Do I need to stay on my medications long term?

One of the clients in my 4 month coaching program asked me a great question recently that I’m answering here today. This client has Crohn’s disease, but after working together for a few months, she’s experiencing better digestion, no more stomach cramping, more energy, and feeling more in control of how to manage her symptoms - as well as a decrease in the incidence of flare-ups (#winning!).

This is wonderful because before we started working together, the path to healing felt like a mystery to her, and she didn’t know what would work and what wouldn’t. She had tried everything (many restrictive diets, the latest supplements, etc.) and felt like nothing was giving her sustainable results.

Now that she’s feeling so much better (after uncovering information about her specific needs and implementing some simple diet and lifestyle changes tailored specifically to her), she’s wondering whether or not she needs to stay on her pharmaceutical medications long term. This is a common question from my clients and one that I faced during my own healing journey.

Watch the video below or read on for my take on this important issue!

It’s Not All Or Nothing!

Many times when dealing with chronic illness, we think that we either need to go the all natural route (with diet, lifestyle, herbs, etc.) or we use pharmaceutical medications. But it doesn’t need to be one or the other. In fact, more often than not with chronic autoimmune disease, we actually need both!

As you go along and your symptoms change or improve, your need for medications might change as well. Remember that we’re all human beings in constant flux, and we need to be able to evaluate these things critically.

Come Prepared with Data

Many of my clients have concerns about effects of long-term use of their medications, so I suggest that they start a conversation with their doctor about the possibility of tapering off some or all of them if together they feel it’s appropriate. The best way that I’ve found to do this is to go to your doctor with DATA. Something that they can hold on to and understand, as opposed to you just telling them you’d like to get off your medications because you’re feeling better.

Going in with something like a symptom journal as well as any recent blood work or lab work can be very helpful. Starting a symptom journal is really easy to do, and yields powerful data and insight. You can download my free Food & Symptom journal here to get started.

Most doctors won’t suggest going off of your medications completely depending on your situation, but working together you can review any improvements or changes in your symptoms and come up with a plan based on that.

This is where the importance of being your own health advocate comes into play!

Everyone’s situation is very unique (even with the same diagnosis) so some people might need to be on a pharmaceutical medication for the rest of their life, and others might not. Getting clear on your needs, understanding your body and your symptoms, advocating for yourself, and starting a dialogue with your practitioner are all important steps in finding a plan that works best for you.

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Are you dealing with symptoms of chronic fatigue, brain fog, autoimmune disease, pain or digestive issues?

You’ve gone to doctor after doctor. You’ve received some answers, have started on medications and notice some relief (thank goodness!) but are still left feeling exhausted, stressed, inflamed and not fully yourself?

Or maybe every test has come back “normal” and your practitioners have told you that there isn’t anything they can do, to come back when things get worse, or to simply manage your stress better?

If yes, then you are someone who would benefit form 1:1 holistic health coaching.

Health coaching is a necessary extension of the health care system in that together we have more time to uncover issues, implement strategies and assess outcomes together. Autoimmune disease is complex and to address it we need to come at it from all angles (pharmaceutical therapies from your doctor while also focusing on root cause factors like gut health, diet, sleep and stress). I offer accountability, a knowledgeable resource and most importantly support.

I always offer free 30-minute discovery sessions to get clear on your major health concerns and what’s standing in your way. Click the button below to set up your free consultation and we can create a plan of action specifically for you.

Are you "all or nothing" when it comes to your health?

I’ve been speaking with many clients lately who say they do really well with black and white guidelines. When they have clear restrictions on what they “can” and “can’t” eat. They may avoid dairy, gluten and sugar for periods of time during healing diets and although it’s challenging at first, they feel good with these strict boundaries because there is no ambiguity. When they begin to add in foods and things like travel, work events, holiday parties, and dinners at friend’s houses come up, however, they have a really hard time navigating this grey area.

It’s this gray area that I’ve been thinking so much about. This grey area is so important because really, it’s life.

It’s easy to hand someone a list and say avoid these “bad for you” foods and eat these “good for you” foods.  We know we should eat vegetables and avoid excessive doughnut consumption. But what prevents us from doing so on a regular basis? Where the real transformation happens and the real work gets done is in navigating the gray area with intention.

Watch the video below or read on to learn 3 ways to navigate this grey area and avoid the trap of feeling “all or nothing” when it comes to your health.

1. Get clear on your “why”

It is so crucially important to get clear about why you want to eat healthy or feel a certain way and what your real motivations are. For me, the reason why I don’t just go for it and eat chocolate croissants and macaroons every day (just some days) is because I have a genetic predisposition to autoimmune disease. I know how eating those foods makes me feel and affects me at a cellular level, and I do not want to feel that way.

