When the kids get sick, we’re the ones who make soup, tuck them in, take temperatures and Google remedies. But what happens when we get sick? Moms are tough, and so we suck it up. We take an Advil, keep calm and carry on. But the less we listen to our bodies and prioritize our health, the harder it will hit us.
When Dr. Amy Myers was in medical school, she started losing weight and experiencing sleepless nights. She didn’t know what was going on with her body. She was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. This experience set her on her mission to help others take back their health. Now, most importantly, she strives to empower her daughter to live her best life.
Dr. Myers is a two-time New York Times bestselling author, mother to 7-year-old Elle, and CEO behind the wellness brand, Amy Myers MD®. Her books, The Autoimmune Solution and The Thyroid Connection, along with her Amazon No. 1 bestseller, The Autoimmune Solution Cookbook, have sold over 500,000 copies and have been translated into over a dozen languages around the world.
We spoke with Dr. Myers to understand how she recovered from her autoimmune disease and how she adopted a healthy lifestyle with her daughter’s support.
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From Her Graves' Disease Diagnosis To Publishing The Autoimmune Solution
We asked Dr. Myers about her autoimmune disease journey and how this inspired her to write her books. She shared that in her second year of medical school, she started to experience unexpected weight loss, anxiety, and insomnia.
“As happens with most autoimmune disorders, I had no idea what was going on. For the first time in my life, I was seized by panic attacks. Despite barely exercising and consuming massive quantities of pizza and oatmeal cookies, I was shedding weight like a marathon runner,” says Dr. Myers.
She was eventually diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition of the thyroid. Conventional medicine’s solution was to ablate or kill the thyroid with radioactive iodine. Dr. Myers shared that that was the biggest regret of her life. The ablation had released large amounts of thyroid hormone into her bloodstream and caused her to suffer from severe mood swings for months. Because her system was still inflamed, she developed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
“Even when the worst of my symptoms abated, I never felt really healthy. The best I could feel was “not sick. I knew there had to be a better way! I would prevent others from going through what I did. Finally, I found what I had been looking for: functional medicine. I eventually developed The Myers Way® and helped thousands of patients take back their health,” Dr. Myers tells CafeMom.
She shares her full story in her book, The Autoimmune Solution so that others can learn how they can prevent and recover from autoimmune disease.
How Dr. Myers and Her Daughter Support Each Other
Dr. Myers shares that becoming a mother was one of the best decisions of her life. Out of all her titles — Doctor, Medical Director, CEO, New York Times best-selling author — “mother” is the one that she cherishes and values the most.
“As the founder and CEO of a company that empowers hundreds of thousands of people, I show my daughter every day what is possible. Together we support each other. There are no separate meals in our house. Elle enjoys cooking and baking with me. She is actually an in-resident Amy Myers MD® ambassador and taste tester. We have a rule in my house — we both have to love a product for it to go to market!” Dr. Myers tells CafeMom.
Dr. Myers shared that her daughter’s favorites include making hot chocolate using Double Chocolate Paleo Protein, Leaky Gut Revive® Strawberry Lemonade and berry smoothies using the Vanilla Bean Paleo Protein. She explained that following The Myers Way® lifestyle is a lot easier when her daughter enjoys it too.
Food and Autoimmune Disease
Lacy Puttuck, MS, RDN, CISSN, CSCS, a Registered Dietitian who specializes in autoimmune and food allergies explained that food can play a major role in controlling autoimmune disease. Some foods can cause a flare up and others can be very anti-inflammatory and help alleviate symptoms.
It is important to initially make a few easy changes to your nutrition and then begin to dial in what is causing the most symptoms. Lacy shared the following tips:
- Eliminate processed foods. These foods contain compounds that are inflammatory to those without autoimmune disease but can cause big issues in those with it. You will notice an improvement right away if you stick with natural food sources.
- Drink enough water. Water is the key to our system working and clearing out toxins. By drinking about 100 oz of water per day, you are providing your body with the means to stay healthy and functioning.
- Start a food and symptom diary. There aren’t any rules about what foods may be more inflammatory than others. There are common ones like gluten and dairy but this is not true for everyone. Start writing down what you eat and what symptoms you experience daily. You may be able to find some patterns and if not, a Dietitian can help find them.
- Begin an elimination diet if you suffer from multiple food intolerances. This consists of removing all common allergens from your diet for about 60 days and then slowly introducing them back if you tolerate them. Work with a health professional on this to avoid any deficiencies.
“Autoimmune diseases are affected greatly by what we eat. By eliminating highly inflammatory foods like processed foods and keeping a diary to find out your intolerances, controlling symptoms can be possible,” advises Lacy.
Her Advice For Other Moms With Health Challenges
Dr. Myers shared that if you’re a mom facing chronic health challenges while juggling the demands of motherhood, you’re not alone. Managing both can be overwhelming.
“Striking a balance between self-care and caring for your family begins with listening to your body. Understanding that self-care isn’t selfish is a crucial start,” Dr. Myers tells CafeMom.
She shared a few tips that have helped her over the years:
- Realizing you don’t have to do it all by yourself — asking for help from my spouse or a family member
- Simplifying daily routines and structuring them with flexibility
- Setting boundaries and avoiding overcommitting to plans
- Meal prepping through my many easy recipes using my Paleo Proteins to kickstart the day with proper energy
- Having a contingency plan in place for a “flare-up”
Why Dr. Myers Believes Functional Medicine Is the Way Forward For Health Care
Dr. Patricia Mills, MD, MHSc, FRCPC, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation who practices functional medicine, explains that it’s a root-cause approach to health care that focuses on finding and treating the root causes of illness instead of just managing symptoms.
Mills says functional medicine considers how different parts of the body, like the gut, hormones, and immune system, work together. By looking at lifestyle factors such as diet, sleep, and stress, functional medicine aims to restore balance and improve overall health. It’s a collaborative field, and practitioners often work together to provide comprehensive care that addresses the unique needs of each patient.
“Functional medicine can help treat autoimmune diseases by recognizing that while genetics may predispose some people to these conditions, environmental and lifestyle factors often trigger the disease to develop. Factors such as food sensitivities, infections, toxins, and stress can lead to inflammation and immune system problems. By identifying and addressing these triggers through personalized diet, supplements, and lifestyle changes, functional medicine aims to reduce symptoms and help the immune system function properly again,” Mills says.
Myer’s goal for balancing family and health is for mass adoption and acceptance of functional medicine.
“Adopting functional medicine in family life represents a shift toward a holistic and personalized approach to health care. We could focus on root causes rather than just symptom management,” she tells CafeMom. “Since functional medicine considers lifestyle, genetics, and environment, this can lead to a more efficient approach to managing family health and well-being.”
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
