Don't Panic! How to Be Your Own Health Advocate

Antoinette Leis, long-time patient and lover of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, describes her path to self-discovery and self-love, after years of battling health issues. Antoinette's spiritual journey and path to healing has been long and not always linear. She talks about her struggles with hypothyroidism, but also low self-esteem, shame and old trauma.

This is a story of personal transformation that is more common than we know. Antoinette's discourse on physical health, body image and tapping into our personal potential will inspire and encourage anyone who has struggled with their own health or self-worth.

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In this loving disclaimer, please note that all the information in this podcast or video is intended to support your health and wellness mission for educational purposes. It is not personalized for you, nor does it establish a patient-practitioner relationship between us. You always want to work with a physician who understands you and your specific health concerns to help you take the next right steps for you. Our goal is to help empower and educate you to help you feel confident as you move toward feeling great in your body.

When you sustain an injury, or go through any type of health issue, it can be scary and bring up big questions: Is this something serious? Should I be worried? Will I need surgery? It almost feels like an identity crisis for some people. Many people panic, and look for the quick solution.

Try not to panic! Remember that every type of practitioner has a different set of tools, and it depends on whose chair you are sitting in. Often times, there are many treatments options, and you have time to figure out where to begin. In general, it works to start with less invasive therapies first, and if you're not seeing results, pursue other options.

We encourage everyone to advocate for themselves when it comes to their health. You have a voice when it comes to your care. Do not be afraid to seek more information or a second opinion. And trust your intuition...we often have a deep sense of what is right for our body.

In this podcast, you hear from Steph Saffer, cofounder of OptimizeYou, as she gives insight into some of the big events that shaped her throughout her life. She describes herself as a "recovering perfectionist" and talks about how losing a parent at a young age and growing up questioning her sexuality were some of the origins of that perfectionism. She also discusses the power of story...her "coming out" story...and how visibility and the retelling of experiences can help others in their own lives and struggles.

Both Sarah and Steph believe that one of the fundamental aspects of health, and the ability to thrive, is living your authentic truth, and that sexual orientation is an essential part of personal truth and identity. They also firmly believe that all humans should have equal rights, and equal access to health care, no matter their sexual or gender expression or orientation.

In this episode, we talk with Marie Purvis, fitness professional and former Nike trainer, about the journey she's had in sport and exercise, and how she is working in new ways to empower people in health.

As a Nike trainer, Marie traveled the globe working to share her passion for movement, and has touched the lives of thousands of people. She played an integral role in the rise of the Nike NTC app, a fitness app that revolutionized home fitness and made elite workouts accessible to millions of people all over the world.

She talks about her passion for working with women, and empowering them through fitness, especially in areas of the world where women have limited access to gyms or safe places to exercise. She also speaks candidly about navigating the challenges of being in the fitness industry, and determining what comes next in her life. This honest, fun conversation will inspire you to move your body, but also to have grace for yourself during the process.

Ten years ago, Sarah Hayes, co-founder of OptimizeYou, was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid. She was diagnosed soon after the birth of her second child, and her physical symptoms became a massive disruption to her daily life, as she battled against fatigue, digestive upset, brain fog, irritability, in addition to many other symptoms.

Hashimoto's is the leading cause of hypothyroidism in the U.S. It affects 5 out of 100 people (1-2% of the population), and is 8 times more likely to affect women than men.* Sarah had to learn how to manage her condition, and she calls it her biggest struggle, as well as her biggest motivation to understand the human body, and help others feel better in their bodies.

Over the years, Sarah has worked to regain wellness and manage her symptoms. After trying countless treatments and therapies, she has forged a path towards health. She describes her solution as discovering what she needed to feel like she was thriving, giving herself permission to do it, and committing to that process. Her story is inspiring to all who have dealt with chronic or complex health issues, and instills hope about the resilience of the human body.

Kendall Johnson, former Portland Thorns soccer player, talks about her long road to healing after sustaining multiple concussions and traumatic brain injury. After working hard and pushing her body her whole life to play soccer professionally, Kendall was sidelined by brain injury and forced to slow down in efforts to regain her health. She talks about the major challenges she faced during this process, and the unexpected lessons she learned along the way.

This inspiring conversation is one EVERYONE should hear. It is for anyone who has been on a long path to health. It is for the go-getters, the people with a "push-through" mentality, the athletes, the pleasers, and anyone who has struggled with illness or injury. Kendall's articulate description of her two and a half year path to healing is both humbling and exciting, as she details through story how struggle can turn into the opportunity to discover new facets of yourself.