I Am Finally on the Right Path to Optimum Health and Happiness
It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!
Mark,
Whenever someone asks me about my history with Ulcerative Colitis I respond with something along the lines of, “It feels like a bad dream that will forever be imprinted in the back of my mind.” It was 2006, my senior year of high school, everything was going fairly well. I was a healthy (or so I thought) 6’3″, 180 lb. 18 year old about to graduate high school and head into the next stage of my life: college. However, life had different plans in store for me. Around my second semester I began to feel consistently nauseous. It felt like anything I ate (S.A.D. mind you) would just pass right through me as though I hadn’t absorbed any energy/nutrients. I figured it was a relatively normal side effect from consistent partying that year, though it persisted. Bouts of nausea would come and go, as would horrible abdominal pains that would make even the toughest man curl into the fetal position. I decided it was time to get checked out. I had my first colonoscopy done within weeks of my first symptoms.
“You have Ulcerative Colitis,” the doctor said. I remember my mother and I looking at each other absolutely confused. Neither of us had heard of this illness before. He proceeded to inform us that Ulcerative Colitis is a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which is an inflammation of the colon. I remember pondering for a moment about what all of this could mean. I finally looked up and asked, “So what do I do?” He responded with, “Well, we can treat it with different medications depending on which one you is most beneficial to you.” “Treat?,” I thought. “You mean I have to live like this for the rest of my life?” I remember the doctor’s face vividly…it was an expression of reservation, confusion, and sadness, as if he were trying to formulate the wisest, yet least alarming way possible. “Not necessarily. A lot of people go into full remission with the right medication.” I carefully considered his response and asked, “How is this disease caused?” He looked back at me regretfully, “Unfortunately we don’t really know.” I didn’t know what to say to that. Still completely shocked and puzzled at what I was told, I continued through the next few months now under the supervision of a gastroenterologist and given several medications to take daily.
Sadly, things only got worse from there, I missed my college SAT tests on three different occasions due to having virtually no energy, constant joint and abdominal pains, as well as never-ceasing nausea. My friends and family would wonder where I was, why I wasn’t answering their phone calls, and why I would never leave the house anymore. My attempts to eat were pitiful, and as a result I was losing weight fast. Fast-forward two years later…After several failed medications and treatments from pharmaceutical to alternative, I ended up at a emaciated weight of 127 lbs only sleeping perhaps 2-4 hours per night.
I’ll never forget the feeling I had during this period of my life. It was as if I was on the brink of life and death, a sort of limbo. Nothing seemed real anymore. After stubbornly refusing to go to a doctor (due to my strong distaste for the medical field at that point), my father more or less forced me to our family clinic. My family doctor looked me over with noticeable concern, checking my blood pressure/pulse three separate times. He looked up at me and said, “You need to go to the hospital immediately.” My dad quickly rushed me to the E.R. and within an hour or so I was wheeled into a room and pumped full of pain-killers and fluids. I remember my father telling me what the doctor had told him, which is something I’ll never forget, “If you would have brought him in any later, he could have died.”
The good news is I stabilized, albeit only temporarily. Through the following months my weight shifted like crazy, the medications stopped working, and I was back at square one. All of the false hope I was getting from each new medication I would try and ultimately fail was taking its toll on me not only physically but mentally as well. My only other option to consider was surgery, in which I finally agreed to. My doctor recommended a three-step surgery. My first surgery was a total colectomy (removal of the entire large intestine) resulting in my need to wear a colostomy bag for nine months while my surgery site healed. My second step was to construct a “J-pouch,” which is basically the conversion of part of your small intestine into a a “J” shape to form a make-shift colon. Step two lasted a few months to let the J-pouch heal up while I still used the colostomy bag. My third and final step was to reconnect the plumbing, so to speak. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I don’t regret it for a minute.
My symptoms decreased to a manageable level, allowing me to eventually become independent, living and working on my own. Though the actual Colitis was at a stand-still, I was constantly bloated and sick, and my J-pouch would develop chronic pouchitis (infection of the pouch) which would be temporarily resolved by very powerful antibiotics such as Flagyl and Ciprofloxacin, but would eventually reappear. All of these chronic infections I was getting didn’t make sense. I was cured right? This shouldn’t be happening.
Well that’s when I really began analyzing my diet, which eventually brought me to your book, The Primal Blueprint.
