Ever laughed at the chaos of painting kitchen cabinets or nodded in understanding at the frustrating limits of iCloud storage? Join us, your hosts Mac and Kelli, as we share these relatable slices of life's ups and downs, and introduce you to our podcast bunny, Paisley, whose antics set the tone for an episode as varied as life itself. But it's not all chuckles and DIY mishaps; we tackle the serious implications of a student fight outside of school, reflecting on the weight of our choices in the digital age.
The heart of our conversation beats with the story of our guest, Melissa, who bravely recounts her battle with lupus. Diagnosed at 32, her tale is one of early confusion, painful symptoms, and the life-altering reality of living with an autoimmune disease. Her experience is a poignant reminder of the invisible struggles faced by many and serves as a beacon of hope to anyone grappling with their health. We then segue into experiences with Raynaud's phenomenon, contemplating the powerful role diet plays in managing chronic conditions and the candid revelations of sugar addiction. Our candid discussion ventures into the complexities of redefining one's lifestyle with an anti-inflammatory diet and the cultural challenges that follow.
Wrapping up, we navigate the intricate dance of dietary changes, emphasizing the need for support and understanding from our loved ones. With personal anecdotes and practical insights, we consider the profound impact that food and lifestyle choices have on our well-being. We say a warm goodbye to Melissa and highlight the growth of our podcast community, inviting you to share in the journey and contribute your own stories. Whether you're curious about clean eating or navigating life with a chronic condition, this episode promises insights, inspiration, and a generous dose of our everyday banter.
Ever laughed at the chaos of painting kitchen cabinets or nodded in understanding at the frustrating limits of iCloud storage? Join us, your hosts Mac and Kelli, as we share these relatable slices of life's ups and downs, and introduce you to our podcast bunny, Paisley, whose antics set the tone for an episode as varied as life itself. But it's not all chuckles and DIY mishaps; we tackle the serious implications of a student fight outside of school, reflecting on the weight of our choices in the digital age.
The heart of our conversation beats with the story of our guest, Melissa, who bravely recounts her battle with lupus. Diagnosed at 32, her tale is one of early confusion, painful symptoms, and the life-altering reality of living with an autoimmune disease. Her experience is a poignant reminder of the invisible struggles faced by many and serves as a beacon of hope to anyone grappling with their health. We then segue into experiences with Raynaud's phenomenon, contemplating the powerful role diet plays in managing chronic conditions and the candid revelations of sugar addiction. Our candid discussion ventures into the complexities of redefining one's lifestyle with an anti-inflammatory diet and the cultural challenges that follow.
Wrapping up, we navigate the intricate dance of dietary changes, emphasizing the need for support and understanding from our loved ones. With personal anecdotes and practical insights, we consider the profound impact that food and lifestyle choices have on our well-being. We say a warm goodbye to Melissa and highlight the growth of our podcast community, inviting you to share in the journey and contribute your own stories. Whether you're curious about clean eating or navigating life with a chronic condition, this episode promises insights, inspiration, and a generous dose of our everyday banter.
Hey guys, welcome back to Honor Best Behavior. I'm Matt. Okay, I messed up, but you're here with Mac and Kelly.
Speaker 2:Hi, how are you?
Speaker 1:I'm good.
Speaker 2:I've actually missed you a lot because you were at your dad's this weekend and it always makes me sad. Oh, it's Paisley. Hey, paisley, paisley, the podcast bunny in the house.
Speaker 3:He looked at you and he backed up he like.
Speaker 2:He's like oh, why is there so many people In my room? So, anyway, what's new what you got going on?
Speaker 1:Absolutely nothing. I'm kidding Alright. Well, there's this Thing that happened at school. I don't know.
Speaker 2:No, this is the first time I'm hearing it. I'm kind of excited. I think it was Wednesday.
Speaker 1:Some kid got his ass beat outside of school, shut up, like when we were getting bussed at the end of the day.
Speaker 2:Why.
Speaker 1:I don't know. They were trash talking to each other and they just got really mad or something.
Speaker 2:Did somebody get beat up bad? Yeah something. Did somebody get beat up bad?
Speaker 1:yeah the it was like an eighth grader and ninth grader. Oh so, was it on the bus? Because no, it was like outside of her school, outside of where all the buses are but why would an eighth grader be on the high school property? I don't know, there was, I was, I don't know, but who started the fight?
Speaker 2:the eighth grader, did he like? Get off the bus? Like I'm gonna beat this kid's.
Speaker 1:No, they were just like trash talking. I don't know why.
Speaker 2:You don't know anything. Do you know who the kids were?
Speaker 1:No, oh Did who stop the fight. No one really the police got there.
Speaker 2:Oh, they did yeah.
Speaker 1:There was like seven cop cars or something.
Speaker 2:What else was I going to ask you about that? I don't know, okay.
Speaker 1:I left me. Uh-oh, you're selling.
Speaker 2:Just kidding, it was probably not important. I'm sure the answer would be I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 1:No, it probably wouldn't be actually.
Speaker 2:Oh, this is what I was going to say. I was going to say did you videotape it?
Speaker 1:Because last time you videotaped something then you got suspended. I would not do it. I didn't know, yo, what? Don't put your finger in my mouth. I was trying to show you. Yeah, I know, talk to talk to the mic. Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2:No, I didn't you know, and when I was younger, people would be like talk to the hand because the face don't want to hear it. And I'm telling you, talk to the mic, otherwise no one can hear it get out of here.
Speaker 1:I'm kidding. What's going on with you today?
Speaker 2:you want to know what's going on with me. Well, funny, funny, you should ask Number one my iCloud storage is always full.
Speaker 1:Really, and I can't.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you.
Speaker 1:Well, this is where we get on to date. No, I'm kidding.
Speaker 2:If somebody knows how to empty your cloud storage. That would be helpful because it says I have a ton of storage on my phone, it's your pictures, but then it doesn't want it, I know, but I've deleted so many things and videos and it still constantly is like your phone can't be backed up, you don't have any storage. But then I go into the settings and I have a ton of storage.
Speaker 1:But it's the cloud. I don't know. The cloud is just like the cloud's annoying.
Speaker 2:I don't know, I think cloud's just like the pictures and stuff. Well, the cloud. I think everything automatically goes to this cloud, but I don't necessarily care about that, so I don't want it to go to the cloud and I don't know how to clear out, clear out. I need to clear out my cloud.
Speaker 1:Tyson was in the litter box again.
Speaker 2:How do you know? He was in here before we started. He was eating the poop, oh so gross.
Speaker 1:You just cleaned it up for us.
Speaker 2:All right, so let me tell you highlights from my week.
Speaker 1:All right Lock in.
Speaker 2:This weekend we had a pasta paint and wine night Wait With my girlfriends.
Speaker 1:It's like Tuesday brother.
Speaker 2:Including Emily, jen and Patrick. Didn't you say you were going to paint something?
Speaker 1:I did. What is that?
Speaker 2:again. No, I was going to paint in the kitchen, but I didn't Let me tell you I'm getting there, did you look to see if it was different?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it didn't look different.
Speaker 3:It's not different.
Speaker 2:I was going to paint the kitchen cabinets, but the paint that I was going to go buy wasn't in stock anywhere.
Speaker 1:So I have to do it this weekend.
Speaker 2:So I'll tell you my project that I worked on this weekend, all right, because I couldn't paint. I am still going to order that, but it's on my list, okay. So it was pretty nice outside this weekend, yeah, it was. So I spent a lot of time outside. I moved my little loveseat sofa into the sun and I just sat out there and listened to my book and the dogs played and played, and played.
