When my own body seemed to turn against me, I found myself navigating the seemingly unpredictable twists and turns of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
My journey has been one of transformation, from overwhelming pain to a life filled with vitality, thanks to an anti-inflammatory lifestyle.
This episode is my open book, a chapter of resilience and hope, where I lay out the map for others sailing similar rough seas.
You'll hear about the small, yet mighty changes in diet and exercise that have allowed me to reclaim my health and reduce my reliance on NSAIDs.
Join me as I share the deeply personal insights that have made a difference in my RA journey, hoping they’ll help you, too.
Managing RA isn't a one-size-fits-all approach, as evidenced by our latest heartfelt discussion on the power of personalized nutrition and movement.
We'll explore the Mediterranean diet, a cornerstone of my wellness, and how to tailor strength training to support rather than strain our bodies.
But thriving with RA goes beyond what we eat and how we move; I delve into the realms of joy, gratitude, and nature—your unsung heroes in the battle against pain and inflammation. I also touch on often-overlooked, yet crucial vitamin levels, and offer nine empowering insights to elevate your health strategy.
Listen in to this powerful episode, and let's turn RA management into a journey of discovery and strength.
Rate, Review, and Subscribe! I am honored that you tuned in to today's show and I don't want you to miss a single episode! Make sure you go HERE to hit the subscribe button so you know when the next episode drops.
If you found this episode helpful in any way, please leave me a Rating + Review. When you do, it helps me reach and support other people, just like you, so that they can move toward living a healthier and happier life with RA. Click HERE, scroll down to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, then scroll down and tap 'Write a Review'. Then share what resonated with you in the episode! What did you love the most?
*This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any illness or disease. The information provided herein is for general educational purposes, has not been reviewed nor approved by the FDA and is not intended to take the place of advice from your medical professional, licensed dietitian or nutritionist. You are solely responsible for your health care and activity choices. Your decision to try this formula does not constitute a client-coach relationship. For my full disclaimer, please visit: https://dawnlaflin.com/disclaimer/
When my own body seemed to turn against me, I found myself navigating the seemingly unpredictable twists and turns of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
My journey has been one of transformation, from overwhelming pain to a life filled with vitality, thanks to an anti-inflammatory lifestyle.
This episode is my open book, a chapter of resilience and hope, where I lay out the map for others sailing similar rough seas.
You'll hear about the small, yet mighty changes in diet and exercise that have allowed me to reclaim my health and reduce my reliance on NSAIDs.
Join me as I share the deeply personal insights that have made a difference in my RA journey, hoping they’ll help you, too.
Managing RA isn't a one-size-fits-all approach, as evidenced by our latest heartfelt discussion on the power of personalized nutrition and movement.
We'll explore the Mediterranean diet, a cornerstone of my wellness, and how to tailor strength training to support rather than strain our bodies.
But thriving with RA goes beyond what we eat and how we move; I delve into the realms of joy, gratitude, and nature—your unsung heroes in the battle against pain and inflammation. I also touch on often-overlooked, yet crucial vitamin levels, and offer nine empowering insights to elevate your health strategy.
Listen in to this powerful episode, and let's turn RA management into a journey of discovery and strength.
Rate, Review, and Subscribe! I am honored that you tuned in to today's show and I don't want you to miss a single episode! Make sure you go HERE to hit the subscribe button so you know when the next episode drops.
If you found this episode helpful in any way, please leave me a Rating + Review. When you do, it helps me reach and support other people, just like you, so that they can move toward living a healthier and happier life with RA. Click HERE, scroll down to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, then scroll down and tap 'Write a Review'. Then share what resonated with you in the episode! What did you love the most?
*This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any illness or disease. The information provided herein is for general educational purposes, has not been reviewed nor approved by the FDA and is not intended to take the place of advice from your medical professional, licensed dietitian or nutritionist. You are solely responsible for your health care and activity choices. Your decision to try this formula does not constitute a client-coach relationship. For my full disclaimer, please visit: https://dawnlaflin.com/disclaimer/
Speaker 1:
Okay, real quick, before we get going, I want to make sure you know I have a free resource for you to grab down in the show notes below. It's my Anti-Inflammatory Foods checklist and it's yours for free. Think of it as a cheat sheet that will help you take the guesswork out of what to eat. Moving toward an anti-inflammatory diet plays a key role in reducing excess inflammation. The reward More energy and less pain, and who doesn't want more of that? Be sure to see the link in the show notes below to grab your copy.
