going for.
I also have a goal of gaining muscle. Muscle decline happens anyway with age, I don’t need to help it along with not moving.
✨Following through with my daily habits is a form of self care.✨
If you’re done with thinking:
“I know what to do, I just can’t seem to do it”
DM me ACTION and we’ll chat
Instead of being a lump on the couch, now I can go hiking up a mountain with my husband
Or walk 8 miles around NYC with my sister
Or do a workout at the gym
Or shower, go shopping and cook dinner all in the same day
This is possible because:
✨Yes, the medication I’m on helps for sure
But truthfully my life has improved so much because of:
✨My daily habits and lifestyle (my morning routine, my diet, my sleep habits, my workouts..)
✨ But what REALLY moved the needle is actively working to have a mindset that allows me to be flexible with myself, to give myself grace when I “mess up” (aka- when I don’t follow through on a habit)
✨This is a mindset that doesn’t require perfection✨
This allows me to be consistent with the habits- like diet changes or movement programs or whatever else I want to do, which then allows me to see progress (aka: my body feeling better)
Which THEN gives me the motivation and desire to keep doing what I’m doing.
✨This is the secret to “success”- right here.✨
Consistent action + giving yourself grace + noticing progress = motivation to keep going.
It’s not quick or sexy, its actually rather boring.
But boring is actually way better!!
If you want a life where you:
Feel good in your body,
Have energy to spend on your friends and family,
Don’t think about what the MS symptom of the day will be..
I help you create that life for yourself in my signature program, Holistically Healing MS.
Today is the last day it’s on FLASH SALE…
Comment MOUNTAIN below and I’ll send you the details!!
Instead of being a lump on the couch, now I can go hiking up a mountain with my husband
Or walk 8 miles around NYC with my sister
Or do a workout at the gym
Or shower, go shopping and cook dinner all in the same day
This is possible because:
✨Yes, the medication I’m on helps for sure
But truthfully my life has improved so much because of:
✨My daily habits and lifestyle (my morning routine, my diet, my sleep habits, my workouts..)
✨ But what REALLY moved the needle is actively working to have a mindset that allows me to be flexible with myself, to give myself grace when I “mess up” (aka- when I don’t follow through on a habit)
✨This is a mindset that doesn’t require perfection✨
This allows me to be consistent with the habits- like diet changes or movement programs or whatever else I want to do, which then allows me to see progress (aka: my body feeling better)
Which THEN gives me the motivation and desire to keep doing what I’m doing.
✨This is the secret to “success”- right here.✨
Consistent action + giving yourself grace + noticing progress = motivation to keep going.
It’s not quick or sexy, its actually rather boring.
But boring is actually way better!!
If you want a life where you:
Feel good in your body,
Have energy to spend on your friends and family,
Don’t think about what the MS symptom of the day will be..
I help you create that life for yourself in my signature program, Holistically Healing MS.
Today is the last day it’s on FLASH SALE…
Comment MOUNTAIN below and I’ll send you the details!!
If you’ve been a client, I’m sure you’ve heard me rant about how society’s expectations for women have set us up for autoimmunity and illness.
We were praised for being quiet, not rocking the boat, keeping the peace, helping others before ourselves, not talking back, etc etc.
But where did this get US? The women behind the behaviors?
Sick, anxious and depressed- that’s where.
Healing MS or any autoimmune disease can’t happen until you put yourself first.
That doesn’t mean all of a sudden become a b*tch and ignore the world.
It means considering yourself as much as you consider others.
One of my clients this week was talking about the boundaries she set in her life and how proud she was of herself.
She was able to manage the uneasiness (aka: terror) of:
potentially letting others down,
being abandoned and
discarded for voicing her needs.
No wonder we’re all sick when even saying our needs outloud is scary!
What allowed her to do that after all these years of staying silent?
Well many things, but one of them is “nervous system regulation” aka: utilizing small exercises that allow your body to “respond appropriately” aka: not entering an anxiety freak out spiral- to daily stressors.
