My GI Journey

Since the age of 11, I've suffered from intense GI discomfort. Only till I was 14 I realized it wasn't normal to have stomach pains after a meal and and began an elimination diet. Through this, I discovered that gluten, dairy, and corn products were causing my brain fog and GI pains, so I decided to cut them out for 3 years. As a high-performing student-athlete, the condition of my body really mattered to me.

Though I cut out the foods that were distressing me I still wasn't healthy nor happy. As a minor with no job or time it became more of a restriction rather than a pleasure. I had to reject food from friends which is surprisingly a huge staple in high school social life and I had to be that weird girl who brought lunch to school. Not that I really cared about what I looked like, what truly mattered to me was how I felt, and unfortunately I felt a lot of anxiety because even though I was eating really good food, I was eating too much of a non diverse diet. Which gave me another dietary challenge to overcome.... overeating.

I made my own lunch so I stuck to what I knew and what I knew was pretty repetitive and I made a lot so I could upkeep the calories I was burning.

My senior year after my final XC season (what I thought of as the most important sport of my HS career) I discovered Enzymedica enzyme pills and decided to give them a shot on some macaroons as a little celebratory "Yay I got 5th in states!" treat. To my surprise I felt fine after devouring 3 cookies. This discovery lit the way my experiments with pills.

I was the Digest Gold for the Gluten, Dairy, and Corn products I was consuming and the Basic for just general food. However, I got so excited that I could finally eat pizza and everything else I've avoided for so long I ended up eating myself into even worse health. When I would eat it seemed like ALL of my energy would drain out of me and I experienced frequent headaches and nausea. I went to my primary care doctor but he only prescribed me pills to treat the nausea with no further treatment plan. Finally after a lot of tough decisions and multiple counseling sessions for my depressive behavior I graduated HS and the stomach pains lessened. This was from the result of relaxing my eating schedule and everyday stress.

But the stress was soon to return for college. I moved to Oahu for my first year at Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) and was on a scholarship for the woman's XC team. I fixed my diet again like I did in HS with the assistance of enzyme pills but I could tell that my gut still wasn't okay. As a Biology major living in a toxic roommate situation feeling alone in a city my depression returned and my health diminished, however I'm delighted to say it wasn't as bad compared to HS since I knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel and I had enzyme pills to rely on as a variable of treatment.

Suddenly COVID hit, classes moved online, and I went back home and my mental health got 100x better and I finished my first year of college. Through my studies I had the pleasure of researching something I never heard of before... the microbiome. I'm forever grateful for my English teacher for assigning that 10 page research paper because what I've learned from that project has been changing. I've discovered that it was possible that my extreme digestive discomfort wasn't from a genetic mutation, but rather and imbalance of the symbiotic relationship I have with my gut flora..... finally some hope! I wasn't bound to a life of digestive distress and the best part was knowing how to fix it.

Since I've been home, I've been in a relaxed environment with my family and genuine freedom and happiness. The most at peace I've ever been in years, the perfect foundation for healing.

So that's when I decided to give Probiotics a shot and I began drinking Vega's Gut Health Protein Smoothie daily for breakfast, I was seeing improvements. When I ate I experienced no discomfort and much less flatulence from my normal restricted diet, so once again I decided to dip into the American diet in hopes of living a relaxed social life.

Pictured September 13th, 2020 during my 2 week quarantine returning to Big Island from Oahu after moving out of my college apartment to live at home. I was drinking 1/2- full scoop of the Vega Gut Health smoothie most days for breakfast either with almond milk or water and participating in the Hourglass: Booty & Abs Challenge. Confidence peaking ;)

About a month ago I've started taking Nucific's Probiotic complex along with the Digestive Enzyme for precautionary measures when eating risky foods. I've never been happier and more confident in my life. I've struggled so much with my GI health in the path and I'm so grateful to not experience any pain anymore. I've been reading this book my coworker got me called the Longevity Paradox and I've been using its teachings to help me live life to the fullest and it has been really cementing my belief of how truly how important your gut buddies are!

If you're experiencing any health problems I suggest giving probiotics a try because the healing properties behind a diverse microbiome are truly amazing!