Speaker 1:
This disease cannot be about just medicine alone. It's more of a concept of pills and skills. When you take the dietary and lifestyle improvement creating this anti-inflammatory lifestyle, you actually help the medicine work better for you. Some find that they need less medicine. They're able to stabilize on a certain medicine, or they find that they go into remission. But know that the journey is different for each and every one of us. There are different levels of severity and there are different health histories. That we agree.
Speaker 1:
I'm Dawn Laughlin, certified Health Coach and fellow RA warrior. It wasn't all that long ago that I was in this place where I was fearful of the uncertainty of my future, wondering when my next flare would come, or wondering when the pain would let up. Fast forward, through many trials, errors and lessons learned, and you'll find a gal who is stronger, healthier and more confident in her future than ever before. Yes, I still have RA, but RA doesn't have me. I believe our lifestyle, food choices and mindset greatly impact the way our bodies handle rheumatoid arthritis. I created the Thrive with RA podcast to explore the science-based ways to realign your health. Through these three pillars and so much more, we'll be navigating both the messy and the blessings that come from living a life with RA. Each week, you'll get a good dose of education, inspiration, encouragement and hope as you take small steps to improve your health and overall life. If you've been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or are still trying to figure out if the symptoms you're feeling are indeed rheumatoid arthritis, you are in the right place, my friend. Let's get started. Well, hey there, friend, welcome back to the Thrive with RA podcast. I am so grateful that you are tuning in, listening, hopefully learning some things as you go through your RA journey.
Speaker 1:
Today, I wanted to talk to you about a topic that came up from a group that I met. Actually, somebody had asked the question what do you wish that you had been told when you were being diagnosed with RA. In other words, looking back, what do you know now? And, looking back, what do you wish you had known back then? And I thought what a great idea for a podcast topic, because it is so important that we're well informed and I myself, eight years in, do not feel like I was well informed.
Speaker 1:
As I walked into this diagnosis. I was given medicine, I was told that this will be your new normal and it really just. I left there feeling confused, overwhelmed, somewhat angry, thinking that I thought I had done all the things right in my life and how did I end up with this auto-immune disease? So I thought that it would be really powerful and helpful for you guys, whether you are in a position of trying to figure out what your symptoms are. Do you have rheumatoid arthritis? Or you have rheumatoid arthritis and you're in the beginning phases and you feel that overwhelm, that fear, some of that loss of hope. You're maybe in Facebook groups where you're seeing the worst of worst days from people, or you are reading things online which we all know when we Google for help, sometimes that help is not the most helpful. So I wanted to share that with you, and then also for those of you who have been walking through your RA journey for some time. This can be powerful for you because a lot of times our doctors are not sharing with us the things that we need to do to help us feel better in our day to day. So I thought today that I would bring this topic to you and share a little bit about what I have learned in my eight years in hindsight, moments that I think are really super beneficial for you to know as you are either starting your journey, trying to figure out if this is your journey, or walking already years into your journey.
Speaker 1:
I remember going in for my follow up appointment six months into my RA journey after I had been diagnosed, feeling that I was for sure going to have my doctor tell me the medicine is not working, we're going to need to try something else. My pain levels had gone up, my fatigue had increased and I thought, for sure, there is no way that this medicine is going to work for me, which had me nervous, of course, because then that means higher doses of higher, higher side effects and things that are going to cause more issues for me outside of RA. So I was a little apprehensive about going into that meeting being prepared to hear that. But to my shock, he was happy and said the medicine was working. And in that moment I specifically asked him well, what can I do to best support my body with RA? His response was there's nothing you can do. Ra is a progressive disease. The only thing you can rely on is medicine. He said if this medicine that you're on isn't enough to take care of that pain and that fatigue, then we can look at more aggressive medicines that come with higher levels of side effects. So in hindsight it was a blessing because he didn't want to put me there, and so what it caused me to do was I left that appointment. He handed me a box of prednisone, a prescription for prednisone and a statement to really drive home that joint pain and fatigue would be part of my new normal, and I left there feeling so deflated. But I'm here to say in hindsight I'm actually grateful for his response because it lit a fire in me to dig in and do what I could do to help my body.
Speaker 1:
Now, for my degree in exercise and sports science, my faith and my intuition, I just knew that there had to be better ways to support my body. Our bodies are beautifully and wonderfully made, and that's when I dove headfirst in and just really started making changes. I learned from my research that people were seeing improvements in their symptoms by making dietary and lifestyle changes, so I started doing just that. Within three weeks of making some dietary changes, I no longer needed my four-day leave pills that I was taking based on my doctor's recommendation. My pain had gone way down, which allowed me to start moving my body more, which then began to improve my energy, and it got better and better the more I stayed on that path.
