Part 2: How I started healing

As promised, but also a bit late, here is my story of how I began healing my body. It will sound simple, but at times it didn't feel that way. 

Almost immediately after my SIBO was confirmed my doctor put me on a strict routine and diet. I still remember the severity of my results, the graph showed my symptoms being ‘off the chart’. I knew it was going to be a long road to recovery but I can’t explain the relief I felt knowing that I finally knew what the issue was. 

I started a routine with herbal antimicrobials. There is the option to use antibiotics, but from past experience I knew that my body doesn’t respond well to them. As to what I specifically took, I honestly don’t remember. However, its important to remember that everyone is different, so what I was taking may not be what you would need. Diet wise I did a combination of the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) and the low FODMAP diet. When you have SIBO the bacteria is moved from the large intestine to the small intestine, and the bacteria feeds and multiplies off carbohydrate foods. So when I was healing, I wasn’t allowed any starchy foods, and I had to maintain this for at least one full year. Side note: I also wasn't allowed chocolate... lets just say this felt like a long year.

I was able to stick to this diet fairly consistently, it was pretty rare that I had even a bite of rice or potato, I honestly couldn’t risk it. I took a wide range of supplements, multiple times a day, and even that eventually became overwhelming. As my body was healing from this, I went through different forms of detox, and many other symptoms started to pop up. My body felt like a construction site, and every time I thought it was improving something else came up. My entire body was out of balance and it was very difficult to get it to level out. 

I did three intensive rounds of the herbal treatment, along with many other supplements for a handful of other undesired symptoms. Everything was out of whack, I imagined my body as a bunch of tangled cords and I had to patiently untie them all. Healing sometimes felt just as exhausting as the the condition itself. I of course wanted instant gratification. I remember thinking, why me, and why is this my reality. It was very difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I was diagnosed in 2015, and I did a range of different treatments up through until spring of 2018. By this point I just wanted to be done with it. I decided it was time for me to stop everything I was taking and see where I was at. I wanted an accurate reading of how much I had healed. It didn’t take very long before I felt myself falling back into the undesired symptoms. It was during this time I was introduced to the vitamins I currently take. At this point in my life, I figured I really had nothing to lose. I have tried everything under the sun, and nothing quite got me from wearing just a bandaid to having my wounds heals. After some thought, I decided why the heck not! 

In August of 2018 I started a new and much simpler routine. Within two weeks I noticed a significant change in my mental health, and overall I started feeling better. It was during this time that I realized this was the pivotal moment in my healing journey, whatever was in these products was the missing link I needed.  My body was not able to heal itself with just food. We sometimes don't get all the nutrients we need from food, and a supplement can fill in where necessary. Especially if your gut is out of balance. Although, I am not fully healed yet I know it is coming. It took me many years to get to the state I was in, so I know I need to be patient. My best advice is: never take your health for granted. I spent the better part of 5 years suffering, if not longer, and I am just now starting to crest the hill. 

I know with time I will heal completely, and I am always grateful for every tool I have in my tool box. So again, if you ever wonder why I share, this is it. I tried my best to hide it from most people, because I wasn’t even sure what was happening to me. Many people in my life likely don’t know the intensity of it, because it was honestly just to hard to explain. Just one pill, or a counsellor, or medication for anxiety was never going address the root cause. 

My healing is a combination of different things. I was dedicated to the recommended diets, I took my vitamins religiously, I tried to get as much rest as possible, and even when I wanted to give up I kept going. It got much worse before it got better, but I am grateful for everything I have learned along the way. I have always had Darren as my support, I have my friends and family, I have my healthy lifestyle, and I have my vitamins. I mean it when I say these vitamins changed my life. I am grateful to be repairing my gut health, and this is reason number a million why I won’t stop sharing. I don’t want anyone else to experience what I did, and I want to help you recover. In all honesty, gut health is significantly more important than I ever imagined. It is now my mission to help as many people as I can with their health journey. Whether this story is relatable or not, gut health applies to every single person. A healthy and balanced gut will provide a healthy and balanced body. 

