Harnessing the Power of Mindset & Habits

Ever wondered how you can take control of your health while living with an autoimmune disease? Our special guest, Amy Behimer, is a Doctor of Pharmacy and Nationally Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach who lives with multiple sclerosis. She uses her education, training, and first-hand experience navigating life with autoimmune disease to help people make changes to start creating autoimmune health. Changes to lifestyle habits are proven to help you feel better today and also help you worry less about tomorrow. She supports people through coaching, teaching, and cultivating community inside her membership CLUB Habit Hub.

Amy discusses the power of mindset, how she evolved her treatment plan to incorporate medication and lifestyle changes, and the importance of understanding the science behind these decisions. Amy's story is a powerful testament to the tenacity of the human spirit and how knowledge mixed with self-care can lead to better chronic illness management.

The mystery of what 'healthy eating' truly means, especially for those with autoimmune diseases, is a topic we dissect with Amy. We address the need to trust our bodies and the importance of shunning ultra-processed foods. Amy shares her unique four "S" approach: understanding the science, trusting oneself, having strategies, and seeking support. This episode will not just educate but inspire you to take small steps towards a healthier lifestyle; whether you're living with an autoimmune disease or know someone who is, Amy's insights and encouragement are not to be missed.

Check out www.amybehimercoaching.com/join to see the details you need to decide if CLUB Habit Hub is your new home for making health a habit!

And here’s a free gift - The 6 Key Habits for Feeling Better with Autoimmune Disease…Starting Today! https://amybehimercoaching.com/6-habits 

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Transcript

Jen: 0:43

Hi my Spoonie sisters. It's Gracefully Jen and I am here to welcome a new guest. I am with Amy Behimer. I don't even know how to get started with this one. The best news is there are simple lifestyle habits proven to help you take control of your health so you can feel better today and worry less about tomorrow. That's a quote off her website, but she can do this a lot more justice than I can. So, hi Amy, how are you today?

Amy: 1:13

I'm doing so well. Thank you so much. I don't know how to feel that. We don't know how to get started, but I appreciate the introduction.

Jen: 1:21

Thank you. So how about we start with you explaining a little bit about yourself and also your diagnosis story, if you don't mind?

Amy: 1:29

Sure, absolutely. When I put labels on myself and say what am I, I often lead with the fact that I live with MS, amongst other autoimmune diseases, which I can kind of walk through that progression if it's helpful for people to see some of the autoimmune diseases that can cluster. And I find that some people feel really seen when they're like, oh, I had that too, so I can walk through that. But first, being someone with MS definitely defines the other areas of my life. So I'm a wife, I'm an aunt to nephews and niece, I'm a daughter, I am a sister, I am a friend, I also am a pharmacist. So for going on almost closer to 20 years of a pharmacist and more recently having this diagnosis of MS sent me down the path of learning everything there is to know about lifestyle changes and functional medicine. And I'm now a nationally board certified health and wellness coach who is trained to actually help people make the changes that they most want to make. And like I mentioned these diagnoses, when I was in high school I was first diagnosed with vitiligo, so that was back in 2002. And that was my first autoimmune diagnosis. I had these white patches on my skin and as a teenager I thought, oh, those don't look great. But I just kept on keeping on. So didn't really change much about my standard American lifestyle.

Amy: 3:06

A few years later, in my 20s, I was diagnosed with Graves disease, which is an autoimmune thyroid condition. Again, I took a pill that sent it into remission and I just kept on keeping on. Then I really started to feel like something was not right. I had a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease thrown in somewhere in there, but ultimately I knew that wasn't what was causing a lot of my symptoms. And in 2012, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and that kind of felt like the answer to what is my body trying to tell me and what exactly is going wrong here. And that was the diagnosis that really got me to wake up and say something is not right and something needs to change.

Jen: 3:53

Wow, so we were diagnosed around the same time then, just with different diseases. So what does your treatment and care plan look like, and has it evolved over time?

Amy: 4:05

Absolutely. I like to think of my treatment in two camps. I have my offense, which is, or my defense, which is my medications that I take. So I take a disease modifying therapy for my multiple sclerosis that is proven to help try to slow progression and not, you know, have any increase in disability scores and things like that. So that's one half of it.

