I finally had enough of feeling sick all the time. I was tired of nausea, abdominal pains, inconsistent bowel movements, skin issues, thinning hair, crippling depression, anxiety, ADHD, mood swings, PMS that lasted the majority of my cycle, brain fog, and memory issues to the point I couldn’t remember where I parked my car the night before. As a single mom, I knew I needed to figure out what was going on and get healthy, not just for me but for my daughter too.

I was doing everything my doctor and mainstream media told me I needed to do to be “healthy”. I was on a low-fat, high-plant food, whole food, paleo diet. I didn’t eat processed junk food. I wasn’t drinking alcohol that often, I was staying active.

I was on an antidepressant for my depression. Wellbutrin for my mood swings and PMS. I was taking Adderall for my ADHD. I was on birth control to manage my hormones and periods, plus I didn’t want more kids and it’s sold as “safe and effective”. I was trying so hard to do the right things, yet I had never felt more miserable and more empty inside. I was miserable, tired, irritable all the time, depressed, and borderline bipolar. I couldn’t find the joy or excitement in the things that once fueled my passion for life. I was numb. I didn’t even know who I was anymore, or who I was going to become if anything but an empty shell of the person I used to be.

I finally mustered up the courage to get off my medications, including birth control. I started reading the side effects and abnormal reactions sheets… I was shocked and disgusted. I knew deep down I was never going to know who I was, or really know how I really felt until I got off the meds and stopped letting drugs dictate how my body functions. I also knew it was going to be a long process, with a lot of ups and downs, but I worked with my doctor to wheen off each med, one by one. I took it one day at a time and kept reminding myself that eventually these drugs would be out of my system and I would know what it feels like to be me. Just me, with no outside forces telling my body what to do. There was certainly an adjustment period, but sure enough, some things did start to get better.

I was hoping getting off the meds would have fixed more though. My gut and memory issues were still scaring me to the point that I thought I had Crohn's disease and/or the early stages of colon cancer and Alzheimer’s. And my daughter’s health still puzzled me. My daughter was diagnosed with a gluten and casien intolerance back in 2020. Since moving states away from her father (who only fed her junk food), and cutting out all gluten and milk products, her health significantly improved, but she still had signs of fatty liver disease and was carrying weight in her gut. No amount of exercise made any difference. She also had B.O. like a homeless man that started at the age of 5. I was puzzled. I knew there was more to this whole thing, but I didn’t know what. We both ate a lot of fruits and veggies, and I started thinking maybe we both have IBS. Maybe we should start cutting out more foods, and do another elimination diet. That is when I met Matthew, who is now my boyfriend. lol

Matthew has been recovering from health conditions for over 2 years now. Some conditions he was born with, and others, like Lymes Disease that he was cursed (or blessed) with later in life. He shared his plethora of resources and learned knowledge with me. The most significant resource he shared with me was Brian Sanders's Peak Human podcast, which has a TON of nonbiased nutrition information from doctors, experts, and people like Mikhaila Peterson, who have been figuring things out on their own through trial and error.

I, being desperate af, and a lover of research dove right in. I could not stop listening to these doctors and experts who were making so much sense—SO MANY THINGS STARTED TO MAKE SENSE.

I’ve tried many things, and many things have failed me. When everything has failed you, and you are desperate to change course, you are willing to try anything. I mean, why not? I’ve been following the “health rules” and they have only brought me to rock bottom.

Over the last year, Madison and I have made little changes that have produced huge results, so far. I certainly do not have all the answers, but I’ve started this blog because I have an undeniable urge to share my journey in hopes of helping others who also feel stuck or trapped like I did.

I believe being fit and mentally / physically healthy should not be a part-time, or full-time job. I also believe that food and nutrition are the best medicine and form of preventative care, but .