I have previously been diagnosed with severe fibro, severe osteoarthritis, severe IBS, severe nervous stomach, severe depression, severe adhd, severe anxiety, severe insomnia, pretty much a severe damn life, or so it seemed, also was told of bone spurs in some of the damnedest places, was advised I have no cartilage left between the ball and socket of my shoulder areas, among others, that I have the internal workings of an 86 yr. old body rather than a 46 yr. old (at the time) body, and being in any temperature below 50ish degrees Fahrenheit hurts like hell. I was pretty much bed ridden and was taking multiple prescriptions that I was told I would need for life to ever find any relief and to try to manage the pain(s) and supposedly get me back to health. Beep. Wrong answer.
I had to resign from a highly active state position I had for over 13 years, thinking I would certainly find something else that jives with my needs eventually. (I had also spoken up about unethical happenings, so the level of stress was increased greatly). Then I totally flipped the script on my consumption habits, both inside and out, thanks to an ER visit, and eliminated all animal products, all gluten, all caffeine and alcohol, all artificially created crap as much as humanly possible, and eliminated the endocrine disrupting cleaning/laundry/hygiene supplies I'd grown so used to using, and as a result, have experienced more relief that I'd been told was ever possible by all those doctors and such. My well-being became my new full-time job...and the benefit package is much better than all the ones I used to have, combined.
I still haven't returned to a full-time position after having left my "career" a little over 5 years ago, or at least not f/t in the same sense that society defines it. Fortunately, I'm married to a very generous and innerstanding soul, have some savings, have greatly reduced my need for all the material crap I used to be convinced I needed, and don't feel pressured to HAVE to dive back into something that makes me miserable and steadily increases my symptoms and/or suffering on any level, yet. I realize it can all change in an instant, as can anything.
I did farmers' market vending for a while, but my body couldn't hang at the time, did some non-medical care-giving for a while, but finally realized it's MY time to care for myself for a change. Plus, dealing with the family dynamics of other people's dysfunction is a heavy load to bear. Too heavy for my already aching shoulders and such at the time. Then I tried working at my favorite local cafe', but I no longer consume most of what they sell and couldn't stomach the process of having to continually smell rotting animal carcasses being cooked up and celebrated, then having to scrape their leftover caked up bodily fluids off the plates as I cleaned the dishes....gag.....so that didn't last long.
Instead, I now spend time bartering by helping out the various healers I've been fortunate enough to meet along my journey in exchange for their services, make hula hoops to share and sell, make magnets to spread awareness of things I've learned, make and share healthier/kinder/cleaner consumption dishes/meals/snacks to share, grow things - especially edible things, assist others who occasionally need a hand with various tasks, pay forward the things that have helped me get my life back as I'm often asked to do, volunteer for certain causes that I'm passionate about, work alongside others willing to let me hang out (like an internship) while I learn things that actually interest me, which especially during garden season, warrants me a big pile of fresh food to bring home each time I help, etc. I work harder at eliminating my need for money than I do at getting money nowadays.
The consumption/total lifestyle changes along with many other "alternative", a.k.a. ancient remedies, have greatly helped bring my body and brain enough relief where I can now get around much easier (after also losing 110 lbs. and relieving the massive inflammatory stressors on my body), no longer suffer from the so-called "allergies", "colds", "bronchitis", "flus" and "stomach bugs" like I very frequently used to "catch" while steadily consuming mostly mucus forming foods and such, no longer feel I can poison myself back to what society seems to think is "healthy" via their highly suggested remedies and fuel sources, no longer dehydrate myself and crash my adrenal glands by daily consuming sodas, sweet tea, coffee, energy drinks, alcohol and other artificially created sweeteners/colors/flavors/substances, am now more aware of how critical it is to healthily process and eliminate what I consume, and move my body on purpose in much kinder and more truly fun ways daily to keep it active and to keep the inner flow on the go. I very thankfully now experience much less pain and can actually increase my levels of response-ability.
Finding what it took to finally bring me relief and to get me functioning more healthily and with much less pain was only possible after I'd already exhausted years of trying all of the typical allopathic methods, had grown to the largest size I'd ever been in my life (or should I say slow painful death process), was the most miserable I'd ever been, the most desperate for help I ever recall being, other than when my life was on the line during multiple domestic violence incidents in my past, and after a trip to the ER, where I was facing having organs removed, which would create a need for drastic diet changes anyway....I decided to eliminate the need for the knife and see what I could do via so-called "alternative" methods...and am damn glad I decided to take that path, as it's been the only one to sustainably and genuinely help me. May you find the path it takes to healthily bring you relief, both physically and mentally, and restore some self-empowerment. I've long since realized that the pain itself, in any form, is my main allergy and I have absolutely no interest in ever self-inflicting it again.
