I Found Joint Pain Relief And Reduced Chronic Stiffness With The Primal Lifestyle. I Became A Coach So I Can Share What I’ve Learned With Others

Jennifer Essary of JenniferMichelle.co Primal Health Coaching In Boise Idaho
university of cincinnati alumni
cincinnati school of medical massage
jennifermichelle.co primal health coach
licensed massage therapist
myoskeletal alignment

My Primal Health Journey

Reading ingredients in the supermarket I noticed some of the chemicals from the lab where I worked in food. While I understand that too much of anything usually isn’t good, even if it’s only table salt or water, there is a primal instinct you have when you encounter some chemicals. BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) is one of those that I will never forget. Anything in your food that smells like mothballs is not the definition of a primal lifestyle.

I began to see those LD50’s on the chemical safety sheets a bit differently. If “X” amount will kill 50% of mice how does that affect humans on the molecular and cellular level?

Sure, they don’t put “X” amount in 1 box of food but what if you buy that same box of food each time you go to the store? What happens when you have a bit of chemical X, Y, or Z over the course of years? Decades? A lifetime? No one knows but I think it’s safe to say that the modern industrial diet continues to produce disastrous health results.

Question: Would you be willing to eat random chemicals in various quantities for 70+ years of your life?

Now take all of the chemicals found in a supermarket and put them together in various combinations and eat them regularly. When I began to question what was sold as food I became an avid ingredient reader.

Our industrial food system is a science experiment that needs to be done but the logistics are improbable. Nor would too many people be willing participants if you asked them to join this study. However, this is what our “food” system has become and most products are unrecognizable according to the primal definition of food.

Using Primal Health Principles To Reduce Stiffness & Find Joint Pain Relief

You name it I’ve done it. My primal journey began by simply experimenting with food and how it made me feel. I had chronic stiffness all over since my 20’s. As I approached 40 the stiffness became worse and I started to experience joint pain in my hands and feet. Looking for a holistic approach I began changing my diet. After all, every cellular process relies on nutrition. When I became a primal health coach I learned the definition of primal encompasses so much more than just eating. Food is a big part of reaching your health goals but there are more factors at play.

Gluten Free

I was 38 with a 2 year old and I caught a TV segment on how to get more energy. The idea is that if you are sensitive to gluten it creates inflammation in the intestine and prevents nutrient absorption. As an anatomy and physiology instructor it definitely made sense.

Energy isn’t all I was looking for. I had been chronically stiff since my 20’s and it was getting worse. if I sat in a chair for 15-20 minutes I’d hobble like an elderly person until I got going again. I knew old age wouldn’t be pretty if I didn’t figure this out.

grain free is better than gluten free for leaky gut syndrome

Whole 30

In 2014 I came across a post for Whole 30; I figured an anti-inflammatory diet couldn’t hurt. After Whole 30 I couldn’t add back grains, dairy, or any of the other things I’d given up.

Autoimmune Paleo/Keto

plant compounds in vegetables that can cause joint pain

That’s when I suspected the joint pain in my fingers might not be caused by practicing massage therapy for a decade. My great-grandmother had rheumatoid and I had all of the signs. Next, I went autoimmune paleo and things got better yet again. The joint pain in my fingers and feet went away after a few days. I closely followed an autoimmune eating style with a few reintroductions. One day I went skiing and I skied myself into an autoimmune flare that lasted a week.

After the flare, I found that eating eggs now produced joint pain in my fingers and feet for 3 consecutive days. Feeling like I ate better than the majority of people, going backward wasn’t an option for me. I began digging. In the 3 years, I was AIP-ish I naturally found myself ketogenic on most days. After reading The Plant Paradox I began to question whether dietary fiber is simply too much irritation for some of us. 

Carnivore

I began studying the carnivore diet and decided to give it a try. What I discovered was surprising; I felt better than I’ve ever felt. I’ve found joint pain relief, my stiffness is incredibly improved. I no longer hobble when I get up from a chair. Most days I’m purely carnivore. My problem is that I absolutely love food – I considered being a chef at one point. While nothing tastes better than feeling good I also believe in dying with a smile. Otherwise, what’s the point? I will say though, although my joint pain is much less intense there are still some foods that give me joint pain in my fingers and feet if I eat them.

The Primal Defintion

Technically each of the diets I mentioned above falls under the definition of the primal lifestyle. The only real rule is that “food either makes you healthy or it doesn’t.” If it doesn’t make you healthy why are you eating it? Some people find that they do better with more meat whereas others prefer more vegetables. When it comes to the primal lifestyle we’re pretty much all the same. Everyone thrives when sleep is improved, stress is reduced, and we spend time in nature.

Current Status:

I’m no longer stiff and I’ve found joint pain relief. My feet no longer ache if I walk barefoot. I can decide whether or not I have joint pain based on my food choices. I’ll turn 48 in 2022 and I feel the best I ever have. I currently hold a Taekwondo blue belt and I expect to have a black belt before I turn 50. When it comes to fitness I employ a lot of training aimed at using body fat for fuel, it’s a bigger fuel tank. Adopting the primal definition of food, lifestyle, and fitness I’ve found joint pain relief and it has significantly reduced my stiffness.

Professionally I’ve been a certified personal trainer, medical massage therapist, and anatomy and physiology instructor. I apply my knowledge about the body to any training I do personally and also in my coaching. I’m currently working through an endurance training program and a yoga teacher training program. What I teach isn’t like most traditional programs because everything is through the lens of ancestral health. 

I use what I’ve learned to help you discover the definition of primal health that works for you . You’re a unique individual that deserves an approach tailored to you.

ancestral health for healthy aging

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