It’s never easy to describe exactly when health coaching is about. I’ve been coaching now since the turn of the century, and each journey I take with each person is unique, because each of us has our own unique life story.
There have been several I’ve worked with over long periods of time, sometimes intensely and other times for a limited spell. In this and two future blogs I will describe the journeys of three women I’ve worked with this year. They were all new to me, coming in need of nutritional support, but even more for thinking out loud in a safe, trusted partnership and receiving the support needed to accomplish their goals. I’ll change their names and invite them to add their names and more details in the comments section should they want to.
Healing from Ulcerative Colitis - Joanne
Ulcerative colitis is often described as a permanent condition. It is often characterized by early onset in one’s teens and can become a part of life. In Joanne’s situation, that was her former doctor’s expectation. Joanne reached out to me after watching a program I did on the microbiome’s role in health. We looked at Joanne’s history - she had received nearly annual colonoscopy biopsies, looking for bleeding or signs of cancer or precancerous cells, each time receiving general anesthesia. As a young mother in her 30s when we met, Joanne naturally wanted to live a long and healthy life. She felt the repeated colonoscopies risked damaging her colon and she felt general anesthesia also put her at risk. We started with a careful look at the foods she was eating, how her system responded to them, her daily lifestyle, her level of stress and how she managed it, and the goals for her health.
Through this we developed an eating plan that felt right for her. We tweaked it as we went along. I helped Joanne formulate a plan to find medical care that felt right for her. We composed questions she could ask a potential caregiver, MD, ND, NP or other specialist, so she could find the right team. Most importantly, we worked on Joanne changing her thinking about her body from one that has a chronic illness to one that has the potential to heal. In doing this, the outcome already has been remarkable.
Here are some of the results:
a much wider choice of foods she can successfully eat
no bleeding for several months, something previously not possible
all normal blood work
an inflammation level near 0 where several years ago it was as high at 58
a belief that her body can heal and the results that prove it
a new doctor who listens to and respects her goals and actions
far fewer but more effective supplements
more confidence than ever before that she knows her body best and how that plays a critical role in healing.
Mind over body, or mind and body together, are powerful tools for healing. So is being listened to instead of being given a boiler plate medication and being sent on your way. Finding a path to healing can always be a goal if you are motivated and willing to open your mind as Joanne did. She formed an equal partnership with me and her medical team, with all voices being heard and evaluated. She is a mighty and powerful force for healing with herself and a grand example to others.