A little background about me and why I started this website.
A few years ago, I thought I had a urinary tract infection, went to the doctor and was put on an antibiotic. A week and a half later, I went out of town to visit family and still wasn’t feeling quite right. On our way back, I was in so much pain that by the time we got back to Key West, I thought I was literally going to have to go to the hospital. I went to a urologist, without a referral where he told me what it was and that it was not actually a urinary tract infection, but in order to get insurance to cover the visit and prescription, I would have to undergo an endoscopy. He had diagnosed me with interstitial cystitis and had given me a list of foods to stay away from. He prescribed the only (expensive) drug available for this autoimmune disease, Elmiron. I learned that more women than men get this but more men are catching up to women. This disease can also be caused by other issues as well. Some doctors think that this is not hereditary but I do.
I later told my mother, who had several urinary tract issues to get checked. She did and she also had it. Her doctor did not prescribe the medication to her. I also take D-Mannose which I told her to start taking so that it flushes out bacteria before it has a chance to attach the bladder walls. She did but it was too late for her. Because of all the antibiotics and frequency of the infections, it came down to her body only accepting one antibiotic. She had become resistant to everything else. Unfortunately, there was not enough good gut flora left in her system and she died September 17, 2023.
Earlier in my life I also experienced an ectopic pregnancy that my doctor didn’t catch until I rolled over in bed and heard my stomach swoosh. We went in for emergency surgery that day. Now I am at the of perimenopause, trying to eat healthy, figure out my hormones, weightlift to gain strength, and continue to live my best life.
With these experiences, I have learned that only I can be the true advocate for myself. If you feel that you are not getting the right help, keep going, keep seeking help. Look for holistic doctors, do yearly blood tests, saliva tests, urinary tests, and any other test available to find the real secret to your body before getting on drugs or doing unnecessary surgeries. Be truthful to yourself and to your doctor. They are only human and a lot of new progress is being made in the area of nutrition and hormones.
The Eat Greatness Website is about digesting food, mindfulness, exercise, and knowledge. This involves eating well, exercising well, thinking well, and learning as we go through this journey, we call life. We only get one here on planet earth so make it GREAT!