Amy: 4:34

But my offense, I like to say, is my lifestyle. Those are the things that I am doing every day, whether it's what I'm eating, how I'm moving, how I'm thinking, these various lifestyle things that help me go to bed knowing that I'm doing everything I can to help take control of my health, and kind of the quote you mentioned at the beginning, because I want to feel better today, feel my best I can today, whether that's energy or the various symptoms. But I also want to have less worry about what tomorrow brings. And with an autoimmune diagnosis, there is this level of worry that I had, that I still have, even sometimes in people that I work with, because we know our bodies are unhappy with something going on and so we can worry about what does the future bring? Is there progression or there more diagnoses, things like that. So really having this two pronged approach for me helps me feel like I am doing all I can.

Jen: 5:33

So over time, do you feel like this has evolved or is it kind of status quo? You're still doing the same. Integration of the two.

Amy: 5:43

Definitely doing the integration of the two. I have a kind of MS that is a little bit different. It's about 10% of MS diagnoses and it's actually primary, progressive in picture and really so it looks a little bit different. I don't have these relapses that kind of take me out and then I recover from. Instead it's a bit of a steady progression in various symptoms, and so I have absolutely feel that the combo of the two is what keeps me functioning at the level that I'm functioning, feeling as good as I do day to day, especially with the energy levels I have and the ability to kind of keep my brain clear, because that often is the first thing that happens with us with autoimmune disease. We have some sort of brain fog or trouble concentrating or people describe it differently and also just that overwhelming sense of fatigue.

Jen: 6:47

Now, looking back, is there anything you wish you had known at the beginning of your journey?

Amy: 6:54

I have to say I wish that what I knew about MS from pharmacy school and from all the traditional conventional medicine that I was familiar with was that it was a progressive, chronic, debilitating neurological disease that I felt certain my life would always be less than because I had this disease. And so, through over the past 12 years really working to find evidence that that's not true and working to shift my mindset around it, I wish today I could go back and tell that version of myself that I didn't need to spend so many years believing that it was going to, like I said, make my life worse because I had it, and that's a tough belief to overcome.

Jen: 7:48

I could not agree with you more. I think we get inside our own heads and it's hard to really look past that thought or even that advice, right?

Amy: 8:00

Absolutely.

Jen: 8:01

So staying positive, as positive as we can, through what we deal with. How do you maintain that positive outlook despite the challenges that you face?

Amy: 8:11

Staying positive for me is really practicing, always making room for positive and negative of life, because life is positive and negative, it's the human experience, and so we hear so much about positivity and, like I said, for me that means finishing thoughts and finishing sentences with and, and always including something that is also positive. It's not about eliminating the negative, and so something can be really challenging, whether it's my symptoms one day, whether it's the way my leg is choosing not to cooperate, how I want it to cooperate, or whatever that thing is. Yes, this is challenging, and I got through it before, or, and I'm also grateful for, and so really trying to scooch over the negative, make room for the positive to ride along with it is really the way that. That's defining what staying positive means for me.

Jen: 9:17

All right. So my next question for you is who or what lifts your spirits on your difficult days?

Amy: 9:26

Absolutely. I've spent my family, my friends and a good TV show. I really love to laugh when people say what's a fun fact about you? I always I really love to laugh and so finding really embracing a good quality TV show. There's some good stuff out there that I can kind of get lost in and kind of transport to another world and really try to find the lightness in certain situations.

Jen: 9:57

I think that's great and I think that's a good point is I think that sometimes we just need to get lost for a little bit. Whether it's a good book, whether it's a movie or a TV show, some people like to write. It's okay to take that space for yourself, absolutely. Can you recommend any resources, whether they be an account that you enjoy, an article blog, website? Is there any resources you would recommend to somebody in a similar position as yourself?

Amy: 10:25

I one that I love. I'm going to recommend a podcast is the Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin. If anybody's familiar, she is an ex-lawyer turned author and researcher of habits and kind of what makes humans tick and what makes us different, and so I've been listening, I think, for five or six years, every single week, and it's just this, this lighthearted, scientific approach to think about the world in a new way. So that's one that I'm always telling people at work or my family members I'm quoting it all the time that this is, you know, a Gretchenism or this is something that I heard that to give it a try.

