I remember so clearly the day my youngest child refused to breast feed. I was heartbroken, but it was the wake up call I needed. I was on medications for bronchitis, which I would historically get 2-3 times / year, fueled by asthma, which I had struggled with since I was a child. I had read the theories that dairy was inflammatory and possibly a culprit for increased mucus production, but paid it no mind because I was not about to relinquish my affection for cheese... until this day, the day my baby refused to breast feed. I realized I could not continue to get this sick multiple times per year and I promised myself I would try anything to stay as healthy as possible, including giving up my beloved dairy. So the reason my child wouldn't breast feed is because the medication I was on was actually drying up milk production. Anyway, I gave up all dairy that day and haven't had bronchitis, steroids or antibiotics since. This was 8 years ago! I still struggle with asthma symptoms but I've learned my triggers and can make intentional decisions around them.
I spoke to my GP about this, and she assured me there was no correlation. But, after years of yoga practice I had become very attuned to my body and when you know, you know. I knew dairy was not good for me and it really didn't matter if the doctors agreed or not. Proof was in the pudding, in my opinion.
After this self discovery trial, and the birth of another baby, I continued to delve deeper into my health. I learned that pooping less than once per day was really bad for my digestion (hello mommas!). After years of all of the steroid and antibiotic use, my gut was a wreck and I didn't even know it. TBH, no one talked about pooping back then, I feel like maybe (at least in my health world) its a little more common practice now. I didn't realize the trouble I was causing myself by being so stressed out in the mornings I wouldn't take the time to go to the bathroom. I know this is not a glamorous conversation, but after talking to so many women, I have realized this is (sadly) a common thread. We worry about everyone else, leaving little time to ourselves, in even the most basic way! So I actually ended up with SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth) and a big bloated belly every time I ate a vegetable. It has taken me years to get that under control. I've been to functional doctors, traditional doctors, nutritionists, etc. I have researched the topic for hours on end. What I discovered is that we have to educate ourselves and be open and willing to try out different methods of healing. For me, healing came when I got really still and asked myself, "self, you have all the tools, now what do you need to heal?"
And this is the message I want to bring to YOU! We all have the power to heal ourselves if we can just take the time to listen. I am not saying we don't need doctors - far from it! I love all of my doctors and nutritionists, and have learned so much valuable information from them. Sometimes ourselves will let us know that we need testing and medication (or herbs) stat, and sometimes we find out we need to sit still, allow our sympathetic nervous system to unwind, sip on some bone broth and see what comes up. This is no easy feat, and absolutely one that needs support and gentle reminders along the way, but it is do-able and we can retrain ourselves to look within.
I have experimented with all sorts of things that I *thought* were good for my body. I tried being vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, low carb, no carb, high fat, low fat, macro counting, keto, etc. All that did was stress me out even more. There were always too many rules and without a doubt I would end up feeling guilty over breaking one of them. Now, I just eat to fuel my life and I could not be happier. I don't worry about too many calories or carbs. I just make sure I eat lots of colors, lots of healthy fat and some protein (which is what MY body needs, not all bodies) and I feel the best and most in control of my health that I have in years. What I've learned through my training is that this process of figuring out what is good for MY BODY has a name, it is called bio-individuality. I am passionate about helping women find their voice (the little one inside all of us) and being able to recognize for themselves their own unique bio-individuality, then being able to trust enough to put knowledge into attainable goals.
Thanks for reading, I hope some of this resonates. I would love to hear about your heath journey, what has worked for you?
xo
Katie