Childhood disease can often be dismissed in our world as "normal" imbalances, but going unchecked can lead to the many chronic illness we see in adults today.
I was born into this world a vibrant, happy, healthy baby and around the age of 5 everything drastically changed. I suddenly, overnight became incredibly hyperactive and extremely reactive to certain foods, sugar and "normal" household items. I could not concentrate in school, retaining information was nearly impossible and would get migraines to the point of vomiting. My teachers would often refer to me as difficult and I would have to stay in and lose my recess time. Most of my issues were dismissed as "normal" childhood phases and with no medical diagnosis my migraines were just due to too much sugar in my diet. I also suffered from several falls creating head traumas that lead to unconsciousness with convulsions, again dismissed as low blood sugar levels.
As the years progressed my condition continued until I reached puberty. At that point the migraines and premenstrual symptoms became so painful I was given medication. Again it was all dismissed as "normal" because my blood tests were within the ranges. As I entered high school my symptoms seemed to lessen and I was able to function at an almost normal level as long as I received adequate sleep. I discovered at a young age that running was a way to alleviate some of my symptoms, so that's what I did. I ran as much as I could and joined many teams and I transformed into quite the runner receiving a scholarship to a division one college.
Life away from home was standard for any college athlete: eating the average American diet, staying up late studying, 6:00am morning practices, trying to get to bed early with partying in the next room and long weekend traveling to compete. I noticed my health slowly declining, but ignored my symptoms. By my third year I became so ill I had to leave college, losing my scholarship. Prior to heading back home I had my first panic attack which continued to escalate over the coming years. Upon returning home my illness progressed to bed bound for almost a year, suffering from chronic migraines, blurred vision upon standing, migrating joint pain, crippling anxiety and incapacitating fatigue. I met with doctor after doctor to no avail and received the general consensus that my symptoms were "all in my head." I did not take this information lightly and dove head first into studying alternative ways of healing. About a year later I was able to pull myself out of bed and apply back to college.
My life continued on but I never felt quite right, I still had chronic migraines and suffered from many symptoms. After the birth of my first child I spent next two weeks of new motherhood in a chronic migraine pain and all my pervious symptoms slowly worsened. I went into an adaptation period existing as though my symptoms were normal. Three years later we decided to bring another baby into this world and ended up with two! After the delivery of my twins my health conditions worsened and my world became smaller and smaller due to my illness and panic attacks. In addition to all my symptoms I began developing a rash covering almost my entire torso and most of my neck that stole my skin pigmentation. Upon seeking yet another medical intervention, I was quickly dismissed again with, "we can't find anything wrong with you". It was not until my three small children began to develop similar symptoms that I decided to seek help again, but this time it was for us all.
Finally we found our answers. My eldest son was diagnosed with Lupus and chronic migraines, my twins were expressing symptoms of autoimmune disease with significant digestive issues and I was diagnosed with Lyme disease and MAS (multiple autoimmune disease). We met with many health practitioners, while our symptoms continued to increase. I was reaching the point where I was spending more time lying down than not. I was spending most of my time researching and trying many different alternative therapies when I discovered Functional Medicine. I realized that the best healing ability is knowledge so I began my pursuit toward an education and certification in Functional Medicine.
As I was moving forward in my training I learned how to analyze bloodwork and I was able to determine that the symptoms I had been experiencing were clearly observable within my blood results. It is this practice which allows Functional Medicine practitioners to catch an issue before it becomes a medical diagnosis. Throughout my training I received the knowledge and tools, which I applied it directly to my three children and myself. This allowed me to remove many blockages and replenish the depleted. Finally I retested all our blood work and the results were astonishingly negative and within normal ranges. Not to mention, the symptoms we had been experiencing up to that point were completely nonexistent. Upon the eradication of the migrating skin rash, I was also able to reestablish pigmentation in the epidermal layers which were damaged by the rash. We all feel infinitely better and our physical bodily systems are functioning in the optimal range.
I spent most all of my 20's and early 30's in a chronic state of illness, don't let this be your story. It's never too soon to start addressing any imbalance within the body before it becomes all consuming. Never give up, always persevere. You don't know how long or what path is going to lead you towards your optimal health. You don't know the person you will get to be when you come through the other side. What amazing gifts you will have to offer to yourself and others. I now practice preventative care with my family and animals so everyone can live in optimal health far into the future. Thank you for taking the time to read my health journey. Please feel free to contact me for questions or scheduling.