Excess sugar, grains and dairy affect my gut, which affects my immune system and symptoms of autoimmunity, makes my skin break out, alters my mood, sleep and overall sense of well being. I choose to eat whole, nutrient dense foods 90% of the time because they keep me feeling great and not getting sick. That’s a very powerful “why” for me and makes it pretty simple to stick to my guns when choosing how to eat (note: his has been a lifelong journey to be sure). My why is different to yours though and it’s important to get clear on what’s true for you.

What is your why? Do you want to feel good in your body? Reduce symptoms of disease? Improve frustrating bloating? Maintain energy to run around? Look good naked? Take a minute to think about it and write it down.  If you first come up with “feel healthy” go deeper and keep asking “why” to get to the powerful core (there is always one).

2. Begin the process of tuning into your body

Many of us do well with protocols where someone tells us what to do and we follow that plan. But this means that when we stop doing the protocol or veer off track, we feel lost. Sometimes we need protocols to support us during different phases of our healing journey, but what we really need to do is become experts at listening to what our bodies are telling us and turning inwards.

“Listen to your body” might be an annoying phrase that you can’t quite wrap your head around. It’s in the same family as, “reduce your stress” or “self-care” or other phrases that sound so nice and simple, but can be hard to pin down when you’re actually trying to achieve them.

Listening to our bodies has become a vague and somewhat challenging task because we've gotten so used to looking outside of ourselves for information and guidance on how to feel better.

Instead of constantly searching and looking outside of ourselves for the answers, I want to talk about how to look within as the only way to really figure out what works best for you and your beautiful body.

Here are 3 ways to start this process of tuning in:

• 5 second body scans before meals to ask yourself these questions:

  • How am I feeling?

  • Where am I holding tension?

  • What are my symptoms?

  • What is my energy level?

• Getting quiet. Silence isn’t empty. It's full of answers. Breathing and meditating allows us to clear mental clutter so we can more fully listen to the signs and signals our bodies are trying to give us. I like the apps Calm or Insight for introductory meditation, or I practice my favorite 4-7-8 breathing technique.

• Complete a 5-day food/symptom journal to start the process of noticing how what you put in your body makes you feel. You can download it by clicking here >>

This is a process and it's like strengthening a muscle, so be patient with yourself! Let me know in the comments where you're at with this process of tuning in. What do you notice right now if you do a 5 second body scan? What comes up? If you complete your 5-day food journal and come up with some interesting insights, let me know!

3. Start with a good foundation

To be able to make good choices you need to know what works for you and what doesn’t.  We are all so different and thrive with different foods in our bodies. In general it is advised to avoid overly processed foods and refined sugars and eat a diet with lots of nutrient-dense vegetables. From there however, we must take into account our own unique bodies and needs. This involves tuning into your body and experimenting with what works and what does not.  

Once you really know how certain foods make you feel and you consistently incorporate foods that make you feel good while taking out foods that make you feel bad, you create a great foundation and your body responds accordingly. Once you have a solid foundation of health, it’s easier to veer off and come back to your baseline. You become more easily able to tune into how you feel and you know exactly how to bring yourself back. I work with people to uncover sensitivities and move towards a healthy, whole foods diet that works specifically for them in order to create this solid foundation. It can be really helpful to have a guide through this process so message me if you want some assistance!

I offer free, 30-minute discovery calls so click the link below to book in your free session today! In these sessions I help you get clear on your main health issues, figure out what’s standing in your way and create a plan of action tailored specifically to you.

The Real Food Reset Package! [Your Holiday Survival Guide]

It’s that magical time of year when there are brownies, cookies, wine, sugary sweets (and even weird, stale candy fruit bread that is totally gross but you eat anyway) popping up everywhere at work, home and school. It’s fun and festive at first, and you mostly stick to your routines, but then you get that gross feeling, after your fourth holiday party where you feel bloated, exhausted and sick of eating and drinking things that make you feel awful.

The thing is though, you are far too fabulous to sit at home and say no to every holiday party to eat only kale and broccoli on the couch for the next few months. And the New Year is too far away to keep feeling this bad. So… what do you do?

The 5-Day Real Food Reset Package

I’m really excited to announce that just for the holiday season, I’m offering my Real Food Reset Package to help you get through with joy, grace and ease! This program includes:

• A private 60-minute coaching session with me to get clear on your biggest health concerns and goals for the season. If you are always “black and white” about food and health and feel like you are constantly “on the wagon or off the wagon” without any in between, this session will help navigate the grey area that is life and create a plan of action specifically for you. *All sessions are conducted over the phone so you can participate from anywhere in the world!* (Value $125)

• A customized 5-Day Real Food Reset Meal Plan you can whip out anytime you start to feel that holiday blah.  It’s a potent and powerful reset button that you can squeeze into any timeline during the holidays that works for you. It’s a gentle, real food cleanse meaning you don’t have to deprive yourself, drink juice all day (which may not be what your body is calling for) or eat astronaut food. All recipes are:

• Gluten-free

• Dairy-free

• AIP compliant

• Extremely delicious

• The Healthy Holiday Guide - 5 ways to eat well and enjoy yourself this holiday season. This is your pocket guide to feeling good this year without any of the confusion or guilt.

