In today's episode, I'm going to share with you three practical steps to cut through the noise that is information overload so that you can finally start seeing results. That's all coming up next, right here on Embrace Your Healing Journey. Welcome to Embrace Your Healing Journey, a podcast for women with autoimmune and other chronic conditions to help them navigate the illness without fear of isolation and uncertainty, and find relief from their symptoms. Your body is your guide and ally in healing. If you're ready to embrace this journey with compassion and awareness, then this show is for you. Tune in weekly as I, a Functional medicine Certified Health Coach, deliver tips and insights that demystify the healing process, guiding you towards the relief you deserve so that you can feel healthy and happy once more. In each episode, I share with you pieces of inspiring poems, quotes, and even stories that may help you draw strength from them. Inspired them, and motivate you to stay on your healing path just like it does for me.
And today. Here's an excerpt from the Life-Changing Book You Can Heal Your Life by Louis. Hay. And in fact, if you haven't read this book, make sure that you go down to the show notes and, you know, get the book and read it. It's, you know, probably going to change your life. So, as Louis says, whatever we believe becomes true for us. If you have poor health, you may believe in less runs in our family, or that you're a victim of the weather. Or perhaps it's I was born to suffer, or it's just one thing after another. Some of the things that we believe are positive and nourishing. These thoughts serve us well all of our lives, such as look both ways before you cross the street. So why do we sell them so seldom? Sit down and ask ourselves, is that really true? For instance, why do I believe things like it's difficult for me to learn? Better questions to ask are is it true for me now? Where did that belief come from? Do I still believe it? Because of first grade teacher told me that over and over. And would I be better off if I drop that belief?
So try asking yourself these questions today and see what comes up for you. See how your life actually starts changing. Like just these small, tiny tweaks can go a long way. In fact, I'll come back to today's episode now, and this book opened my eyes to the possibilities about myself and my body's healing capabilities like I never had before. I had no idea that, you know, our beliefs and our thoughts can, um, impact or affect so much of our health. I mean, I've already always read about it. I had seen the research, but this book actually sort of literally opened my eyes, and it helped me to have faith in my body's own healing powers, even when I was dealing with extreme pain, uh, severe pain, uh, for sciatica and lower back, uh, pain related issues. Some time back. And I was unable to move without a lot of pain, and I was actually confined mostly to my bedroom for about a couple of months. And honestly, I had let it go on for too long a time. So by the time I went to the doctors, I was advised surgery, even though I had not really tried any therapy or tried to figure out what the root causes would be.
To cut a long story short, I finally found a physiotherapist who pinpointed that my posture, my flat feet and you know, these and the way that it was, my hips were moving. All of these, you know, the hip flexors, the, uh, the hamstrings, all of these actually had contributed to this sciatic and lower back pain. And this would take time to get resolved. But it could, uh, you know, provided that I, you know, sort of did this kind of therapy. And it took me over six weeks of very painful therapy to finally start finding relief without, uh, painkillers or, you know, other medications. And I do not advise it for everyone. This is, uh, you know, this is something that you had to decide. And because sometimes we do need medications, we do need surgery. But for me, I realized with my own. And the skill set that I have developed over the last ten years of practicing functional medicine that, you know, it allowed me to sift through the options that I have and my, of course, my own training as a functional medicine certified health coach and a practitioner, uh, you know, gave me the confidence to choose my own path. And this is what I'm sharing with you today.
I'm sharing with you, uh, you know what, uh, what can help you? Three practical steps so that it can also help you to sift through the immense, you know, amount of information that is probably bombarding you every single day, even as you are looking for answers to your health, uh, you know, issues. So for relief from your pain and suffering. So maybe you feel defeated because you're no longer no no closer to getting answers as to why your symptoms are not improving, even after more than a year of online and offline search. Right? You've literally tried to find these answers everywhere. Or maybe you are frustrated because you've already given up the foods that you once used to enjoy, and now you're barely able to eat anything while you watch others eat whatever they want. Uh, and you don't know which foods suit you anymore. Or maybe you're scared and unsure about what the future holds for you, what it will look like for you, maybe two or 5 or 10 years down the line, you know?
So the real challenge for most people here is that, you know, it's not about just managing the specific health condition or dealing with a particular diagnosis. It's actually the overwhelming amount of information out there leading to frustration and confusion. And that is why often they actually remain stuck in a cycle of conflicting advice, unsure where to start or whom to trust. Right? So even if you're perfectly motivated, if you want to, even if you want to take control of your health, you're not able to do so because you're not able to formulate an action plan, right? You don't know where to begin, and you have reached the conclusion that medications are not the long term solution that you were hoping for they are, of course, helping you to prevent further damage. They are helping you to, uh, managing some of the symptoms, but, uh, they are not the answer that you were looking for. On the other hand, you're not able to actually figure out, you know, what is it that you really need to do?
