Kate has always had a passion for good food and great culture. She made a living by indulging in exotic cuisines across the globe and writing about it for national publications. Sounds glorious, right? But soon enough, all of that deliciousness caught up with her, leading to chronic constipation, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and anxiety.
She took a trip to her physician and was diagnosed with IBS-C and was offered meds. She took ‘em…no help. Kate soon stopped the meds and while she was at it, decided to stop taking her oral contraceptives after being on them for a decade. From there came acne, irregular periods and rapid weight gain, all of which the doctor dismissed and suggested she return to taking The Pill. Seriously, Doc? Other doctors told her these were just signs of “aging” (Y’all, she was in her 20s!).
*Side note: this is extremely common. I experienced all of these symptoms after discharging birth control pills (10 years on them) and was told that I needed to get back on to “regulate” my cycle. Don't fall for this, ladies. There’s another way!
Kate decided to take another route. She visited a holistic doctor who ran a full workup of blood tests to get to the root of the issue. Soon Kate was diagnosed with PCOS, leaky gut, hypothyroidism and insulin resistance. Those are hefty diagnoses, but Kate got to work.
Kate’s new doctor suggested that she follow an anti-inflammatory diet. Kate did her research and found a cookbook that she thought may help… Clean Cuisine by Ivy Larson. The diet consisted of increasing intake of vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and clean, lean proteins while decreasing intake of dairy, gluten, inflammatory oils and sugar. No more processed foods, only real foods. To heal her gut, Kate began drinking green smoothies, incorporated in bone broth and collagen and consumed fermented foods to reinoculate her gut with good bacteria. She also began taking care of her thyroid with natural compounds and vitamins specific to the thyroid.
To heal her PCOS, she added in supplements to keep her hormones in check: Vitex, DIM, Turmeric and Ayuverdic Herbs.
Within in a few short weeks, Kate noticed major improvements in her health. She became a believer… she recognized the role of food as a healer and not just a means to make you fat or thin. Kate stated that she not only began to feel like herself again, but a better version of herself.
In addition to those listed above, Kate has supplemented with (at different times): probiotics, Vitamins B and D, Fish Oil, Turmeric, Inositol, Apple Cider Vinegar, Magnesium (YES! Magnesium is good for so many things!), 5-HTP (for nausea) and a few others, as needed. As of today, she only needs a multi vitamin, probiotic and fish oil to maintain her health. **Please note that these supplements are specific to Kate’s condition. You should work with a doctor to see what may be helpful to you, specifically.
Kate has switched her cosmetics and personal care products to more natural, cleaner alternatives, began exercising daily (She traded in the LONG cardio heavy, 60 minute workouts for shorter 15-30 minute routines or even a short walk), engaging in restorative yoga and meditating.
Kate experienced incredible healing results from changes in diet and lifestyle. She is now completely symptom free, her periods regulated naturally and she was able to get pregnant on the first try, delivering a healthy baby with no complication. She continues to write about food, but now she is focusing on delicious, healthy and healing foods through her site, www.rootandrevel.com. She promotes a lifestyle that she dubs “eating with the 80-20 rule” where she advocates for a healthy balance/relationship with what you eat without depriving yourself of the things you love. Her site is packed with knowledge to help anyone on a journey towards living their best life!