My Healing Story: From Autoimmune Overwhelm to Hope

Introduction: Why I’m Sharing This

For years, I lived in a body that felt like it was working against me. If you’ve landed here because you’ve googled autoimmune fatigue, chronic pain solutions, or natural ways to heal, I want you to know—you are not alone.

I created Salt & Sustenance because I believe that healing is holy work. Healing isn’t just about food or supplements; it’s emotional, spiritual, and deeply personal. Today, I want to share my story with you—the diagnoses I faced, the pain that nearly broke me, and the hope I found in both faith and food.

The Diagnoses That Defined Me (For a While)

Doctors gave me labels over the years, each one feeling heavier than the last:

• Fibromyalgia

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Pelvic Congestion Syndrome

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

• ADHD

• Chronic Insomnia

• Sleep Apnea

• Hormonal imbalances + skin struggles

Every new diagnosis felt like another door closing. I was told to “manage symptoms” with medications, to “learn to live with it.” But deep down, I refused to believe that chronic illness had to be the end of my story.

The Daily Reality of Autoimmune Overwhelm

If you’ve ever woken up more exhausted than when you went to bed, you understand. For me, a normal day meant:

• Pain that started before I even got out of bed.

• Brain fog so heavy I could barely finish a sentence.

• Flare-ups that made me cancel plans, again.

• Nights of tossing and turning, begging for sleep that never came.

I felt trapped inside my own body—like life was happening around me but I wasn’t really living it.

The Turning Point: Healing is Holy Work

The breakthrough came when I stopped seeing healing as something I had to “hack” and started seeing it as something sacred. Scripture reminded me: my body was fearfully and wonderfully made. That meant it was created to heal.

Instead of chasing quick fixes, I asked: What would it look like to partner with God in the healing process?

That shift changed everything.

Discovering an Animal-Based Lifestyle

One of the biggest transformations came when I shifted into an animal-based lifestyle. While trendy diets left me more depleted, animal-based nutrition gave me the foundation my body desperately needed.

For me, this looks like:

• Animal-based meals centered on nutrient-dense foods like beef, eggs, raw dairy, and organ supplements.

• My daily nutrient stack—liver capsules, krill oil, magnesium glycinate, vitamin D, and electrolytes to replenish what my body runs low on.

• Smoothies that fuel me each morning, packed with raw milk, berries, protein powder, creatine, moringa, and a pinch of mineral salt.

• And soon, an intentional detox phase that I know will be another turning point in releasing what my body has been holding onto.

Animal-based eating isn’t just about steak and supplements—it’s about restoring the nutrient density our bodies crave when we’re fighting autoimmune conditions.

If you’ve been searching animal-based diet for autoimmune disease or wondering if food could really change your life—the answer is yes.

Healing Isn’t Linear (And That’s Okay)

My journey hasn’t been perfect. Some days I still flare. And almost every night, I still toss and turn with hot flashes and no sleep in sight. But there’s progress—magnesium has helped restore most of my actual sleep cycle, which means my body is finally moving in the right direction.

Do I get the recommended amount of sleep per cycle? Not yet. But I’m getting closer. Without the hot flashes, I know my sleep would be deeper and more restorative.

Healing is not a straight line—it’s a winding path.

But here’s what’s different now:

• I have tools to support my body instead of suppressing it.

• I know which foods fuel me and which ones flare me.

• I lean on faith, prayer, and Scripture when the pain feels louder than the promise.

And most importantly—I have hope again.

Why Salt & Sustenance Exists

This space was born because I know there are other women out there just like me. Women who:

• Feel dismissed by doctors.

• Are tired of being told “it’s all in your head.”

• Long for energy to show up fully for their families, faith, and calling.

Salt & Sustenance isn’t just a blog—it’s a movement. A place where faith, food, and functional healing come together.

What You’ll Find Here

If you stick around (and I hope you do!), here’s what you can expect:

• Practical guides to animal-based eating for autoimmune health.

• Faith-centered encouragement for the hard days.

• Holistic solutions to symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, acne, and more.

• My honest story, every step of the way—because I’ll never share what I haven’t lived myself.

Your Healing Invitation

If you’ve ever thought, “This can’t be all there is”, then this space was made for you. Healing is possible. It may look different than you expected, but it is possible.

👉 Here’s how you can take the next step today:

• Comment on my latest Instagram reel to let me know you’re walking this journey too.

• Subscribe to my email list for weekly encouragement and practical tips.

• Bookmark this blog so you don’t miss upcoming posts.

Because friend—healing is holy work, and you don’t have to do it alone.