Health Hindsight Anyone who has struggled through a health mystery and finally solved their issues will undoubtedly wish they’d known sooner what was really going on. Who hasn’t thought, ‘If only I knew then what I know now’. I’ve been through so much with my health over the last 25 years. Not to mention the over 17 years in clinical practice! I can definitely say I know a lot more now than I did when this all started.  In this podcast, I say, ‘the answers are out there’ and they are. Part of the reason I do this podcast is so that more people can skip ahead to the part where they know more and their health and healing journeys can be less stressful, frustrating, and painful. For this episode, I’d share a few of my lessons - the things I wish I knew or did sooner because of how it helped me feel better. Maybe you can learn from my mistakes (or life lessons) so you can avoid them and heal faster.  Here are the top 5 things that made the biggest difference and really moved the needle for me and my health:   Give up Gluten. If I could do it all over again, I would have quit eating gluten sooner. This is a big one for anyone dealing with any kind of autoimmune disease. I knew that there was a connection but nobody had properly explained it to me. There is a process called molecular mimicry where if the body doesn’t like gluten, it attacks the molecules. But, those molecules might look like other molecules or organs (like those produced by the thyroid) which will cause the body to attack those thinking it’s gluten. For me, the labs showed that I had the antibodies to glutens, but because I didn’t want to get off gluten, I ignored it. I would stop for a day or so and not feel a whole lot better and convince myself that I didn’t have an issue. Now I know that you need to be off gluten 100% to really see the health benefits if you have an issue. And, the lesson is to get tested for antibodies right away (I like the test called ‘Wheat Zoomer’ by Vibrant Wellness because other tests are too generalized and may give false negatives). It’s really important to shift your diet and give up gluten if the tests show the genotypes that indicate an intolerance because ignoring it can lead to more molecular mimicry which can in turn, cause damage and create more issues.    Don’t Over-Rely on Supplements.  This may sound crazy coming from me because every episode I talk about supplements that have helped those with a health mystery. I still take a lot of supplements. I recommend supplements. I believe supplements can play an important role in optimal health. But here’s the thing, they are not everything. The lesson I learned was not to think that taking supplements alone would be enough to solve everything. Supplements are important but they are just one tool. We also have to consider our food, our mind-body, our environment and our physical activity.    Stop Underestimating the Mind Body Connection. I was such a scientist, I saw things very black and white. I wanted tangible proof of everything. It took me too long to explore the benefits of things like energy work, meditation, and mindset. Once I discovered the shifts in my health I wondered why I had been so resistant. This is particularly true because of the proven risk that stress presents to our cells and systems. We often give lip service to the importance of reducing stress but we don’t do the work. It’s so important to reframe, use mind-body tools (like box breathing, moving the body outdoors, or short meditations) and have a positive mindset in dealing with the challenges of life and the stress it presents. This will calm down the adrenals and make sure you aren’t working against all of your other health habits.    Keep a Food Journal. When we’re trying to figure out a health mystery, so often the clues are in our food. But, so many of us don’t really keep track of exactly what we’re eating and how it makes us feel or the reactions it may cause. Sometimes the reaction isn’t immed