From Hashimoto's to Holistic Healing
By Lisa Poloniato, CHN, NNCP
I have had the great honor of being asked to write something for Katie here at AutoimmuneMom.com, in the hopes that we can help spread the word of autoimmune disease. With millions of people suffering today, autoimmune conditions are one of the fastest-growing health issues. It is OK, you are not alone, we are here to help you.
When I look back I think the signs of an autoimmune issue had been lingering for years maybe most of my life. Problem was I did not know what the signs and symptoms where to look for.
It was not until about seven years ago, that I first realized something was wrong. I had gotten sick was treated and recovered, but never bounced back to the old me. My energy, spunk, and joy for life never returned, and I could not walk from one room to the next without help. I knew in my heart something else was wrong, but could not find answers. The funny thing was one of my first signs besides terrible fatigue was a much-enlarged thyroid. Yet doctor after doctor told me nothing was wrong! All my tests were coming back normal.
I never gave up on myself, I couldn’t. I had two young children to take care of and I had to fight. It took me almost six years, but I finally found a doctor who listened to me, ran the right test, and finally diagnosed me. Not only did I have one autoimmune disease, I had three! Talk about collecting the whole set!
Hello my new carbuncles, better known as Hashimoto, Celiac and Raynaud’s phenomenon. I don’t like to classify myself as an autoimmune disease anymore (for a long time I labeled myself as my disease).
Now they are just part of who I am. They do not define me, I define them. I am a young, healthy, vibrant full-of-life person again who has learned how to deal with the fact that some things won’t be the same, but that other things are even better!!
My body had fought and hung on for me for seven years (I thank it every day for that), and now I felt I owed it the same respect. I chose to try to heal my issues through diet and lifestyle changes only. It worked for me, but should always be something you discuss with your doctor first. Once I really cleaned up my diet, that’s when I saw the greatest improvements. It was not easy, I won’t say it was, but it is worth it for the fact that I was able to get my life back.
I returned to school for Holistic Nutrition and wrote a book called “Autoimmune Disease: The Clean Eating Cookbook: My Road Back to Health”, filled with recipes, recommended reading material, and links to other informative sites for over 16 autoimmune diseases.
I now find pure joy in sharing what I have learned in both school and my own life lessons on this journey back to health. It is my hope that others will not have to suffer or feel alone when they are dealing with autoimmune issues. People like Katie and I are here and we want to help you.
About the Author
Lisa understands all too well what it is like to live with an autoimmune disease. Not only does she have one, she has three. She now spends her days sharing her passion in helping others find THEIR road back to health.
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