From Chronic Illness to Chronic Wellness: 6 Pieces of the Picture of Health

Receiving news of a chronic illness can be devastating. Like the hundreds of people I’ve assisted over the years, when I received my MS diagnosis, I sat in a state of shock while the doctor explained the statistics that painted a grim future.

Fortunately, a dear, doctor friend reminded me that statistics account for approximately ¼ of the 7 billion people on this planet. She also reminded me that statistics do not determine a certain outcome. They only represent one small possibility.  

There are a few issues that can complicate the validity of your diagnosis:

• According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 27 million people in the US alone are diagnosed with various cancers and 50 million are diagnosed with inflammatory autoimmune diseases.That’s almost a 2-1 ratio. And, 75% of these diseases occur in women.

The challenge with an autoimmune diagnosis is that the primary cause is often shrouded in mystery. It can be difficult to diagnose because there are well over 80 chronic and disabling conditions that often mimic each other.

• Our current healthcare system tends to be siloed. Dr. Rob Hamilton, MD offers insight into the root of the problem in his article entitled ‘How Medical Education contributes to a “Silo” Mentality.’ He writes, “There is an urgent need for better integration in healthcare. Unfortunately training and practice haven’t quite caught up with reality. Suddenly we’re asking hospitalists and ED (emergency dept) physicians to team up in ways they never imagined. We’re asking them to think with one mind and act as part of an integrated team when they’ve been conditioned from medical school to side with their respective specialty’s interests and to view each other with suspicion.

As medical students, we gravitate toward specialties that fit our personalities and preferences, and these traits are further refined and hardwired into us as we advance through residency and practice. It is at this point that ‘battle lines’ get drawn between specialties.”

Add to this limitations imposed by insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and the FDA and it begins to make sense how diagnoses are often a very narrow and misleading interpretation of your symptoms. For liability reasons and because of the divisions bred during training described above, doctors are often not in a position to diagnose beyond specific parameters.

But, when there are over 80 different autoimmune illnesses that mimic each other, these types of divisions do not serve the people who are sick and confused, tired of their mysterious illness and need an accurate assessment and treatment plan for what ails them.

This is why it is essential to become your own advocate. Every ‘body’ is unique. The list of autoimmune related symptoms are as lengthy as the individual’s manifestation of them, as well as their body’s response to the multitude of treatments.

Think of your wellness—your picture of recovery to perfect health—as a puzzle. Your diagnosis is just one piece of that puzzle. There are 5 other pieces to consider and address that will absolutely set you on the path from chronic illness to your chronic wellness.

The 6 pieces to consider are:

1. Diagnosis: Firstly, how was your diagnosis determined? Did your doctor suggest a diagnosis based on your symptoms or were specific tests conducted? Testing tends to stop after an MRI, but there are so many other factors that, when assessed, offer a more nuanced look at your illness. You should also consider extensive blood work, thorough stool testing as well as testing for antibodies, heavy metals and antioxidants. When all of these factors are considered together, the complete picture will often reveal imbalances that more definitively describe your illness.
2. Prescriptions: What medications have you been given to treat your illness? How is it working for you? There are a plethora of drugs for MS that doctors will often discuss and prescribe immediately after diagnosis. But, it’s important to also discuss your current medications to determine the proper treatment for your current diagnosis. Remember, every “body” may respond differently to the same drug, so it’s worthwhile to explore all of your options with your doctor.
3. Nutrition: What role can nutrition play in your healing? After suffering from MS, Dr. Terry Wahls discovered the importance of nutrition as Functional Medicine and her insights have now become mainstream. Her work stresses that the nutrients in food are, in fact, medicine that promote healing. Changes in nutrition took her from a wheel chair to walking within one year! You’ll find more on this topic in my article “Are you lacking these crucial nutrients.”
4. Referrals: Have you sought 2^nd or 3^rd opinions? So many of my clients have described the feeling of despair that overtakes them after receiving their diagnosis. Fear of potential disability looms and many people take their doctor’s word as truth. But, 2^nd and 3^rd opinions often reveal alternate approaches or a subtle difference in perspective that can completely change the outcome. With well over 80 different autoimmune illnesses that all mimic each other, it is impossible for doctors be expert in every nuance of each illness. It could be that 2^nd or 3^rd doctor’s insight that can unlock the unique nature of your illness and shed light on how to recover.
5. How committed are you to your own healing?: What is your willingness to think outside the box and explore other healing modalities to compliment your current treatment? Siloed diagnoses also lead to narrow prognoses. So many forms of healing can augment your doctor’s prescription, from acupuncture to meditation to massage therapy. Your willingness to explore all modalities can only support your healing process,
6. Create a network of support: Let a friend or relative help and be a sounding board as you explore the 5 pieces of your picture of health listed above. When you feel physically and emotionally vulnerable, it can be challenging to synthesize all of this on your own. Let a friend be your ears when you’ve had your fill of information, your strength when you think you’ve run out of your own and your gentle reminder to both rest and to keep going.

Incurable Health and Happiness is within reach….Catch It!!! – Michael Beckwith ~ The Secret

In Gratitude,

Sónia