The Gut Gospel is born

It’s really easy for me to talk to people about my job, kids, football, tacos, Tybee, the weather, recipes, etc.  It’s not always been easy for me to talk to people about Jesus. There I said it.  

Ever since I had my 2^nd born I have experienced my own health challenges and decided to overcome them in unconventional ways.  And the last few months it’s been laid on my heart to share it with others to change their futures.  So today I had a revelation because as I was speaking about gut health being the “only or best way” to start to fix most health issues, then I thought I should be preaching about Jesus being the “only way” too.  If I can speak so openly about this, I should share Jesus too. Stopped me in my tracks. I spoke the words, “gut gospel” and I knew it was what I had been searching for to use. I could share my story about gut health and Jesus too because I could not have overcome any of this without Him. I have been mentored by the most amazing women over the years based on their experiences and boy do I have some experiences to share myself. Not just about health, but life in general. How He tore things apart and put them back together for good, building my faith in the process. 

I am a home health physical therapist in a rural area.  The patient demographic is usually anywhere from 50-90 year olds that are home bound by various illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, COPD, autoimmune issues, arthritis or post surgical procedures like joint replacements or cardiac bypass or a number of these issues combined, usually.  Most of them are on a minimum of 10 medications, some upwards to 20-30.  90% of them tell me they hate taking that many pills or how do they all know what to do and not have interactions. Truth be told, they do have interactions and terrible side effects.  It’s a snowball effect. I want to tell them all I know about changing their diet and how bad their gut must be and all those medications are not necessary, but I really can’t like I can so bluntly to some.  First of all, I cannot tell a patient to stop taking a medication, that’s their physician’s job.  Most of them are dependent on them for so long it would be impossible to get them off of it so simply by changing their diet drastically. Part of me wishes so badly I could turn back the clock for them so they could start over. They could find the root cause and avoid the poly pharmacy road that got them where they currently are.  Most of them have zero energy and are depressed, because they still have health issues, pain and are homebound.  Sharing to this population is almost pointless because they cannot make this type of change at this point, or sadly cannot afford to because prescriptions are cheaper and easier to prepare than good food and they need convenient, quick, and cheap foods. I usually suggest removing as much processed food as possible, eating less inflammatory foods, and talking to their doctor about supplements to naturally ease their pain in addition to providing therapeutic exercises, education, gait and balance training etc. (if anyone has any ideas to help get more healthy foods in their hands easily, I’m all ears) The point is, I see daily what I do not want to end up like… a homebound patient. Even the patients themselves do not want to be that. But in reality, that’s their daily life.

My story could have been I got diagnosed with post partum anxiety at age 33, started 3 prescriptions, and stayed on them. I could have neglected myself and stopped working out, gained weight, kept a depressive state. A couple months later got diagnosed with autoimmune disease from a blood test showing high inflammatory markers after experiencing terrible joint pain and started on another prescription that would suppress my immune system and lead to who knows what. Blindness was a possible side effect but also having a suppressed immune system working in healthcare with two small kids didn’t sound like the best of ideas to me.

But that’s not my story. Not today anyway.  I’m starting this blog to share that story.  I do share things on instagram and will continue to as well in conjunction with this blog. To help people that are not to far gone yet.  To let them know there is another way.  Just to try it.  If it doesn’t work, at least you know you tried. I know you’ll get some benefit regardless.  I often encourage my patients to eat less inflammatory food, but often times they cannot afford it. But if you don’t make time for wellness early on, you’ll make time for illness later.  And pay for it sacrificing your quality of life. 

When all this hit me, I had no idea what to do. I had so many people reach out to me with so many angles and suggestions of what to do. I was so overwhelmed.  Once things somewhat normalized and I could think rationally, my adorable sister in law told me “change your diet. It’s coming from your gut. Gluten has to go.” I thought she was nuts but I further explored the idea and went from there, learning the same advice from my naturopathic doctor.  So you may think I am nuts too, and that’s totally ok.  Until you experience it for yourself, you’ll never really understand.  Just like if you don’t understand what it’s like to believe in God and have hope for an afterlife.  To experience His grace and mercy. The way I learn is by hands on, watching and examples.  So I am here to be that to someone else.  

I have so much to say. So many ideas.  And you may wonder where Jesus and the bible play a role into all of this, but He does. My faith has been tested and pushed to the limits.  I have learned so much about food, nutrition and fitness as well as using natural products like essential oils over the years.  It’s all been part of God’s plan to lead me here. To keep me functional to even just type as that used to hurt so badly.  To allow me to tell my story, raise my kids, help the sick.  So follow along and I’ll share my journey one post at a time because Instagram limits my number of characters.