Probably a few.. but for the sake of this post, one in particular. It’s not funny or a joke, but it’s scary and this is how I deal.

You get to an age where everyone seems to have one or two medical conditions themselves. We also live in a wild world, where the food and things around us.. seem to be amplifiers or breeding grounds for our health issues.

Learning your own medical condition can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate while life around you moves on. All your friends and family try to understand, help and attempt to accommodate your new needs, worries and fears.

This isn’t just about my medical journey, or a soap box post to bring awareness to my issues. We all have something we are dealing with even if it’s an ingrown hair (medical condition called pseudofolliculitis). By making light of my issues it helps me try to stay positive and know I’m not alone.

My condition is colitis. It’s hard to explain. It’s hard to understand. I don’t share all the same symptoms as others with it. It’s hard for someone like myself who loves alllll foods, to be told I had to pump the brakes on so many of my favorite things. I gained a good amount of weight on my short frame. I was in pain. Blood, mucus and constipation were the norm. I was having what I learned would be called, “flares” with no diagnosis for almost 20 years. Diet and lifestyle changes have always been part of how I managed things, but once I finally had a name for what I was dealing with, I could start asking more specific, targeted questions.

Faced with fear and confusion, I realized I had to choose.. continue down the same path or make significant changes. So I changed. I’m still changing. I’m still learning. I’m still testing, trying and questioning everything. It’s not easy, but it can be rewarding and doable if you’re willing to spend the time to learn and adapt to your, new life.

Major changes in food and lifestyle take time. A lot of trial and error. Removing everything you knew and relearning what works can take time. Food that is typically healthy for most can be a toxic combination for me. Every human is built and shaped so uniquely different, so what works for others doesn’t mean it will work for you. Food is not a one size fits all.

I’m an open book and love sharing my experiences, things I’ve learned and books I’ve read.. in the event I can help someone else or learn something new myself. Medicine is not my favorite first option and I’m sure that I’m a pain to doctors with that view. I just want to know lifestyle change is a discussion on the table if I’m willing to do the work!