Throughout all of this, by some miracle, I maintained a full-time desk job. I cringed and winced my way through the day until I could finally get home and climb into bed. In the mornings my dad would lovingly walk me to my car, carry my bags, and turn the key in the ignition because he knew how difficult those things were for me. At work I'd avoid standing up too frequently because my knees and feet were in so much pain. I would do things in batches (ie. use bathroom, refill water, drop off shredding, dump trash, microwave lunch, collect printer items - all in one trip). My coworker once commented on my "dainty" way of writing, typing, walking, etc....I explained that I was moving cautiously to avoid feeling like something (my joints) was going to snap off or out of place.   

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Finally, around July or August of 2014, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was told I would need powerful medication for the rest of my life and that, if I did not start the medication ASAP, my joints would become so damaged within 6 months that surgery would be inevitable.

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I was in disbelief. I could not understand how this happened so suddenly. It seemed like one day I was going out with friends, salsa dancing, decorating my house, and within a matter of weeks, I felt as though I had aged 70 years. I thought I must have been misdiagnosed and that whatever it was would disappear as quickly as it started. 

I never found my "mystery diagnosis" but my stubbornness and search for alternative answers led me to finding support through naturopathy, functional medicine, holistic wellness, and other complementary and alternative health principles. On of the most impactful things I learned of was the impact that diet has on autoimmunity.

I began making changes and, to say I experienced dramatic improvement would be an UNDERSTATEMENT. ​Shortly after changing my diet, I went from feeling terrible every day to being able to run, lift weights, and live a full life again. I no longer felt limited by my illness. I continued to improve my overall health by improving stress management, sleep, proper movement, and reducing my toxic exposures. 

It has been 10 years since that time. Other than the day I was diagnosed, I was never again recommended to take medication and have never needed surgery. I share this, not to villanize conventional treatments, but to emphasize the power that basic improvements can have on our health. In my specific case, I was able to achieve sufficient improvement such that my rheumatologists was ok with monitoring me without medication. In some cases, medication may be necessary. However, you can, and should, also use nutrition and wellness strategies to boost your body's healing power.​​

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