Speaker 2:So that was really nice and I found a new product that I tried this week and I'm really excited about it. I don't know if you know this about me, but I love to take my vitamins and I love to take supplements. I'm a big enthusiast about that, and when I have gone on vacation, at times I'm like I'm not going to pack all my vitamins and supplements because I don't need to take them. And then I always regret that because I really notice a difference in how I feel when I take my vitamins versus when I don't take them. Do you notice that? Because a lot of times, like on the weekends, you don't take vitamins, but on the weekdays you do? Do you notice, like a difference in how vitamins make you feel? No, you feel the same, no matter what.
Speaker 1:No, I'm just a little crazier and a little more active. There's no other. But I'm only like that because I have to go to school in the in the week, so like that they got that poops me out, so I'm not really active.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't really any energy. Do you feel like you sleep better when you take your vitamins? No at night versus at the week, on the weekends.
Speaker 1:No, you know, it's just basically how much I slept in the day, or like how much sleep I got. Yeah, no, that's fine, I get it, I get it.
Speaker 2:I feel like when I was younger I didn't notice either, but now that I've gotten older, I definitely probably need some extra help. But anyway, I'm locked in. I discovered this new supplement and it's called Magic Mind, and the number one thing that I like about it is I can you know if you know anything about me? The thing that I look forward to every day is my cup of coffee.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2:I need that. It really gives me the joy in life and I honestly don't really come to life until I have my coffee. And what I like about Magic Mind is that if I have more than one cup of coffee or if I have like any kind of caffeine after my coffee, it makes me feel like jittery and shaky and it's just too much, so you can't have two coffees.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I get too like dehydrated feeling Excuse me and so what I like about magic. And then also when I have my one cup of coffee after lunchtime, like I just feel like I could go to sleep, I'm ready for a nap and I'm carb coma'd out and I just kind of tank. But when I've been taking Magic Mind, I feel like that gives me the endurance and sustains me for the rest of the day. So I don't get home and feel exhausted and I'm not after lunch feeling exhausted and I'm not coming home and feeling like I need a nap. So that's really been giving me that little extra push that I need. It has been making me more focused and more mentally stable and I'm not procrastinating things, I'm not feeling like I need a nap, so I'm not wasting time out of my day. All right, what about you? You have ADHD. You've been doing the magic mind shots.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think like it does make my energy higher and I feel like it does help with not wanting to take a nap. I just don't feel as tired. I feel like. So yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's good and I am going to like throw out there that it's not my favorite flavor. I feel like I am more of a coffee drinker. I was really hoping. Have you ever had those naked smoothies?
Speaker 1:They're so good I don't know what that is.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you do those little smoothies. They do have a green machine, but I usually get you the berry ones, oh yeah, okay, I think I know what you're talking about, but anyway, I was really hoping it was going to taste like that, but it does have more of a green tea matcha flavor, which isn't my favorite flavor in the world, but I've definitely had way worse things. It's definitely easy enough to get down for the benefits that it provides. All right, all right. So if you're ready to give Magic Mind a chance, you can go to magicmindcom and you can put in promo code BESTBEHAVIOR20 for 20% off your first order. Did I have?
Speaker 1:anything else? Oh, yes, I did have more.
Speaker 2:I wanted to tell you Did you see my phone? I lost it. I think I fell. It has all my notes in it, things I want to talk to you about. So I didn't paint the cupboards, but what I did do is I worked on what I want to do for our patio and I am making a backyard pool setup, so I got myself a pool.
Speaker 1:I ordered it. What do you mean?
Speaker 2:Like a six foot pool Okay, not huge, you know around Just enough to cool down in. And then I'm going to get a little beach umbrella for over there and two like little chairs and a table and kind of just create a little outdoor oasis. Alright, because I want to spend a lot of time outside this summer. And then I also got a little screened in room for my sofa so that when it's the bugs are bad or if it's a little drizzly out, I can still be outside Right. I also super love to drink my coffee in my magic mind shot out on the patio every morning, like that is my favorite thing to do.
Speaker 2:So on the patio every morning, that is my favorite thing to do. I also found a rug that I want out there. It's supposed to be really nice next weekend and you're going to be home. Maybe you can help me clean up the patio. Maybe we can pressure wash off the patio and get it all cleaned up. When that stuff starts coming we can start getting it set up. I'm excited for that I also read a lot this week.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:And I can't find anything good to watch on TV. I've really been struggling with finding a good show.
Speaker 3:Really.
Speaker 2:So if you have a good show recommendation, that's new because I think I've watched all the old stuff. Hit up your girl because I'm looking for a show. I love True Crime. I did watch that Quiet on the set which is about the Nickelodeon kids and how they were mistreated, and that was terrible but not exciting but intriguing to watch but made me feel so terrible for what those kids have gone through. So I had taken a break from selling my plasma but I got back on that horse.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, made some money this week doing that, so that was good to get a little more extra money in my pocket, but other than that, that's all I did.
Speaker 1:Nice.
Speaker 2:And this week. We'll talk about it later, but I do have a City of Anoka meeting this week, so I'm excited to do that again and see what's been going on. Otherwise, today we have a very special guest Right. Do you want to know who it?
Speaker 1:is, who is it?
Speaker 2:It's my very good friend, melissa, and we talked to her before from the North Shore Explorer. But today she's going to talk to us about an autoimmune disease, lupus, and kind of her journey with getting diagnosed with lupus and things that she's changed in her lifestyle to make her life quality better. So, without further ado, let's welcome Alyssa to the show.
Speaker 2:All right, you're listening to another episode of honor best behavior, and today I have my dear friend returning to the show, melissa. You might remember her from the north shore episode. But today we're going to talk about something a little bit different. We are going to talk about something a little bit different. We are going to talk about lupus, which is an autoimmune illness, and it is an illness that occurs when the immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs. So Melissa is going to kind of tell us about her journey with lupus and give us some insight on this condition. Hi, melissa, welcome back.
Speaker 3:Hi Kelly, Thank you so much for having me, and I'm excited to share my experience with autoimmune disease because it is a topic that so many people can relate to and even if you have not been diagnosed with autoimmune disease, you know there's still a lot of parallels with just weird, crazy symptoms that happen.
Speaker 2:So how has your daily routine changed since you've been diagnosed with lupus? How did you find out you had lupus Like what was that journey like?
Speaker 3:journey like, yeah, well, starting from the beginning. So I was diagnosed when I was 32 years old and so it's been about 13 or 14 years for me. And you know, for me the way this came up is like I had symptoms that were coming on, you know, kind of just one by one, and you know, and like you try to diagnose, like what each one of these symptoms are, but you can't Right you know, until they all kind of add up, and so they all kind of add up. So for me it started with Raynaud's phenomenon, or Raynaud's disease. Are you familiar with that? I am yes, but isn't it like a circulation disease? And like, a lot of times people get like the blue or the white fingertips and the toes and you like lose sensation of feeling. Yeah, so it typically happens in your fingers and your toes, where they get very, very, very cold and painful, and it does not take a lot for it to get there, and so it's actually not a circulation issue, it is an issue with the blood vessels actually collapsing. So you are like not, and then your fingertips turn white and then they turn blue and all of this stuff and it's very, very painful and it, um, it's really hard to function like that, especially when you live in Northern Minnesota or when you want to hold a cold beverage Yay for canned koozies, right, yes, exactly. But I have.
