It’s really crazy how autoimmune diseases have increased in the last few years. And, unfortunately, approximately 80% of all patients diagnosed with autoimmune diseases are women.
If you have ever been ill, extremely low on energy, or depressed, you probably appreciate how important it is to be healthy, and you probably want your vibrant energy back.
Unfortunately, when you have autoimmunity, you feel like crap most of the time. You could experience a myriad of symptoms. And while you know that you are not well, the people around us often think we are just hypochondriacs.
But why do we get autoimmune diseases?
Some of us live our lives in automatic mode. Often we don’t take care of our bodies, are disconnected from our souls, neglecting our basic needs. We go through our days prioritizing everything upon our wellbeing: work, family, housework, the dog.
We pick whatever is easier, faster, and more convenient to eat (what is not always the best to keep our health) while stress invades our day-to-day routine.
That is the scenario for most women today, and that was my case a few years ago.
My story with autoimmune diseases
After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, my life fell apart in a way that I had never experienced.
Then I was 27 years old. I felt terrible not only physically but also mentally. It was a disastrous moment during my youth.
So, knowing that I would suffer from this disease probably for the rest of my life made me rethink my entire existence. At that moment, I understood that what had led me to this condition were years of malnutrition, stress, toxic relationships, and lack of self-love.
Something that really shocked me was to learn that autoimmunities are often expressions of self-hatred.
In the beginning, it was challenging to get out of the depression I felt at that time. Honestly, It seemed like I had to build my whole life from scratch.
But despite my discomfort, I started finding ways to regain my health and live my life fully till today.
Thus, I began my journey through the world of integrative health. This journey ultimately led me to become a health coach and feeling more vibrant and energetic than ever.
In this article, I want to share some of the steps I took to recover and maintain my health throughout these years.
I know you can feel lost when you are diagnosed with these diseases. Especially since doctors often tell you that there is nothing you can do about it. But in my humble experience, you can win the battle with healthy lifestyles and mindset shifts.
There’s always hope.
12 steps to overcome autoimmune diseases
Preventing chronic inflammation is the one thing you need to understand about your body that will help you heal just about any disease.
Inflammation is our body’s normal response when it is healing. The problem is when this condition becomes constant and sustained over time due to our diet and lifestyles.
This chronic inflammation is the real problem, and it is the cause of almost all the chronic diseases we know today, especially autoimmune diseases.
It’s essential to address chronic inflammation if you suffer from an autoimmune disease. So these action steps are aimed at improving the chronic inflammation that makes us sick.
1- Drink more water
Drinking more water is a minor adjustment you can make to improve your wellness and lower inflammation.
Carry a bottle of water everywhere you go. If you aren’t a fan of plain water, you can always flavor it by adding some cucumber, ginger, or lemon slices. I also love to add berries to my water or make a big kettle of ginger and cinnamon tea to drink throughout the day.
Also, watch out for the water quality you drink because our gut health can be disrupted by all the crap tap water contains. So, getting a filter is a great idea to protect your intestinal lining and microbiota.
2- Practice Cooking if you suffer from autoimmune diseases
No one way of eating works for everyone. That is why it may be necessary to experiment before you know what works best for you. And what better way to do it than getting into the kitchen?
You might want to try these easy recipes that I completely adore. They are all gluten-free and extremely nutritious.
- Yummy Multigrain Keto bread rich in Omega 3
- Ten epic & yummy toast recipes
- Coconut Flour Chocolate Chips Cookies
- Homemade Coconut Butter
- Cauliflower rice
- Chocolate avocado mousse
- Chocolate covered banana bites
And also, check this article The best 14 anti-inflammatory foods that will help you keep chronic inflammation at bay.
3- Experiment with whole gluten-free grains
Gluten is a protein that wheat, rye, and barley contain.
Eating gluten provokes the permeability of the intestinal lining, setting the stage for inflammation throughout the body. Recent studies suggest that intestinal permeability is perhaps the root cause of autoimmune diseases. Read the research here: Leaky Gut As a Danger Signal for Autoimmune Diseases
The good news is that other grains such as amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, and millet can substitute those that contain gluten.
