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Interior and Designer: Darren Samuel
Art Producer: Sue Bischofberger
Editor: Seth Schwartz
Associate Editor: Samantha Holland
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Photography 2020 Annie Martin. Food styling by Michael De La Torre.
courtesy of Kimmy Gillmeister.
ISBN: Print 978-1-64611-154-1 | eBook 978-1-64611-155-8
R0
To my IRONMAN husband, Will, who has changed everything about his life to join me on my healing journey. And to anyone navigating life with an autoimmune diseasethere is always hope.
Contents
Ive had psoriasis for as long as I can remember. I didnt officially get diagnosed until my early teen years, but I first noticed symptoms around the age of five. I experienced psoriasis plaques on my scalp for the majority of my youth, then developed areas on the back and side of my neck in my early twenties. My sister also battled this disease, but her plaques were larger and located in more visible areas, such as her elbows, knees, and shins. We were both treated by a dermatologist with tar shampoos and topical steroids, and my sister also tried topical vitamin D and light therapy, all with minimal success. We both followed the standard American diet, and nutrition and lifestyle changes were never offered as treatment options.
My skin psoriasis has actually been in remission since my mid-twenties, but around that time I began experiencing other troubling symptoms. I fought Epstein-Barr virus and Raynauds phenomenon and then noticed unexplained mouth sores, digestive distress, headaches, muscle aches, joint pain, lower back pain, sleep disturbances, swollen joints, and extreme fatigue. I experienced at least one of these symptoms every single day.
I sought conventional medical treatment from my primary care provider and was referred to several specialists in rheumatology, podiatry, and dermatology. I had several expensive tests and was diagnosed with everything from sleep deprivation to fibromyalgia to mild psoriatic arthritis, but none of the specialists could agree on anything definitive. I was prescribed numerous steroids and medications, all of which caused intolerable side effects. The one medication that seemed to make my symptoms bearable was a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). NSAIDs are designed to be used for the temporary relief of pain and inflammation, but I remained on this class of drug for eight continuous years.
My breaking point came in 2017, when I began to suffer from severe digestive distress with all food intake and had to nap in my car on my lunch break because of excessive fatigue. I remember the last visit to my rheumatologist in May 2017, where I complained of unbearable symptoms. He simply said, I have nothing else to offer you. I left his office deflated, hopeless, and almost at the point of tears. He was telling me I would just have to live with these symptoms for the rest of my life, which is a scary prospect for a young, active person. I desperately wanted to feel better and get back to my normal life, but seemingly no one could help me.
So I began to learn about functional medicine and functional nutrition. With encouragement from my cousin, Jaclyn Ruble, and my sister, Dr. Heather Skeens, I made some changes to my diet, added some nutritional supplements and essential oils, and began to practice yoga. My symptoms began to improve almost immediately, but I still struggled with fatigue. In November 2017, I visited the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine and my life was forever changed. I learned the root causes of my symptoms and how to use lifestyle- and nutrition-related changes to reverse my symptoms and maximize my quality of life. After just nine months of functional medicine and nutrition, I was able to discontinue use of the NSAID medication (which I realized was actually contributing to some of my symptoms).
Psoriasis is a complex disease, and although my story is more involved than I can share in this short introduction, its important to remember that nutrition and lifestyle factors can be used as the foundation for healing. Although there are some great conventional treatment options for psoriasis, including medications, vitamin D, and light therapy, this book will teach you how to add nutrition therapy as a way to improve your most debilitating psoriasis symptoms. These easy-to-make, delicious, anti-inflammatory recipes will be a valuable tool in your toolbox for preventing, and even reversing, the progression of your chronic disease!
