In August 2014, I started showing symptoms of arthritis. Before the symptoms, I practiced yoga three times a week and lifted weights/did strength training (deadlifts, squats, pull-ups, overhead shoulder press, etc.) three to four times a week. However, a little before August I decreased this number to weights and yoga a few times a month because my joints started bugging and I didn’t know what was going on.

At one point, my ankles, knees, hip flexors, wrists, elbows, and neck were all swollen.

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I was bedridden often. Walking down my street was a mission. Lifting a gallon of water was a mission. Tying my shoes was a mission. Sitting in a chair was a mission. The little things we take advantage of everyday was a mission.

This went on for awhile. I survived off of BioFreeze, ice, peppermint oil and muscle relaxers. Restorative yoga poses were even too strenuous for my joints, so I tried practicing yoga with a chair. Though the chair yoga helped stretch me out physically, the slow movements would aggravate me more when I was panicky or depressed. What worked best for me were self-massage treatments with tennis balls, a rolled up towel and essential oils plus I built up a strong daily meditation and pranayama practice.

Now it’s April 2015. Two months ago, I got an auto immune allergy test through US BioTech thanks to Toni Kuhn, yoga instructor and friend who also has arthritis, who recommended I see Dr. Yoon Min who studies both Eastern and Western medicine.

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He told me to stay away from any foods that was in the #2 section. One month later, my ankles and knees started to feel better, though my hips still were on and off angry.

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Two months later, this month, April 19 to be exact, my hips have stopped complaining, and my knees no longer feel unstable when I stretch out my hamstrings.

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Did my new diet cure my arthritis? Or is this just a flare up in remission? If you read “Why I Started Yoga,” you’ll discover my history with injuries as a teenager, and how I was often bedridden then as well. Was that the beginning of arthritis? Or were my head to toe injuries just coincidence?

I’m a hamster. Stay tuned for more updates on the science experiment of my joints. Currently, I’m doing well :)

I hope if you have arthritis that you try the US Biotech test, and I hope it helps you too !!