I’ve had a few relatives and friends seek my advice regarding their own or a close friend’s diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. Somehow, they have learned that I had ulcerative colitis and was successful in healing fully. They want to know how to have a similar outcome. I wish I could offer up a magic formula. I’m not aware of one. Each of us is different.

Health and Lifestyle

Did you know that over half of what affects your health is your choice of lifestyle? The way you live your life largely determines the level of health with which you get to experience your life.[1] “Functional or Lifestyle Medicine is a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Each symptom or differential diagnosis may be one of many contributing to an individual’s illness.”[2]

My Personal Healing Experience

I created my own “Functional Medicine” before it had a name. At the time of my ulcerative diagnosis I asked my gastrointestinal doctor what I could do to help my body to heal. He said there was nothing that I could do other than learn how to manage the disease with pharmaceuticals.

For some reason, I did not believe that there was nothing I could do. I started researching and tried different strategies. I went to a nutritionist at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas (Kenneth Cooper, MD, is a pioneer in preventative medicine) and made some dietary changes. I gave up a multi-year habit of drinking Diet Coke as my primary source of hydration. I read books by Deepak Chopra on healing, which inspired a reduction in my superwoman tendencies, and corresponding stress level, at the time.

The overall process took a few years. It’s not a quick fix. Working on your wellness from a functional medicine perspective allows you to learn about yourself. It helps you make better choices and prioritize differently.

Functional or Lifestyle Medicine Process

What will your functional medicine health provider want to look at with you? Some of the key areas are your history; movement; sleep; nutrition; career; relationships; fun & recreation; and physical environment. Many providers will want to look at baseline biomarkers and have retesting along the way to document progress.

The outcome is amazing if you do the work. I haven’t had an ulcerative colitis symptom in twenty years. I am 100% pharmaceutical free. I don’t spend time on doctor’s visits, nor have disease related medical expenses, co-pays, etc. As they say, “Health is Wealth” …in so many ways.

---

[1] Wellness Coaching for Lasting Lifestyle Change 2^nd Edition, Michael Arloski, 2014, page xx.

[2] https://www.ifm.org/functional-medicine/what-is-functional-medicine/; 21 September 2020.