How nutrition got my health back on track
I understand living with a chronic health problem
My own journey with a chronic health condition led me to becoming a nutritional therapist. As a teenager I had painful, heavy periods, bad PMS and low energy levels. On top of that I had a terrible immune system and got every bug going and then took weeks to get rid of it.
My pain levels kept getting worse and so at the age of 19 I went to see a GP. There was no testing or diagnosis, and I was put on the oral contraceptive pill to manage my symptoms. For the next ten years I yo-yoed on and off the pill due to the side effects – I seemed to get every one going. My health was getting progressively worse and, in the end, I had constant pain and cystitis, terrible PMS and felt permanently exhausted. It had got to the point that I could barely walk to the end of the road as it caused so much pain and I was not sure how much longer I could stay in my job.
I felt so frustrated that my GP did not seem to be able to help and was desperate to feel even slightly better than I did. I wanted my life back and to be able to go out and do what my friends in the 20s were doing rather than being sat at home with a hot water bottle to try and ease the pain.
My diagnosis and breakthrough moment
Finally, I was referred to a gynecologist and diagnosed with endometriosis, a painful gynaecological condition. At first it was a relief – there was an explanation for my symptoms, and I hoped that meant there would also be a way to relieve them. However, that relief soon turned to despair when I was told my only option was to take hormone treatment. Every version of the pill I tried had given me side effect and I couldn’t even take strong painkillers to manage the pain as I reacted so badly to them, so I felt reluctant to try any stronger hormones.
That was when I decided that there had to be another way to manage this condition and tried alternative therapies. I saw a nutritional therapist who also had endometriosis and it was such a relief to talk to someone who understood what I was going through and could make sense of my symptoms. For me, a combination of nutritional therapy and homeopathy was the breakthrough in getting my health back on track. It did not happen overnight and was a slow gradual process of improvement with some ups and downs along the way, but I began to feel like I was getting some control back over my health.
Taking back control of my health
My symptoms have not completely disappeared, and I know that if I get too tired, do not manage my stress levels or eat too many of the wrong foods then I may get a flare-up again. However, now I know what to do to get things back under control again. I feel so much better than I did in my twenties, I don’t wake up in pain every day, I have the energy to do the things I love, I feel that I have more control over my health and my life is no longer dominated by having endometriosis – and I can’t put a price on how amazing that feels!
My wish for you
I want you to be able to live the life you want too. I wish I had known in my twenties what I know now. I realise that taking the pill was like trying to put a sticking plaster on the problem and was not dealing with the underlying causes of my condition.
My mission is to help you take back control of your health and feel well again. I want to teach you the small changes you can make to their diet that can make a big difference to your health.
I understand the tiredness and desperation felt with many chronic health conditions. I know how hard it can be to consider making changes or trying anything new when you are feeling unwell.
That is why my aim is to make nutritional changes manageable for you. We work together to break things down into small achievable steps and go at a pace that is comfortable to you. I will be there to support you make changes every step of the way.
My areas of expertise
I studied for three years at the College of Naturopathic Medicine and am registered with the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine and Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. I regularly undertake further training and professional development to ensure I stay up to date with the latest developments in nutrition.