Speaker 1:
Fast forward. Six months later, when I went back in for a follow-up appointment, I was so excited to share with my rheumatologist everything I had been doing and how good I was feeling, but sadly I did not get the response that I thought I would. He compared the things that I was sharing to a time back in the 50s when researchers were testing out partial lobotomies as a way to help people with RA. So he was comparing removing portions of a person's brain to making dietary and lifestyle improvements, basically saying nothing else but medicine works. The look on my face let him know that I felt we were not on the same page. Now, to his credit, he did agree that eating healthier isn't a bad thing. When I left that appointment, I vowed to make to myself that I would do whatever I could to help others with RA know that there are things that you can do to support your body. Needless to say, I no longer have that particular rheumatologist. It's so important that you have a doctor who is supporting you and your goals in this journey. Not all rheumatologists see diet and exercise as important components of managing RA, so keep looking until you find one that does. In fact, after you finish listening to this episode, you can go check out a video I have on my YouTube channel where I share three things to look for when looking for a rheumatologist. I'll link to that in the show notes below.
Speaker 1:
Now, all of that said, I want to be clear on a couple things. First, I highly respect doctors in the role they play in our healthcare. I do not, however, agree with the tunnel vision that some physicians have because they are so specialized that they can't or aren't willing to see that the whole body is a part of our overall health. All of our systems are integrated and they have to be considered when trying to treat chronic diseases. We're making some strides in that area, but we really have a long way to go. Secondly, while there is no cure for RA, and medicine does indeed play a role in helping minimize the progression of the disease, making dietary and lifestyle changes helps rebalance your overall health, which helps improve your symptoms and life with RA. So let's get back to that list that I wish I had known at the start of my RA journey. First, it's that RA is a part of your story, but it's not all of your story and it's not the end of your story. While it can feel overwhelming, learning you have this lifelong disease, accepting it as part of who you are, is the first step. It's just a piece of your journey and when you reach a place of acceptance, it becomes so much easier to move into action for what needs to be done so that you can find a better balance in your health.
Speaker 1:
Now number two is a big one, because this is talked about a lot online. There is no one perfect diet, it's just not there. There's a lot of reasons why it's not there. It's. There's so much noise in this online space about this diet is better or that diet is better, but the reality is is that we are each uniquely made and require different things to help us thrive and feel our best. That said, the one thing that we all do need is more plants in our diet, because the nutrients that they provide serve our gut, microbiome, and science is discovering day after day, through study after study, that it plays a huge role in the health of our overall body. So focusing on plants is having you focus on an anti-inflammatory diet. An example of that is the Mediterranean diet. It's a great option to kind of use as a framework. It's loaded with plants, well-sourced seafood, lean proteins and little to no red meat All of the antioxidants and phytonutrients found in the Mediterranean diet. They are super helpful in driving down inflammation. Now, in addition to this, you're going to need to remove white sugar, refined white flowers and, honestly, if you limit your ultra-processed foods, you will be well on your way. Then you also need to test dairy and gluten to see if they are a problem for you and your body. You won't know until you test it. Now.
Speaker 1:
The third thing on my list is that I wish I would have been told move your body. Move your body every day. I cannot emphasize that enough. When you're in pain, you're going to think that it's counterproductive, but it actually helps loosen things up and improves the pain. There's this phrase that I heard and it has stuck to my head. It's called motion is lotion for your joints. And it's so true because when you are moving, you are helping increasing that fluidity in your joints and helping loosen that stiffness and really making an impact on how you feel.
Speaker 1:
Another critical piece in this is that you need to add strength training. When you build up your muscles, you are taking that added pressure off your joints. You are allowing your body to stay strong and it really helps you as you age. In general, every one of us needs strength training as we age so that we can age well. It's important to listen to your body and know which parts to strengthen. So if you're having you know soreness in your hands, maybe you're doing lower body stuff that day. Or if your ankles are hurting, you're doing upper body work that day. If you have never done strength training before, I highly encourage that you work with a personal trainer so that they can show you the proper moves. Even better is to work with someone that has worked with RA clients or is very well versed in the RA journey and the nature of RA, so that they can understand where you're coming from.
Speaker 1:
Number four is to do things that bring you joy, what lights you up, find gratitude and purpose in your days. If you focus only on the pain, which some days that's just all that is there in front of you. It becomes all that you focus on. So try to get outside, try to volunteer, try to delve into a hobby or two, things that are going to help keep your mind busy and help you find joy in your day. It can bring a better balance to your mindset. Taking time to journal or keep a gratitude journal can also help you reflect on that joy. On those days that you are having a challenging day. It allows you to kind of bring new balance back to your day so that you can keep going forward. I promise you, if you look, you will find something to be grateful for every single day, even on your hardest days. Now number five is to get outside. Often we don't do it enough, especially in this day and age, but getting outside is so good for the soul. Being in nature, our bodies are filled with our microorganisms. Being out in nature, that is also filled with microorganisms, is just harmony for your body. Sunshine is bliss, and it also brings vitamin D, which comes to my number.
