I've Lived With Autoimmune Disease For 10+ Years: 3 Things I Wish I'd Known Back Then

At age 22, New York Times bestselling author Danielle Walker was diagnosed with an extreme case of ulcerative colitis. After suffering with the autoimmune disease for a few years, with multiple hospitalizations, she finally identified the dietary and lifestyle changes that helped her balance her health.

It wasn't as simple as it sounds: The journey came with a handful of triumphs and setbacks, but she has certainly learned a lot along the way, gathering her experiences and tips into her latest must-read, Food Saved Me (and to this day, she's continuing to learn what works for her by listening to her body). 

For those suffering from an autoimmune disease, food can be a main trigger for people. It certainly is for Walker, who follows a gluten-, dairy-, and legume-free diet. However, sometimes strict protocols can feel, well, restrictive—which can understandably make you feel frustrated and stressed. 

"The best thing for you to do is to try to focus on all the things you can have," Walker says. When she was figuring out what diet works for her, she became overwhelmed by all the foods she was unable to enjoy. "I started to look at food as the enemy," she continues. "I realized within a few years that was not going to be sustainable for me and that I needed to make [my diet] sustainable so that I could be well and feel well."

"For a decade, I thought food was the only thing [to focus on]," Walker says. Save for a couple of supplements here and there, she thought, "If I just eat this way, then everything's going to be fine." 

As those living with an autoimmune disease likely know, food is not the only trigger for flare-ups. Things like stress, sleep, and social environment all play a role. "I realized that if I didn't get enough sleep, if I drove myself into the ground, working too hard, and didn't talk to people like my husband...there's a lot we have to make sure that we're paying attention to," she explains. "My biggest advice is to breathe and take a look at all of the different things that are happening in your body and your life and figure out how you can try to manage all of those things." 

Of course, you can read or listen to plenty of scientific research about living with an autoimmune disease—what to eat, how to exercise, who to talk to, etc. The medical field is taking such strides to provide people with helpful information and interventions, which is something to celebrate. However, "For somebody who's actually suffering with an autoimmune disease or with chronic illness, a lot of times those things can be really overwhelming," Walker says.