My rheumatologist recommended prednisone and plaquenil for the rest of my life. At the time, something in the pit of my stomach was steering me far, far away. But with my logical mind and experience in medicine, I struggled to wrap around why.

People write blogs and articles of achieving remission from autoimmune diseases and all their Eastern-medicine (sometimes woo-woo) remedies. When I first read these, I half-heartedly believed them. Yeah, ok, that woman says she cured her RA with elderberries, but did that really happen? Does changing the foods we eat and the way we think really make a difference? Could infections and trauma truly be causing all of this pain and inflammation?

I'm here to tell you YES! Ok, well maybe elderberries won't cure all your symptoms, but root causes exist and addressing them will relieve your pain and symptoms.

And, I'm living proof of this. So, how did I do this?

1) Work with a Naturopathic doctor. I HIGHLY recommend finding one you connect with. Functional medicine doctors are another great option!

2) Find YOUR root cause. We are all different. My root cause is different than yours. Why is your body alarming? How can you remove the cause for the alarm? This take discipline and patience. But, your body will thank you.

3) Nourish your body with whole foods given to us by mother nature. Choose options with less artificial ingredients and more natural ingredients. No, Doritos are not whole foods as much as we may wish.

4) Listen to your body. What does it need? Is it craving sleep? How about red meat or leafy greens? Ask yourself what your body needs and give yourself what you need.

5) Heal your gut. Ah, famous advice given by many New York Times best sellers. Our gut truly is a remarkable world. We must care for it and provide it nutrients that promote balance and restoration. Invest in a good probiotic (my favorite is VSL #3). Eat fermented foods and stay away from acidic, sugary foods.

6) Rid infections. We needs bugs. Yes, we do. They actually live on and in our bodies. However, some bugs can be problematic, like Epstein-Barr virus. Find these infections and help your body clear them. Biomagnetic therapy did wonders for clearing my infections.

7) Lastly, be kind to yourself. This is tough. Really tough. Be patient with yourself. I had my fair share of cheat meals and emotional breakdowns. You will fall down, and you will pick yourself back up and keep trying. Your body will thank you.