My autoimmune disease journey: 10 changes I made after being diagnosed
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If you’ve read my post about how I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease back in 2021, you’ll know that I have since become very naturally-minded when it comes to my health!
In those four years, I’ve made so many lifestyle changes in order to reverse my thyroid autoimmunity and become healthier. And I’ve learned SO much in the process!
Today, I’m going to share 10 lifestyle changes I made after my diagnosis. I truly believe all of these modifications have helped to put my disease in remission and create a healthier me!
Change #1: I completely changed my diet
Oh man, I remember when I first read the list of foods that weren’t allowed on the autoimmune paleo (AIP) diet. Almost everything I was eating was on that list! From eggs to bread to granola to yogurt…. All of my daily staples were suddenly off limits!
Yet, I somehow managed to completely commit to the AIP diet just a few days after I first heard about it.
Though AIP didn’t fully work for me (I needed to eliminate even some foods from the list of AIP foods to reduce bloating, diarrhea, etc.), it was my first and most crucial step towards healing!
And my bloodwork improved in just a few months after starting the diet. Among a bunch of other foods, the diet eliminates wheat and dairy, which are both known to be autoimmune triggers, so I’m sure that went a long way!
Side note: If you’re interested in learning about the AIP diet, the Paleo Mom’s site is a fantastic resource!
Change #2: I reduced the stress in my life
When I was first diagnosed with my autoimmune disease, I was working five days a week. Granted, as a violin teacher, I wasn’t teaching full eight-hour days, but I was feeling very overwhelmed given my diagnosis and the increased amount of meal-prep that was required for my diet.
After feeling very stressed and worn out, my husband encouraged me to eliminate two days from my work week. His suggestion really felt like I was being given the permission to do this, and I don’t think I would have done it had he not encouraged me. I’ve always just felt so obligated to my work responsibilities!
So, within a couple weeks, I decided to let go of about 15 students and reduce my workweek from five to three days. This was such a relief and greatly helped my stress levels!
While it is true that it’s not always necessary to alter our actual life circumstances to lessen our stress (coping skills can really make a difference!), sometimes I think just outright getting rid of extra responsibilities can be the way to go, especially during adjustment periods. And, fortunately for me, we were able to handle the financial hit of me letting go of these students. So it was really a no-brainer.
I’ve maintained this three-day work week since the beginning of 2022 and I love it! It gives me time to nest, putter around the house, do home-improvement projects, blog, prepare my food, grocery shop, and so much more. Plus, it helps me feel so much calmer, which is so important!
Change #3: I started taking a ton of supplements
I really wish I knew how much money I’ve spent (or maybe I don’t, actually) on supplements since I started a natural health protocol to treat my autoimmune disease. Not only are there a lot of supplements which are good to take, the good ones tend to be darn expensive!
I did the math in the beginning and it was costing us about $300 a month, just in supplements (healthy eating is expensive, too, so that was also an added expense!).
My natural doctor recommended me take the following supplements in the beginning:
- Omega 3 fish oil supplement
- Multivitamins
- Iron supplement
- Digestive enzymes
- Vitamin D3
- A super expensive probiotic
- NAC (N-acetyl cysteine)
I’ve linked all of the specific brands I took in case you’d like to try them. I definitely think they contributed to my improved lab tests and feeling so much better!
Four years later, I’m still taking a maintenance dose of the omegas, iron, and D3. I take some other specific vitamins, such as zinc and folate, but I have since stopped the multivitamin, probiotic, and digestive enzymes.
Definitely don’t underestimate the power of high quality supplements in healing, especially when they are paired with a squeaky-clean healing diet!
Change #4: I got rid of toxic products around the house
This one I definitely had to do gradually, but I knew once I started learning about natural healing that eliminating the toxins around me was super important!
My doctor even gave me a list of natural alternatives to the typical household cleaning products as well as personal hygiene products like shampoo and toothpaste.
The theme with all of this is honestly that simpler is often better. In many cases, we’ve been bombarded with high-tech chemicals, each purporting to do some fancy thing – make us smell nicer, or whatever it might be – when really it is all unnecessary! I’m a big fan of just getting back to the basics and being a minimalist when it comes to what I put on, in, or near my body!
If you’d like to see my in-depth list of toxic cleaners and hygiene product swaps, click here!
And if you do read the list, I admit it might seem like a lot. But keep in mind that I did this gradually. The key is to just replace things with healthier alternatives as you run out of them (unless you’re using that Teflon floss crap – just throw it out, lol!).
Change #5: I invested in a high-quality water filter
I’m ashamed to say that I waited months until I finally got a really good water filter. I was just so unsure about which one to get!
I’d heard about reverse osmosis (RO) water filters, but critics said they strip the minerals from the water and this can negatively affect your health; I also heard about Berkey filters, and many people I knew had them, yet… there was very little actual science to back up the Berkey claims.
I’m sure Berkey filters are fantastic but, in the end, I went for a reverse osmosis filter by Apec.
If you’d like to read my full post about my countertop system, click here!
