33. How my CHRONIC ILLNESS Taught me to be my OWN HEALTH ADVOCATE

This coming week is IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) Awareness Week and so I wanted to open up about how my Ulcerative Colitis diagnosis taught me to be my own health advocate and I hope it helps remind you to advocate for your health too….

I go into details about my experience with Ulcerative Colitis on today’s podcast episode and during a few upcoming episodes. This week is IBD awareness week and I wanted to create content for you surrounding my chronic illness so I could tell you more about myself and hopefully provide some insight on some of the things I learned from the past 7 years with all my health battles. When I look back on my experience I realize how being your own health advocate needs to be more normalized. So many of us are told to trust our doctors blindly, but it is good to always advocate for your own health because you are the only one living in your body. I feel like if I would have known more about this earlier my health problems could have been way less severe….



5 IMPORTANT THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT BEING MY OWN HEALTH ADVOCATE FOR MY CHRONIC ILLNESS:



1. If something seems serious ADDRESS IT EARLY ON…. (You don’t want to let it go make sure you get checked if you suspect something is wrong with your health. Early detection can be prevention for more serious illnesses…)



2. Don’t be afraid to go to as many doctors as it takes! You want to make sure you get multiple opinions when dealing with a serious health issue….



3. MAKE THE CHOICES YOU FEEL ARE RIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR HEALTH* do not let friends, family or even healthcare professionals tell you they know your body better especially if in your heart you know something is wrong.



4. Check in with yourself emotionally & mentally when you are fighting physical health issues… Chronic health problems can take a tool on our mental health so make sure you are taking care of that aspect of your wellness too!



5. Find support from people with the same or similar health issues because someone in a similar situation can relate to you more so you feel less isolated!



The tips I outlined are things I learned along the way from my battle with Ulcerative Colitis and other chronic illnesses. I hope they are helpful as you navigate your own health journey and implement different things that work for you.



Do not be afraid to speak up or do whatever it takes. Always advocate for yourself to others because no one else is living in your body except for you! What is not always seen on the outside can be felt internally so do whatever you can to find the right medical professionals and support systems to help you along your health journey that is uniquely yours alone.

YOU GUYS! This is the mental health pick me up we all need once in awhile when things are crazy & hectic…. I wanted to send you reminders twice a week to take care of YOU & YOUR MENTAL HEALTH! I’m so excited to announce that in January we will be starting a twice per week mental health messages text list 🙂 when you sign up you will receive a FREE STRESS LESS GUIDEBOOK TO START OUT 2022!



Text the word WARRIOR to +1 (866) 502-0703 or hit the QR code to get on this list!



It will be just the thing you need to help with your mental health this coming year! 💕💗🧠☺️😊⭐️🥰  the text list will start up in January but if you sign up early I can send out the guidebooks before January starts!

Connect with us on instagram: @thewarriorinher @damnsheisstrong @reganneobrien 

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