The Blog

 

How I Healed My Autoimmune Disease

autoimmune journey pain and inflammation Mar 18, 2023

Hii, I’m Jade! I am on a mission to empower moms to transition their whole family to anti-inflammatory lifestyle.  

Inflammation is the root cause of soo many diseases that plague our nations today, and I want to help others understand it, fight it, and equip their kids with the knowledge and tools to prevent them from developing the diseases too. This is our way of helping you build generational HEALTH. 

Up until now, I’ve dabbled in blogging because I absolutely love sharing everything I learn that has made a huge difference in my life, hoping you would find the same relief and peace it has brought me. But I have more exciting ways to share this knowledge with you. So stay tuned ❤️

 

Why should you listen (or read) what I have to say?

I’ve literally spent half my life trying to understand my body.

  • I studied psychology to understand mental health and help me heal my inner child,
  • Worked as a pharmacy technician for 10 years - because I thought medicine was my solution,
  • Worked as a registered nurse for almost 10 years for that deeper understanding of our body...
  • Then finally dove into the world of whole health education and holistic medicine.

I’ve also had my fair share of mental and physical health problems, environmental problems, trauma problems, family problems, financial problems, and you know, LIFE problems. And I’ve always been fascinated by those pivotal life obstacles and circumstances that have molded us into the person we are today - how we grew up directly affects how we make decisions today, how we carry ourselves, our lifestyle habits, and how our body expresses symptoms and disease.  

 

It wasn’t until I rewired my mindset that I could organize all of those events in my life, reflect upon them, and embark on the healing journey. I have confidence in my health journey, and most of all, I’m in a place where I can strive for balance, instead of fighting each day to survive the mental and physical pains and fatigue.  

 

My Pains.

I struggled with chronic pain and inflammation my whole life. I was that baby with severe eczema all over my body, and I suffered my first migraine at 9 years old. 

The worst part was - I grew up thinking all my symptoms were “normal,” now knowing that they are all rooted in inflammation, leaky gut, an imbalance of hormones, and an imbalance of, well… everything, inside my body. 

Symptoms I struggled with that I was told were “normal” or “expected.”

  •  fatigue
  •  Headaches and migraines
  •  Eczema
  •  Dermatographia (I can write on my skin and it would puff up like hives shortly after in whatever design I did, I was pretty amused lol)
  •  Moodiness
  •  Cramping / PMS
  •  Bloating
  •  Constipation (just drink enough water right? Maybe, maybe not!)
  •  Bleeding while brushing teeth/gingivitis
  •  Mouth ulcers
  •  Frequent urination
  •  Generalized tenderness (I felt like my body was bruised all over)
  •  Brain fog
  •  Sleep problems, trouble falling asleep and staying asleep
  •  Always cold
  •  Anxiety

Because I didn’t address the above “normal” or “expected” symptoms, it progressed to more extreme symptoms… 

  •  Joint pains/stiffness
  •  Random shooting pains
  •  Loss of vision/syncope episodes
  •  Alopecia
  •  Weight problems
  •  Panic attacks 
  •  Depression
  •  Endometrioma
  •  Flare-ups- my whole body felt like it was on fire, and everything that touched me (the clothes on me, the pressure of sitting on the bed, the pressure on my back if I was leaning against the wall, etc.)
  •  Autoimmune disease (fibromyalgia, mixed connective tissue disease)

Once I hit my 20’s, I was losing my ability to keep up with the physical demands of my job. I cried every day after work. I prided myself on being someone that can endure the pain and push through anything. I thought I was being strong, but the reality was – I was mentally and physically burnt out.

That generalized pain and exhaustion became exponential after getting pregnant. I could not enjoy my pregnancy or my baby; I could not be fully present and could not appreciate the precious moments everyone talked about.

I had anxiety and serious mom-guilt issues. I felt like I was failing as a mom. The pain and doctor’s appointments were taking over my life, and I was angry that they didn’t have more answers other than stronger pain medications or steroids. 

I was stuck and wondered, is this really it? Just suffer from frequent pains, injuries, and extreme exhaustion? I couldn’t accept it… 

 

My Solution.

So, I went on a mission to find answers. All my education and career choices were chosen to understand my body and fix myself. When I finally dove into the world of holistic health and functional medicine, I found the missing puzzle pieces that led to my transformation.

It’s not just one medicine, one doctor, one therapy, or one class. The answer was - it was all of the above and more. Everything is connected to everything. Addressing my whole health - my childhood trauma, how I carry myself today, my mental health, my current stressors, my environment, my gut health, my lifestyle habits, and of course, my diet - were the keys to healing myself. This put all my autoimmune symptoms into remission and allowed me to take control of my health.

 

 My Transformation.

⭐️ I can go months with no pain at all. Something I thought would never happen again.

⭐️ My eczema is GONE. All the symptoms I mentioned above are GONE.

⭐️ I can predict when a flare-up or some of the above symptoms will occur (such as fibromyalgia, joint pains, and anxiety), and I can keep it under control so it doesn't ruin my day. 

⭐️ I feel alive again, with more energy, better sleep, and less brain fog.

⭐️ I weaned off of the majority of my medications and supplements

⭐️ I can experience the love and beauty of being a mom and a wife.

⭐️ I lost 20+ lbs, the last of the stubborn baby weight I struggled to lose without actively trying. 

 

I Couldn't Do It Alone.

The biggest lesson learned from holistic healing was including my family in my health journey. I couldn't do it alone. And if I grew up with all these problems, my children would be at risk for the same. My kids and I would be at risk for all the diseases that precede me in our family, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer - all stemming from chronic inflammation like my autoimmune disease.  

So I made it my life's mission to empower my kids with knowledge and the tools to live life with intention. It is a part of our everyday routine to share with them life skills to prevent disease and live long, healthy, and balanced lives.

I'm healed, what am I up to now?

It's important that I maintain that anti-inflammatory eating and lifestyle habits. If I resort back to my previous habits, my symptoms come right back. However, I'm continuously striving for balance as I learn to enjoy life's pleasures and push my limits to understand my tolerances. I live each day with intention, thankful for my knowledge and experience to truly enjoy the present. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This book/planner is a great place to START, and an excellent place for MAINTENANCE after healing. If I start to drift off the road, I love returning to the basics laid out in this planner. Check it out here.

But stay tuned...

I will be sharing the exact steps I took that were integral to my healing journey and will be available to help you on your journey also. 

 

Stay in the know! 

Subscribe to the Anti-Inflammatory Living Blog and be notified when a new post is published! Be the first to know when there are new tips, tricks, & free resources you can get your hands on! 

You're safe with me. I'll never spam you or sell your contact info.