I just ask, don’t do this alone, and don’t let your friends do this alone. Its so much easier to conquer these mountains with lots of support. Please reach out, I genuinely want to help you. Your symptoms don’t need to be like mine, they don’t even need to be severe. Your body will whisper, until it screams, I encourage you to address it before it gets worse. 

I am extending this offer to email me if you want guidance. I love to coach others as they heal their body. 

ann.marie.wallace@icloud.com

Don’t wait, lets heal your body together. 

Why do I share

I get a lot of questions about why I do what I do, why I share so much about health, and why I tell my story. The simple answer is: I know there is someone out there that needs to hear it, and I know there is someone else suffering with SIBO.

I know that many people aren’t aware of what I experienced with my health. To some, I may seem like I am overreacting, or maybe I am exaggerating, but the truth is, I am not. I lived with discomfort for 5 years before learning what the issue was. I suffered for those 5 years because every time I went to the doctor I was told it was ‘all in my head’. Apparently not having a functioning digestive system is the new norm. Well, news flash, it not, and never will be normal. 

I spent years doing my own research because I desperately wanted an answer, and I knew that just IBS was not suitable for me. Yes, its common and there are many symptoms that can relate to that, but I was still never provided with a solution. Eating more fibre wasn’t going to solve the issue, in fact, with my case, it made it worse. However, I knew wholeheartedly that there was something I needed to do to heal my body.

I knew that in my early 20’s I was too young to have the symptoms I had:

-Chronic fatigue 

-Non-existent cortisol 

-Major hair loss

-Hormonal imbalance

-Daily bloating and upset stomach

-Crippling anxiety

-A digestive system that did NOT function (three meals in - zero out… YUP I went there) 

These are just titles typed out, they don’t address the feelings I had while experiencing them. You might think, well how tired could you have been, did you really not digest your food, or are you sure you lost a lot of hair? Yes, yes and yes. I became so used to this life that I started to block it out. I started to ‘accept’ that this was my life, and I just had to deal. I remember thinking… ‘I wonder how awful I’ll feel when I am older, if I feel this bad at 22 imagine 40, or 50…..” Although everyone is different, and someone else's symptoms won't be identical to mine, a common factor is: if your gut is out of balance, you're out of balance. 

Suffering from SIBO was a silent condition that affected all parts of my life.  In the 5 years it took to get diagnosed it took over my body, and it drastically affected my quality of life. I also felt like I couldn’t eat anything. I was on a strict low FODMAP diet, and even still I would get flare up’s. I felt like I ran off 3 hours of sleep when in reality I got close to 10 hours every night, but guess what? I still woke up completely exhausted. I had to stop exercising because otherwise I wouldn’t make it through the day. I thought that living in a constant state of overwhelm was ‘normal’ but for me, it wasn’t. Yes, stress exists, but the level I had wasn’t normal for me, my body was quite literally screaming at me.

So next time you wonder why, or are curious as to what sparked my passion: this is it. My own testimony, my own life experience. I didn’t share very much about what I dealt with because most didn’t understand. I am forever grateful for Darren pushing me to keep asking questions, and to keep advocating. Otherwise I would still be where I was, but instead I am healing. I am allowed to say I suffered, because I did. In the 5 years it took me to understand my body, I learned so much about myself. 

I learned that:

-I do have a voice, and I have a powerful one.

-I should never stop advocating for myself, I know my body better than anyone else.

-I should never ignore my body when it starts to scream.

-Not everyone can help their body with just whole foods.

-I did the right thing, and never gave up.

So yes, I am going to continue, and I am going to keep being a resource. If I share bits of knowledge, or ask how are you are feeling its because I genuinely care. I am not trying to be annoying, or invade into your life, I just care that you feel healthy and happy. I don’t want other people to suffer like I did, because it can take over not only your body, but your quality of life.

If you’re on your own health journey and need support, I am here for you. I am now 24 and doing significantly better. I am addressing the root cause and every day I heal a little bit more. I know that my transformation won't happen overnight, but I am grateful for all the knowledge I have gained along the way.

I hope this provides some inspiration if you too are struggling, it can feel like a long road but trust me when I say eventually you'll find an answer. This is a very condensed version of my story, but I feel it outlines the importance of making your health a priority.