Amy: 11:08

Another one you know especially if anyone out there is living with MS or really all of us Spoonie sisters is Dr Terry Walls.

Amy: 11:16

In her book, the Walls Protocol, she really is revolutionizing our approach to autoimmune disease using the, these lifestyle habits, but also putting in the work to get the science to back it up, so doing the trials, and you know it really spoke to my scientific part of myself that really likes to see the evidence and, of course, experience the evidence by trying it and seeing the difference it can make. But her book is a great first place to start If you really want to see the impact that these lifestyle habits can have on what's going on in our body with these autoimmune diseases. And shameless plug, I would. The third one may be my podcast. You know the Habit Hub for Autoimmune Health, so I love that you know we are both out here trying to reach more people through podcasting specifically, and so if you're out there and you love to hear what it's like and how we can actually, you know, use the information that we learn and connect with each other to feel a difference, the Habit Hub for Autoimmune Health is the third one I would recommend.

Jen: 12:30

Okay, so that's actually the perfect timing to have us dive in and talk to. Why don't you tell us what the Habit Hub is?

Amy: 12:38

Sure, the Habit Hub is really, it's my framework, and there are different frameworks out there, and so I always encourage people that one of the biggest mistakes that we can run into when we're trying to do things to feel better and to be healthy is that there can be information overload, or another term for this is infobesity.

Amy: 13:02

So everywhere you look online, there is do this, don't do that, you know, add this. And so having a framework that you trust to help guide you and help ground you in what are the things that can be doing for my health really can help. And so there are different frameworks out there and the Habit Hub is really my spin on living with an autoimmune disease, working with others with an autoimmune disease, kind of encompassing all those different areas that really can help us heal. When we make and break habits in these different spokes of the habit hub, and when we do it in a way that's balanced, it is, like I said, just a great way to ground us and help us feel that we don't need to be overwhelmed from the amount of information out there. So it's similar things that you may be hearing all over, but put together in a package that really helps us get traction on our goals to make movement on these different areas.

Jen: 14:05

Okay, so if someone is interested in seeking you out and getting your help, how would they go about that?

Amy: 14:12

I would absolutely love to chat with anybody who wants to hear what it's like to work with a coach. I have a membership, actually for those that listen to the habit hub for autoimmune health and they're thinking, oh gosh, I just need help implementing some of this stuff. The membership is called club habit hub, and so inside the club, you get to experience coaching, you get to experience a curriculum that is curated just for you, someone living with an autoimmune disease what are the things we need to know, what are the strategies we need to learn in order to implement them? And also a community so similar to how you are cultivating this community of people that are similar and going after the same things. That community is a big piece of it as well, and so all of that can be found on my website and I can share the link, but it's wwwamybeheimercoachingcom. Forward slash, join, okay.

Jen: 15:14

And, yeah, I will absolutely have that in the show notes. I'm trying to think of what. Okay, so one direction. I kind of wanted to go with this so for our guests. I actually am featured on your podcast here soon as well, and we talked a lot about habits, so I kind of want to have you do that a little bit over here as well. So I guess, what are some healthy habits that you would recommend to our listeners?

Amy: 15:42

Oh goodness. So that's a big question. I love it. I mean, the first thing is recognizing that habits are so personal and so really landing on which habits you want to cultivate and grow and which ones you want to break. Really start with going inside and seeing. Well, where do I want to start? Because what we know about the science of habit change and not only change for the sake of change, but changing in a way that feels really good and lasts, is that we have the most success when we try to make habits A that we want to do and B in a way that makes us feel successful along the way. So the first question that I always ask is what do you want?

Amy: 16:31

And if you're listening, there's likely something that you've said over and over, maybe even for years I wish I ate better, I wish I moved my body more, I wish I could just stop stressing, I wish I had a better mindset around this or whatever it is, starting there and really unpacking what that looks like and getting more specific. So we'll take eating, eating better, eating healthy. Eating healthy for different people means different things. It could be adding in things, removing certain things, really honoring your body, and I really love to make sure that we trust yourself, of course, and what your body is telling you, but also bring in and really understand the science behind what foods, if we dial them up, actually help our bodies heal and which ones, when we dial them down, are really proven to help our bodies heal as well. And so one habit under the big umbrella of eating healthy, really is trying to cut out ultra-processed foods, no matter what your diagnosis. A lot of people they may be the only person when I'm working with them, they may be a mom and they have a husband and kids in the household and they'll say things like but they don't want to eat this way and I guarantee no human body thrives over time with ultra-processed foods.

