The image perfectly represents Donna, a strong, fit and active person that refuses to cave in to the health issues that life has dealt her. Rather than pull back on life she pushes forward searching for answers and taking control of her health journey. Such a beautiful inspiring woman, I am in awe of what she has achieved.
Donna was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis in 2016 due to severe pain and swelling in her joints. She is under the care of a rheumatologist and undergoing pharmaceutical intervention but still wasn’t achieving the results she was after. On reviewing her blood work, I discovered that she also had Hashimoto’s disease. It is not uncommon to see both Rheumatoid Arthritis and Hashimoto’s in the same client. They often appear with the onset of menopause and have many symptoms that cross over making it difficult to obtain a clear diagnosis.
What can we do to help?
Firstly, treating any autoimmune condition is dependant on many different factors but the first question that needs to be answered “Is the client undergoing pharmaceutical intervention?” If they are then we need to provide support for the liver. All drugs need are metabolised by the liver, but those used to treat autoimmune conditions create a very big burden requiring monitoring with regular blood tests to make sure that the liver is coping. My first concern as a practitioner is to relieve this burden as much as possible to not only maintain optimal health but to allow the client to stay on these medications if that is what they choose to do.
Secondly, we need to reduce inflammation in the body as much as possible through dietary intervention and therapeutic dose supplementation. You would be very surprised to see the effect that diet alone can have on inflammation. It is possible for autoimmune conditions to be put into remission provided that you address all the contributing factors to the disease. We can’t however achieve this when the client is receiving drug therapy due to the burden on the liver.
How is Donna going?
This will be a process and something that Donna will need to monitor carefully. I am happy to say that when she follows the diet, not always possible because we are all human, then her pain and inflammation all but disappears and she is happy and healthy. When she falls of the wagon as we all do then the inflammation returns. Good thing is Donna sees the connection and knows exactly what she needs to do to get back on track and I am there to have her back.
Did I mention that Donna works full time and is a regular at the gym doing weights and cardo classes? Yes, she looks amazing!
If you think you may have an autoimmune condition and would like me to work with your rheumatologist, or if you would like to focus on your diet and lifestyle to achieve results then give me a call and let’s get started.
*Disclaimer – This article was written with the client’s permission; personal details have been altered to protect her privacy. Donna hopes that by sharing her story it will inspire others to reach out and obtain the help they need to improve their quality of life.