Greetings everyone and Happy New Year.
It has been a minute since I’ve written on the blog but I have been a busy bee expanding my business and figuring out new ways to help YOU.
2018 has been a year of immense growth for me. I transformed many things in my life including my job, and school life, and most importantly my internal head space. I have made so many mistakes along the way, but have also had a lot of triumphs, which leads me to this……
In August 2018 I had a major problem. Well, actually the problem had been brewing for over a year. The problem was stomach. It was bloated. But not in a cute, you just had a little too much to eat kind of way. It was in a debilitating, can’t fit into my clothes, horrible pain kind of way.
You see I had been seeing a new MD for around 9 months for Lyme Disease. While I had seen some improvements, my gut health was catastrophic and it felt like no matter how many times I complained about it, they truly did not take me seriously. After months and months of trying, and a refusal to take prescribed steroids for my plummeting cortisol levels, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
In August 2018, I quit my doctor. Along with quitting my doctor, I quit the medicine I had been taking (some antibiotics, some herbs, some vitamins). I did MY OWN THING. Here is what I did to reverse my gut issues.
I switched probiotic brands. I stopped taking 300 + billion bacteria a day and started taking a gentler, but reputable brand.
I added in celery juice. I have done this intermittently for years, but this is the most consistent I have ever been with it. Most mornings I drink 16 oz on an empty stomach.
I stopped all “natural sweeteners”. Things like xylitol are actually supposed to be amazing “biofilm” disrupters for people with lyme disease. But for me, taking the xylitol prescribed by the doctor or even having the occasional vitamin water ZERO or stevia sweetened drink seemed to disrupt my gut and make me exceptionally bloated. I cut this out entirely.
I stopped eating so much protein powder. Because functional nutrition doctors are obsessed with vegans getting protein and because these doctors often warn that beans can contribute to SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), I made sure to have my protein powder most days. But at a certain point I recognized that it wasn’t making me thrive. Since then I have majorly upped my beans and tempeh (I KNOW SHOCKING) and have limited my protein powder to twice weekly.
I switched my workout plan. I was doing HIIT, taking weighted workout classes, riding at SOUL, etc., 6x’s a week, BUT was not feeling good or strong. I made a simple plan. I would limit Soul to 1x a week (sometimes none), do yoga 2x-3x a week and get 12,000 steps a day (through walking). Walking is amazing for the microbiome, but wouldn’t stress my body out like HIIT and SOUL. This definitely made a huge difference in my cortisol levels.
I did a rotation of vitamins and herbs according to my needs. Sometimes I take fish oil, some days I take extra magnesium. I stopped being so rigid with myself but also was consistent with my health needs.
I upped my vitamin B-5. In the book “From Fatigued to Fantastic,” the doctor discusses how B-5 deficiency can lead to cortisol insufficiency. I took that B-5, lowered my exercise stress, etc. and sure enough my AM cortisol went from 5 (VERY BAD) to 13 (MUCH BETTER).
Bottom Line: These are just some of the steps I took to reverse my major gut issues. Am I perfect now? No. But am I crying because I look pregnant in dresses (like I did this summer)? NO. Ultimately, gut health is about more than how you look, it is about how you feel. I was feeling so sick, was so nauseous, and was in so much pain, but I knew there was another way. Because friends, there is always another way. If it’s not a HELL YES, it’s a NO. Say no to things that no longer serve you this year. Your body and mind will thank you.
xxx Laura