Because what you are facing is not just physical symptoms, but the stress of navigating through a sea or maybe even ocean of information which is available to you at the click of a button and trying to find out what's relevant and reliable for you for your unique body's needs. And actually, I jokingly tell my clients that you're not paying me my coaching clients in my program six month program for women with autoimmune conditions that you are not paying me for the information. The information is already there on Doctor, Google. On Google out there, you can get it for free. You can actually, you know, you know, figure out how to reverse this condition. Do those things, eliminate, you know, eliminate certain foods from your diet. What you're paying me for is the structure, the step by step approach, a system that you can follow so that it becomes so much easier for you to implement to understand what is right for you. And of course then see the results. So you've likely tried a variety of solutions to solve your problem, only to find yourself got stuck in what I call a disease merry go round.
So you keep going round and round in circles on that particular ride. Not able to get off that right? So maybe you've gone from specialist to specialist for over a year, seeking answers without any clarity on why your symptoms continue to persist. Why are they still there? They go away. Maybe, you know, when you take a particular medication or you do something and then again, they're back. You may have experimented with multiple diets like gluten free, keto, paleo, you know, based on recommendations from various kinds of sources family, friends, well-wishers. But you're not seeing the results that you hope for, or perhaps the the fear of potential complications. You know, that's something that you're grappling with. And it's intensifying the uncertainty and the anxiety that you have about about your future health. So all these are things that, you know, you have put in your best in good faith. You're trying to, you know, find the relief or the answers that you desperately need.
But this cycle of trial and error, without a clear sense of direction or guidance, can leave you feeling stuck and overwhelmed. So what you need to do instead is to streamline your approach to managing your health information and decision making process so that you know what your next steps are so that you know what you need to do and what you need to focus on and make kind of a, you know, action plan. So the first session that I do with my clients and I, you know, I deliberately call it a healing roadmap. Like it's literally the roadmap that you would need or, you know, to navigate your any journey that you're undertaking, especially if you're undertaking it for the first time and you don't know, you know exactly what your journey will be. So this roadmap, the healing roadmap that I talk about, it actually helps you to understand step by step, what are the things that you need to look out for? What are the challenges that you are likely to face, and what you should be doing to overcome those challenges? And what are the results that you can possibly hope to achieve? Okay, so getting back to the three practical steps is
The first step is start by taking a step back and prioritizing what's most important to your health journey to your unique requirements. So seek quality over quantity when it comes to information. So look for sources that are reputable and evidence based. And I'm going to share, uh, you know, some uh, a few suggestions here in in a bit. And, you know, consider consulting a healthcare professional who actually takes the time to. Understand your unique situation and your needs. Like what does your your body need, right? And your body's requirements will be very different from another person with the same diagnosis. That's what most people don't understand. Your situation is different. Your internal and external environments are different. Your stress levels are different,. Your nutrient absorption is everything is different between you and another person who has the same exact diagnosis. You find somebody like a functional medicine practitioner who can do that. And in fact, if you're not sure about what functional medicine is all about, it is about addressing, finding and addressing the root causes of any chronic condition. Then listen to episode 15 of this podcast. I have broken it down for you. So some examples of, uh, you know, people that in the field of functional medicine that you can possibly follow and follow their work, uh, you know, what they have written, talked about would be, uh, doctor Mark Hyman, uh, Chris Creswell, Doctor Aviva Romm, Doctor Terry Walls, um, Doctor Amy Myers, these are all people, you know, who they have written books, they have they have their own websites. So you can actually start getting some information from them Doctor Tom O'Brian. There are many such people out there. I'm going to share their links below in the show notes. So you can just click on that and go there and even podcast. They also have their own podcast. Apart from those, you can also check out, um, Doctor Ranjan Chatterjee's podcast. It's called Feel Better Live More True Purohit podcast and of course yours truly Embracing Your Healing Journey podcast, which is for women with chronic conditions. So, I am sharing all these links in the show notes below so that you can just go click and start, you know, getting and gathering information from these credible sources.
