Star Lauralee: Cures Inflammation and Completes IronMan

The fundamentals of the McDougall Program are simple yet often difficult to implement. Star McDougallers have either adopted the Program themselves by learning from our website and books or joining one of our programs. For personalized help, learn more about the 12-Day McDougall Program. For questions on whether a change in diet can help your ailment, learn more about our consultations.

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I’m hoping my story can help encourage others to get help.

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In June 2015 I woke up with extremely painful and inflamed joints, which was later diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis throughout my entire body. I was so crippled up I could barely walk and just getting dressed would take me almost an hour while in tears.

Of course, the rheumatologist wanted to put me on Methotrexate and a few other drugs. I had no choice but to get on Prednisone because the inflammation was at dangerous levels. I was told I would be in a wheelchair within 10 years.

I was determined to not let that happen, so I went on a quest to find natural alternatives. I was already a vegetarian but I started seeing a naturopath and getting on all kinds of supplements. I tried juicing, avoided sugar and starch, went on the Paddison program, you name it!

After about a year and a half of suffering with this horrible pain from my neck to my toes, wanting to give up and take the drugs, I came across Dr. McDougall‘s YouTube channel and watched the video on RA.

If you’re really sick, he recommends to go on a rice or potato diet. So I ate nothing but potatoes for 3 months. After three months I added some vegetables and for another six months that’s all I ate until I began an elimination diet.

I started getting better within days! So much better that I started swimming and decided I wanted to do an IronMan 70.3. I continued to eat potatoes, lost 22 pounds and became so healthy that on July 31, 2017 I completed the IronMan 70.3 in Canada. It felt so great that I began training for a second IronMan 70.3. I completed my second race on June 3rd, 2018 and beat my prior time by over an hour!

I continue to eat a starch based diet of mostly potatoes and I continue to train for triathlons. My goal is to do the IronMan 140.6 which is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 run.

I’m hoping my story can help encourage others to get help.

Lauralee

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