Speaker 3:Actually I have experienced Renaud's almost my whole life. I'm not from Northern Minnesota, I'm from Maryland, which is not a particularly cold climate, but if I was going to go skiing or I was going to be outside, I would always have to worry about this skiing or if I was going to be outside, I would always have to worry about this. And then as I aged and stuff and also living in a colder climate, it really became almost debilitating for me. So I was researching. My doctor was like, oh yeah, it's just Renaud's. People get it, it happens. There's really nothing you can do about it. Okay. So you know, I was researching, you know what is this? And it said that, yes, it can just happen on its own, just because it is kind of like a phenomenon that can happen in your body or it can be a like side effect or symptom of an autoimmune disease like lupus. And of course I'm like, oh, that's not me, I don disease like lupus. And of course I'm like, oh, that's not me, I don't have lupus, you know.
Speaker 3:So then I just continued to live with this and then I got like I don't know it just it seems like it almost all kind of hit at once, but I had so much pain, like especially in my shoulders, so much pain Like I couldn't even no, I said, it came on all at once and I don't mean that, but I'll go back. I just it started with this like severe pain in my shoulders and like it was. I can't even describe how it was, but it was almost like I couldn't even like move my shoulder or my arm. I just didn't really have any function and I was like it feels like like I can't raise my arm and it's like. It feels like like I can't raise my arm and it's like it feels like my arm forgot how to like function.
Speaker 3:You didn't have like any range of motion, right?
Speaker 3:You know, yeah, like not, not a normal range of motion, and and, and then that whole feeling kind of spread across my whole body where I was, just my whole body was just in such pain and like I couldn't even get into the bathtub. You know, like I would have to like lift my leg with my hand to like put it in the bathtub and like it was just, it was awful. So I did obviously go to the doctor, and the first doctor I went to, you know, we I live in just a very small rural community, so we just have like a family clinic here, and the doctor that I saw was actually very, very good and he said you know, I think you might have rheumatoid arthritis. So they took a test, like they took some blood work and stuff like that, and then I just got referred to a rheumatologist in the big city of Duluth, minnesota, and so from there. So that rheumatologist diagnosed me with lupus and that is because my blood test came back positive for the A1A antibody and that is the indicator of lupus.
Speaker 2:So how do you feel? Now you get this diagnosis because you're like oh, I don't have lupus, and now you do have lupus. So what does that feel like?
Speaker 3:oh, I don't have lupus, and now you do have lupus. So what does that feel like? Well, you know, just going back to those early days, because I just I really think this is something that people can probably really relate to if they've experienced this but your life completely changes. Like you're great, like I cannot, my body does not function, I have an illness, like I am now, like I am a sick. I am sick. Yeah, I am 32 years old. I have a. I don't remember how old my son was at the time. He was young, probably five.
Speaker 3:You know, I have a five-year-old son, I work full-time, I'm a mom, I'm a wife and, and I am sick and I cannot function, and like that is devastating. I mean, like you're grieving, like I spent so much time just grieving, like my life is never going to be the same again. Right, you know, I don't know what my outlook is. I don't. You know, you're just all in this unknown territory and you're sick and you're tired and you know all this stuff. So, um, but I did. I got put on some medications, um, so I did a course of prednisone, which is a steroid, uh, commonly used for these types of things, um, which is really just a temporary type of medication it supposed to be. And I got put on Plaquenil and then a couple of other medications and stuff and then I started doing all kinds of therapies like chiropractic and massage and acupuncture and all of this because not only is it just you're having these bodily symptoms, but you know there's a lot going on, you know mentally as well.
Speaker 2:So you have to accept, like this is your new identity and that's like you said. That's devastating because that's not who you want to be.
Speaker 3:Right and you would never expect that, you know, especially as a young person. Um, you know, with, like, you're busy and your whole life is in front of you and you never expected this and it was just, yeah, you, you really go through like this grieving process. Um, you know, and then your family has to make adjustments and, um, you know, and then your family has to make adjustments, and you know just all all of that, um, you know, but I, I just um, you know, and then it has. I can't remember every single detail, you know, cause, like I said, it's been about 13 or 14 years. But, just like the, you know, continuing on my journey, you know, like I said, I was doing all kinds of therapies and and this and that which which really did seem to help.
Speaker 3:And then one thing is all these alternative therapies that I mentioned, um, you know, I, I think they benefited me a lot. I still do them. Um, I do regular massage and chiropractic. I don't do acupuncture anymore, but, but I learned so much from those practitioners and they gave me so much like physical and mental and emotional support. That was incredible. I mean, to have these people helping me and supporting me and teaching me was amazing.
Speaker 2:Did you do any kind of like mental therapy or counseling?
Speaker 3:You know, not really. No, I didn't. I suppose I probably could have, but I was already spending all my money on these other things.
Speaker 2:Right, there's only so many directions, you can throw it right before you run out?
Speaker 3:Yes, exactly, but you know what these things and these, they were my support system and that was mentally and emotionally helping me. You know as well. But anyway, so, moving on down the line, you know it does end up being a roller coaster where it's like, oh, you feel good, and then you go back and then you feel good and then, oh, okay, those symptoms are gone. And now I have like these other weird symptoms, you know so, like other things, like when I was feeling better, you know, for example, I would get like my wrist would hurt so bad that I could not, I could not use my hand, so bad that I could not, I could not use my hand, I couldn't, I could not wipe my butt Okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, let's be real and transparent. But I mean, like these are like you can't function, Like I can't open a jar, I have no grip, I have no, and it was so painful and there's no like diagnosis for it, you know. And then cause I wasn't an injury, it wasn't, you know. So, like all of these like and then like skin symptoms, like really itchy spots you know it's not eczema, it's not what the other thing was, um, headaches, really bad headaches, and I had I am not a migraine sufferer, but I would get these headaches I mean were like migraines, you know, like you cannot function. It's. It's like the worst thing in the absolute world.
Speaker 3:And then the first time it happened to me, I mean I'm talking for like days and weeks at a time, like so I went to the hospital, you know they ran some tests, they put me on an IV and like fluid and that, and they're like you do not have a clinical migraine. We don't know what this is. The best thing we can say is that you know you can go home, rest, whatever. I mean there's like nothing anybody can do for you, you know, and you kind of have to figure it out. That's then and these and I did see some of those alternative therapies for, you know, my headaches, Like I had some cranial sacral work done and all of that. I'm going to come back to the headaches. But, um, I actually I muddled through that for like a couple of months, I mean to a point where, like I was at work and I was just so fatigued and chronic fatigue for me is was another really bad symptom. And until you experience chronic fatigue, you have no idea how tired is until yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you think you're tired now.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, you're not tired, like you are so exhausted, you are depleted, there is no gas in the tank, there is nothing you can do, and then what exacerbates it is this pain and that pain and all of the pain and it just it's terrible. I mean it, really, it's terrible, I mean it really it's, it's terrible. So if you, if anybody listening out there, is experiencing any of this, I just want you to know that it's real, you are validated. And even if the doctors look at you and say we don't know what's wrong with you, there's nothing wrong. No, there, there, there is something wrong with you and we'll learn more as we go on my on my journey here.
Speaker 3:But anyway, digressing, um, let's see.
Speaker 3:Um, oh, I would be in my office Like I could not make it through the day, like I would have to lay down several times a day, like I had a pillow and a blanket and I would like lay down on the floor and close the door, and like it would it was.
