My Autoimmune Story: From Being Told I'd Never Have a Career to Living My Strongest Life at 58

When people meet me today, they usually have no idea I've lived with autoimmune disease almost my entire life.

They see someone who walks four to six miles most days, loves to dance, travels frequently, runs several businesses, strength trains, and genuinely enjoys life.

What they don't see is the little girl who got sick at nine years old.

Or the young woman who was told she would probably never be healthy enough to have a "real" career.

It Started When I Was Nine

I became symptomatic at nine years old.

For years, no one could fully explain what was wrong. I was exhausted. I hurt all the time. I struggled with inflammation that never seemed to go away.

By the time I was 23, I finally had an answer.

I was diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.

At that point, I was incredibly sick.

I was in graduate school studying communication disorders, and there were days I honestly wondered if I would be able to finish. My fatigue was overwhelming. My joints hurt constantly. I could barely function.

Many people believed I would never be able to work full time.

Some even told me I probably shouldn't try.

Those words were discouraging, but they also lit a fire in me.

I became determined to prove that my diagnosis would not define the rest of my life.

Choosing to Fight for My Future

I finished graduate school.

At 24 years old, I earned my master's degree in communication disorders and began what would become a long, rewarding career as a speech language pathologist.

It wasn't easy.

Throughout my twenties, my autoimmune diseases remained very active.

My rheumatologist told me I needed a hip replacement when I was only about 25 years old.

Instead of scheduling surgery immediately, I asked myself a different question.

"What can I do to give my body the best chance possible?"

I started strength training to build the muscles surrounding my hip. It wasn't easy because I was still dealing with significant fatigue and inflammation, but I stayed with it.

That decision changed the way I approached my health forever.

Instead of asking, "What's wrong with me?" I began asking, "What can I do today to support my body?"

Learning That Food Matters

Over the years I experimented with nutrition as new research emerged.

I tried vegetarian eating.

I tried low fat diets.

I paid attention to how different foods affected my body.

One thing became obvious very early.

Sugar was a major trigger for me.

Today I eat almost no sugar at all.

Later, I was also diagnosed with celiac disease, which explained even more of what my body had been experiencing. Since then, I have maintained a completely gluten free diet.

These weren't easy changes, but they made a meaningful difference in how I felt.

The Challenges Kept Coming

My pregnancies were difficult, although thankfully I carried both of my boys to 35 and 36 weeks.

After my second son was born, I developed retinal damage from the medication I had been taking for years to manage my Sjögren's symptoms.

Because of the damage, I had to stop taking it.

Once again, I found myself searching for other ways to support my health.

I began reading medical research about nutritional supplements and came across studies on white peony, an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine that had been studied for autoimmune conditions.

I also added a high quality probiotic.

For years, those became part of my daily routine.

Life Changed Again

Menopause brought another season of change.

Then life became even harder.

My son Henry died.

Not long afterward, I went through a divorce.

The emotional stress was enormous.

Like many people living with autoimmune disease, I found that stress affected my physical health just as much as anything else.

I was exhausted.

I knew I needed to look at my health from a different perspective.

Discovering the NRF2 Pathway

A physician friend introduced me to NRF2.

At first, I wasn't interested because I knew very little about it.

Instead of saying yes immediately, I started reading the research.

The science behind the NRF2 pathway fascinated me.

After doing my homework, I decided to try it.

About six months later, I also upgraded from powdered collagen to a high quality liquid collagen.

I continued the habits that had already become part of my life, including eating a gluten free, high protein diet, prioritizing sleep, staying hydrated, walking regularly, and taking care of my body.

What My Life Looks Like Today

Today, at 58 years old, I honestly feel better than I ever expected to feel.

My daily routine is fairly simple.

I prioritize quality sleep.

I walk four to six miles most days.

I eat a gluten free, almost entirely sugar free diet that is primarily carnivore because I personally do better with fewer high histamine foods.

I stay well hydrated because Sjögren's permanently damaged my salivary glands, even though my disease activity is now very well controlled.

I pay attention to electrolytes and adequate salt intake.

I continue taking a high quality probiotic, white peony, an NRF2 activator, and liquid collagen as part of my personal wellness routine.

Most importantly, I have energy.

I dance.

I travel.

I work.

I build businesses.

I enjoy my life.

Ironically, I can do many of the things today that I couldn't do in my twenties and thirties.

What I Hope You'll Take Away

I'm not sharing my story because I believe there's one solution that works for everyone.

Every autoimmune disease is different.

Every person is different.

This is simply my story.

It's the story of refusing to believe that my diagnosis determined my future.

It's the story of decades of learning, adapting, reading research, making changes, and never giving up.

If you're living with an autoimmune disease today, I want you to know this.

There is hope.

Your life may not look exactly like you imagined.

But it can still be full.

It can still be active.

It can still be joyful.

I know, because I've lived it.