Go Play in the Dirt

Go Play in the Dirt is an educational health and wellness podcast that focuses on the importance of biodiversity and its impact on our gut, overall health, soil and community. Go Play in the Dirt features Lauren Bryson's personal healing journey and practices, as well as interviews with doctors, healers, visionaries, rebels and more.

All Episodes

Go Play in the Dirt

001 | My Healing Journey

October 06, 2022 • Lauren Bryson, BCHN • Season 1 • Episode 1

The greatest gift you can give somebody is your story, so I decided to share mine.

It’s not easy to share a deeply personal topic with anyone. It’s not easy to be vulnerable with others, and more so with yourself. But healing forces you to face your pain and level up. You’re given a different perspective about life and everything that comes with it: food, experiences, relationships, health, wellness—all the things.

Now, I can look back at my health journey - vulnerable yet brave enough to share it with you - in the hopes that next time, you’ll be brave enough to share yours, too.

In this Episode You’ll Discover:

The laundry list of gut-related symptoms I started experiencing in middle school
How I was shuffled around the Western Medical Model with little to no answers
My diagnosis of autoimmune gastritis and the beginning of my healing journey
The paradox of living with an autoimmune condition
How I healed my physical body using a multifaceted approach (aka BIODIVERSITY)
The importance of shifting my diet to help heal my gut
Quitting my job and starting my life’s ultimate purpose as a holistic nutritionist
The side effects of intravenous iron that led to my arthroscopic hip surgery
How I manage my autoimmune disease using diet and lifestyle practices

Go Share These Thoughts:

The greatest gift you can give somebody is your story.
During those times, I couldn't help but feel completely alone. I had really wonderful support from my family and my friends, but I could not shake this core feeling that something was wrong with me.
I thought the diagnosis was the end of the world, but in reality, it was the beginning of everything. My healing journey began from there.
Living with an autoimmune disease means doctor's appointments, hospital visits bills upon bills upon bills, frustration with insurance companies, infusions, injections. And chronic pain—all while trying to live a normal life. Duality in paradox is something I have struggled with my entire life.
Autoimmune gastritis taught me a deep sense of empathy. Gratitude for the small wins, resilience, compassion for others. You never know what someone else is going through. It also taught me the incredible healing powers of biodiversity and the incredible healing powers of the human body.
I have a chronic illness, but it no longer defines me. If you are experiencing health issues—no, you are not alone. Things can get better. The body's ability to heal is incredible.

Resources:

Blog: Lauren's Healing Journey

Connect with Lauren:

The Go Play in the Dirt Podcast is for educational & entertainment purposes only and not intended to be medical advice. The Go Play in the Dirt Podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of disease. If you have questions about a medical condition, please see your physician or other qualified health provider.