Clean Eating Before & After Journey (My Health Transformation)
This post details my “Clean Eating Before and After Journey.” It’s been a long road to recover my health and feel better, but a real food, clean eating diet has been the answer for me. I hope my story helps inspire you to make positive changes and feel that you can transform your health as well.
Before: Overwhelming Health Issues
Before I started on a clean eating diet, I ate the Standard American Diet of refined carbs, added sugars, and low quality protein. I hardly ate any fresh fruits or vegetables.
As a result, I developed many unpleasant symptoms, both physical and emotional, and was diagnosed with:
- Chronic migraines
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune thyroid condition
- Thyroid cancer
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Eating disorders
- Multiple food sensitivities
- Irritable bowel disease
- Hypothalamic amenorrhea, loss of menstrual cycle
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Osteopenia
It seems pretty overwhelming looking at that list, but I know so many other people are suffering, too.
The symptoms from diseases or conditions can really start to add up, and I’ve experienced everything from insomnia to hives to fatigue that just wouldn’t go away.
If you are feeling down because of an endless list of issues, I can honestly say that I know what that feels like.
Childhood of Chaos & Processed Foods
Growing up in the 1980s, my ideal meal was 100% processed food. Food companies marketed heavily to children, and I begged my mom for sugary cereals, candy, and anything packaged or sugar-filled.
I also learned many years later when I was studying nutrition that I’m a “super-taster,” so certain vegetables like broccoli taste very bitter to me. I avoided anything green just for that reason.
However, my health suffered from my poor eating habits and I remember getting sick quite often.
Start of Binge-Eating
When I was about 10 years old, my parents experienced financial bankruptcy and my home environment became incredibly unstable and filled with stress. We ended up having to sell our home and most of our belongings.
It was around this time that I turned to food for comfort. I curled up on my bed with a blanket, a book, and a bag of candy hidden under the pillows. I retreated into that veil of safety even just for an hour.
My sister and I lived temporarily with an aunt and uncle before moving from Oklahoma to California to reunite with our parents.
As we started a new life from scratch, my addiction to using sugar for comfort took hold. The candy binges turned into a daily ritual and were the only thing that made me happy when I came home from school.
I was deeply ashamed of my habit and the cycle of guilt, shame, and lack of self-control around food began. At the same time, my weight increased, my skin broke out, and my self-esteem plummeted.
The self-loathing was so intense that I had absolutely no self confidence. My unhealthy binge-eating behavior and self-loathing went on for a decade. I felt so alone and I had no motivation, education, or role models to make healthy changes.
Adolescence & Young Adulthood
By the time I reached college, my hormones were so unbalanced that I had never had a normal menstrual cycle. The only option I was given by the doctor I saw was to start hormonal birth control.
Going on the pill regulated my cycle, but then led to anxiety and migraines. I was still so disconnected to my body that I didn’t realize the significance and continued to take the pill for 15 more years.
After getting my bachelor’s degree, I started my professional career as a fundraising executive for non-profit hospitals. The long hours took a further toll on my health.
Although my candy binges were less frequent, new addictions and other unhealthy coping strategies developed, such as over-exercising. At this point, the low-fat craze was also in full swing, so I thought it was healthy to run on the treadmill for an hour, and then go home and eat fat-free cookies and ice cream.
The bright spot during my 20s was meeting a sincere, funny, sweet man who became my boyfriend and, later, my husband. While falling in love helped me immensely from a mental standpoint (and probably saved my life), we were both busy professionals and didn’t eat very well.
We ate at restaurants a lot and both gained weight during the first few years of our relationship. I also further increased my stress level by enrolling in an incredibly demanding full-time graduate school program.
Stress, Anxiety, & Panic Attacks
Around that time, I developed extreme fatigue that led to being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune thyroid condition, along with multiple thyroid nodules.
My endocrinologist said there were no dietary or lifestyle changes I could make that would help, only revealing that eventually my thyroid would be completely devastated by the disease. (I now understand from working with a functional medicine physician that there actually are a lot of dietary and holistic ways to reduce thyroid antibodies. I sure wish I had known that back then).