Speaker 1:
Six on the list is vitamin D. It is such a critical vitamin for you to be checked for you to have checked. Many people with RA are really really low, and it's a big deal when you're talking about balancing your inflammation and your overall health. You got to know where those vitamin D levels are. Never just guess and think that you might need one just because I said a lot of people with RA need it. Go get your levels checked, find out what your numbers are and work on finding the right dosage for your body. My rheumatologist believes that a range of 70 to 90 in the blood levels is where it's best to stay. So work with your doctor and find out where they believe that your numbers should be based on. Where you are, there are different. There's even prescription vitamin D levels, because some people are that low. That's why it's important to go get checked. So have that checked out, and I'm going to throw in two more. Also check your B12 and your magnesium levels. These are often low for people because our nutrients are not being absorbed, so get those checked as well. Know your numbers, work with your doctor and get on a dosage that's right for you.
Speaker 1:
Number seven is managed stress. I always say manage stress before it manages you. With RA, stress can really drive up. You've got extra hormones flaring in your body when you are stressed out which can just add to your inflammation and not be good for you. It'll increase your symptoms. It'll increase the longevity of your flares. So getting your stress under control before it controls you is critical. I've covered this topic before. You can go back to episode 003 and check that out. In fact I'll link to it in the show notes for you, okay.
Speaker 1:
Number eight is prioritize sleep. Our body does big things when we sleep, from repairing muscles to restoring cells. It spends that time that we're sleeping bringing order back to your body. So you're going to want to aim for seven to nine hours a night. You'll kind of find your sweet spot. The more that you prioritize that sleep, you'll start waking up on your own without an alarm, and it's a beautiful thing. So you kind of know exactly when you need to go to bed so that you can get up at the right time every morning. When you do prioritize your sleep, you have better control over your cravings, which helps you eat healthier foods. It helps you have clearer thinking and more energy, which we all are looking for, especially when you have RA.
Speaker 1:
That brings us to our last item, and that's number nine drink your water. Water is so, so important. It's actually one of the first things that I work on when I'm working with a new client, because it really can do big things and it's a simple thing that we can work on. It helps you keep your joints lubricated and flexible. It also helps move waste through your body, removing the toxins that are built up so that you can help flush that inflammation out. When you aren't moving those toxins out on a regular basis ie having a bow movement every single day you're adding to inflammation in your body. It also provides you with energy, supports your cellular functions and so much more. It is truly a critical piece of your new lifestyle that you need to implement, because so many of us are walking around dehydrated and we don't even realize it Now.
Speaker 1:
As you can hear, this disease cannot be about just medicine alone. It's more of a concept of pills and skills. When you take the dietary and lifestyle improvement creating this anti-inflammatory lifestyle, you actually help the medicine work better for you. Some find that they need less medicine. They're able to stabilize on a certain medicine, or they find that they go into remission, but know that the journey is different for each and every one of us. There are different levels of severity and there are different health histories that we are bringing into our own disease, so everybody. The one thing that we have in common, though, is that everybody needs to move away from this standard American diet and lifestyle, because it just doesn't serve us well.
Speaker 1:
I know that this list seems long and overwhelming, but pick one area and start there Again. These were things that I wished I had been talked to about when I was first diagnosed, so that I could start making changes right away. The sooner you get going, the sooner you'll start to feel that relief and the less dire this disease feels to you. If you need a suggested place to start, I always say start with food. It is one of the things that we need to work on, and our standard American diet is super, super inflammatory. So if you just start making small changes, you would be shocked at how quickly it starts to snowball and how quickly our cravings and things can begin to change.
Speaker 1:
Because the idea of eliminating foods we know and love can feel so overwhelming, I encourage my clients to start by adding in nutrient dense foods. My favorite way to do that is a green smoothie, when I happen to have a free resource for you. It's called an RA Pain Reducing and Energizing Smoothie Guide. It is a fantastic way to nourish your body, increase your water intake and start to reset the cravings that so many of us battle. You'll find the link to this free resource in the show notes below. So there you have it Nine things that I wish my doctor would have talked to me about when I was first diagnosed. Nine things that are critical in living well with RA. Eating steps to improve your overall health and well-being will help you not only feel better, but it's also going to help your medicine work more effectively. Alright, ra Thrivers, that's all I have for you today. Keep taking those small steps to make big impacts on your health. I'll be back next week. Same time, same place.