When Julie first came to see me, she was 56 years old and utterly exhausted. Living with type 2 diabetes for more than a decade and managing the painful limitations of psoriatic arthritis. More recently, she had been diagnosed with COPD, and the shock of a further diagnosis - non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) - was the turning point that made her seek support.
Julie described her life as being dominated by fatigue. Mornings were a battle to get out of bed, and by the end of her workday, she was “fit for nothing”. Oftentimes, she would fall asleep on the sofa shortly after logging off from work and stay there until morning. Travelling to the office had also become unmanageable, so she mostly worked from home. Her arthritis made stairs difficult, the pain impacting her mobility, and although she had a wonderful support network of friends, she had to ration her energy carefully. A fun weekend outing would often mean taking annual leave on the Monday just to recover.
Despite her best efforts, Julie couldn’t lose weight. She admitted she dreaded restrictive “rabbit food” diets and had developed a bit of an addiction to Pepsi Max (up to three cans per day), along with a habit of filling up on milky coffees. She was also sedentary for most of the day, often hyper-focused on work, sitting at her desk without taking breaks. To make matters worse, she had little appetite, was unmotivated to exercise because of pain, and felt trapped in a cycle she couldn’t break.
But Julie knew she needed to take action. As she explained: “If I could just crack the fatigue, everything else would fall into place.”
Small steps, big changes
Julie decided to take our six-month programme. She was initially apprehensive about whether she could stick with it, so she wanted time to gradually embed the recommended changes – slowly but surely.
In our first session, we focused on one simple but powerful shift: adding protein, especially at breakfast. Julie’s intake had been very low, and this was contributing to her blood sugar swings, inflammation, and energy crashes.
The difference was almost immediate. Within two weeks, Julie told me it was a “game changer.” Her afternoon slumps reduced, the fog began to lift, and she started choosing real meals over cans of Pepsi and milky coffees. Just as importantly, we reframed her mindset around food. No more “good” versus “bad.” Instead, we discussed nourishing foods versus nutrient-poor options.
This helped Julie break a long-standing cycle: if she went off plan for one meal, she now knew she could reset at the next. No more writing off the whole day or week. That mindset shift gave her freedom and confidence.
Wins that built momentum
By our third session, Julie was already celebrating noticeable improvements. Her knee pain was easing, and she was thrilled to find she could walk over sand dunes on holiday without pain—something that would have been unthinkable just weeks earlier. Weight began to shift too: 4kg down, without restriction and by nourishing her body in a way that worked for her.
By 12 weeks, Julie had made incredible progress. Her routine blood tests showed her liver enzymes, which had flagged her NAFLD, were no longer elevated. Her HbA1c had dropped into the normal range, not even prediabetic. After 15 years of struggling with high blood sugar, this was a milestone she never thought she would reach.
What’s more, her inflammation markers were under control, and her rheumatologist felt confident enough to begin reducing her arthritis medication – another huge achievement.
Julie’s blood work also revealed that certain nutrient levels needed support. This came as no surprise, as long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like omeprazole is well known to deplete key nutrients. Julie had been prescribed omeprazole years earlier to accompany a pain medication – yet she had not taken that pain medication in over six years. After confirming with the GP, it was clear that this medication was serving no purpose.
With targeted supplementation, she experienced less pain and inflammation in her joints, and a newfound energy returned, allowing her to feel like herself again. She was spending more time with friends, moving more freely, and, most importantly, beginning to believe she had the power to change her health.
When life happened
Of course, Julie’s journey wasn’t a straight line. An extended period of stress, beyond her control, meant self-care became more challenging for a while, and it would have been easy to give up.
But Julie found a new way to cope: she started a vegetable patch. Each evening, she would take a barefoot stroll down the garden to tend to her plants. It quickly became a ritual she cherished. Connecting with nature, slowing down, and literally grounding herself became a powerful tool to calm her nervous system. Now, Julie laughs that a greenhouse might be her next big investment.
Transformational results
Six months on, Julie’s progress has been nothing short of remarkable.
- She has lost two stone and dropped two dress sizes.
- Her doctor has removed her prescription for diabetes medication completely!
- She is no longer taking a PPI, which has resulted in significantly improved digestion.
- Even more encouragingly, there is now a long-term plan to gradually reduce her methotrexate.
Where once the thought of reducing pain medication would have terrified her, Julie now feels calm, confident, and reassured by the improvements she can see and feel every day.
A new relationship with health
Perhaps the most significant change isn’t on paper at all, but in Julie’s relationship with herself. She feels more relaxed about food, less fearful of making a mistake, and more confident in her ability to make choices that support her health. She has discovered new joy in connecting with nature, and her life no longer revolves around fatigue.
Reflecting on her journey, Julie said:
“At first, I thought I had to lose weight and eat like a rabbit to feel better. What I actually needed was to nourish my body properly. Once my energy started to come back, everything else began to fall into place. I’ve learned so much about myself and what I can do.”
Julie’s story shows that change doesn’t have to mean restriction or deprivation. It’s about making small, sustainable shifts, supporting the body with the right tools, and finding joy in the process.
She is proof that even with long-term conditions, transformation is possible. Her journey isn’t over, but she now has the energy, resilience, and confidence to keep moving forward – one nourishing choice, and one barefoot garden stroll, at a time.