If you are feeling fatigued, experiencing digestive issues and are worried about falling into the trap of weight gain and exhaustion this holiday season this Real Food Reset Package is perfect for you!

You will leave this session with:

• A personalized game-plan to navigate the holiday season with ease

• A customized meal plan with super simple recipes you can whip out anytime you need a powerful reset during the next few months

• Tips and tricks for how to care for and nurture yourself during this season

• Complete confidence that you are doing the right things for your unique body (and not what you read on the latest blog!)

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I’ve packaged up this special offer for you as an early holiday gift! I’m a firm believer that this time of year does not need to mean more fatigue, poor digestion, weight gain and worsening symptoms and I’m passionate about helping you find a happy, healthy balance.

Investment: $95 for this special holiday offer (Value $175)

Click the button below to schedule your session so you're armed with all the best tips and tricks to feel fabulous through the holidays!

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Here’s what people are saying about the Real Food Reset:

I feel like I’ve completely reset my nutritional sense after our session.  I can’t wait to try the recipes!  Honestly, this is just what I needed to get on track before the New Year and I’m so glad I didn’t wait until I was feeling worse to check in. Thank you! - Mary

The Real Food Reset Package is only on offer through the end of December, so book in now to grab your spot! These sessions make fantastic gifts as well and are a great way to tell someone you really love their guts! ;) If you’d like to give this as a gift, use this link here to generate a gift certificate and have the recipient contact info@christinatidwell.com to set up their session at a time that works for them!

I can’t wait to connect with you and help guide you through your best holiday season yet.

In Health,

Christina Tidwell, MN, RN, CHC

What is holistic health coaching?

Are you dealing with symptoms of chronic fatigue, brain fog, autoimmune disease, pain or digestive issues?

You’ve gone to doctor after doctor. You’ve received some answers, have started on medications and notice some relief (thank goodness!) but are still left feeling exhausted, stressed, inflamed and not fully yourself?

Or maybe every test has come back “normal” and your practitioners have told you that there isn’t anything they can do, to come back when things get worse, or to simply manage your stress better?

Maybe you’ve read about how diet and lifestyle can influence your symptoms of autoimmune disease or you’ve tried a few restrictive diets already. You feel great while doing them, but when life starts to happen and you fall off the wagon or get away from this super restrictive way of eating all of your symptoms flood back and you are back at square one. You feel like you don’t have the knowledge, willpower or energy to know what to do next.

There’s so much conflicting information out there about autoimmune disease and diet and lifestyle and it can get so overwhelming trying to figure out what’s actually going to work for you. You may have spent hundreds of dollars on promising pills and supplements only to find they didn’t do much more than make you have really expensive pee.

This is where functional health and nutrition coaching comes into play.

Watch my video below or read on to learn about why health coaching is a necessary extension of the healthcare system.

What is functional health coaching?

Functional: A functional approach involves getting to the root cause of what’s going on in the body. Instead of just asking “what” disease you have, functional practitioners want to know “why” you have it. It involves looking at foundations such as gut health, nutrition, stress, and sleep and considering the person as a whole.

Health Coaching: A health coach educates and supports clients to achieve their health goals through diet and lifestyle shifts and personal empowerment.

Health coaching is a necessary extension of the health care system in that we have more time to uncover issues, implement strategies and assess outcomes together. Autoimmune disease is complex and to address it we need to come at it from all angles (pharmaceuticals and therapy from your doctor while also focusing on root cause factors like gut health, diet, sleep and stress). I offer accountability, a knowledgeable resource and most importantly support.

How it works? Through private coaching sessions we work specifically to:

• Identify food sensitivities contributing to your symptoms

• Find a diet that works for you

• Improve gut/digestive health (the key!)

• Identify the role stress plays in your life and work to shift into a more parasympathetic state

• Troubleshoot sleep and other "lifestyle" issues contributing to symptoms

Our medical system does a great job at treating acute illness (infections, broken bones) where we can apply a quick fix or a medication to treat the problem. Where we’ve gotten into trouble is trying to apply this “quick fix” model that may work with acute illness to chronic autoimmune or digestive issues. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to health and wellness and perhaps that’s where you’ve gotten stuck before.

Throughout your program we work together to create a plan of action specifically for you. Which is different than me, or someone else with your exact same diagnosis. There are many examples of client success stories on the “work with me” tab on my website, so I invite you to read along to get inspired and know what’s possible for you.

I believe so wholeheartedly in this approach to whole person health, especially when it comes to chronic autoimmune disease, and I’d love to help support you in your healing journey. I want to assure you that no matter where you’re at, it’s possible to live a vibrant life not controlled by your illness.

If you want to get started, all you have to do is click the link below and book in a free, 30-minute discovery call with me. I can’t wait to hear from you!

In Health,

Christina Tidwell, MN, RN, CHC