I am healthy now, but if I had to do it all over again, I would focus on…
This is the map I wish I’d had when I was barely finding my way towards healing. A letter to my younger self, battling chronic health issues.
Dear Aga,
If you are reading this, know that you made it. You are finally healthy—for now.
Health is never a once-and-for-all state you achieve and then stop tending to. It can be taken away at any moment, and perhaps that is what makes us truly appreciate it.
You kept all of your organs, even the ones they wanted to cut out.
You are not taking any medications or pharmaceuticals, even though they said you would have to for the rest of your life. Your walk-in pantry is full of herbs, though! And some nutraceuticals.
You have a child conceived naturally, despite them saying it wasn't likely to happen.
You live pain-free and symptom-free, and your thyroid labs are solid.
We got there in the end. I just wish I could save you some time if we had to do it all over again.
Find Ayurveda sooner. Yesterday, in fact. It will help you piece everything together and find balance sooner. Everything will start to make sense, and all the diet noise will quiet down. Whole foods. Eat a rainbow. Quality, homemade, simple. You will need to start with your digestion—and calm down that sugar addiction.
Think twice before taking meds and pharmaceuticals. Ask questions. Ask about alternatives. Ask what you could change in your life before committing to taking something for the rest of it. Your mast cells are crazy, and you seem to attract every side effect on the planet… One such occasion will almost kill you. Also, FYI, you have MTHFR and DAO gene variants. They’re pieces of the puzzle, and histamine is something you’ll want to understand, girl! Detox isn’t as simple for you either.
Nuance: I am NOT saying nobody should ever take medicine. I sometimes reach for it too, and it has its place, like any tool in my toolbox. Every situation is different and needs individual assessment. Always consult your healthcare professionals.
Remove the unnecessary chemical load from your life sooner. Say bye-bye to harsh cleaning products, pesticide-laden food, and beauty products full of ingredients you don’t actually want on your skin. You will learn that health is often more about subtraction than addition. Don’t waste your time looking for quick, magic solutions. We’ll put in real work, in real time. Sorry…
You are old school. Keep it that way. Your instinct is to trust nature over technology—don’t lose that connection. Stay close to nature, sync with it, flow with it. Traditional diets had a wisdom that modern food production could learn a thing or two from. Look up Weston Price and his work sooner! Put the phone away more and spend more time outside.
Find yoga sooner, but don’t get so obsessed—you WILL injure yourself. The body needs balance. Walk a lot and focus on strength training too; don’t just stretch endlessly. You have no idea how much more movement and activity you actually need.
A big part of your healing will depend on your mental health. Find TM (Transcendental Meditation) sooner and stick with it. Look into nervous system regulation techniques such as SSP sooner too. Take a proper look at your relationships and learn to choose peace. Therapy is a lifesaver too.
Never doubt that the best thing about you is that you read, you question, you are curious, and you don’t give up. Keep reading those books, keep studying, keep listening to your podcasts, and keep finding voices you can actually trust in the crazy world of health!
You will help others find their way once you make it to the other side.
Right now, you’re just trying to get through it yourself. But one day, you will sit down to create something for someone who feels as lost as you do now—and you will know what you wish you could hand her.
You will love creating programs, connecting the dots, and organising everything you’ve learned so others can actually digest it. And underneath all that work will be the memory of you, trying so hard to find a way.
You’ll remember her. That’s why you’ll care so much.
With love,
Your Older Self
P.S. Appreciate all that collagen in your face, girl…
Thank you for being here and for taking the time to read my blog!
I described my health journey in detail in an earlier post; if you missed it and are curious:
And if you want the map I wish I’d had, my Introduction to Ayurveda program is where I would start, followed by Digestive Mastery. These are the foundations I wish someone had explained to me back then. As my Ayurvedic professor endlessly reminded us: it all starts with the gut.
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