The Beginning

Brittany Bowman
Aug 9, 2016
6 min read

Aloha!

A few weeks ago, I found a patch of hair missing from the backside of my head. To say I was devastated is an understatement. It was not just for the fact I had a 2" bald patch but because I knew there was a greater, underlying issue. I went through a roller coaster of emotions from worry & stress to strength & determination. I had not cried so much in so long nor felt depressed the way I did during that first weekend. It was like a severe case of PMS! Once I was over the pitty party, my determination took over and I vowed not to let myself become a victim and do nothing. So I went full steam ahead into research.

Before I go on, I should start out by saying I was diagnosed with Hashimoto Thyroiditis when I was a freshman in high school. (If you are wondering what Hashimoto Thyroiditis is, check out my blog post here.) I use to take Synthroid when I was still in high school but for some unknown reason decided not to take it anymore. Maybe I felt it was not working, or it could have been the fact I was a teenager and lazy. For whatever reason, I have been off synthroid for over 10 years. It has always been in the back of my mind but I put if off since I never showed any symptoms. Or so I thought. Throughout the years, I would tell my mom I felt tired all of the time, or felt like my brain was foggy. She would always tell me it is my Hashimoto. I'd just say "yeah yeah" knowing she was right but not wanting to make a big deal out of it. That is, until I had my wake up call a few weeks ago with my hair missing. I know, I know...something so superficial shouldn't have been my wake up call so much as the way I felt. Let's just say I am a visual person & God knew I needed to see my problems rather than just feel them.

Through all of my limited research, I have come to figure out I have developed a condition known as Alopecia Areata. It is where you lose large patches of hair on your head, eye brows, or just about anywhere you have hair follicles. Now here is the really disturbing part, it is cyclical. Meaning it can come and go as it pleases!! Right?! I know! It sucks! And that just will not do. Oh, and did I mention Alopecia Areata is found in high numbers of those who are diagnosed with Hashimotos?! To make matters worse! So that is why I am moving forward towards this journey to find a holistic approach in healing. Now, for the record, I have not been diagnosed by a physician with Alopecia Areata but I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto. I will be contacting a Holistic Practitioner who is a licensed physician that deals with autoimmune diseases. They are located here in Irvine, Ca. I will be getting blood work done to pinpoint exactly what is going on with me but until then, I am self diagnosing myself with Alopecia Areata. There is no other explanation at this point knowing what I know of Hashimoto. I do want a professional opinion and test results so I can track my progress through this journey.

Earlier today, I took another picture of the balding area. In a side-by-side comparison, you can see a few new strands of dark hair growing but you can also see the bald area has grown longer in size. Rather than be alarmed, it has just confirmed more of what I already knew. My hair is falling out at a faster rate. I literally curse every strand that falls out of my head. As disheartening as seeing this is, it has again renewed my resolve in getting healthy and finding the right holistic approach to putting these diseases into remission. That's right. I said remission. Once you have an autoimmune disease, you will have it for life. The only thing you can try to do is manage it. That is just what I am going to do.

My path now is to focus on healing. I plan on taking a holistic approach to this situation in the form of diet, exercise, stress relief & essential oils. After I have had my blood test done, I will decide whether I will incorporate the use of medicine or not. I am a firm believer in diet & exercise playing a major roll in how our bodies operate. I will be following the AIP diet using “The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook” by Mickey Trescott. After all my research, I have found this specific book to be in line with my ideals and taste buds. I will also be using Shakeology and following a few Beachbody routines. Now before you ask - Shakeology is NOT AIP Paleo friendly. Why would I use it if it contradicts my diet? I believe it offers more health benefits than not. Let me explain. When I have used Shakeology in the past, not only did I have more energy but I had seen a huge difference in the way I felt and the way my skin looked. Shakeology is jam packed with so many vitamins & nutrients. I feel the benefits outweigh any negatives. If, at any point, I feel Shakeology is keeping me from healing to my fullest potential then I will stop using it. However, knowing how it has helped me in the past, I doubt I will be adversely affected by it.

I will be following the AIP Paleo diet very closely with leeway for Shakeology. I will be following all the meal plans & staying away from all the foods it suggests avoiding. Please know I am custom tailoring this to fit my needs. Others may follow this diet to the strictest form, not even allowing Shakeology, which is perfectly fine. Some will use it as more of a general guideline. I think it all depends on the results you want to see & how well you know your body. For me, I know my body well enough to know how it responds to Shakeology. I am really using the AIP Paleo diet to clean up the way I eat, to use food as a way to heal my body & to help gently cleanse my body of all of the processed foods & chemicals I have placed into it over the years.

Other things I will be doing is yoga to stretch my muscles and relax my mind and body. I will be following programs like 21 Day Fix, Cize or PiYo to help build my cardio & muscle tone. I will also begin pursing things that use to make me happy but I have since stopped because of life getting "too busy". I use to paint & draw, write, surf, & play the guitar. All of the things I will be coming back to in an effort to slow down and relax. It is so important in today's fast pace environment to take the time for yourself. Something I am slowly learning as an integral part of our health & well-being. Lastly, I will be getting more involved with herbs, teas & essential oils. For me, this is somewhat uncharted territory but also something I have always wanted to learn more about. Since I am on this journey to heal holistically, I feel this is a great time to move forward and learn more about how they can help in this healing process.

For those who are dealing with Hashimoto Thyroiditis, Alopecia Areata, or any other autoimmune disease, I hope my story and journey will inspire you to take your health seriously & find a process that works for you. And NEVER quit. The road to learning about our bodies & finding the best healing process is a lifelong lesson. My eyes have been opened and I will not let this disease tear me down but will come out of this stronger & healthier than I have ever been. This is my journey. I will be posting everything on here from what works & what doesn’t work, research I come across, products I use, etc. I will never hold back from saying the truth because the smallest amount of information can speak volumes to someone else. I hope moving forward, my journey helps you.

Mahalo,

Brittany Bowman