This is the “stress management” you’ve been looking for and what will change your life.
My program Embodied Resilience is your road map to how.
Drop a 🌀🌀 in the comments and I’ll send you details
If you’ve been a client, I’m sure you’ve heard me rant about how society’s expectations for women have set us up for autoimmunity and illness.
We were praised for being quiet, not rocking the boat, keeping the peace, helping others before ourselves, not talking back, etc etc.
But where did this get US? The women behind the behaviors?
Sick, anxious and depressed- that’s where.
Healing MS or any autoimmune disease can’t happen until you put yourself first.
That doesn’t mean all of a sudden become a b*tch and ignore the world.
It means considering yourself as much as you consider others.
One of my clients this week was talking about the boundaries she set in her life and how proud she was of herself.
She was able to manage the uneasiness (aka: terror) of:
potentially letting others down,
being abandoned and
discarded for voicing her needs.
No wonder we’re all sick when even saying our needs outloud is scary!
What allowed her to do that after all these years of staying silent?
Well many things, but one of them is “nervous system regulation” aka: utilizing small exercises that allow your body to “respond appropriately” aka: not entering an anxiety freak out spiral- to daily stressors.
This is the “stress management” you’ve been looking for and what will change your life.
My program Embodied Resilience is your road map to how.
Drop a 🌀🌀 in the comments and I’ll send you details
It’s ok if it takes time from learning about something to implementing it into your lifestyle.
There is a lot that needs to happen in our mind and body for us to be ready to change something about our day to day life.
And it’s ok if that process takes longer than you “think it should” or want it too.
You know what *won’t* help you when this happens?
Being mean and judgemental to yourself.
You’re not lazy and nothing is wrong with you, so stop saying that to yourself.
You know what *will* help you when this happens?
Taking action.
Action is the antidote to the fear and overwhelm you’re feeling.
But- in a whole different way than you have been trying.
The key is slow and steady, not sexy or flashy- but this means it’s something better- sustainable.
Sustainable means “able to be maintained or held”- which is the goal for habits right?
Being “perfect” for 2 weeks then “messing up” (missing a day) then feeling like a “failure” for that one day, then being “off the wagon” for 3 months isn’t doing you any good (said with muchhhh ♥️♥️♥️)
We want a Supportive Sustainable Lifestyle aka being able to keep up with your habits and progress overtime (ideally for the rest of your life right? It’s about the journey not the destination)
If you want to create a lifestyle that is supportive to reducing your MS symptoms, so you don’t need to be thinking about being on or off “the wagon” again, my signature program Holistically Healing MS is for you.
And good news, it’s on flash sale this week- and the lowest price it will be ever again.
Comment MSSUCKS below and I’ll send you details
🧡🧡🧡
It’s ok if it takes time from learning about something to implementing it into your lifestyle.
There is a lot that needs to happen in our mind and body for us to be ready to change something about our day to day life.
And it’s ok if that process takes longer than you “think it should” or want it too.
You know what *won’t* help you when this happens?
Being mean and judgemental to yourself.
You’re not lazy and nothing is wrong with you, so stop saying that to yourself.
You know what *will* help you when this happens?
Taking action.
Action is the antidote to the fear and overwhelm you’re feeling.
But- in a whole different way than you have been trying.
The key is slow and steady, not sexy or flashy- but this means it’s something better- sustainable.
Sustainable means “able to be maintained or held”- which is the goal for habits right?
Being “perfect” for 2 weeks then “messing up” (missing a day) then feeling like a “failure” for that one day, then being “off the wagon” for 3 months isn’t doing you any good (said with muchhhh ♥️♥️♥️)
We want a Supportive Sustainable Lifestyle aka being able to keep up with your habits and progress overtime (ideally for the rest of your life right? It’s about the journey not the destination)
If you want to create a lifestyle that is supportive to reducing your MS symptoms, so you don’t need to be thinking about being on or off “the wagon” again, my signature program Holistically Healing MS is for you.
And good news, it’s on flash sale this week- and the lowest price it will be ever again.
