My EDS Journey:  Managing  Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome  naturally

 If you have ever visited my site before then you'll realize that everything has changed.  I originally started this blog as a Paleo Autoimmune blog. However, after a year on AIP, I realized that I am not strictly AIP anymore. My lifestyle has morphed into something that works for me beyond AIP.  Through much research I have developed a diet and lifestyle system that has provided me with improved functional ability, less fatigue, more brain power, less pain, and more mobility.  My hope is that maybe it will work for you too.  I am not a medical professional.  This is my story.  Living life with any chronic illness is an n=1 journey.  Which means it is personal to you.  I have done extensive reading on AIP, Wahls Protocol, nutrition, leaky gut, inflammation, and all things Ehlers Danlos Syndrome,  

​

I am almost 55.  My birthday is about 3 weeks from now.  Since I don't have a classic autoimmune disease and have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), the information in all of the research and popular information on autoimmune problems doesn't always fit me.  I am a psychologist, teacher, and overall geek so I love to read research and have a significant amount of experience in reading scientific research so I lean more on that then on the more popular veins of research.  I also have a minor in biology and in nutrition.  I have always been fascinated by the sciences.  

​

If you have no idea what EDS is, it is basically a connective tissue disorder where your collagen is defective.  There are various types of EDS.  I have EDS Type III with many overlaps into Vascular EDS.  This means that I have supper stretchy joints because my connective tissue doesn't hold things together well.  The older I get the more this is a problem.  I have more and more chronic pain, dislocations, sprains, strains, and headaches.  Lets add to this that I have scoliosis and the discs in my back are becoming more and more compressed.  I also have have Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).   To add to this, about 20 years ago, I was thrown into the shallow end of a swimming pool and suffered a traumatic brain injury, seizures, cracked vertebra, sleep disorders,  and neuropathy and neuro stenosi in several parts of my body. 

​

My greatest strength is my tenacity.  I have a strong will to never give up and to, not only survive; but also thrive.  My faith gives me hope and strength and supplies me with a sense of peace and joy no matter what I am going through.  These characteristics have provided me with the ability to create a positive healing lifestyle.   This lifestyle includes a diet based on the research done by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne in The Paleo Approach, Dr. Terry Wahls book The Wahls Protocol,  Ehlers-Danlos Support U.K., and PubMed research.  There are a few bloggers that are staples for me for information on food an lifestyle among them are Mark's Daily Apple, Phoenix Helix, A Squirrel in the Kitchen, Autoimmune Wellness, The Kitchn, Livestrong, and Paleo Mom.  I have found that these websites are either great all around websites, great recipes, or great sources of research.  However the gold standard for the most research medical research is PubMed.

​

All of this research and trial and error practice in my life has lead me to a lifestyle that enables me to be able to have great relationships, the ability to be active, and have a successful career.  I am excited to share it with you. I hope that you will join me on this journey and create your own n=1 journey towards a positive life.