8 chronic illnesses and 2 autoimmune diseases later…

Two years of my life flashed before my eyes. There I was, taking an Uber home, reflecting on all that time had left for me: more illnesses, unemployment, and radically declining health. What was the missing link? Up until this point, I had spent two years, thousands of dollars, time, and energy experimenting with my health. I had learned basic nutrition, studied herbalism, and started health coaching. Even after I attempted to heal myself, I was given another diagnosis. I started to question myself, this journey, and the changes that I brought into my lifestyle. Was I truly approaching this as holistically as I thought I was?

Then I remembered what Hippocrates once said: “All disease begins in the gut.” By this point, I had spent years focusing on my gut health. I confidently believed that I had achieved success in my health journey. However, when I became honest with myself, I realized that I had neglected the most important aspect of my gut health. While I was focused upon diagnosis, a symptom, a fungus, a parasite, or a bacteria, I neglected the fact that my gut is a living ecosystem as a whole— and it needed to be treated with respect and care just like I was treating the rest of my body.

Hippocrates was right. Gut health was correlated with the root of my many chronic illnesses and autoimmune disorders. I struggled with the possibility that this was not a holistic view. What I came to realize was that the microbiome, in fact, was a holistic view.

What I HAD to come to terms with was that until the development of the first antibiotic, our ancestors lived with true flourishing ecosystems: overgrown, vibrant, and parasite infested guts. Along with the bad microbes also came good microbes. The development of the antibiotic was monumental in human medicine. It was successful: it saved lives and it got rid of germs. With the development of this medicine, we learned to treat disease symptomatically. In the process, antibiotics also altered our microbiome— causing complex diseases and conditions.

The etymology of the term antibiotic means against life. A microbiome after one round of antibiotics will never be the same again.

Scientists predict that we are approaching another mass extinction. Think micro, here. Could it be that this process has already begun within our bodies? Imagine what a massive extinction could do to the planet. Now, think microcosm— and apply that to your body. That’s the effect of an antibiotic.

Through the effects of antibiotics, we no longer have worms, it’s harder to contract parasites, and we have beaten a variety of diseases. This is in many ways, wonderful. However, the harsh reality is that modern medicine has abused antibiotics. In doing so, we have increased our risk of chronic illness and autoimmune disorders. Now, we are left with less diverse guts, less beneficial bugs to naturally protect ourselves, and decreased immunity. By learning from our past and altering our lifestyle, we can decrease our risk, rewild our gut bacteria, and increase our immunity, just as you are going to do within this course.

If you are here right now, I imagine you are in a situation much like I was in when I began my journey. You have tried everything, treated your symptoms, accumulated various diagnoses, but are left with a body that is still largely unhealthy.

Are you ready to rewild your gut, eat to support your body AND your microbes, and restore vibrant health?