Let’s chat about chronic disease support today.

After all, it was a focal point throughout my conversation with Katie Wells of Wellness Mama in a podcast episode we recorded, “Beating SIBO, IBS, and Histamine Intolerance With A Gutsy Girl Sarah Kay Hoffman.”

NOTE: This episode with the one and only Wellness Mama launched today! Click HERE to listen now!

Crickets. That’s basically what A Gutsy Girl consisted of for most of its existence. And yet, I showed up here to provide chronic disease support, general gut health and healing support, and, well, for some of you, just support by the daily confirmation that you are just where you should be.

Community, having and being part of one, on your healing journey is critical. 

Agutsygirl.com focuses on giving you all the tools to help you heal your gut so you heal your life. But did you know that maybe the most important tool is not the one in which I have spent hours upon hours studying? You know, the education and tutorial-based posts that you use for your healing journey (i.e. A Gutsy Girl’s Master Guide to Prokinetics)?

Instead, I believe the most important tool I provide is an outlet for you – my Instagram and this website – safe places for you to come, read, learn, and form community with other women who are seemingly just like you.

Bettering Ourselves

But sometimes the things I say and post get twisted. It happened recently when I posted this on Instagram,

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well?! 🤷‍♀️ But it’s true. ⠀⠀ ✨⠀⠀ “They say the secret to change is shifting time and energy. I believe them.”⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ #growthhack⠀⠀ #perspective⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Photo credit @mahoganyhope⠀⠀ ✨⠀⠀ ✨⠀⠀ Find hundreds of gut healing posts via www.agutsygirl.com. (Make sure you’re following @agutsygirl and click “Turn on Post Notifications” in the upper right corner so you never miss a post). Grab the 286 page gut healing e-book, THE GUTSY GIRL’S BIBLE: AN APPROACH TO HEALING THE GUT, 3.0 now via link in profile.⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ #agg #agutsygirl #IBS #iin #guthealing #ibd #healthcoach #guthealth #leakygut #autoimmunedisease #colitis #ibsdiet #crohns #lowfodmap #gutfriendly #lowfodmapdiet #gapsdiet #aipdiet #healthylifestyle #SIBOdiet #chronicfatigue #glutenfree #healthcoaching #leakygutsyndrome #healthygut #motivationalquote

A post shared by A Gutsy Girl | Gut Journalist (@agutsygirl) on Apr 6, 2019 at 12:41pm PDT

Did I mean for it to be taken in even the slightest negative light? Absolutely not. Here were some comments:

1. I love positivity 😍, but maybe this is a bit judgey not knowing everyone’s circumstances!
2. I take the time to be on the internet and read judgemental posts.
3. Maybe for some checking social media is relaxing. I personally can’t stand meditating don’t be such a judge Judy.
4. I’m not trying to start anything but these are the words of someone without young children. Yes I have time to check social media but the point of journaling is to connect with yourself and that takes much more time and focus than checking social media. It is the same for meditation. I can check social media while dinner cooks or my toddler plays but said toddler will certainly not allow me to go and do something alone. While I agree with the message it is not overly realistic for someone with young children.

For the record, I shared the quote from someone else – I was not the original author. But also for the record, I do stand by it.

The point of the quote was not to be dissected and taken uber-personally. It was directed at no one; yet everyone, including me. All it’s saying is that we should be focused on solutions vs. problems; it’s what I have lived by my entire journey. 

But more important than the quote is what I actually wanted to say to you today (and every single day)…..

Chronic Disease Support

Click HERE to save this post for later.

I am on YOUR team; standing for and by you, no matter what. 

And to prove it, I’ll respond to comment number four from above:

For the record, I do have young children. Three, in fact. They are 2, 4, and 5. And all three were adopted from the foster care system because I am “infertile,” as you might be. I also sometimes check social media while dinner cooks or my kids are playing. But by the same token, I also do EVERY LAST THING to help not only myself (by way of journaling, staying active, being present, doing mind exercises, etc.) but also YOU. It’s true. I spend hundreds of hours on this blog – in addition to a near full-time job as a Marketing Director. Because I care, and because I desperately want to form the best chronic disease support community.

Listen, as women (yes, some men here, too) and mothers (many of you are in some way, shape, or form), we have the world on our shoulders. Bearing all that weight is enough in and of itself. And then you add to it chronic disease or even “just” any specific syndrome you’ve been diagnosed with and it can feel isolating while always feeling exhausting.

What I want you to know is that I am on your side and we need to continue lifting each other up instead of tearing each other down. You won’t find a ton of chronic disease support. When you do, don’t let it go.

Now, be sure to check out the podcast episode with Wellness Mama HERE. From Katie’s website….

Episode Highlights With Sarah Kay Hoffman

• How Sarah’s colitis diagnosis changed her life dramatically 10 years ago
• The ongoing health issues she tried to figure out for years that all stemmed from a gut infection
• Symptoms of SIBO and why it’s so hard to get rid of when you have it
• A natural protocol for healing SIBO once and for all
• How the GAPS diet works to allow the digestive system to rest and heal
• Why there are so many approaches to healing SIBO, and how to know which one is right for you
• The key principles of a FODMAP diet
• Sarah’s approach giving her kids a good foundation for digestive health
• And more!

Share it! 

Xox,
SKH