Comment MSSUCKS below and I’ll send you details
🧡🧡🧡
One of the criticisms I see about using lifestyle medicine to help improve MS symptoms is that it means “I think my disease is in my control, totally up to me and therefore my fault”.
The things in our control, are only a piece of the puzzle in how we feel, our MS symptoms and disease progression.
Many more things also go into our health equation:
- Genetics
- Age
- Socioeconomic Status
- Education
- Health care access
- Your community
- Economic stability
I’m not saying that lifestyle medicine doesn’t matter, it does a lot. I’m just saying it’s not the *only* thing that matters.
What are your thoughts on this? I know it’s a highly charged topic for some!
One of the criticisms I see about using lifestyle medicine to help improve MS symptoms is that it means “I think my disease is in my control, totally up to me and therefore my fault”.
The things in our control, are only a piece of the puzzle in how we feel, our MS symptoms and disease progression.
Many more things also go into our health equation:
- Genetics
- Age
- Socioeconomic Status
- Education
- Health care access
- Your community
- Economic stability
I’m not saying that lifestyle medicine doesn’t matter, it does a lot. I’m just saying it’s not the *only* thing that matters.
What are your thoughts on this? I know it’s a highly charged topic for some!
Living with MS is hard.
Some days are harder, some easier.
If you’re in a season where it feels hard, I see you.
I believe in you.
🧡🧡🧡
Living with MS is hard.
Some days are harder, some easier.
If you’re in a season where it feels hard, I see you.
I believe in you.
🧡🧡🧡
The food we eat can have a powerful impact on our MS symptoms and how we feel.
It’s not a magic bullet- because nothing is.
But, there is incredible potential for healing and improvement.
If you’re not quite ready to follow a “diet template”, like The Wahls Protocol or Autoimmune Protocol, that’s ok.
Focus on getting some of these foods on your next trip to the store:
🥗Brightly Colored Fruits & Veggies
🥬Deep Leafy Greens
🍤Seafood & Shellfish
🥜Healthy Fats
🥩Organ Meat
Each of these different types of foods contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that help support cellular functions, immune health and even help with myelin formation.
Not eating any of it? That’s ok!
Start with adding a serving or two here and there.
Ideas:
✨Have a salad with dinner
✨Toss some veggies in your breakfast egg scramble
✨Have some olives or nuts as a snack instead of chips
It doesn’t have to be hard or complicated.
There is SO MUCH we can be doing to help improve our MS symptoms & progression with diet & lifestyle interventions.
Each thing you’re doing matters.
It may seem like it’s not worth it sometimes, but I’m here to tell you it is.
Keep going!
🧡🧡
The food we eat can have a powerful impact on our MS symptoms and how we feel.
It’s not a magic bullet- because nothing is.
But, there is incredible potential for healing and improvement.
If you’re not quite ready to follow a “diet template”, like The Wahls Protocol or Autoimmune Protocol, that’s ok.
Focus on getting some of these foods on your next trip to the store:
🥗Brightly Colored Fruits & Veggies
🥬Deep Leafy Greens
🍤Seafood & Shellfish
🥜Healthy Fats
🥩Organ Meat
Each of these different types of foods contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that help support cellular functions, immune health and even help with myelin formation.
Not eating any of it? That’s ok!
Start with adding a serving or two here and there.
Ideas:
✨Have a salad with dinner
✨Toss some veggies in your breakfast egg scramble
✨Have some olives or nuts as a snack instead of chips
It doesn’t have to be hard or complicated.
There is SO MUCH we can be doing to help improve our MS symptoms & progression with diet & lifestyle interventions.
Each thing you’re doing matters.
It may seem like it’s not worth it sometimes, but I’m here to tell you it is.
Keep going!
🧡🧡
In case you needed to hear that today.
You’re not a failure.
You didn’t “fail” at healing.
Having MS is hard- do what’s best for you.
In case you needed to hear that today.
You’re not a failure.
You didn’t “fail” at healing.
Having MS is hard- do what’s best for you.
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