Me, I completely love quinoa which is a seed.
4- Increase sweet vegetables
Carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, pumpkins, butternut squashes are perfect ingredients to add to your menu. You can use them in a variety of dishes. It’s a smart solution to satiate sweet cravings, and it’s interesting the things you can prepare!
For instance, you can try home these Sweet-potatoes brownies.
5- Increase leafy green vegetables
Leafy green vegetables are potent anti-inflammatory foods. In addition, they contain the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need when healing and keeping overall health.
The way I increased my vegetable intake was by drinking green juice every morning.
6- Eat more protein
Protein makes us feel satiated and helps to overcome unhealthy cravings. Proteins are so essential because they are the building blocks of our body.
Rich protein sources are meats, fish, animal viscera, beans, legumes, soy, and quinoa.
Eggs are an excellent source of protein, but since they trigger an overreaction of the immune system, it’s better to avoid them in case of suffering from autoimmunity.
A critical detail to take into account when buying protein is its origin and quality.
Read here to Understand the labels of the food you eat.
7- Eat fewer processed foods
Processed foods are full of chemicals and toxins that are difficult for our bodies to assimilate.
The food industry uses these strange ingredients to preserve food and extend its shelf life. However, food is more than fuel. Food is also information. And these toxins can change our DNA, causing inflammation and profoundly impacting our body’s balance system.
Here are The most inflammatory ingredients you can find in processed food.
8- Make a habit of nurturing your body
When healing from chronic conditions, it’s helpful to make a habit of nurturing our bodies.
To fulfill this idea, help yourself with supplements, such as Probiotics, Omega 3, and Vitamin D. Make switches in your diet by introducing more veggies and fruits, especially those rich in antioxidants such as blueberries. Drink more herbal teas. Experiment with anti-inflammatory spices such as turmeric, garlic, and ginger. And eat organic, grass-fed, wild-caught, and lean protein.
In this video, you can watch How a doctor cured her autoimmunity with nutrition and lifestyle changes.
9- Have healthy relationships
The people who surround us influence the biochemistry of our bodies, mindset, and ways of life.
That said, it is essential to surround ourselves with a supportive community that encourages us in our healing path. People that inspire us to be our best version, with whom we feel loved and accepted.
As part of your healing process, you could learn How to deal with negative people because sometimes we are going to meet some “Drama queens and kings” in our lives.
10- Enjoy regular physical activity
The benefits of being physically active are countless. It isn’t necessary to go every day to the gym for two hours to work out. Just add some movement to your life. Dance, walk more, take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for a hike during the weekend. Find some activities that you enjoy and practice them frequently.
11- Find work you love
We spend most of our days working. That’s why finding a job that you really enjoy is gonna make you feel better about yourself and help in your healing process.
I was a musician for 20 years of my life. Ten of those years, I performed in bars and nightclubs.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t aligned with my purpose of healing by having this lifestyle. So, I quitted and decided to change my career during my early 30s.
This decision is one of the steps I took when I committed to recovering my health.
Lately, I started blogging and getting certified as a health coach who is a career I love and is aligned with my life’s purpose.
12- Developing a spiritual practice helps healing autoimmune diseases
Last but not least: develop a spiritual practice.
It can be meditating, doing yoga, connecting with nature, practicing positive affirmations and self-care, creating a vision board, helping those most in need, listening to music, or appreciating other art’s manifestation.
Being spiritual does not imply having to practice a religion but rather connecting with life’s higher forces and energies.
Take away
In conclusion, autoimmune diseases are on the rise, and women are often the most affected due to our overwhelming lifestyles.
However, getting sick isn’t the end of the road. Being ill is an opportunity to reconnect with our bodies. Diseases are nothing more than the way our bodies express their dissatisfaction with our lifestyles.
Believe in life. If you are still breathing, there are probably alternatives for you to restore your health and live the badass life you deserve. Baby steps count, and with these 12 steps that helped me overcome an autoimmune disease, you now have some ideas to start your healing process.
Drop a comment down below about your healing process. I read you.
XOXO Idania
