10 Mar Fibromyalgia to Fit…Through Nutrition!
Flabby with Fibromyalgia to Fit and Fabulous!
The doctors were flustered, but see how proper nutrition helped one woman in her fight against the flab, her funk, and fibromyalgia!
In Deborahs words…
Imagine what it would be like to experience every single day of your life with a mysterious, extremely painful and debilitating disease that takes your energy, joy, and nearly all of your life’s pleasures from you. It can be so incredibly crippling that you can’t get to work, care for your family, or juggle all of your priorities. Because the disease is not well understood, it lands in the medical journals as a post- traumatic, psychosomatic disease related to hysteria. Now, as a sufferer, how does that you make you feel?
Medical Solutions without Prescriptions Well, I can tell you that I was angry to find myself in this situation! While there are many clinicians who are compassionate people trying to help people diagnosed with Fibromyalgia cope with the lack of energy, chronic pain and subsequent depression, I could find no one who had any solutions that didn’t involve a prescription or two. While I understand that might be the right choice for some, it simply didn’t align with my sense of self. I did not want to take medications if I could possibly avoid it.
Weight ballooning and feeling her worst- I was at my worst in late 2010. My weight super ballooned. My drive ebbed away. I saw my life unraveling in a way that I hadn’t anticipated. Just when my life should be the most amazing, I felt it was slipping away. I didn’t tell my family and friends the worst of it, but they saw enough to be scared for me…I’m so grateful for their support. During the holidays, I had the realization that if anyone was going to be able to do something to heal me, it was going to have to be me. After all, who had more of a vested interest in me than me?
Her Ah-Ha moment: While visiting with my primary care physician, I took a chance and told him the absolute truth about how I was feeling and what I was thinking. He was very caring, supportive, encouraging and gave me some good, personalized advice. I felt hopeful again! After extensive research from credible scientific resources, I had an ah-ha moment…I need to stop eating processed foods and get back to eating the simple, clean foods that my long-time friend Natalie Jill taught me to eat. Natalie taught me to start eating mostly fresh vegetables, low-glycemic fruits, lean proteins, seeds and nuts. She said to “eat natural” and things that once “grew”. She also suggested limiting dairy, avoiding GMO (genetically modified) foods and to stop eating high-glycemic foods such as rice, potatoes, and bread.
Pain is Gone and Energy is back! There is such good news to report! My pain is rare and far between…when I experience it, it is fleeting and highly tolerable. My feet don’t hurt when they hit the floor in the morning. My stamina and energy has turned 97% around for the positive and I actually have the energy to work out again. One amazing side benefit is that I have gone from having an obese BMI to Normal—57 pounds gone and still losing.
Moving Forward- I know I have to set realistic goals for myself. Mine is to be my own best version of healthy. I also have to get 7-8 of sleep per night, manage my stressful thoughts and be 100% honest with my physician so he can help me. As a Doctor of Health Education, I truly believe that my NUTRITION has changed my life. Natalie was firm but compassionate in her advice to me, AND, I’m so grateful! – Deborah Faust
Thank you Deborah for sharing your story!
Excuses or Solutions…YOU decide!
Deborah’s new way of eating closely resembles the plan on the 7 day Jump Start. For help on your own healthy eating journey look HERE.
Deborah Faust, MSM, EdD Dr. Deborah Faust earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology from The College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, her Master of Science in Management, Troy State University, Norfolk, VA and her Doctor of Educational Leadership in Health Care from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL. She has earned multiple health care and education related certifications and professional certificates. Dr. Faust participates in ongoing continuing education in health, education, training, and coaching.
You can learn more about Deborah and her journey at http://itrustmyjourney.com