The second step that you can take is focus on building a support system that includes professionals you trust. Of course, uh, health professionals, as well as friends and family who support your journey. And you need that kind of support. Of course you need the advice, but advise me your advice is not enough. You need emotional support as well, which is just as vital because this is a long journey. This is like a marathon. It's not a sprint. So the more support that you get in terms of mental, emotional, you know, building mental and emotional resilience, the more you will be able to overcome whatever challenges that come your way as you, you know, keep on progressing down this road.
But this can also be an online, uh, you know, online community, you know, of women who have similar goals and aspirations. So you can actually join such a community, which is uplifting, you know, which is focusing has similar goals. So you can actually join that or an online program, uh, maybe a coaching program which is tailored to provide comprehensive and personalized support. And yes, it is possible in a uh, group program as well that filters out the information for you. So you get that step by step approach that you're missing. Right now because it is designed specifically for women with your kind of maybe health issues with your health goals. So these are some suggestions for you to think through. And finally, uh, you know, we focus so much on the supplement, the diets, etc. we we miss out on the mindset, the kind of approach. And today I started with, uh, the, you know, the, you know, excerpt from the book, you can heal your life about beliefs because some of these beliefs can actually limit our growth, right? Limiting beliefs.
So the third step that I want you to take is to cultivate a mindset of self-compassion and patience because finding the right path for you, of course, as you have found, is not easy. So it often requires time and adjustment and you need to be patient with yourself. You need to show yourself kindness, the same thing that you would be showing for somebody else, or your friend whom you care about, who might be suffering, like who's also trying and who's stuck, you know, to think of yourself, you know, in a, uh, as a friend, right, who's in need with similar situation. So how would you react to that friend? So, cultivating a mindset of self-compassion and patience can take you a long way, um, as you go, you know, and keep trying to find the answers that you want. So by simplifying your approach, seeking out quality guidance, being in a community, either an online community, offline community, or even a group program because you need that support from a strong network, um, you know, o people who support you, motivate you, and of course, cultivating a positive mindset that means that you can actually start setting, uh, meaningful, you know, uh, seeing meaningful progress and move towards your health goals.
So the three practical steps that I just spoke about,
number one, is to you know, start, uh, sitting down with yourself and finding out, uh, what and prioritizing what is most important to your health journey. It's going to be different from someone else.
Number two is focus on building a support system that, uh, includes professionals you trust, friends, family. It can be, uh, also joining an online community of women with similar aspirations, similar health goals, or even an online say, a group program coaching program, which also basically filters out that information for you and offers a step by step approach, which is designed for women with your kind of health issues.
And third, cultivate a mindset of self-compassion and patience. The thing is, taking control of your health by cutting through the information overload and focusing on what truly works for you is crucial.
Because it's not about just managing your symptoms like temporary, it's about finding a long term solution and so that you can actually experience long lasting health. And it's about focusing on strategies that are specifically tailored to your unique needs. And this focused approach actually allows. You to navigate the sea or indeed the ocean of health information with confidence. It allows you to eliminate the guesswork, and it reduces the overwhelm and the confusion that often comes with searching for these kind of answers.
And this is important because your health is the foundation upon you know, which your entire life is built, You know that when you have your health under control, it's not just about finding, you know, freedom from discomfort or pain. It's also about unlocking, uh, a level, a new level of vitality and energy that can enhance every aspect of your life, right? Like right from your career to your relationships with your loved ones to following your passion to, you know, uh, achieving your dreams, your goals, all of it. It's about reclaiming your power and living life on your terms. It's about making plans once again.
I find it heartbreaking when I talk to women with all kinds of chronic health conditions, specifically autoimmune disease, with the symptoms are so unpredictable, and they tell me that they have stopped making plans because they don't know what the next day will bring. I don't want that for you. And once you understand the what and the why, then you can actually automatically move towards the how. That is a step by step guide or system that you can then finally confidently follow and achieve. You know, the outcomes that you want.
Because again, finding freedom for pain from pain is isn't about making temporary changes. It's about finding a long lasting solution for sustained relief and comfort. So if you have any questions, you can connect with me on Instagram at. Darren to thank you so much for joining me for this episode of embracing. Embrace your Healing Journey.
If you want to take the next step in discovering your own power to heal and figure out what needs to be done so that you find lasting relief from your symptoms without medications, then sign up to download the free e-book The Autoimmune Symptom Relief Guide. Head to the. Com forward slash symptom relief. That's an invitation to.com/symptom relief, and I've shared the link in the show notes below. In the next episode, I will talk about four actionable strategies to manage autoimmune challenges fearlessly. Don't miss it! Your body knows how to heal. Are you ready to support it?