When I finally ditched the SAD diet and started living primally, (eliminating processed foods and most importantly, GRAINS and adding more healthy fats, plants, and animals) I noticed the pain had been reduced to a minimum, my weight stabilized, and I had no more bloating which would usually appear after a good carb/grain-dense meal. This seemed to be working for me, so I stuck with it. After several months of living primally, at the age of 24, a stable weight of 182 lbs, and a height 6’4″ I can safely say that I am in the best shape of my life and feel better than I ever did pre-Colitis. My energy levels are stable. In fact, I hardly ever get mid-day crashes unless I eat something I shouldn’t (which only reminds me that I’m moving on a path towards the dark-side and I better recalibrate.) I lost over 30 lbs. of fat and gained a significant amount of lean muscle mass, but most importantly, is that I feel healthy. While I may never be “normal” again, I know that I am finally on the right path to optimum health and a life full of happiness. Thank you Mark for the selfless wisdom that you have imparted to myself and many others that have conquered their trials and tribulations via The Primal Blueprint.
From the bottom of my heart. Thank you.
Kyel
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
Awesome Job! Amazing!
Great message to read, as I begin the journey.
What an awesome story, I’ve recently been diagnosed. Your story was not only informative, but inspirational, thank you! You look great, so glad to hear you’re feeling better!
Honestly, I just want to hug you. That had to be horribly difficult to face, and especially at the age you faced it.
It’s great that Primal has helped though.
+1 I had the same reaction! He was starving, poor young man. He fixed THAT!
Crazy wow! Like three different people in each pic. Glad you’re feelin better man.
Gotta love “what causes this?” ” we don’t know” Take this.
Did anyone ever address nutrition prior to all this or just something you only stumbled upon yourself? Glad to see you’re feeling better man!
+1
Yes, Luke is right – you really do look like three different people – the last one healthy. Good job hanging in there Kyel.
Amazing, just amazing
That’s fantastic. You better send Mark & Co. a Christmas card this year
+1
Will you marry me? Congrats, you look great! So inspirational. Paleo all the way!
I’ve wondered since I started this diet what would happen to a person with UC if they went primal. My dad had UC and his calcium deficiencies got so bad that his spine was deteriorated to the point of being comparable to that of an 80 year old woman when he was 37. After a brutal surgery, he died in an accident after not being able to kick the pills when he was 41. I’m glad this information is in the public domain now because hopefully some people, yourself included, won’t have to go through what he went through. Thanks for this story.
Shawn, I was touched by your comment. Very sorry to hear your dad’s story.
now THAT is a success story. thank you!!
Fantastic. My wife had ulcerative collitus from the age of 16 to 36. The drugs they gave her were pretty bad and the next stage was steroids. That was when she saw a nutritionist who put her on a grain free diet. The improvement was immediate and all bleeding was done in six months.
In those 20 years not one doctor though to look at her diet!
We now eat a pretty much primeval diet, my IBS has gone as well. Thanks Mark for putting all the information in one place.
ROG (my primeval name!)
Can I tell you how mad it makes me that not one doctor in 20 years thought about her diet? I am SO glad you found that nutritionist and that both you and your wife are well now! Keep spreading the word.
Kyel: Thrilled you found the PB and it helped! But it makes me sad to hear a story like this because what if the first doctor you met at 18 had put you on a PB diet?
Yes, reminds me of that saying; The line between a serial killer and a surgeon is a very fine line indeed. Creepy world sometimes.
Stoked for you Kyel. : )
I wonder that as well, but to be honest it might not have made much of a difference. I was diagnosed with UC as a freshman in high school, and I immediately started trying different diets to get rid of it. Within the first 6-9ish months I was paleo, and I stuck with it religiously for almost 3 years until I finally had to have my colon removed as well. I still STRONGLY believe that diet has a huge influence on both the cause/development and the treatment of the disease, and I don’t think it would be possible to heal something like UC without a huge diet change. Unfortunately, though, it’s not always enough!
But Kyel, I was so thrilled to see your story on here!! While I thoroughly enjoy the weight loss transformation stories, stories like yours about digestive diseases (especially UC!) truly resonate with me. I’m SO happy your J-pouch is working out for you and you feel great!!! I hope we can spread the word to other UCers and J-pouchers (:
I’m so happy for you, Kyel! You look teriffic.
Well done Kyel – first for asking all the right questions (although sadly not getting any decent answers) and second for transforming your body and life on the PB. You look great!
I personally don’t trust most doctors, too many cases of where they missed diagnoses. They just do not get the right education. Glad your finally on the right path Kyel!