Speaker 3:I cannot tell you like what a struggle it was to even make it through the day. So, and then I was taking some medications like dabapentin for nerve pain and some muscle relaxers, and, and you know I was also taking, like this big time um NSAID pain reliever, like an Advil type of pain reliever, um called a total lag that starts with an E, which is a medication, and actually that resolved a lot of my pain. Um, I never, ever, took any narcotic painkillers or you know anything at all like that. Um. So, anyway, all of these medications and um, anyway, so again, then you end up getting better, and not all the way, but you're functional, and you know, but you, you like, you're always having to like really plan your day and really only plan to do the things that you absolutely must do.
Speaker 2:You know, so I was going to ask you like how are you getting through your days? You said you have a young kid at home, you're working full time, you're doing all the things right, you're doing the American with, like you said, you're depleted of everything. Plus, you're in pain and you're hurting. How do you survive that?
Speaker 3:You know, looking back, I'm amazed, I'm amazed at myself. I mean, you just, you just do it, you know um survival mode, and then it's yeah, I mean it's, it's really, it's difficult, it's very difficult, but you, you, and on top of that you end up sacrificing so much. You know, like I remember I would be like, you know, like the place where I worked, you know they had, you know, like a nightclub and like fun stuff, and you know all that stuff, and I was like I can't do any of that, like I can't stay out late, I can't drink alcohol, I can't like spend all of this energy to like go have fun. In fact I can't even be around around loud music and a lot of people, because that sucks everything out. Like I have nothing facilities to even deal with.
Speaker 3:So I'm like I'm not having fun. I'm, you know, but but if I did want to do that, I would have to really really plan, you know. So it's like, okay, I want to go see this band with my friends, and you know it starts at eight o'clock or nine o'clock. So then I would have to like start planning like a couple of days in advance and make sure that I'm getting my rest, and you know like I'm all saved up.
Speaker 2:Right, I was just going to say it's almost like you're banking up your energy. Yeah, that's terrible.
Speaker 3:Yes, it's, yeah, it sucks, it really really sucks, and it was just sad, I mean that's. You know so anyway. So there's that, and then, even even if, like, even if you don't want to like go out and all I mean, there's just, it's like, until you have chronic fatigue, you don't realize, like, until you can't do these things, you just take so much for granted.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like wiping your butt when you go to the bathroom, like who would have thought Right, exactly Like I have to learn how to use my left hand, or I have to do this and then just be in pain, or you know it's just crazy, but, um, so, anyway now. So this whole journey, you know, was kind of like that up and down and side to side and all of this. And then then, so here now, uh, we fast forward to about 2020 and it was like right around the like the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Um, you know, I had a new symptom, which, well, a couple of new symptoms. One was very, very severe dry eye, like so dry and so painful, like there's sand in my eyelids I cannot even open my eyes, I have to ice my eyes, like multiple times a day. All of this craziness, and meanwhile I have these gut symptoms that are happening to me. Okay, and so back to those headaches that I was talking about Now, when I would have these headache episodes that would last for days and days and days and days, it would peak at a time, like it would get.
Speaker 3:It would peak to a point where I would like be throwing up and just completely nauseous and like it's just, it's so bad and but I'm not. I knew that like I wasn't sick or I didn't have like a stomach bug or food poisoning, I like it. Just I knew it was all kind of associated with this, but I had no idea what it was. No doctor could say what. It was all kind of associated with this, but I had no idea what it was. No doctor could say what it was any of that.
Speaker 3:And that would happen Sometimes. It would happen frequently and then it would be more spaced out. But like I would have these episodes that would put me out for like a day or two or three, because then you have to recover from that whole thing day or two or three, because then you have to recover from that whole thing, and so you know that was happening. And then also, like speaking to the gut symptoms, mine were things like I have no appetite, like I know I need to eat something, something, but I just cannot think of anything that I like could stomach or want to put in my mouth or that would seem good or that I just want to have in my body. And, um, what was my other one?
Speaker 2:When you were pregnant, did you have severe like hyperemesis or anything like that? Because it almost sounds like your symptoms are somebody who is pregnant, who is like so severely sick like they need fluids to even stay afloat. I mean, it sounds terrible.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it could be. I did not experience that in my pregnancy. I had, like, I had a very, very easy pregnancy. Um so, um so, but yeah, I mean, I suppose the symptoms could be similar, for sure, um, but yeah, like I just had no appetite and just like an icky feeling, and you know it just, it was not right feeling, and you know it just, it was not right Um. So then I, I was talking to my, my doctor about it, like so you know. So I scheduled a visit to talk about this and they actually recommended me to or referred me to to um, like a set of doctors. So I go to essential health in um in duluth, minnesota, and they have a department called um. Oh my gosh, why can't I think of it now? Is it like internal medicine?
Speaker 3:integrative health, oh, okay, yeah, okay, integrative health and it's it's that's what they call it anyway but it's also functional medicine, functional doctors, where they actually work to get to the root of the problem, like let's fix the problem and so, um, that doctor, and actually it wasn't. Uh, there's a doctor in the program there, but I was seeing one of the nurse practitioners, um, so that. So I did some tests and especially like a stool sample and things like that, and I was diagnosed with leaky gut. So are you familiar with leaky?
Speaker 2:gut. So that's a new diagnosis. So now you have Raynaud's phenomenon, and now you have lupus, and now you have leaky gut. So that's not all the same thing. It's three different things that you're suffering from now not all the same thing.
Speaker 3:It's three different things that you're suffering from now. Yes, except leaky gut is what causes all of this autoimmune stuff.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:Because the root of the problem that you're kind of trying to find, that is the root of the problem, and so my alternative health practitioners have been telling me for years and years, like especially my chiropractor who loves functional medicine, and all of that is like, and he had tried to put me on diets before and all this kind of stuff, and I tried it and it didn't work, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and it's very, very hard to change your diet, especially when you're sick, and it's very, very hard to change your diet, especially when you're sick.
Speaker 2:And so Right, because nothing sounds good already, you're trying to get in whatever your body will even tolerate, and now you're trying to make huge lifestyle changes.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I don't have the energy to like, Think of this food. I'm going to eat and buy the food and prepare the food and like all of those things, but so, but my practitioners were telling me, like your, your gut, your intestines your gut is the same thing as your intestines. For those who don't know, your intestines is where all of your food and your nutrients and everything is absorbed into your body and filtered, and all of your food and your nutrients and everything is absorbed into your body and filtered and all of that. And so what happens? So my okay. So my practitioners tell me that your gut is your key to health. Your gut is your key to health. Okay, so this um um to help, Okay, so this um um integrative health professional is the one. So now we're on the road to healing, because I'm really really learning. She put together a protocol for me to heal my gut. So when you have leaky gut, where is it?
Speaker 2:leaking to.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I'm going to explain that. Okay, so it's in your, it's your small intestine and what happens is and now the wall of your small intestine is one cell wide. I mean, that is all the barrier that you have between all you know, your, all of this food and everything that's going through your system and getting processed through your small intestine, um, to the, to the rest of the inside of your body. And so, when it's healthy, so when it's unhealthy and it could be unhealthy as a result of so many things 30 to 40 years of bad eating, sugar, I mean, really the diet like the, the American diet, um, it's, it's, it really is, it really is terrible. And also toxins that we just accumulate.