My migraines were also occurring almost daily by this time, as well as debilitating panic attacks that left me unable to maintain many of my relationships. When I asked my internal medicine doctor for help, his only suggestion was to consider taking an experimental daily drug that was being used for seizures.
I was horrified by the idea of having to take such a strong medication and refused the prescription. The red flag that I felt at that time was my very first inkling that I needed to take some control over my health.
Throughout it all, I hid my fears from everyone around me, including my husband. I devoted a lot of energy to keeping up a fake appearance, always smiling and pretending that I was doing okay. Looking back on it, I can see that I was slowly dying, and suffering in complete silence.
My “A-Ha” Moment
Finally, in 2004, I saw the movie Super Size Me about the guy who eats fast food for 30 days.
I wasn’t that surprised that he got sick after eating this way, but I was inspired by the fresh fruits and vegetables that his natural chef-girlfriend prepared for him after the experiment was done. The food that helped him recover looked so vibrant and nourishing, and nothing like I had ever thought about buying.
I went straight from the movie theater to the grocery store and filled my cart with as many fresh foods as I could find. This was the first step I took in the long journey to recover my health.
Testing a Vegan Diet
There were further challenges ahead.
Around 2010, I discovered veganism and thought that a 100% plant-based diet was the answer to all my problems. This strict approach that excluded all animal products seemed to work well at first. I lost weight and was feeling energetic with no migraines. I built a business creating recipes for the healthy, vegan community.
I also went gluten-free around the same time I went vegan, as I started experiencing chronic hives. No matter what I ate, I got itchy red hives on my skin, including my eyelids. It was really scary! Looking back on it, I think my vegan diet with all the beans led to leaky gut.
While some of my symptoms improved, my thyroid disease also took a serious turn in 2012. During a routine annual ultrasound to monitor my thyroid, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
I had surgery to remove the tumor, but had a very hard time adjusting to life without a thyroid gland. I started experiencing symptoms including chronic skin hives, fatigue, depression, and increased food sensitivities. I also became overly vigilant about my food choices and developed a type of eating disorder known as orthorexia. At this point, I realized the vegan diet was no longer serving my needs.
After: Discovering a Clean Eating Diet
Finally, in 2015, I began working with functional medicine physicians and practitioners who helped me develop a plan to address the root causes of my health problems and figure out the foods that would nourish and sustain me. I also consulted an eating disorders specialist to address some of the unhealthy beliefs I had around food.
At this point, I feel like a “clean eating” approach is the best description of a flexible, real food way I choose to eat. I ultimately had to stay gluten-free and dairy-free, and give up most grains, but I rarely feel deprived.
I will also say that working on my gut health has been incredibly important to the recovery of my health. This means taking probiotics and other supplements, consuming lots of probiotic-rich foods, and managing stress.
As a result, my overall inflammation has decreased tremendously and my health issues are much more manageable. Best of all, I enjoy colorful, nutrient-rich foods that are satisfying, healthy, and delicious, and I rarely feel hungry or deprived.
It is SO rewarding to know that it’s possible to recover from such a long list of serious health issues.
See my complete gluten and dairy free diet grocery list.
And, if you’re looking to switch to a functional medicine practitioner, then check out my article on how to find functional medicine doctors near me.
FAQs
I don’t work one-on-one with clients, but I do have a Clean Eating Course that is a great place to start. Once you join, you’ll have email access to me plus an invitation to join my private clean eating support group.
It’s amazing! Once you start to nourish yourself with a balance of healthy foods, your body should find its healthy weight naturally. It may take time and you may also need to ensure that your hormones are in balance (there are some health conditions which make weight loss difficult). The truth is that I rarely weigh myself. My main goal is to feel energized and happy, not to reach an arbitrary number on the scale. Women’s bodies are so different and beautiful in all sizes…the point is for you to feel good in your skin!
