DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional and everything I’m sharing in this blog post is my personal experience and wellness journey. Please seek a medical professional if you need medical assistance.
Hey friends! In my last blog post, I mentioned that I’ve been recovering from an autoimmune flare-up back in February, and I wanted to share a little bit more of my wellness journey in hopes that my story will resonate with you or someone you know (spread the word!). Watch the short video I created below to learn more about why I created this blog and how I’m currently managing my autoimmune condition.
If you or someone you know is also experiencing similar types of symptoms, I’m sharing tips and resources below – so keep scrolling. DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional and everything I’m sharing in this blog post is my personal experience and wellness journey. Please seek a medical professional if you need medical assistance.
In case you’re new to the blog, I was diagnosed back in 2015 with multiple autoimmune conditions – Sjogrens Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Granulomatosis. Since then I’ve been able to manage my symptoms primarily through diet and lifestyle changes, and also with the help of my Naturopath, Functional Medicine Practitioner, Acupuncturist, and Primary and Specialty Care Physicians.
Fast forward to January 2021, I came out of my autoimmune remission and had one of the biggest autoimmune flare ups since my diagnosis. As I mentioned in the video, I had symptoms of inflammation in my joints (primarily my spine and hands), petichiae on my legs, major adrenal fatigue, eczema all over my hands, arms, neck, forehead, and eyelids, breakouts in hives due to certain foods, lack of sleep, indigestion, bloating, and constipation, hair loss, dandruff, and brittle figner nails.
YES, this all happened in January-February of this year. My body was literally shutting down on me so I met with my Primary Care Physician and a Functional Medicine Practitioner to 1) relieve my symptoms and 2) understand what the underlying cause of my symptoms are so I can fix it and not just put a bandaid over it.
Currently, here’s what I’m doing to manage my symptoms, but please remember that everyone is different and you need to do what’s best for you:
For more information about autoimmune resources and how to source food, check out my Resources page and sign up for my weekly newsletter!
- AVOIDING CERTAIN FOODS THAT TRIGGER AN AUTOIMMUNE RESPONSE (3-6 months):
- Refined / artificial ingredients
- Gluten/wheat
- Dairy and soy
- Refined sugar (eating small amounts of natural sugar (fruit, coconut sugar, date syrup, maple syrup, monk fruit sweetener, swerve sweetener, etc.)
- Eggs (limiting to once or twice a week)
- Nuts & seeds (limiting to once or twice a week in very small amounts)
- Grains (rice, corn, oats, couscous, etc.) – white rice in very small amounts
- Legumes (beans, lentils, etc.)
- Nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, etc.) – very limited amounts occasionally
- FOCUSING ON ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS:
- Colorful low-starch vegetables: kale, spinach, Swiss chard, cauliflower, cucumber, cabbage, bok chow, French green beans, zucchini, baby broccoli, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, etc.
- Fruit with low glycemic index and rich in antioxidants: strawberries, blueberries, black berries, raspberries, etc.
- Healthy fats: avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, animal fats (bacon fat, lard, duck fat), extra virgin olive oil, flax oil, etc.
- Wild-caught and sustainable seafood: Shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops, etc.
- Organic and pasture-raised meat & eggs: chicken, lamb, beef, pork, etc. (in smaller amounts – 4oz or less)
- ADDING SUPPLEMENTS TO MY DIET (as recommended by my Functional Medicine Practitioner):
- Seed: Probiotics to improve gut health
- Ion Gut Health: Inhibits zonulin release and closes tight junctions to reverse leaky gut syndrome
- GI Synergy: Regulates overgrowth of dysbiotic bacteria
- Vitamin D3 + K2: Regulates overactive immune system as seen with autoimmunity
- Glutathione: Regulates overactive immune systems as seen with autoimmunity and also strengthens detox pathways to the liver
- Clearvite: Also supports detox pathways in the liver while nourishing hepatocytes to be more effective in their functioning
- LIFESTYLE CHANGES:
- Exercise at least 30-minutes a day
- Increase in exposure to the outdoors and sun (20-min walks really help)
- Good quality sleep – at least 7-8 hours per day (turn off your phones by 9pm!)
- Increase in water intake – drink half of your weight in ounces and start your day by drinking at least 2 cups of water with a tiny pinch of sea salt and lemon juice
- Meditation, yoga, and self-care (exfoliate, wear a face mask, take a nice long bubble bath, and enjoy time with your loved ones)
That’s it for now! I’ll let you know how I’m doing in the next few months, but I hope this is helpful for you – please don’t forget to share this post with anyone you know that may benefit. Thanks for following along and leave a comment below if you have any questions!