Hey friends! If you've recently started following me, I'd like to introduce myself. And if you've been following for a while, maybe you don’t know my story, so here it goes.
I've lived with autoimmune for most of my life, close to 37 years actually. That's right, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the young age of 2. No Type 1 is not preventable unlike many other illnesses that are.
Then in my early 20s, I started finding dry patches of skin on my legs and arms that were so itchy I could tear my skin off. Doctors and doctors and doctors, steroid creams, light treatments, oatmeal baths and lotions were my life. I had to leave work at lunch time 3 times a week for light treatment that was doing nothing, ZERO, zilch for me. Guess what that meant? The crappiest lunches possible because there was no time to eat, so usually it was a granola bar that if you handed me now I would toss in the garbage.
Years went on that I would try every new steroid on the market, but there were NO answers.
When I had my 2nd baby at the age of 31, I was given a book called The End of Diabetes by Dr. Joel Fuhrman and my life literally changed overnight. Yep, I read that book in ONE night. And the next day threw out every piece of processed food from my pantry. My hubby and kids may have thought I was crazy, well Mason didn’t know any different, but Brayden was 4.
This is where my Wellness Journey began. It was ONLY the beginning. I truthfully wasnt nearly as #woke as I am now about my health and my children's, husbands, family and clients. It ALL makes so much sense now why everyone is living in chronic illness.
But that's not the end. That book just got me started and then it was book after book. I then registered to become an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and just a few weeks later, yep at the same time, registered to go back for my 2nd Masters degree, only this time it was in Wellness & Lifestyle Management and not IT.
Holy! Holy! How my eyes were opened. 👀
As I was studying 24x7 with an infant and toddler and starting a business, I put myself into serious adrenal fatigue. As much as I loved knowing more and doing more, I was living on smoothies and NO sleep. But I was learning. And things started clicking. It made sense why I had psoriasis covering my legs. Could it be gluten? I started removing gluten from my diet, although there were still some things that I didn't even realize I was still using.
Well one night after a conference for nutrition school in NYC, I went back home and had the most excruciating pains in my stomach. I'll keep it short, got rushed to the hospital after passing out from pain. After tests were done, they told me my white blood count was extremely low for my age. So the testing began. Now I was at hematologists watching people get chemo, gastroenterologists and a few other doctors in between.
My brain: could I have cancer? What in the world is wrong with me? Super scary, but I hid it well.
All along, prior to this happening, I had a feeling I had celiac, but what does a woman who has been studying about it for a bit know? Until my gastro said, I think you should be tested for it. And drumroll please 🥁
CELIAC it is...
That was the day I officially stopped consuming gluten in every possible way: food, products (there are tons), stopped licking envelopes and stamps (did you know they have gluten?) And this was where things got serious.
It was time for me to know as much as I could to help others live a life free of pain, free of chronic illness. I still read every book about wellness, autoimmune, hormones, gut health, detoxing and anything that can be affecting our lives.
As for me, I live my life just like any other person who isn't living with chronic illness (although, sadly there aren't many around). I just eat the best for my body and life and for the outcomes I expect. If a flareup occurs, I can usually pin down exactly what caused it. Wouldn't that be so nice?
If you're someone suffering with autoimmune, chronic illness, exhaustion and you're just tired of feeling like this is a life sentence, I'd love to chat and eventually get down to the root of all your pain. To get access to my daily education, head over to my group The Heart & Soul of Detoxing and of course stick around here. In the group, you get more 1:1 and in a more private space.
Let's do this - TOGETHER 👊
With big love + deep faith,
Melissa Kessler