Speaker 3:You know as we're living and know as we're living and, um, so I, I, so I, I did this stool sample and they found that I had this overgrowth of candida yeast and your intestine has millions. It's the microbiome, yeah, so there's millions of millions of all kinds of good and bad bacteria. That and things that you know work. You know they're supposed to be working together in harmony to digest your food and keep you healthy, but then that scale can be easily tipped to having an unhealthy gut I had an overgrowth of candida yeast. I have no doubt it has to do with, you know, the my american diet sugar, sugar, gluten. I mean all, all the things.
Speaker 2:Yes, people listen up. If you are prone to any kind of yeast, probably eating too much sugar because yeast loves sugar and carbs yeast yes, um, yeast eats.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeast eats sugar, that's its food. And so now what happens in leaky gut is you have all of these bad things that are going on, and then it starts eating away at that one cell barrier that is dividing your intestinal function and the rest of your body. So then, like, everything that's supposed to be going through your intestine is actually leaking out into your body because of these perforations, and that is what causes all of these crazy autoimmune symptoms.
Speaker 2:So wouldn't you go septic if your bowel is leaking into your body? How does?
Speaker 3:well, okay, I, I don't know I'm not a doctor either.
Speaker 2:I mean, I only know, what I think I know.
Speaker 3:But I know. I mean, I am not a doctor, I'm just, you know, kind of just trying to give information for, like my takeaways and the way that I understand it like a doctor. May, you know, explain it differently. And it's not, I don't, I really don't know. You know, I don't know either.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just a question. I'm like that sounds terrible, like is it really Cause that's my question. Like is it leaky gut? Is that really leaking into your body? Because that's terrifying.
Speaker 3:It is. It is leaking into your body and it's not necessarily your like, your poop is leaking in, you know, because that goes through your large intestine, you know. But just but you know, all the bacteria, all the things like all of that microbiome, good or bad, you know, should be contained in the intestine and meanwhile all this stuff is leaking into your body and that's what's causing all these crazy symptoms and that's really why, in my belief, in my view, why these things can't be diagnosed and fixed.
Speaker 2:So anyway, now they make you this protocol for how to fix your leaky gut.
Speaker 3:I'm super excited to hear what this is make you this protocol for how to fix your leaky gun. I'm super excited to hear what this is, yes, and so this is where people have to really really listen up, because this is I'm telling you. This was the hardest thing that I have ever done, but it was the most worthwhile thing I have ever done. Because I am telling you right now I did this protocol in 2020 and 2021 and also continued into 2022. It was forever. It's now 2024. And you are talking to somebody that has no symptoms, like almost no symptoms. I like I don't have to plan my days.
Speaker 3:I don't have chronic fatigue, I just feel like a normal 46-year-old person and are you still taking all those medications?
Speaker 3:I do not. I really don't take any medications, so I'll tell you what I had to do. So I'll tell you what I had to do. So I had to heal my gut, and so the protocol that I was put on was called an anti-Candida and it's called the AIP autoimmune protocol diet. So I was on both of these protocols simultaneously, and so with anti-Candida you cannot eat anything that will feed yeast no sugar, no flour, flour of any kind, like not even gluten-free flour.
Speaker 3:Not even like almond flour or coconut flour no, okay, not even like almond flour or coconut flour, no, no, okay, nothing Like, nothing like that, and nothing that will feed yeast, alcohol, nothing. And I had to take a supplement called olive virex, which is olive leaf, okay, and that kills the candida. And then I took a um, a supplement. It's um, uh, what is it?
Speaker 2:Oh, charcoal, um activated charcoal, activated charcoal and that's I mean you can buy that over the counter. This is not like anything you got from your doctor, right? Same with the olive stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you can just buy these things. The doctor that I work with their pharmacy. You can get these things through their pharmacy, but it does not require a prescription. You can also find them on your own, but you want to make sure that you're taking the really, really high, high quality stuff. Like you're not going to buy it in a grocery store or you know what I mean, like you have to get it from a special place. But this, the activated charcoal, actually like grabs the bad stuff and removes it from your body. So I had to kill the candida and remove it from my body.
Speaker 2:So now I just have to interrupt you, because what is? I've taken activated charcoal before and your poop looks really funky. Did your poop look really funky when you're doing that stuff and cleaning out your gut? Oh yeah, yeah. The first time I saw my poop I was like what is wrong with me? And I'm like, oh, that's that charcoal like pulling all that shit out, literally.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, You're getting it's, grabbing all that bad stuff and getting it out, and then with that it can be very constipating, you know. So you have to drink lots and lots of water. I mean lots of water.
Speaker 2:You mean lots of water. You need to make the slide slippery. Water on the water slide.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes yes, you don't want it to dry up, no, you want to get it out. That's the goal is get it out, right? Um, so there was that. And then you know it's like with the olive irex, you, you know you have to work up. You know, like you start with one for a couple of days and then you add two, and then blah, blah, blah and then you add up to taking all of these um many times a day. And so then there was that. And then there is the autoimmune. What is it? A, a, I P autoimmune protocol diet? What is it? Aip autoimmune protocol diet, which is essentially an elimination diet that you remove anything that could cause any inflammation or cause any symptoms or allergic reactions or whatever it is. So you, I mean you, are down to basics.
Speaker 2:What are you eating? What are you eating at this point?
Speaker 3:Yes, okay, so, and this is this is the most challenging part about doing this, because I was so motivated to do it because I want to get better Um, but it's the, what can I eat? And I need the time to plan it and prepare it and all of that. And then so, basically, for me, I mean you're, you're lean meat, you know, so like chicken or you know hamburger, or whatever. Um, lean meat, fresh vegetables, lean meat, fresh vegetables. You can have Minnesota wild rice, because Minnesota wild, like the real natural wild rice, is actually a grass, not a grain. So, which was amazing, because it is filling, because chicken and vegetables by themselves are not especially filling. So, but anyway, I mean I would eat like chicken, steamed vegetables and wild rice all the time, or I would have like a cold salad, and so I would have like a hot salad or a cold salad.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:And I would use an avocado and for oils it's a avocado oil, coconut oil and like a really pure extra virgin olive oil or like the only oils that you can have. So like Primal Kitchen makes a really great olive oil or avocado oil based dressing. So you know, I was using that on my hot salad or my cold salad. But the secret and then there's recipes you can find and I made a couple of things and you know, but it's like it was just always easiest for me to just stick with what I know. But you know, because I want it to be easy. But yeah, and then wherever I would go somewhere, like I could not. Actually it was COVID when I was first doing this, so like nobody's going to your favor.
Speaker 3:It actually really did, because there is no way that you can go to a restaurant or go anywhere and eat anything Like you can't, it's impossible.
Speaker 2:That's what's so hard about American diet Like it's so difficult to eat clean, I think, and maybe it's gotten better for you because you've been doing it for years. But if you're trying to start something new, like it's feels so defeating because it's if you leave your house like you face a lot of challenge.
Speaker 3:Oh, 100%, and that is the hardest thing, um, so my secret is you, you always have to have food prepared in advance, because the minute that you are hungry and you're destitute for food and you don't have the time or the wherewithal or the whatever to make it, you have to have that food ready. And that's why chicken and steamed vegetables and the wild rice worked great for me, because I would just make a whole bunch, you know, and then I would just have it in the fridge and I would just make sure that I was stocked, um, and of course you can put variations on, you know that meat and vegetables, you know, but, um, and you have to bring your food with you everywhere you go. So if you're gonna, yeah, like for me. You know, I live way up North in Minnesota. I live two hours from Duluth, minnesota, which is our big city, um, you know.