And I genuinely could not be happier with my filter! The first thing my husband and I both said when we had a glass was, “It tastes like… nothing.” Which is kind of how water is supposed to taste, right?
I did buy a model with a filter which adds back minerals and raises the pH of the water after it goes through the osmosis membrane, since I was nervous about it being totally devoid of minerals.
Nowadays, I also add electrolytes to my water, which include a quality salt with trace minerals, so I definitely feel I have my bases covered!
Change #6: I invested in a top-notch air purifier
This was a change I actually made years after my diagnosis, but it was another one I’d been meaning to do for some time!
I’d heard that indoor air quality in general can be quite bad, and I was especially nervous about the potential for mold to be present, since I live in an old house in New England.
After receiving a hefty check from my grandma for one birthday, I finally made the investment in a good air purifier by Air Oasis. Yes, they’re expensive, and this is why I put off the purchase for so long!
But I’m really glad we have it. And I love that it gives me a reading of the pollutants in our air, so I’m always aware of our how indoor air quality is. I really had no idea before I got it!
Change #7: I started swapping out synthetic clothes for ones with natural fibers
Honestly, even those of us who aren’t concerned about health might still be really passionate about natural fibers, since they’re just so much more comfortable than the (often polyester) synthetics!
But it is totally worth noting that having polyester (read: plastic) up against your skin 24/7 is not good for your health. Plastic leaches, and more than we realize.
Over the years, I’ve sought out more clothes with natural fibers and held off on cute items made from synthetics. And it’s finally starting to feel like my wardrobe is mostly natural fibers!
I made a point of checking out our local Goodwill every few months, as well as taking advantage of people I know offering for me to look through their unwanted clothes. I barely spent anything and I have a lovely wardrobe full of cotton, linen, merino wool, cashmere, and silk!
I especially make a point of ensuring my underwear is natural, since it is what is up against my skin the most. I adore these bras, for example, because they’re mostly cotton. And I finally got some 100% wool socks for Christmas, and I am in LOVE!
Change #8: I completely stopped eating out
I know I already mentioned in my first point that I changed my diet when I first got diagnosed. But this diet isn’t something I only do sometimes! I’ve stuck to it basically 99.99% this whole time.
And why don’t I just eat out every now and again? Well, I’m pretty much an all-or-nothing person, so it’s much easier to tell myself I won’t do something rather than try to moderate and only do it once in a while. So, I completely stopped eating out and I only eat at home. Honestly, I only want to eat something if I know all of the ingredients that are in it!
While this can be a bit awkward socially at times (I’ve sat in a restaurant with my in-laws without ordering anything on countless occasions), it’s worth it to me. There was one time I tried eating out and taking it easy, and I had diarrhea for four days, so… again, it’s worth it to me to abstain!
Plus, my husband and I save a TON of money never eating out, which helps support our budget for organic food.
Change #9: I swapped out plastic containers for glass
Something else I’ve done gradually since finding out I had an autoimmune disease is try to eliminate plastic as much as possible.
From water bottles to tupperware to cutting boards, I’m just not interested in plastic touching my food if I can help it!
We started replacing our tupperware with glass equivalents. Though heavier, I find them easier to clean and have peace of mind that nothing is leaching into my food! Yes, the lids are inevitably plastic, but I do my best to not allow the food to touch the lids, especially when hot.
I also was able to sort of throw together a water bottle which has absolutely NO plastic on it, not even in the lid! It’s not perfect, as it’s actually just a glorified mason jar, but I personally love it! Here’s my short post on my DIY plastic-free water bottle. (Or maybe better to call it “water jar”?)
Change #10: I eliminated toxic cookware from our kitchen
Similar to the plastic containers, I also had to think about whether our pots and pans were leaching anything toxic into our food. Doesn’t make sense to buy organic food and then put it in chemically toxic non-stick pans!
I began using only cast iron, stainless steel, and porcelain-enameled pots and pans. We donated any non-stick cookware we owned.
While there are some new technologies out there which claim to be non-stick while also being safe, I tend to trust the time-tested, old-fashioned stuff nowadays instead! And you really can’t get more old-fashioned than cast iron!
Summary & Conclusion
Well, as you guys can see, I totally overhauled my life since receiving my autoimmune disease diagnosis!
And please, let me be totally real and say that this was horrifically overwhelming when I first started. Getting a scary diagnosis and then realizing how many aspects of your life could potentially be contributing to your own ill health is very stress-inducing.
But stress itself is an autoimmune trigger, so it’s important to just take this one step at a time. I didn’t do everything all at once; many of these changes I made gradually or a few years into my healing journey, such as when I purchased the air purifier.
The truth is that any changes you can make will reduce your exposure to disease-causing toxins, so even tiny baby steps are so helpful! Consistently making little changes really does add up to HUGE changes over the long-term!
If you guys have any questions at all, please feel free to leave me a comment down below! I’ll definitely get back to you! I’d also love to hear about your own experiences with health-related changes if you have any!
I’m wishing all of you success in your natural healing endeavors, and thank you so much for being here!! ♥
