Healing Autoimmunity // My story part 2

When my mom had bought me The Autoimmune Solution by Amy Myers I was not ready to change my eating habits. I had felt too sick get off the couch, never mind change my diet. When I was finally ready to follow The Myers Way about two months ago, I started improving drastically. This is how I'm healing through whole foods and all about The Wyers Way (read part 1 here: how my health declined & the medical chaos that came with it).

I remember my boyfriend Kyle and I corralled into a corner at the busy grocery store thinking, "Isn't this crazy," with my ridiculous cart filled to the brim with fruits and vegetables, many of which I had never had before, mixed in with grass-fed meats we couldn't afford. I wanted to put it all back, grab my usual boxes of gluten-free mac & cheese and call it a day. "Financially we can't do this every week," Kyle said. I agreed with him, however I knew I needed to try. At the time I could barely handle the grocery store. The fluorescent lights made my head pound in pain. I had no energy and just using my brain scan the isles made me feel mentally fatigued.

At home laying the food out on the counter felt even more ridiculous- will I really eat all of these vegetables in one week? On TMW you eliminate all refined foods (dairy and grains) along with anything processed because they are toxic to your body. I had already been gluten-free for months but this woul be more of a challenge. Myers explains to get rid of foods that cause inflammation (your immune system’s response to invaders which causes symptoms) like eggs, corn, tomatoes, nuts, caffeine and more. I could only eat seafood, grass-fed meat, a tiny amount of fruit and most organic vegetables. It felt weird not having any colorful boxes of processed food.

The first two weeks were a challenge; I remember crying because I didn’t have enough energy to cook all the organic meals and keep up with the dishes, but the changes in my body were noticeable. My headaches went from constant to occasional. I had more energy, my brain seemed more focused and my mood increased dramatically. 

About 2-3 weeks in I could cook all my meals easily and even started going for small walks. A month in, I was going to stores with my friends. A lot of my other symptoms were wtill there (tiredness, weakness, mentally foggy, blurry vision, sensitive to light) but it felt amazing to be more active. Before TMW I spent most of my time in bed. By now I hardly forgot what what my constant symptoms felt like (aside from the occasional flair up): dizziness, feeling faint and lightheaded, scary heart palpitations, constant anxiety, strange noises in my ears and constant headaches.  

Thankfully TMW had a meal plan to follow, with step-by-step recipes. If this wasn't part of it, I would have struggled. I had no idea how to cook brussels sprouts. In fact, I didn't even know they looked like! The program trains you for eating in a healthier way.

I actually loved the food; eating organically felt great. Looking at the menu in advance I thought I wasn't going to (maybe 20% of me still craves a bowl of ice cream but most of the time I am content). The food makes me feel full for what seems like the first time in my life. I've always felt I was a bottomless pit that could just keep eating; on TMW I was no longer hungry after eating. 

The weight loss was not expected but a bonus, dropping 13 pounds in the first month and it leveled out for the second month. For the previous few years I have struggled with my weight. I would explain that none of my pants fit, despite exercising but because I am a fairly thin tall person no one saw a problem. I have never lost a significant amount of weight in my life, only gaining slowly. My rings, shoes and clothes fit again, some that haven't fit in years.

I also started talking to a doctor training in natural medicine who advised me about healing your body through supplements and diet. My aunt who has Celiac Disease like me shared advise with her experience. I have tons of support. I started to simplify my beauty routine to organic, safe products (even using coconut oil as conditioner!). We even had to detox our house with air and water purifiers, as recommended by TMW. 

There were definitely detox symptoms. I would get dizzy while eating, even if I knew it was an approved food. I would be very emotional. Sometimes my skin would get blotchy and one time my whole chin broke out in a rash. The probiotic makes me tired and moody still to this day....

Two months in, I am finally comfortable mentally (in small amounts) to use my computer again practicing what I had gone to school for, design. I thought I would never able to again; that I had worked hard for a degree I'd never use. The brain fog is much better but still there, making me feel unsafe to drive at times. My body is still too weak to participate in activities like jogging. And occasionally my symptoms knock me off my feet. I am hoping it will continue to improve with time!