Speaker 3:So you know, if I want to go to Walmart or something like that, I have to travel two hours to Duluth and you know, or like to the doctor or to wherever. So I bring a cooler with my hot salad and my cold salad and my dressing, and you know, and it's hard because then my family is like well, we want to stop. You know, we want to go here, we want to go there to a restaurant or fast food or whatever. And I, just you, you, just you. You can't hold everybody else hostage to your diet. You know it's like this is I'm doing this, I'm committed to this, and then just to say no and like, well, everybody else is eating that food around you. You know, you just have to be happy with your hot, boring salad.
Speaker 2:So my question for you, melissa, is I feel like whenever I've tried to do like a new diet, and there's times where I'm like if I smell this one more time I'm going to vomit. So when you're eating chicken and hot salad, cold salad and wild rice, like are you, are you feeling that sensation of like I can't eat this one more day, or are you starting to feel better and so then it's giving you motivation to stick with it?
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, it's a little bit of both For me. At the very beginning I just I feel like, like my system was so sensitive and I was just so sick and just whatever, that I really couldn't tolerate a lot anyway. So that really really worked for me. But then you know, as you go on and you start feeling better and you want to start eating other foods but you can't. I mean, it takes so much willpower and I remember, especially with the sugar, because it's addicting.
Speaker 3:As Americans it is, as Americans, we are all addicted to sugar. Everything we buy has sugar, added sugar, everything. And I mean my mantra was like my priority was killing the candida, because all of this work and all of this stuff that I'm doing and like you know all of these like super expensive supplements and you know this whole protocol, I was like I am not going to sabotage it, I am doing this. And I remember like I would even be like literally saying out loud kill the candida, kill the candida. Like that, that is my priority, like I don't need that cookie or whatever. But I will tell you I I there's, there's a, a plant-based um sugar uh replacement called monk fruit. Oh yeah, I've heard of that.
Speaker 2:I've had it too, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's a one-to-one sugar replacement. It's plant-based, it does not register on the glycemic index, so I could have that. Even with the candida diet thing, I could have that. So I would so like when I got to a point where I wanted something sweet, I would dump out some monk fruit, which is just like sugar little granules, and mix it with some cinnamon and I would like dip my finger in it.
Speaker 2:And, honestly, if you are looking for a sugar replacement, that is a really good option because there's things like and I don't know about the glycemic index, but like the stevia they have and they have all these other ones, but that monk fruit is legit. So if you're looking for something that seriously like is close to sugar, that's not sugar, that's a or whatever low on the hypoglycemic index, that is a good, that it's worth the money, because I've spent a lot of money on things trying and failing and that's good.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah for sure. And then in its plant based, you know so it's not, you know, highly processed and and all of that, and it does work. You know, the other thing, like speaking about sugar and sugar addiction is so here's a little story, you know. So I did this for, you know, several months. I mean overall I did it for a really, really long time, but at this part of my journey I had been doing it for several months.
Speaker 3:You know, I was feeling better and then we went on a little vacation it was like a camping vacation and, um, I, you know, treated myself with some chocolates or you know whatever, and I found that I, I mean I started binging, like totally binging on sugar, like like I literally made myself sick because I binged on sugar and it was like you can't help it. I mean I was like a cocaine addict. And then, like, after that, I literally was sick on the couch and I was feeling so miserable and so guilty and so sad and so mad at myself Like I just I ruined all this work that I did and I ruined it and oh, and then you're just remorse.
Speaker 3:I feel, yeah, yeah yeah, and so that was really hard and I actually that was a roller coaster that I rode several times, you know, of the I'm quitting, I'm not, I'm not gonna let this happen again. And then you binge, and then you binge, and then you binge and and it's, it's, it's really a vicious cycle. So that could be, you know. So, if you want to go on this journey, you know that is something that you, that you may experience, um, but it's okay. Like, like, you just have to learn from your mistakes. You're going to make mistakes and you have to learn from them and you just have to do the best that you can and it's not going to be perfect, you know so. So that, like, wrapping your head around that you know is. And then the other thing with food and sugar and all this kind of stuff, like, until you have to cut all that out, you don't realize how much food is wrapped into everything like our social, our, our holidays, our emotions, our moods, our relationships, like there's so much to it. So I mean, in my opinion, like doing any kind of like significant diet change or whatever is. It is so hard for all of those reasons.
Speaker 3:But I am telling you, like, like I said a few minutes ago, I have benefited so much from all of that hard work. Like I, I just feel like I don't even think about having lupus. I don't think about chronic fatigue. I don't think about, oh, if I want to go do this, if I want to do these two things today, I can't. I only have to choose one or none. I don't even think about those things. So it's just. It is so, so worth all the hard work, especially if you're sick and want to get better. I mean, you know, talk about getting to the root of the problem. For me and my autoimmune journey, healing my gut was really the key for me to be able to live well.
Speaker 2:So now do you? Have you introduced more food back into your diet?
Speaker 3:Yes, so after you know, doing those protocols for so long and I probably I did them for at least really hardcore for oh, probably six to nine months, really hardcore for oh, probably six to nine months, and then I was able to only be on the anti-inflammatory diet, which is no gluten, corn, sugar or dairy.
Speaker 3:So, compared to what I was doing, like that was easy and then also like did you lose a lot of weight when you were doing that diet? Um, you know, I I never. I've always been like at at my weight. I've never been overweight. Plus, too, I wasn't eating much anyway because I had no appetite, and things like that. I would say that if you were overweight, you will lose. Um, that wasn't really one of my things, but but I mean you naturally would. I mean you naturally would. Um, um, there was something else I was going to say back to one of your questions. Um, oh, what?
Speaker 3:uh so then I just continued on the anti-inflammatory diet of no gluten, corn, sugar or dairy. Then I was feeling like some weird, like I don't have an appetite symptoms anymore, and I was associating that with the candida. So I did another round of the anti-candida diet protocol with the olive leaves and the activated charcoal thing, for maybe 12 or 13 weeks, um, and then again I went back to the anti-inflammatory only and then, and then I started feeling, started feeling really a lot better and a lot more normal. And then I started like and then I started feeling, started feeling really a lot better and a lot more normal. And then I started like, oh, I could have, oh, maybe I will just have this frozen pizza, or we'll get something at McDonald's or we'll go out to a restaurant, or I mean, and not big big time, you know, but just treat it like allowing myself, like I did find that I did have more tolerance for foods outside of the diet, but I it is a cumulative thing. So for example, if I just had like one bad meal, I really wouldn't have any symptoms or anything as a result of that.
Speaker 3:But then you know you get into trouble when you're like oh, I feel good, I'll just have this or I'll result of that. But then you know, you get into trouble when you're like, oh, I feel good, I'll just have this or I'll just have that, and then I'll have that, and then I'll have that, it accumulates and then you're like, ooh, and then you can feel it and you're like, oh, I gotta, I can't, I can't, I've got to cut it back. I've got to cut it back. And now, four years into this or whatever, I'm just always like I'm always trying to maintain the anti-inflammatory diet. I give myself a lot more leeway, um, but I do.