More Holistic Health Articles & Resources
Conclusions
My clean eating before and after has truly been a transformation both inside and out! I learned my lesson that my ideal diet is much less about perfection or following a strict plan, but doing my best each day to eat foods that nourish and satisfy me. I continue to share my health challenges and updates here on my blog, so please join my email list so we can keep in touch.
If you want to learn more about a clean eating diet, be sure to check out my articles on How to Get Started Eating Clean, Reasons to Go Gluten-Free, Reasons to Go Dairy-Free, & Tips to Get Started on a Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Diet.
As always, I want to hear from you! Feel free to share your story in the comments. Thank you for helping me so much along the way, I can only hope that I am giving back at least a little bit of the support, knowledge, and encouragement I’ve received.
Don’t forget to join my newsletter list to get exclusive clean eating recipes and tips. The newsletter is 100% free with no spam; unsubscribe anytime.
About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is studying to be a holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.
Note: this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for recommendations related to your individual situation.
Thanks for sharing your story! It is always interesting to hear how everyone comes to eating the way they do. I always consider myself lucky to have figured out what works for me and it makes me so happy to hear others having figured it out too. It’s like one less person I have to worry about (and I worry about everyone, haha)
Hi Michele, oh thanks for sharing that. I agree, it’s such an amazing feeling when you figure out what works for you. Paleo actually gave me hope and guidance and I’m so, so grateful for that. I worry about everyone, too, so it’s great to feel like I’m at a strong place so I can do whatever I can to help others. XO.
I love hearing stories because it helps me realize I am not alone. I lifetime of disordered eating and then hormonal birth control, Hashimoto’s, and hormone imbalances. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Holley, I’m so glad my story makes you feel less alone. It’s actually pretty scary how many women are affected by these conditions. I’m so grateful to have communities where we can recover together. Sending you tons of love. XO.
Love that you look much healthier now! Like, you have a healthy glow and everything!
Thanks, Tina! Must be all those green veggies!!! 🙂 XO.
Carrie! Girl we are from the same decade sweet friend, and I swear our generation is the one that is going to turn things around! I am an 80’s kid too – white bread, alllll the processed cereal, etc. I can so relate to all of your struggles – you are so brave for sharing your story!
Thanks, Renee! I love reading about how you are raising your kids on whole foods. I also love seeing all the millennials who are cooking real foods and seem to know intuitively the connection between food and health. It’s never to late to turn things around, I feel like I’m living proof of that and it sounds like you are, too. XOXO.
Thanks so much for sharing about your journey. I also grew up in the 80s and had all of that processed food. It’s crazy thinking about it now since that’s been removed from my lifestyle for so many years. I’m just grateful to know better now and have been raising my children on a real food, whole food, organic diet.
Thanks, Emily! What lucky kiddos you have! XO.
This post came at the right time for me. I recently completed an appointment with a functional medicine doctor. She actually is an MD that chose this path. Living in a somewhat rural area I was surprised to find one. Not much for conventional medicine, I was hopeful that maybe I can become healthy. I had a 90 minute consult & had blood drawn. I went home & completed the saliva test. This past Thursday I had another appointment to go over the results. We put a plan together that involves 1 Rx & multiple supplements. A follow up visit is set for October. I am very hopeful. But reading on the internet, I have begun to wonder if functional medicine is a farce. After reading your success, I feel so much better with my decision to take this path. The one thing we did discuss is that perhaps my lifestyle has lead to some of my issues. ( I am a vegetarian) but at this point we are at the decision that it is okay. But we may have to revisit this topic. I hope you will share more on your functional medicine experience.
Hi Paula! Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope you get some improvement after your appointment and labs. Functional medicine is most definitely not a farce, I think it’s the answer for many of us who are suffering with health issues. I love the idea of addressing the root cause of symptoms, rather than just using a band-aid like most “regular” doctors use. At least for me, my experience with functional medicine has been life-changing for the better. I only wish I had been raised with healthier habits since it’s so much harder to put out the fire than preventing it, so to speak. Sending you my very best to you. I will continue to share my experience and I hope you keep me updated on how you are doing. XOXO.
