7 Tips for Living with Autoimmunity
I am on a mission to help women discover their authentic selves, find healing and wellness.
Living with Autoimmunity can be challenging, confusing, and frustrating.
What do I eat? Which doctors do I trust? Why can’t I get more answers? Why isn’t there a medication that will just fix me? Why do I feel this way?
I know the endless battle of wanting to feel better, doing all the “things”, seeking out multiple opinions and continually searching for the next remedy. I’ve spent thousands of dollars on lab work, doctor visits, therapy, and many healing modalities not covered by medical insurance. Through many trials and tribulations, I’ve come to the realization that these 7 things are my top practices for managing the symptoms of my autoimmune condition.
Listen & respect my body. This is probably the single most important suggestion I can offer. I have discovered that often my bloodwork results don’t match how I’m feeling. I can’t eat, drink, and exercise in the ways I used to be able to do those things. And while I can feel tempted to be frustrated that my body doesn’t perform the way it used to, it is an amazing vessel that enables me to accomplish many things and I am committed to treating it well.
Commit to eliminating Gluten & Dairy. Every source I have studied points to the negative implications of gluten on our bodies. While I personally don’t test positive for gluten intolerance or celiac, I have discovered the negative impacts I experience when I consume gluten. I have found the same thing with dairy, as it produces inflammation and histamine reactions in my body.
Consistently take a Vitamin D supplement. I emphasize the word “consistently” here. As I monitor my Vitamin D levels regularly through bloodwork, I see the difference of chronic low level Vitamin D deficiency when I’m not consistent with my daily dose. Vitamin D deficiency has a high occurrence in people with autoimmunity and is so necessary as it’s responsible for. There is a lot of scientific data about the link between Vitamin D deficiency and prevention of autoimmunity. As well as evidence that Vitamin D supplementation helps reduce inflammation. Having one autoimmune disease automatically predisposes a person to acquiring 7 others, so in my opinion it’s worth it to take Vitamin D as support and prevention for further autoimmune diseases.
Establish a relationship with a Functional Medicine Practitioner. I have been blessed by so much more information and education about autoimmunity by seeing a Functional Medicine practitioner regularly. She does extensive bloodwork that my general physician would never even consider and takes ample time to look at the whole picture of my life. She helps me connect a lot of dots.
Yoga, meditation, and spirituality have become an essential part of my life. These practices keep me grounded. I spend at least a few moments on my yoga mat daily. I connect meditation and spirituality in my morning routine by spending time in prayer and gratitude and then meditating or “listening” to the voice of my creator and the intuitive knowing, my internal guidance.
Surround yourself with people who feel like sunshine. I have realized that there are peole that deplete you, maybe even judge or criticize you for the challenges you experience navigating autoimmunity. Mostly, it’s simply that they don’t understand or have never experienced life with a chronic illness. Or maybe their approach to dealing with their body doesn’t mesh with your beliefs. I prefer to minimize time with those people and surround myself with people who show patience, kindness, support and love. I heard song lyric recently that referred to spending time with people who feel like sunshine. I couldn’t think of a better way to describe those people.
Do what you love. This is another queue to think about what depletes you and what energizes you. If you job, hobbies, daily rhythms are bringing you down, it may be time to assess how you are spending your days. I recently left a job that I knew was depleting me. But I didn’t realize how much and the impact on my nervous system, until the writing of the blog four months later. Stepping into the space of doing what I love and what fills my cup has released a joy and creativity that I have felt for a long time. Love what you do, and do what you love! Your health really does depend on it!
So there you have it, my top 7 tips for managing autoimmunity as a chronic illness. Your top 7 might be different than mine. Either way, I encourage you to explore what works and what doesn’t work for you. Realize that you are not broken. You don’t need to be fixed. But your body is nudging you for something that might demand attention. So, go back and start with number one! Listen to your body. It knows what you need to heal.
If I can be of support to you in your journey and walk alongside you as you discover the tools that will work best for you, please reach out to me. Let’s schedule a call to chat!