Speaker 3:I'm hyper aware of, like, how my body is feeling, how my gut is feeling, like all of these things, um, and now I just feeling like all of these things, um, and now I'm not fully on the diet. I'm mostly on, but not fully on. And I can tell like I really, when I was really really on that diet, I had never felt better, you know. So you know I can tell, but I'm, I'm fully functional, I'm not having crazy symptoms and stuff, like I was and, um, you know, just trying to maintain that diet as much as possible, while giving myself, you know, as much leeway as I think I can, and then cutting back when I feel like I need to and just really eating intuitively as well, just being mindful too, and self-aware of your body.
Speaker 3:Right, right and just the need that I have to plan and prepare the food and, most of the time, bring food with me and things like that. Do you ever get lupus?
Speaker 2:flare-ups.
Speaker 3:Um, you know I, I haven't I mean, you know, I really have not had any flare ups or anything like that I still do. Uh, you know the Renaud's um phenomenon, or disease, or it's called both. Um, you know, I do, I do still have that. Um, I think I've always had that and I probably always will. I will say that on one hand it's not as bad as it was, but then on the other hand, I know now how to manage it better and what to expect out of it. But I don't find it as debilitating as I once did.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know, I think that it's hard to retrain our bodies and our mind to eat different or better, but I mean the proof is, it's just right in front of your eyes that how much it does make you feel better or heals or reverses disease and illness, it's just crazy. I watched the show on Netflix not that long ago and it was called Poisoned and it was all about like the microbiome of your gut and it was just crazy. I mean, it was eye-opening.
Speaker 3:It's very eye-opening and you know, like I said to before, you know, my alternative practitioners were always like you know, your diet, your diet, your diet, you know, and my chiropractor, you know, trying to put me on a couple of diets and I just and part of it was I just didn't really believe that it would work. You know, like I, I just, I like part of me just didn't really believe it. But I do know now, like I have this lived experience to share, that I mean it is everything, it is really, really everything.
Speaker 2:I think it's hard to like someone like yourself who's kind of maintained a healthy weight your whole life. Like on the outside we think that we look healthy or appear healthy, or we're not overweight or we're not obese, so we're fine. I even remember when McCoy was little and he was just the pickiest eater in the world. My son and so like he was really like a mac and cheese and chicken nugget kid and like couldn't get him to eat much more. And I remember telling his pediatrician like but he looks healthy and he goes, yeah, but you can't see what his cholesterol looks like in his body, you can't see what his cells look like, you can't see all these things that are inside. So that's very deceptive and what he's doing as a little kid like can affect his adult life.
Speaker 3:But we just don't think that because we don't see it life, but we just don't think that because we don't see it. That is so true. And you know, especially like you know, these things don't catch up to us until later. You know, because we've spent our whole lives doing this damage without realizing that we're doing damage, you know, and I'm speaking, you know, to to your gut health. You know, specifically, I'm sure there's millions of other ways we can do damage to our bodies without realizing it. But but you know, yeah, and you know, for me it, it, I was, I, I started, I started, I didn't start that gut health protocol until I was about, like, ah, maybe 42 years old or something like that. You know, and it's just because I had a long time.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, and I had, you know, a lifetime of, like I said before, eating bad food and all of these things and it accumulates, it just accumulates, it just accumulates. And yeah, and then I think it is a barrier like not believing that just changing my diet will make me feel better, because the other thing is is that it's very hard, like we, like we've been talking about this whole time it's just very, very hard on so many levels, on so many levels. But I am telling you, if you have help and you do, I mean I do recommend taking certain supplements and you know, working with like a functional medicine doctor or practitioner or whatever and that can help you through this and give you the right tools and stuff like that, I mean, my lived experience has been, you know, absolutely incredible. You know, like I said, this is, it is honestly the hardest thing I ever did.
Speaker 2:And our culture makes it so tough. You know, that's the sad thing is it's just the world that we live in. I know I wanted to circle back on one of your stories about, like when you were packing your chicken and your salads and your family's like I want to go out to eat or whatever. I started, I don't have any like what. I wanted to lose weight, right. So I started this new diet and I was just really trying to cut back and like, be mindful, like I'm full, I'm not going to keep eating, or I'm not going to sugar binge on all this candy that I love and all this whatever.
Speaker 2:And it was really a struggle on my family, because that's what our social life as a family was like. Let's go out to eat, let's stop and get ice cream, let's whatever, whatever. And then you know my family's like your diet sucks, we can't do anything together and I'm like we can do plenty together. I just don't want to go to eat. Or we can go out to eat and it's fine, I can order whatever.
Speaker 2:And when I'm full, I'm full and I can bring it home and I'll eat it for four more days. I'm fine with that. Or if I'm sick of it, I'll throw it in the garbage, because I just grew up with a family that was like you eat everything on your plate. There's people starving in America. Well, just because there's people starving in America doesn't mean I need to be obese. I mean I wish I could give it to them, but I can't, and so, yeah, I mean that was a challenge on our family, just adapting to a different lifestyle and being supportive of one another and trying to find other things to do than go out to eat.
Speaker 3:Oh, absolutely, and yes, I mean our culture and our fun. You're like we attribute so much fun and love to food and sugar and going out to eat and you attribute like good emotions with all of those things as well and the other I mean. And sugar does produce, produce dopamine in your body, so I mean there is that physiological, like that effect is real, like it does boost your mood and it does you know so, and that's that's part of it, that's another layer of the challenge is because it is like chemically addicting, um.
Speaker 3:But yeah, I mean, it's like, it's like hell said like you know, my family, oh, let's go out for ice cream. And then it's like so sad, like, oh, we can't go out for ice cream anymore. So sad, you know, and you so you just kind of reframe that, you know, or maybe, like you know, maybe you go to ice cream, but maybe you just don't have any, or maybe you have something else, or maybe you share a cup or you know there's, there's ways to kind of.
Speaker 2:You don't have I mean for you maybe cold turkey was the way with your lupus, but for people that are just trying to be healthier in general. I mean you can take baby steps and you do control what you put in your mouth.
Speaker 3:I changed my diet to like, like to become healthy, but and that's why most people do it right, whether it's like to lose weight, I mean, I mean a lot of people, I think most of the population, is like well, I'm going to change my eating so I can lose weight. Um, and I have tried that. Like I said before, weight, weight has never been a big issue for me, you know, although it I can't say that I have never dealt with it. You know what I mean. So, and it is hard like, but I like there's changing your diet to lose weight, and then there's changing your diet because you're so sick you can't function, which is where I was, and I think it was a little bit easy. I felt much more motivated, because being able to function is much more important than just needing to lose weight, Although they I mean they both really are important.
Speaker 2:But and for you to like, when you're changing your eating, you're starting to feel better. When somebody is trying to lose weight and change their diet because they want to lose weight, like, let's be real, like we just feel bitchy and pissed.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 3:I know you feel deprived and feel, feel, you know, and then you have these cravings and then you want to like get together with your friends and do the things that that are usually involved food, and that it's so hard to say no to that.
Speaker 3:You know it's so hard, you know, but but you really do, you know whether or not you're like physically in pain, like I was, or you just want to be more healthy, and the thing is is that, like you know, even was, or you just want to be more healthy, and the thing is is that, like you know, even if you quote unquote just want to lose weight, you know, I'm just I'm not trying to minimize that at all, you know, cause it is very hard. I mean you, just you, just you know you you could be even experiencing, um, negative health effects that you're not even consciously realizing until you start a new diet, lifestyle and then you realize how good you can really feel, and there's so many things that people aren't even thinking about, like, okay, think about what brought on, not what didn't bring it on, but what helped control your lupus.