Thanks for sharing Carrie! Reading about your struggles and how you overcame helps me understand and take control of my own.
Its comforting to know I’m not alone, you are very inspirational!
Awwwww, thanks Erin!!! That means so much to me. XOXOXO.
Thanks for your story! I’ve been overweight for my entire life, and I’ve tried multiple diets, but in 2012, orthorexia took hold, and it was entirely different. I was so sure I was healthy because I was obsessed with the “right” foods. I lost weight, but I developed HA and went on birth control because I refused to admit to myself or my doctor that I was overexercising and seriously restricting my eating. The lowest point I can think of was the night before I was due to leave on a fun trip with my two close friends, and I found myself on the floor crying because I wouldn’t be able to control my meals. Thankfully, I finally realized that my habits were harming me rather than helping. I didn’t see a therapist, but I took a close look at my social media habits to be sure I wasn’t being inundated with ideas that contributed to my disorder. It’s been a good couple of years since then, and I’m so grateful I got off birth control after only one year and managed to patiently work toward getting back my cycle. I appreciate your blog and story so much!
Ohhhhh, thank you for sharing that Ashley!!! Reading your story made me remember my own struggles, and thinking about how social media played into that too. I’m so, so glad you were able to find a better place for your health. I remember having to exercise for 3+ hours a day to maintain my weight, and losing my period because of it. I’m THRILLED to hear that you’re doing better. You are amazing and strong and resilient, and you inspire me. Thank you! XOXOXO.
Hi – Just curious, are you still taking birth control? My 18 year just started taking it for her skin and I’m very concerned.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Nope, not anymore, Jennifer. There are some great podcasts that discuss the dangers of birth control for long term health. I wish I had known the possibilities so I could have been more informed.
Thank you, as always Carrie, for being so open and honest about your struggles. I have had many similar difficulties (anorexia in college, Hashimoto’s, weird rashes and debilitating fatigue, not to mention a history of familial cancer). My dad was an exterminator so we had many harsh chemicals around when I was growing up (including some that were later banned!). My mom loved doughnuts, so sugar addiction was certainly present from the beginning. I cleaned up my diet, but was unable to lose weight. After my first brother died from cancer, for 14 years I did a 45-day juice fast which has still been my only way to lose any weight – but I always gained it back. Even a strict plant-paced diet, doing food allergy tests and cutting out half of my food sources didn’t work! That was probably orthorexia. I’ve been to doctors, hypnotists, I ran a marathon, you name it. At your prompting I am now seeing a Functional Medicine doctor. Still doing tons of tests and taking all kinds of supplements. The only thing that seems to be making a dent so far is DNRS training (retrainingthebrain.com), which is daunting as you have to commit to a minimum 1 hour practice for 6 months, but also JOYFUL.
Hugs to you, and wish me luck!
Thanks for sharing your story, Linda, and you KNOW I am sending you luck and love on your journey. I also went through some serious brain re-training during my thyroid cancer recovery. It was life-changing, although I had a lot more work on the physical/diet side to do. Genetic testing has been really interesting for me, as I have the MTHFR gene and need targeted supplementation for that. I’m so glad you are working with a functional medicine doctor and doing the testing that should help direct your treatment and recovery. Sending you LOVE and JOY and HOPE always. XOXOXOXOXO.
Hi Carrie,
Thanks for sharing your story. I have severe dismenhorrea for years. It seems that I don’t have endometriosis, but I still suffer to the extent I cannot go to work. I am also a dietitian, I also agree with the danger of veganism, but I am trying to figure out how a healthy diet might help me with this pain! I figured out this last months that my fat and even cholesterol intakes might have been to low, and decided to increase my consumption of eggs, fish and also take Omega 3 as a complément. I always eat a lot of vegetables and fruits but I have a problems with candies…I am not dairy free and gluten free: not convinced yet by the benefits… however, I am really interested by your experience.
Hi Deb, thanks for sharing your story. There is a great book called The Period Repair Manual by Lara Briden. It is excellent. Have you read it? I think it might help!
it will and has.i think yr awesome.and a wonder woman..x