What happens if you suddenly can’t do the things you used to do with ease? Like walking up the stairs, working out, or even taking a shower?
When 26-year-old Daniela, arrived at LifeScience in November 2018, she was in a wheelchair. Her muscles were too weak to support her when she would try to stand. Imagine, a woman in her twenties, struggling to even walk and would need help to get around. It’s not a common sight, but something that’s been seen at the center—men and women who are seemingly okay on the surface, but have debilitating health concerns that interfere with their daily lives.
Unlocking the Mystery that is Polymyositis
Daniela’s chief complaint was fatigue. At first, she ruled it out as being tired from work, even thinking that she might be coming down with a fever. But it has gotten worse no matter how much she rested. At its worst, she felt her body burning. Aside from that, her skin flared up with eczema. She also got boils in different parts of her body. Eventually, she got hospitalized.
The diagnosis was mixed connective tissue disease: a combination of lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and polymyositis, with the latter being the dominant of the three. She and her family educated themselves about the disease. Eventually, they came across testimonials about Functional Medicine. This prodded her to seek the help of LifeScience.
While Daniela continued to work with her rheumatologist, she also set to work with her LifeScience Care Team. She began with a Functional Medicine consult with her doctor, Dr. Raymond Escalona, an IFM-Certified Functional Medicine practitioner. The consult, which usually lasts for about two hours, looked into her full medical history from birth to present, diseases she has had since she was born, medicines she took, her lifestyle, and her family’s medical history.
Although her Care Team already knew that Daniela has an autoimmune disease, they wanted to probe deeper into what was triggering all these. Dr. Raymond then prescribed tests to analyze her markers for nutrition, toxicity, and untreated bacterial and fungal infection. She underwent the Organic Acids Test, Red Blood Cell, Minerals and Metals Test, Comprehensive Stool and Parasitology Test, Vitamin D Status, Iron Panel, and Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase in the center.
The results indicated that she had a fungal bacterial infection and mercury exposure which disrupted her metabolism, and in the process affected her body’s ability to burn calories to supply energy throughout her body. On top of that, she had a nutritional imbalance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and phytochemicals. She had a high need for antioxidants.
Harnessing the Power of Food as Medicine
Armed with these findings, Daniela’s Care Team used food to correct the nutritional imbalance in her body. She was also given professional-grade supplements such as mitochondrial support powder, fish oil, nutrient-class antioxidants, and immune-modulating nutrients to bridge her vitamin, mineral, and nutrient deficiencies.
She also had to undergo a food elimination diet. This diet removes common food items such as dairy, sugar, gluten, and processed food since these may trigger symptoms. Later on, these are gradually reintroduced to help identify which ones set off reactions. Consequently, the condition of her microbiome improved, thereby treating the infection in the process.
With the infection addressed, Dr. Raymond had some tests repeated and her results got better. Much to Daniela’s delight, she saw positive changes. “Before my treatments at LifeScience, when I was taking medicines without being mindful of what I eat, the numbers weren’t going doing down unless I had pulse therapy or steroids. It was only when I did the elimination diet that my numbers improved,” Daniela says.
In a matter of weeks, Daniela and her Care Team saw remarkable improvements. Her energy came back and she felt stronger. Eventually, her symptoms started to disappear. Her skin cleared, she felt well enough to get back to work and do the things she used to do without feeling fatigued until one day, she could already get around without her wheelchair.
Paving the Way for Optimal Health
Throughout her eight-month health journey with LifeScience, Daniela also had to adjust her lifestyle aside from eating more mindfully. She had to closely examine her sources of stress, her quality of sleep, and how she lived her life on a daily basis.
“LifeScience helped me understand my body,” she says. “My Care Team explained to me how to make myself feel better. It’s not just about healing the problem but fixing my entire lifestyle and incorporating proper diet, meditation, and the right kind of exercise to be able to manage the condition.”
There is no cure for autoimmune disease, but its symptoms can be reversed. Some patients suffer from it for years, but no one has to. Here at LifeScience, our IFM-trained Functional Medicine Care Team can help you manage your disease and reverse the symptoms that are ailing you. Just like Daniela, we can guide you on your health journey. Visit LifeScience Center or call +632 828 5433 for more information.
