Christina Tidwell

Why Gut Health Matters

By Christina Tidwell

When diagnosed with an autoimmune condition we get information about “what” disease we have. We don’t often get a lot of information or insight into “why” it developed in the first place. I Continue Reading

3 Steps to Avoid Holiday Burnout

By Christina Tidwell

The holidays can be a time where there are more temptations, social events, and even emotional triggers that throw us off of or usual routines. Our calendars are full and it might feel all the more Continue Reading

AUTOIMMUNE SISTERS ON INSTAGRAM

Oh sweet sisters, when you get to where you’re g

Oh sweet sisters, when you get to where you’re going, turn around and help her too. For there was a time not long ago when she was you. How true is this as we walk these hard and difficult autoimmune healing journey? One of our core missions here at @AutoimmuneSisters is to help each other and show support. By sharing parts of our story, we are able to provide insight and knowledge to someone else that may be struggling with the same thing. Thank you @hannah_neese for such a beautiful graphic. A reminder of how important it is to do life in community. xoxo, Aimee @AimeeAnchored | Founder of @AutoimmuneSisters

I get jealous of everyone around me that appears t

I get jealous of everyone around me that appears to be healthy. I miss feeling strong, fit, lean and healthy. I want to feel like I used to. I want to go to the gym, lift weights 💪🏻 and go swimming 🏊🏻‍♀️ without limiting myself. I want to run 🏃‍♀️ and bike 🚲 up and down hills and sprint up long flights of stairs. I miss those days of activity and purposeful rest. Now my life feels like a perpetual need a rest. Here’s the truth though... I am going to heal from my Epstein Barr Virus and this crazy fatigue in my own time. My Hashimoto’s will improve when it’s supposed to... and YOU will heal based on when you’re supposed to. So, here’s a gentle reminder. Don’t measure your progress using someone else’s ruler... and I’ll try to do the same. Who’s with me? xoxo, Aimee @AimeeAnchored | Founder of @AutoimmuneSisters

Today, I want you to just roll with it. To adapt t

Today, I want you to just roll with it. To adapt to your diagnosis, symptoms, situation, health journey... despite unexpected circumstances and challenges. Trust me, I know this is hard. Just this morning, I got sucked into researching “how to lose weight with Hashimoto’s” because here I am, middle of winter and my body naturally slows down and I gain a few pounds. I know that “calories in, calories out” is a thing. But, lots of movement and the wrong types of foods (even if considered healthy!) can make me feel even worse. I know how to eat healthy and specifically for my autoimmune diseases, to move a little each day, to rest well and then magically, it’s all supposed to result in me feeling great. But, my weight does not budge and I am further than my optimal with each passing year. Even though I know this is likely just seasonal, I still beg to find an way to have just a little control over losing weight like “normal people”... even though, research says there’s not. The articles I read this morning had a general response: With Hashimoto’s you’re going to have unexplained weight gain and difficulties losing weight, be fatigued, have paleness and puffiness in the face, joint pain, constipation, hair loss and a slower heart rate. Then, the encouragement to sleep more, not over-exercise or over do it, because that actually makes us worse... and modify our diet. I’ve done all of those things and still, no change. So, today, I am going to just roll with it. I can either try to be “normal” (which clearly isn’t going to work in my favor!) or I can accept that like everything, my weight will go through cycles and it’s tied to a disease that I’m still in the process of pushing into remission. Rolling with it doesn’t mean I’m giving up, it just means I’m going to adapt despite the circumstances. xoxo, Aimee @AimeeAnchored | Founder of @AutoimmuneSisters Graphic by the darling @peteandpen.

AUTOIMMUNE SISTER STORY // If you’ve not had the

AUTOIMMUNE SISTER STORY // If you’ve not had the chance to read one of our Autoimmune stories, I want to encourage you to make the time to read Lauren’s. Her story will engage your emotions, entertain you and provide you with a very real sense that you are not alone with the pain and hurt you experience. MEET LAUREN ♥️ I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in October 2018, although that does NOT define who I am. I am a woman who married the most incredible human being on this planet, on March 17th 2017. We bought our first custom built home in January 2018, and moved in after construction was completed in July 2018. DIAGNOSIS 🌡 In late July/ early August 2018, I was in the best physical and mental health of my lifetime, or so I thought. I began experiencing blood in my stool. With time, it kept getting worse, but since I was so healthy, I chose to ignore it. For the next two months, the sense of urgency and number of bowel movements increased as did the amount of blood. Maybe I wasn’t so healthy after all? I caved, admitting my concern to my husband. We scheduled an appointment with a GI doctor, and I was finally seen in the office in late September. The doctor decided to perform a colonoscopy, and sent me to the scheduling department. I was told I had to wait a month and a half to have this procedure done. By the time we got back to the car I fully broke down. I physically couldn’t wait that long because I was in such indescribable pain and frankly, absolutely terrified by this point. To finish reading her story: 1️⃣ Click the link in our bio 2️⃣ Select Autoimmune Sister Stories 3️⃣ Select Lauren Autoimmune Story Find Lauren | @lorfacee LINK 🔗 https://autoimmunesisters.org/laurens-autoimmune-story/

It never occurred to me that one day I would wake

It never occurred to me that one day I would wake up sick and never get better. Oh, the things I would have done with the boundless energy that seared through my veins every morning had I know that at age 27 I would enter a 10-year downturn... that keeps going on. Some days I do regret all the things I didn’t do... while being thankful for all that I do have. Stepping into a “new day” this month with our January theme as we learn to light a match, leave the past and burn the ships 🔥 🚢, and don’t you look back. Inspired by @forkingandcountry and their lyrics in “Burn the Ships”. xoxo, Aimee @AimeeAnchored | Founder of @AutoimmuneSisters

Today is day 20 of no routine, no normalcy, no con

Today is day 20 of no routine, no normalcy, no consistency. As you know, this can be heavy for someone with an autoimmune disease and chronic viruses. 20 days ago Christmas break began and busyness took over. Day trips, activities, meals out, travel, last minute errands, late nights and early mornings. Between a sick kid and what Virginians consider “inclement weather”, our Christmas break has been extended by 2 more days. I crave routine. I crave normalcy. I crave consistency. I crave quiet and down time. I love my family and enjoy quality time with them... but let me tell you: it is so hard thinking for 2.5 weeks that my first full day back to my office would be a success only to have if delayed another 2 days. The struggle is real. I am relying 100% on God today for my strength. My body is exhausted, my mind is full, my inbox is overflowing, my to do list has continued to grow and I really just needed a week of silence to readjust, let my body recover and get back to healing. For those of you still experiencing the aftermath of the holidays and the impact on your health, I stand with you. Praying for you today as I seek His strength to carry me too. xoxo, Aimee @AimeeAnchored | Founder of @AutoimmuneSisters

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