Speaker 2:Okay, well, if you're diabetic and you change your diet, that's going to make that better. If you have high blood pressure and you change your diet, that's going to make that better. If you have high blood pressure and you change your diet, that can make that better. And same with high cholesterol. And you know, even like people who get yeast infections all the time. I mean, there's a lot of things that you're not thinking like. This is might be, probably is what I'm putting in my body that's making my body upset and acting this way.
Speaker 3:Right and energy levels. Huge Energy levels is a huge thing, huge.
Speaker 2:I think we don't realize how much energy we really could have if we were eating a clean diet. Yeah, All right, Melissa. Is there anything else that you would like to share before we wrap this up?
Speaker 3:All right, Melissa, is there anything else that you would like to share before we wrap this up? Oh gosh, no. I mean just again that I know that this is something that a lot of people deal with, and you know, and it is real and it is really really challenging, you know. But to an extent, I mean, I think that you can take your health into your own control and, whether it's autoimmune disease or like diabetes or prediabetes or whatever, you know, we can't lose sight of the fact that there is a lot that we have control of and a lot of doctors are not. You know, and I don't want to just put a blanket statement over this or whatever, but you know, in my experience, I'll say, um, you know a lot of doctors. They just want to, like, give you a medication for it, or give you a diagnosis and then give you medication that will make it better.
Speaker 3:Well, that I mean you have to really get find the root of the problem. Um, and I can really really go back to diet and a lot of like mainstream doctors they just don't focus on that, and you have to find a doctor or practitioner that knows about that and believes it and focuses on that. I mean, it took me many, many years to find that person. Um, and I just, I just cannot recommend that enough. I mean, take, you know, take your healing and your wellness into your hands and find the root cause of your problem and find the doctor or the practitioner that can help you get there. Because if what you're doing now isn't working, if that pill isn't working, if all these pills you're taking are just creating more problems, you know that doesn't have to be the solution. So that's just what I would say and stay positive and tell yourself you know, there is a day that I will feel good again. There is one day that I will feel good again. It will happen.
Speaker 2:I mean, you have to keep your mind open to that possibility, which is really really hard when you're very sick when you're very sick, and I think, like what we talked about a lot too, is you have to also be very motivated to make some really big, hard changes, because that is a really hard part, that is, on you as the patient and the person.
Speaker 3:Yes, and it is in your control and you do have a choice. And sometimes it's hard, like it's just hard. It's hard, it's taking a hard path. But if you want to live well, if you want to be healthy and if you want to fully function in your body and feel good, I believe that you can do it. I just believe you can do it.
Speaker 2:Well, if seeing is believing, that's you. I mean, you're here in front of us telling us the road that you went on and, like you said, you could barely get out of bed. And here you are, like, really, I had this diagnosis because I feel great, that's lovely, I love it.
Speaker 3:Yes, well, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:All right, melissa, as always, it is a joy to see your smiling face and have you on the podcast, and you know, down the road I'm sure that we can find something else to talk about, because it seems real easy to chat with you.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you, kelly. This is so much fun and I really appreciate you having me on and letting me share my story.
Speaker 2:Yes, Thank you so much for sharing your story. I love to bring light to these situations because I think that a lot of people do feel alone or not validated, not heard and, you know, just need some reassurance and some hope.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:All right, you have a good night. Thanks, kelly.
Speaker 1:Talk about no, I just need to pull it out talk about.
Speaker 2:No, I just need to pull it out. Um, but, as always, I would like to remind you that we are so thankful that you have continued to listen to our show. Our podcast is growing in ways that I have not even imagined, and so thank you. We we couldn't be successful without you listening and telling all your friends about us, so thank you for supporting the show. If this is your first time listening and you're like this show is great, how can I support the show?
Speaker 2:Well, let me tell you you can subscribe, share, like, listen to our podcast, any social media that you see. Please, please, like everything, the more things that you like. I know there's a lot of secret scrollers and creepers on Facebook and Instagram, but honestly, the more you like it and share it, the more that helps us from a financial standpoint. So that's free for you to do, but it is so helpful for us. I'm just being really transparent about that. If you have a little extra money in your pocket and you are feeling giving, you can do. Buy me a coffee. You can support us on Buzzsprout or through Venmo.
Speaker 2:All of our links are in our link tree and you can find that on all of our social media posts. Also, we are currently looking for guests to come on our podcast. So do you have a story that you would love to tell? Is there something that you're really passionate about that you want to share? Maybe you're a business owner and you want to talk about your business and what it stands for and what it does and where it's located, and we'll kind of give you some promo there. And if you want to advertise, we're open to that too, so you can shoot us a DM or email us. Otherwise, mackie, are you ready to continue your driver's education here on the?
Speaker 1:show. Oh yeah, I'm ready.
Speaker 2:All right, great. So I'm going to show you a photo. Don't worry everybody. I'm going to post this photo on our social media so that you can see what I'm showing him, but I'm going to show you a sign.
Speaker 1:Can I do a picture of what the sign?
Speaker 2:means, because I don't know what any sign means.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm going to show you a picture of the sign, and then I'm going to ask you what it means.
Speaker 2:So what does this sign mean? Does it mean a construction zone is ahead, there's a narrow bridge ahead, a divider ahead.
Speaker 1:What is a divider?
Speaker 2:Or a snowplow. Okay, a divider ahead.
Speaker 1:What is a divider or a snowplow? Okay, it's not the bottom one.
Speaker 2:Okay, good job. It's not the bottom one.
Speaker 1:I'll give you that. What is the next one above? It say A divider. Ooh, I don't think it's a construction zone Okay good, it's not. And what's the one in the middle?
Speaker 2:A narrow bridge ahead oh good, it's not.
Speaker 1:What's the one in the middle? A narrow bridge ahead. Oh, this one's tough. It could be that.
Speaker 2:I'm going to go with that. A narrow bridge ahead. Yeah, bing, bing bing. You're correct. Good job, you got it. I don't even know what a divider means in road logistics, so good job, good guess, good guess.
Speaker 1:Do you have a? Would you rather for me today? Oh shoot, Wait, I gotta get that out of my phone.
Speaker 2:It's getting hot in here. I'm ready, I've been ready, I was born ready.
Speaker 1:Visit the doctor or visit the dentist Routine? Yes, routine.
Speaker 2:Doctor, I hate the dentist.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what about you?
Speaker 1:I want to go to the dentist because it's faster.
Speaker 2:You think so, and it's not even that bad either. You don't mind when they're like cranking on your teeth. No, it's not that bad. Ugh, I hate it, alright, alright, alright, alright. Cranking on your teeth, yeah, they're like scraping. All that it hurts. I don't like it. It doesn't hurt. What, what? Oh, I can't find my joke, mackie I thought I saved it.
Speaker 1:Oh, here it is.
Speaker 2:I found it, are you?
Speaker 1:ready. It's really funny. Would you rather take a poop in public or take a pee in public?
Speaker 2:Pee ever? Yeah, I know, let alone. I just felt like shame, gross, sorry, all right. Ready for a funny joke, did you? Okay, are you ready? Yep, did you hear about the guy who dipped his testicles in glitter? Pretty nuts, get it. Yes, you guys. Thank you for listening to another episode of On Our Best Behavior. We'll be back next week, don't miss us too much.
Speaker 1:We might not come back again, you never know.
Speaker 2:Send us all your money or we won't be back. Thank you.