About 8 months after I had Arlo, (about 3 years ago), I started noticing that I wasn’t bouncing back to my pre-baby self as fast as I thought I would. I don’t just mean with weight, but with the way I was feeling emotionally and physically. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t just “not bouncing back”, but I seemed to be regressing. My hair was falling out (from 3 mo postpartum to 2 years postpartum), I was sleeping 11 hours a night, dozing off several times during the day, gaining weight like a mad woman despite eating healthy(-ish) and I was super swollen all the time (to name a few of my symptoms). I started seeing an endocrinologist because I suspected it was my thyroid that was causing all of my problems. He confirmed my suspicion and told me I was hypothyroid-meaning my thyroid was underactive, and started me on thyroid medication. Of course nobody wants to be told that they have a medical issue going on but honestly, I left his office ecstatic because I thought I would start taking that little pill and all of these new issues would go away and I would be back to “normal”. Well, that didn’t happen. I started taking the meds and going in to see him for check ups, where he kept upping my dose in hopes that something would happen and I would start feeling better. Finally, once my dose was multiplied several times, my levels on paper said I was good, but my body still said otherwise. My hair thickness was improving, but I was still gaining weight, fatigued, swelling, etc. My doctor mentioned to me autoimmunity and threw around some big words so I started to do my own research. By this time I am 2-2.5 years postpartum, up to the weight I was when I gave birth (insert cry emoji), swelling like a water balloon, miserable, and desperate. That’s when I came across Dr. Amy Myers on almost every website I was reading about inflammation, autoimmunity, and thyroid. Almost everything she mentioned as a symptom for chronic inflammation and autoimmunity I could relate to. I self diagnosed myself and was convinced that’s what I had going on. I went out and purchased her book The Autoimmune Solution where she goes in depth about what is going on in your body when you have autoimmunity and chronic inflammation and how to fix it (because the BEST part about it is you can reverse it or at least diminish your symptoms significantly). She recommends a specific diet which she calls “The Myers Way”-basically a slightly modified version of AIP (autoimmune protocol) in which you cut out all ingredients that could be causing you inflammation in your system (gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, legumes, nightshades, anything processed, anything not organic, alcohol, caffeine, etc). I finished her book and to say that I could not wait to try her diet recommendations would be an understatement. I was over the moon that I found some new hope. I started the diet and immediately my energy levels changed and I started seeing small changes in almost every aspect of my mental and physical health. My swelling was going down so much (I mean if you guys could have seen a before and after of my neck and face you wouldn’t believe it), my dark circles under my eyes were almost completely gone, my personallity was coming back, and I started to remember what life was like before I got pregnant-something that I hadn’t felt in a long time. The craziest part-only 2 months had passed and I stepped on a scale and was 20 lbs lighter-all from changing the way I eat. On a more personal side note-my husband, Perry, and I had been trying to conceive for a while with no success and after one month on the diet, we did! It may have been a coincidence but I believe the diet had something to do with it. Unfortunatelly, I was going strong and feeling great but then got slapped with the worst morning (actually, 24/7) sickness ever. I couldn’t stomach anything and life became a game of survival at that point. I started eating whatever I could stomach and had to stop my AIP diet. So now that the holidays are over and my sickness is gone, I cannot wait to start it again January 1st. I want to continue doing it after my baby is born so I need to start now to make it an easy transition, not to mention its the best thing I can do for my body and baby right now. So you guys, if you don’t feel like yourself, have any of the issues going on that i mentioned, have some other things going on that haven’t been diagnosed, or just want to feel great, I cannot recommend this enough. Do your research. Listen to doctors, but dont assume they are going to tell you everything you need to do for YOUR health. Look into chronic inflammation and autoimmunity and if you think you could have that going on-TRY AIP! Because I have seen such good results and I believe everyone can benefit from it I’m some way. Ps: if you guys do end up trying it out, please let me know. I would love to hear your success story as well. Xx Hannah