Happy Fourth Crohn's-iversary!

Is it really that time of year again?

Flipping through my old blog posts, I realize that it's now February. That means it's time for my annual Crohns-iversary post!

Four Years.

I'm letting that sink into my own mind as I ponder of what exactly to highlight in this entry. What incredibly strange changes life can bring about, yet I feel just as fortuitous to have experienced such drastic occurrences as a health crisis, divorce, and multiple relocations, and still feel like I'm at the peak of my life.

I always like to take this opportunity to reflect on how I used to physically feel the day, week, and even months, leading up to my diagnosis of Crohn's Disease. I was a bit embarrassed to be dealing with an issue that most people shy away from immediately- that of the digestive system. But I was so desperate for help that my personal boundaries in every respect had to be broken. I felt so helpless until the doctors figured out what was wrong with me. The minute I had received my diagnosis, though, I felt empowered, for then the immediate research began and subsequently the changes in my lifestyle. When you are stripped completely to the ground, like a house, that's the best time to remodel. As I've emphasized in my previous anniversary posts- this illness enabled me to renew myself in a way I would have never imagined.

Even though I frequently will have "cheats" on the paleo diet (ice cream, rice, hell- the other day I ate about a dozen Starbursts but I'm not particularly proud of that and I won't go into details as to why I did, although it's quite humorous) I generally stick to my roots of knowing what's good and bad for me to eat. And I really do feel guilty about eating the bad stuff, although clearly not enough to keep me from doing it entirely. But hey, I never said I wasn't human.

What is emphasized most in my mind by talking with other clean-eating folks is that each individual body is different. We all look different, to some degree, on the outside, so the same can be assumed for our insides. General guidelines aside, food is not a one-size-fits-all approach, nor should it ever be treated as such. For example, I tried a keto diet- I felt really crappy. Some people swear it will cure your goldfish's cancer. Let's not make assumptions, people, let's just try to help everyone to health in the most logical and productive way. On the other hand, never think that a lemon Starburst is the equivalent of an actual lemon. Even for a second.

I'll never leave this mindset of Paleo eating and living, it has truly saved my life. I am fortunate to have the platform of this website and the support of an online community to broadcast to and correspond with. I have some wonderfully supportive friends in my life at this moment and those people combined with the knowledge I learned regarding my health make me relish every second I have.



Part I: http://www.saltedpaleo.com/2012/02/happy-crohns-iversary.html
Part II: http://www.saltedpaleo.com/2013/02/happy-2nd-chrons-iversary.html
Part III: http://www.saltedpaleo.com/2014/05/happy-third-crohns-iversary.html