Wow, you look great! Congratulations on your new lifestyle, you look so happy!!
So glad your life is saved. Great job! Both my brothers were almost to where you were. I’m happy to report that they are both onboard the Primal path since about 6 months ago and both are now doing great. This stuff works folks.
Wow good job there.
I feel really happy for you.
Glad things turned out the way they did for you and you found the primal way… Can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if you discovered it sooner! The SAD really can do a number to our bodies.
With all the anecdotal evidence that now exists, why doesn’t “somebody” conduct a formal study on ulcerative colitis and grain-free diets? The medical community won’t listen up without the formal study. Mark, Robb, Chris??? You guys have the background to pull this off. Please consider it.
It’s pretty simple why the medical community won’t get on the wagon about diet controlling health. It’s called “follow the money.” There’s no kickbacks from saying, “Clean up your diet, eat more organic fruits and vegetables, ditch the polluted drinks for water and stop eating grains.”
signed
heathier w/o doctors
Mark you remind me of 2 close friends who suffer from Ulcerative Colitis. They have yet to accept the fact that food can both heal and destroy your body. I will be sending along your story to them in hope of inspiring them. Congratulations on beginning the healing process — you are looking amazing!!
I have had UC for three years, and going primal was by far the best thing for me. I was misdiagnosed for months until I had to be hospitalized. I remember being on so much medication and feeling like crap. About a year after my diagnosis I found Mark’s site, and since then I’ve had to take no medication at all and my weight has stabilized. Thank you Mark!
If you haven’t read “Wheat Belly” it goes very in depth into the topics of wheat and grains and how they can destroy the human body! It is a little on the technical side but a great read!
Congrats on your success!!!
you have to check out this. He is an intestinal transplant survivor. His story is pretty amazing, too. It took forever for the site to come up but: http://roarofwolverine.com/wolverine
Congrats on taking the initiative to find your way to good health! It is pathetic to see our medical community be so quick to push pills and surgery rather than suggesting dietary changes when they have patients facing GI issues with “mysterious” origins.
Wow, that is absolutely incredible! Many congratulations for making it through such an ordeal!
One of the first things I noticed after starting to eat primal was the major improvement in digestive functions. It was almost immediate. No more heartburn, acid reflux, etc.
Congratulations. I love these stories.
I hear you, brother! I’ve been eating primal for just over three months now, but have noticed immediate results. Just this morning I was looking for something in our medicine cabinet and noticed a giant bottle of antacid tablets – which I used to need at least once a week. I haven’t touched them since I started the primal diet. I also used to have a lot of belching and passing gas after meals, and that is also a thing of the past – thank heavens!
Thanks for sharing your story!
@Shawn: The specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) was published in 1987 as a book titled ‘Food and the Gut Reaction’ and long predates Loren Cordain’s book. It is very similar to paleo/primal and the point of it was to attempt to solve bowel problems through diet. As far as I can tell, it was revolutionary at the time. I was on SCD for 5 or 6 years and it was the best thing for dealing with my UC (diagnosed at the age of 2) but unfortunately it wasn’t a ‘cure’, for me at least.
I think everything falls on a spectrum and for some people it might be enough of an effect to clear up their problems without surgery. I eventually had surgery and spent 6 years with a colostomy. I was basically eating SAD for a few years after ‘step 3′ and realized that gluten and refined sugar really bothered me. I eliminated them and basically started eating gluten-free, sugar-free. After finally discovering paleo through my girlfriend and Crossfit, I’ve had similar changes to what you see in the pictures above. Having half of a gut really emphasizes the need to put real food in the body methinks.
Don’t forget to compare the SCD- with the FODMAP-concept. There may be different causes for the same symptoms (be?) at work.
Cheers, guzolany
What an inspirational story!
This story made me angry, doctors condemning a kid to go thru what you did. Makes me wonder how many aren’t as lucky.
I hate that you had to go through this, but I love these kinds of stories. I was diagnosed with UC as well when I was 20. I had two flare ups; the second of which landed me in the hospital with the same exact conversation as you had with your doctor. I have never been so scared my entire life.
I was on medication for a year or two, but eventually decided I didn’t want to take it. Although I still have issues luckily nothing as horrid as that first year. But I always believe it could come back full force, because I feel like it’s lingering. That’s why I finally dumped the grains and switched to Primal. I strongly believe it will help me live a longer, happier life than I would have otherwise.
Congrats on getting through your journey a stronger and happier person.
This is a really fantastic story, thank you for sharing.