Back in Feb 2020 (right before the pandemic hit), I started experiencing cystic acne and debilitating periods. Since my very first cycle at age 14, I had painful periods. In my late teens and twenties, I was on hormonal birth control, and, after quitting cold turkey, the pain increased; more times than not, my periods would lead to vomiting and nearly passing out on day 2 of my cycle.

 

In 2020, I was desperate to treat the cystic acne and began antibiotics, triggering eczema on my ears and hairline. Prior to this, I only ever experienced eczema in the winter on my random spots like my stomach, chest, arms, or hands + sometimes face. This was extreme. 

 

At this time, I experienced fatigue and no appetite. I was bruising easily and only wanted sugar on day 7 or 8 of my cycle. 

 

The fatigue was so bad that after two hours of being awake, I would need to go back to sleep. What I know now that I didn’t know then was that I was having a severe HPA-axis dysfunction or adrenal exhaustion. Essentially, burnout - among other problems, like nutrient absorption problems. 

 

At this time, I was also a vegan, finishing up my Ph.D. moving across the country California >Pennsylvania > Chicago > California from March 2020-July 2020. In February 2021, I moved BACK to Pennsylvania and then back to California in November 2022. It was EXHAUSTING.

 

In 2020 though, when my symptoms were at their worst, I was strength training 5x a week + a vegan + counting my macros and eating 1200-1700 calories a day (severely under-eating!!) + on an antibiotic for my acne (disrupting my gut micro-biome). By the fall of 2020 my hair was falling out in chunks - and nothing was getting better - in fact it was getting worse. I thought I was treating the problem, but only making it worse!

 

I was not finding the answers in conventional medicine, so I started working with a naturopath combined with conventional medicine and was finally diagnosed with PCOS. At this point we began addressing things from the inside out. 

 

Through blood work we discovered some important information, but it was only a small part of the story. At this time, I did a GI MAP and found some interesting data points for gut health. I started a protocol of supplements and things started to improve. My cystic acne cleared but I still wasn't myself. My energy was better but my eczema was infected, my hair still falling out, and my periods remained painful. 

 

I started working with a health coach who helped me in terms of diet and awareness about what was going on with my body. We worked on a paleo diet + incorporating meat back in + blood sugar balancing (for the PCOS and hormones in general). Within 1 month of working with her my eczema was clear - to date I have NOT experienced eczema again!

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I still experienced fatigue and struggled with slow motility digestion, intense PMS symptoms, and continued to nearly pass out multiple times due to period pain (I was on the bathroom floor in many places including my office building that year). 

 

At this time, I implemented many lifestyle changes to reduce inflammation and ensure my detox pathways were open (castor oil packs, acupuncture, more supplements, less supplements,  tea, diet, abdominal massage, yoni steaming, the list goes on and on and on) + more functional testing; gaining more data points - like, how my hormone health might be related to my liver and gut, sleep and stress, diagnosed with the MTHFR gene mutation, and the affect of inflammation and leaky gut on how I was feeling.

 

There were many moving parts to my journey + to me. Of note, I moved at least 4 times during this; completed my PhD; new job; started my own business;  taught as a professor; worked around financial restraints; got my first ever puppy + then another one; and on and on!! My life was an extreme sport and my health journey barely fit around my jam-packed schedule; I was not sleeping well or enough and was completely over trying new things; because my painful periods, gut, acne, digestive issues, and fatigue NOT improving. Obviously, the way I lived my life really exacerbated my symptoms.

 

It was not until Spring 2023 after more hormone testing and blood work - all of which provided some answers, but not the full picture- I decided on an HTMA. It was the missing puzzle piece I prayed to the universe for. After implementing changes with the HTMA, plus all the other beautiful things I have worked on for my health (and methylation support), I dropped 20 pounds in three months. My digestion went from literally not working to flowing again & my detox pathways opened up. My skin is clearing, my cycle is leveling out, my hair is growing back. I have more energy than I’ve ever had.