Understand Your Social and Emotional Relationship with Alcohol
It’s common among the autoimmune community to limit alcohol consumption because of its connection to inflammation (and the impact of booze on gut health in particular), but it can be one of the hardest things to actively restrict or eliminate. This is because alcohol also has powerful emotional repercussions on our well being—that’s where I really started to get curious about my own relationship with drinking, and what I want to explore in this article. Read more about what I am learning about my relationship with alcohol.
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Messages from the Dark: Lessons from Recent Depressive Episode
It was about 10 p.m. on Mother’s Day and I was a mess. On paper, it had been the most thoughtful and perfect Mother’s Day I could imagine. Yet there I was, settling in for a restless night on the couch. (When I commit to shutting down and hiding, I really go for it.) It dawned on me, after a shame- and disgust-filled crying jag: “Oh sh*t, I’m depressed.” Read more about what I discovered about how things got so out of control with my mood and wellness.
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Is Your Health Story Building You Up, Or Holding You Back?
Every day, from the moment we wake up until our heads hit the pillow, we are immersed in stories and storytelling. They serve as a means to help us understand our circumstances and navigate our world. What we may not realize is the power behind our words. Narratives around disease can be intense and difficult—and I have come to believe that the stories we tell (both externally to others, and internally to ourselves) provide a structure and vocabulary that actually shape our reality. Our stories can give insight not only to our worldview, but also our approach to healing. Read more here.
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Are Your Habits Exacerbating Your Symptoms?
I am going to share one sabotaging habit that I see again and again in my practice, and one that I relied on for years. I want to share my experience and my clients’ because when you’re able to catch and change this particular habit, the shifts you can create in your life (and your health!) are incredibly powerful. Read here to learn more.
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How To Work Yourself Down When You've Worked Yourself Up
Everyone’s experience with autoimmune disease is different, but I’ve found that nearly all my clients report dealing with a bit of a roller coaster effect when it comes to their health. There are countless dramatic swings inherent in navigating the autoimmune journey. One week/month/season we experience mental clarity, feeling like our symptoms are well-managed and we’re on the right track, and then, BOOM! Within a day or even an hour things can spiral to a full-blown symptom flare-up where we don’t feel like ourselves and aren’t able to access our “normal” lives. Read more here.
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Are You a Giver or a Taker? (And How Does it Impact Your Health?)
One particular topic has come up for me in my life recently — in an, “oh, sh*t!” hit-you-like-a-ton-of-bricks way — that has also been a theme in recent sessions with my clients. The aha moment in question? Living life as a giver or a taker. Learn how being a taker can deplete your energy and exacerbate illness and how being a giver can fill you up and support healing. You may realize how sneaky the taker mindset can be, even when you think you are being a giver.
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