{This is the shortest version of my health journey. If you would like more detail you can read my medium version or my longest version.}

Psalm 6:2-4 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long O Lord, how long? Turn, O Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.

God is a God of infinite Grace.

He has shown His faithfulness and mercy to me time and time again in my life.

A Bit of Background

In my childhood, I suffered from Asthma and allergies quite severely. It was usual for me to go to bed with eyes swollen shut because they itched so badly. I would need to take my Ventolin or Albuterol inhaler multiple times a day because my allergies triggered my Asthma. Laughing or exercise triggered it as well. My legs were always horrendously itchy and I was not able to exercise well because I would get debilitating asthma attacks. Doctors eventually put me on steroid inhalers for “prevention” and basically said there was nothing else they could do. Nutrition and gut health was never explored by my doctors (and I don’t think even properly understood at that time.) I also gravitated toward sugar and carbs when I ate. Every day I would have some form of sugar and it was rarely the whole food kind (from fruit.) In the 90’s when GMO’s were introduced I had my fair share of GMO sugar, unbeknownst to me. Antibiotics were a mainstay in my life as well and in the course of a year, I was usually on them 2-3 times for various reasons but mostly because I was sick a lot. I suffered from dark depression and migraines into my adult life.

During my adulthood, three months after I had my first son, I had two root canals in my back molars. This dental choice was the final straw that would ultimately turn on the gene to cause Hashimotos to rear its ugly face. Within nine months of that “routine” dental visit, the skin on my face turned itchy, burning and very flaky. Very much like Psoriasis. It would not go away no matter how many chemical filled topical creams I tried. It wasn’t until about two years later when I had my first miscarriage at twelve weeks that, at the advice, of my mom, I decided to have a doctor test my thyroid. “I was so young!” doctors would say. They didn’t want to test me but after hunting around, I found that my OB would refer me to an endocrinologist to test me.

Through that endocrinologist, who did blood tests and a thyroid ultrasound, I was finally diagnosed with Hashimotos. He only gave me T4 to “treat” my problem.

Fast forward 7 long years of continuing to suffer from symptoms that my endocrinologist said were unrelated to Hashimotos, I found functional medicine. I was frustrated feeling like I wasn’t getting better and there was nothing the conventional doctors could do. I knew in my heart there has to be something else to help me feel better.

Functional Medicine

It was at my first appointment with my functional doctor when it was all I could do to get to the appointment because I was so sick, that she tested me for Mono and also mentioned the GAPS diet. Turns out I did have Mono because my immune system was compromised from various immune-suppressing medications I was on and because I was so malnourished and wasting away at 96 pounds.

GAPS Diet

By God’s grace from my doctor mentioning GAPS I started to research voraciously. Anything I could get my hands on and try to help me, I devoured. After many sleepless nights due to my severe symptoms of eczema, brain fog, fatigue, depression, suicidal thoughts and itching everywhere I decided to give GAPS a try.

Overnight I went from eating a diet full of grains, legumes, starches, meats and some veggies to what I call the “Bare Bones” which was homemade bone broth, basic, “clean,” organic or pastured cooked meats and all organic cooked veggies. My husband was recovering from a C-Spine Fusion so my parents, who were beyond supportive and scared their baby was going to die, did the shopping and a lot of chopping and cooking when I couldn’t -which was most of the time.  I also started implementing nutritional supplements as well as low, low dose probiotics as I could tolerate them. During this time I also purged our home of toxins in our toiletries, detergents, cooking utensils and more.

Within one week of eating this way and changing my lifestyle, the change I noticed in my energy and how I felt was remarkable! It was so motivating. What I was doing was the intro stage to the GAPS diet. Turns out I had to be on the intro stage of the GAPS diet for four months. This is a stage that most people are on for one to two weeks! Even in this phase of the diet, there were certain things I could not tolerate. I could not even eat onions or garlic (and many other healthy veggies) due to a detox reaction I would have. There is a lot of sulfur in these foods and they have A LOT of antioxidants which for me, would cause me to detox quicker and put me into more of a healing crisis. I had to take it slow, very, very slow.

It took me over 30 years of my life to get into the health crisis that I was in and so healing would be slow going and not happen overnight. I had to remind myself of that often!

I spent a total of seven months following the GAPS diet 100%. I never cheated or swayed. I absolutely couldn’t or I knew I would not be able to function. There were many, many hard days. I went through holidays and social functions on this diet and adapted. I brought my own food. It brought up a lot of conversation with people.

This health journey has ignited a passion in me that I didn’t even know existed. Do you know who knew though? God did. He knew all this was going to happen. He would turn my ashes to beauty. In one of my prayers to him during my sickest times was that when he allowed me to be healed, I would glorify Him in this. He allowed GAPS to work in my life. He put all the right people in the right places on my journey. He put all the pieces together for me. He picked up my limp 96-pound noodle of a body and said: “Keep fighting, be victorious in Me!” Jesus Christ is my Jehovah Rapha, my Great Healer.

Where I Am Now

After the 7 months, when I slowly started reintroductions, one at a time, I was able to pinpoint the exact foods that caused my symptoms and flare up. That was also a slow process but very much worth the time to figure it out. It has been years that I have been eating on the AIP and Paleo Diet, I can tolerate eggs but not nuts and I definitely cannot have dairy.

There are still some hard days but I feel the best I ever have in my life. I no longer have Asthma (I believe that initially going gluten free years ago healed that – read the long version of the story for that.) I rarely get headaches. I don’t itch or have burning, flaky skin unless I eat too many carbohydrates, starches or unrefined sugars and I sleep like a baby. My energy is like that of a teenager and I have been able to put my Hashimotos antibodies in normal range, remit my hair loss and in turn stop the damage being done to my thyroid. The healing happened by God’s amazing grace and mercy on me.

Today I love to help people find their way through the maze that it feels like to go from barely surviving to thriving. God has blessed me and allowed me to use this trial in my life to guide others and I am grateful that this challenge has not gone to waste. Feasting On Joy is one facet of how I help people. If you are local, I will meet with you in person. Someday, Lord willing, it will not only be limited to those who are local.

Be Encouraged!

To you, my friend, be encouraged! The road of healing and sacrifice you are on is WELL WORTH IT! Truly living the life you are meant to live by thriving rather than just surviving is a wonderful gift not to be taken for granted. The time, commitment and finances on this journey are well worth it when you see the results! God’s grace doesn’t just stop with me, it extends to you too! Hold on to Him tightly!

{If you would like a bit more detail – some people do – then please feel free to read my medium and/or longer version health stories. They have many details filled in between the lines like my ALCAT trials, marital stressors, baby days and more about my lifestyle that contributed to my lowest low.}

Psalm 30:2 O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.