Stick To Your Gut: a Personal Journey to Healing
This is an article that was written by one of my amazing clients who wanted to share more about her healing journey. Thank you Zahra Alavi for this beautiful story, I truly believe that as women we heal not in isolation but in connection to each other.
Everything starts in the gut.
Actually, it all started with a YouTube search. Sitting in my apartment in Orlando, feeling frustrated with my health issues including everything from eczema to rapid weight gain. I kept watching video after video to find a fix until I came across the one that changed my life featuring Sarah Greenfield, a Gut Healing Functional Dietitian.
The video broke down the basics of why the brain-gut connection is so vital. The gut microbiome is responsible for more than you think. It can have an affect on everything from learning disabilities, allergic reactions and hormones.
Everything starts in the gut.
ADOLESCENT LIFE
As a baby I developed eczema well into adulthood, asthma as a child, and shingles at the age of 13. I was diagnosed with ADHD in middle school, acid reflux my whole life, and at 26 found out I had a hiatal hernia. I was tired of going from doctor to doctor who would only prescribe steroid creams for my eczema. None of it worked. For my acid reflux I was prescribed proton pump inhibitors, and for my ADHD Adderall. I had my first migraine at the age of 26. The relentless pain, which robbed me of the ability to open my eyes or focus, was unimaginable. I felt bloated, and my energy was low. I knew I could no longer live like this by taking medicine to wake up and then taking another to go to sleep. If I kept on this track, I was going to need a pill for everything. Little did I know my lifestyle was half the problem. I was uneducated on the food system, and I was disconnected from my body.
ADULT LIFE
My adult life resembled a hamster wheel. I was going a hundred miles per hour from one thing to the next and running on a hyperactive nervous system. I often neglected my health, working tirelessly until I felt drained. When I was stressed, I would cope by not eating. I ate processed food, and sometimes breakfast was Adderall, and Ambien for dinner. I took Adderall for 18 years. The side effects included insomnia, feeling moody, and my heart racing. In addition I would drink coffee, and alcohol. I was a hothead. I could become irate at any moment. I even made my mother cry a couple of times. I am humble enough to say I was a monster. Without medication, I struggled to maintain focus in school, often becoming restless and overly energetic. On the weekends I would give my body a “break” by not taking Adderall, yet that was another challenge. I had zero energy, and I would sleep for 12-13 hours. My acid reflux was painful and debilitating. At times it felt as if I had a shard of glass stuck in my throat which made it difficult to swallow, and later I learned it was acid accumulating. All of the above sent me to the hospital. I developed a hiatal hernia which was pushing above my stomach, making it difficult to breathe.
After 6 months of working with Sarah I was in complete control of my body and no longer suffering. I had no idea how much I was hurting my own body for the past 26 years until I started working with Sarah.
Her approach was different, she was not trying to offer a band-aid solution. It was based on finding each individual’s root cause and presenting alternative holistic solutions. She did not offer a magical pill that was going to eliminate my eczema, or ADHD medication that was going to have zero side effects. The program and solutions that Sarah was offering was going to require hard work and tenacity. It was going to be a slow burn and I was so sick and desperate that I was willing to try anything in a bold, and new way. Sarah never forced these things on me, I knew if I wanted to heal, I had to respect myself. Respect my body and believe that it could heal.
WORKING WITH SARAH
I started working with Sarah in 2020. Simultaneously, I was working with Dr. Linden, a psychologist, who specializes in quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) assessment and neurofeedback treatment of; ADHD, and learning disabilities. Dr. Linden helped me with neurofeedback that enabled me to reduce my Adderall dose in half and later discontinued it. This was a combination that fit me well.
She conducted three tests including a urine test the organix urine organic acids, a blood test the Mediator Release Test (MRT), and a stool test the GI Microbial Assay Plus. My tests revealed I had a leaky gut, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and Sarah’s ability to explain in simple terms the results of the tests fascinated me. I have never heard of these diagnoses in my life!
There were three phases to her process: cleaning the gut, healing the gut, and reintroducing foods. I learned what foods were inflaming my body and immediately stopped eating them. This took fortitude. I had to stop eating beef and pork during the summer. It required discipline, and self-control. I wanted to keep learning. I started cooking at home, and Sarah provided me with simple recipes that tailored to my food sensitivities. My MRT test results also provided insight that gluten exacerbates my gut which meant I had to be gluten free.
RESULTS
Three months in, I started seeing my eczema completely vanish. I was flabbergasted! How could this be? Before Sarah no person was able to fix this. Throughout the entire process Sarah was supportive and created a platform so that I could be heard. She never dismissed any of my concerns, and overtime trust was developed. Everyone before her would dismiss me or prescribe me another pill. My acid reflux was completely gone. I truly found the jackpot working with Sarah! I was starting to gain confidence in my body and believing in myself. My pants became loose, signifying weight loss. I knew if I put in the hard work and had the discipline the results would take care of themselves. I was able to dine with friends and confidently order off the menu, with the knowledge of knowing what I can digest. My body was starting to heal, and I even started working out. Something that I have never done since high school.
I now eat to live and not live to eat.
While my health journey is not a quick fix nor will it ever be, I finally have control of my health, and I am no longer hopeless. It took patience and consistency to show up for myself.
My lifestyle has completely changed over the last five years. I am connected with my body and know what it needs. I feel empowered, and in that, there is so much freedom.
THINGS I HAVE LEARNED WORKING WITH SARAH:
You have options and those options will change your life for the better.
The brain-gut connection is vital. Everything starts in the gut.
The key is the testing. Everyone’s gut microbiome is different, know what deteriorates your gut.
If something is showing up externally on your body that means something internally is imbalanced.
The body is always giving you messages; it is up to you to acknowledge them or ignore them. I urge you to please not ignore them!
If I have an eczema flare up (which is rare) instead of freaking out, I ask my body what I ate the past few days that irritated my gut? Am I stressed a bit? After acknowledging it and eating whole foods my eczema dissipates.
Stress makes my acid reflux worse. I step away from whatever I am doing that makes me anxious, and either meditate or go for a walk. Stress is okay for the short term, but not for the long term. I truly know the definition of preventive care.
Whenever I have a headache, I do not grab Advil immediately. Instead, I drink electrolytes. It is a warning that I am dehydrated.
A balanced Plate. A balanced plate includes ½ plate of non-starchy vegetables, ¼ plate of lean protein, 1-2 tbsp fat and ¼- ½ cup of complex carbs.
A balanced Plate. A balanced plate includes ½ plate of non-starchy vegetables, ¼ plate of lean protein, 1-2 tbsp fat and ¼- ½ cup of complex carbs.
I eat until I am 80% full.
The three-day food rotation and not eating the same food everyday as the body needs time to absorb and digest.
I have coconut yogurt for breakfast on Monday then the next time I can have it is Thursday to give my body the time it needs to absorb and digest.
Supplements are not meant to be taken forever. First you need to understand what is going on inside of your body before taking a supplement.
Rebalancing your gut helps with weight loss.
Learning what foods my body is able to absorb nutrients from helped me lose significant weight.
This is not a quick fix, but it is worth the wait!