Amy: 18:04

So, really starting with the things that are healthy for everybody and get a big bang for your buck with that. You know, sometimes we don't realize how the the cruddy energy that we're feeding ourselves is producing the cruddy energy that we're then trying to go live life with. So, yeah, I would say one big one is starting with reducing processed foods. A second one is really addressing our mindsets, you know, addressing what is our collection of thoughts or beliefs about what it means to have this disease and I kind of alluded to that earlier. At the beginning, my big belief was my life is never going to be as good, you know, with this diagnosis, and so really having someone to help unpack, is that belief even true? You know? Really get those beliefs out, question them and shift them towards thoughts and and beliefs that just serve us better and help us, you know, get towards where we want to go.

Jen: 19:08

Well, that is some fantastic advice and I'm telling you guys, if you check out the website, you also have all kinds of wonderful little freebies. There's an entire section for free resources. It's wonderful.

Amy: 19:22

Absolutely. And like you mentioned the habits, if you go to amybhammercoachingcom there are my six key habits for autoimmune health, so every person on here and that kind of goes over the top habit in each of the six spokes of the habit hub and so I would encourage anybody listening to and I'll put that link to that specific resource in the show notes as well, because it's such a great place to start and really decide. Ok, now where do I want to go with this?

Jen: 19:51

Exactly OK. Is there any last bit of advice that you would like to share with others in a similar journey as you?

Amy: 20:00

You know advice is. I would like to share you know advice to. I call them my four S's. But when you're looking at going towards you know, creating a healthier lifestyle, I call it creating autoimmune health. These four S's ask yourself which one of these is maybe missing or helps you decide what your next step is.

Amy: 20:29

The first is do I understand the science of health? Do I understand what it takes to help our bodies heal and what lifestyle changes can really help us? So that's the first S. Do I understand the science? And if not, where is a trusted resource I can go? The second one is am I really trusting myself as the expert?

Amy: 20:53

So self-knowledge of you know what are you currently believing and feeling and doing, and how can we use you and your preferences and your life and everything that you know about you to help guide your decision? So we have science, is it? You need a little more self-insight. So less advice from others on the internet and more going inside. The third one are strategies. So all of the information in the world you know doesn't get us anywhere if we don't have real life strategies to actually put them into action and actually start to feel and see the changes. And that's a new skill set, absolutely to be able to do this work. And the fourth S is really support. Are you missing support that maybe could help you get further or in a more enjoyable way than maybe trying to go it on your own?

Jen: 21:50

I think that's incredible advice, and I can't wait to share this with everyone. Our listeners get to hear you in January, and what the perfect time to hear you, because it's going to be a whole new year, and Well, you're the perfect person to reach out to to kick it off right.

Amy: 22:08

Absolutely. And another thing I always say trust in the tiny. You know, a lot of us think that we will get to this down the line, when Life is calmer and when I have more time or this future self. But starting today and taking tiny steps In the direction that you want to go is is key. You know they. You know the old saying of what's the best day to plant a tree? And it was 20 years ago, but the second best time is today. And I say the same way what's, when's the best day to start or develop a healthy habit? 20 years ago, probably, for most of us, but today is the second best day. So you know, whatever that hurdle that feels like today is not feasible. Really question that and say what if I could start today? What could that look like? And maybe you know, gifting yourself for 2024 support to do it in a way that you know actually feels good most definitely and, listeners, I want you to understand that Amy, she's ready to help you.

Jen: 23:12

She's ready to help you with your autoimmune disease and functioning better, to fill your absolute best. So please reach out to her and for some reason, you're having a hard time finding her, which I doubt. Reach out to me and I'll get you in touch.

Amy: 23:26

You're so amazing. Thank you so much.

Jen: 23:28

It was my pleasure, what an honor to have you on and listeners. Until next time, don't forget your spoon.