What happens when life hands you a diagnosis you never expected? In this powerful episode of PCOS Unfiltered, I sit down with Sam, a former coaching client who, at just 29, suffered a stroke and faced the reality of living with multiple health issues and medications. But instead of accepting that as her permanent future, Sam chose something different: she chose to fight for herself. Sam shares how she went from struggling with stroke recovery, heart surgery, and overwhelming medications to reclaiming her health through mindful eating, nervous system regulation, and a compassionate, realistic coaching approach. Though she doesn’t have PCOS, Sam’s story resonates with anyone who’s ever wondered if change is still possible after a scary diagnosis. From losing 60 pounds to reversing years of unhealthy habits and becoming an advocate for wellness in her community, Sam’s journey is living proof: it’s never too late to take back your health — or your life.
In this episode, we discuss:
Key Quote:
"You don’t have to settle for the life your diagnosis hands you. Change is possible when you decide to fight for yourself."
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Reminder: Healing isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress, persistence, and reclaiming your power.
(0:03 - 12:17) Today's episode is one I've been counting down to share with you, because it's not just about food or habits, it's about resilience, hope, and rewriting your story when the world tells you it's already written. My guest today is someone incredibly special to me, not just because she went through my coaching program, but because of the courage and determination she showed in reclaiming her life. At just 29, Sam suffered a stroke and was dealing with multiple health issues and medications, but instead of accepting that as her new normal, she made the decision to fight for herself. She showed up, she did the work, and the transformation that followed is absolutely inspiring. She does not have PCOS, but her journey speaks to every woman who's ever been handed a diagnosis and thought, is this just my life now? Because she's proof that the answer can be no. You are not stuck, and it is never too late to take back your power. So, whether you're feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, or just need to hear what's possible when we choose healing over helplessness, this episode is for you. Welcome, Sam. So, can we start by taking us back to the moment you had your stroke at 29, right? It was 29. And what was going on in your life and your health at the time? Yeah, so it was like May, June of 2021. I wasn't quite 30 yet, and I'd had some like high blood pressure things going on for a while, but I definitely noticed like that late spring that I was having more higher blood pressure. I'd also noticed that I was having like fluid retention in my legs, and that was something that told me maybe I need to go see my primary doctor because this isn't my normal. I was just not feeling well. Like my body was telling me something wasn't right. I need to check it out. And so, I started seeing my primary care doctor, and we were just kind of running tests, talking about my symptoms, just trying to figure things out. And the more that time was going over that summer, I'm just like, you know what, like I feel like there's something deeper to this. Like maybe I need to, you know, reach out to some specialists, kind of see what's going on. And I had actually, I want to say it was like a week or five days before I had my actual stroke, I reached out to a cardiology office to try to set up an appointment just to check because I'm mixed race. And so, being part African American, I knew that there was a risk that maybe I could have some heart issues happening or as I get older. So, I was just trying to like cover all my bases. And then literally, like I said, a week, five days later, it just all kind of happened. My left side of my body, I just remember, especially my face, it went completely numb. And I had a hard time, you know, in some of like the typical stroke symptoms they tell people look out for, like the smiling, like I couldn't smile appropriately. Like the right side of my face was working, the left side wasn't. And so, it was really scary. I ended up in the ICU for several days and it just was something I had never imagined happening at such a young age. It definitely caught me off guard. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's crazy. And I love starting off with this because like, it's something I feel like is an overall theme throughout a lot of the episodes and just clients and, you know, past clients and everything that I've talked to is learning how to listen to your body. And so, yeah. So, you knew, you know, something was not right. You obviously didn't know at the time like what was going on, but you just started, you could tell like something was not right. And I love that. And I think even as we talk more about this, but you've also learned how to tune in with your body even more because of that experience. And then just going through my 90-day program and your own health journey since then. That's amazing. So, yeah. What were some of the health conditions or medications that you were dealing with before you started this healing journey as well? Yeah. So, besides having had my stroke, they had found out that what caused it was a tumor on my mitral valve. It's called a papillary fibroelastoma. There's not a lot of research out there, so we don't really know what caused that yet. But even prior to finding that in the stroke, I had what they considered sports-induced asthma since I was very, very young. I had been diagnosed with anxiety, some depression. I had also been taking like anxiety medications. I had been on birth control since I was 14 years old just for very heavy cycles and symptoms that I was having with that. Allergy medications, various inhalers that had different just steroids in them to try to calm my lungs down. So, I was definitely on multiple medications and it was getting very frustrating because it's like every single day I'm having to take out this bucket and I'm like, okay, here I am, you know, early 30s, late 20s and I'm having to take multiple medications and it was getting old very fast. Really fast. And I can imagine emotionally that took a toll on you, especially, you know, just being like you said at that age. So, yeah. Can you kind of go into that a little bit more? Yeah. Emotionally, like it was just a lot, especially having had a stroke at 29 years old. Granted, it wasn't a full-blown stroke. I'm thankful that it didn't get that far. It affected my speech. Honestly, my short-term memory still isn't the greatest. I had a hard time walking initially. It really hit me that things were serious when I was in the ICU initially when I had my stroke because they bring in, you know, the physical therapist to work with you and they tried to have me practice walking. And the first thing they brought in was a full-blown grandma walker. And that was so upsetting for me to be like, is this something I'm going to have to deal with long-term going forward? I'm thankful I didn't have to use a walker, but I did leave the hospital with a cane and I did use a cane for a short time. I'm thankful that overall I was able to recover from my stroke symptoms for the most part. I still once in a while get a little brain fog here and there and I trip up over my words now and again, but emotionally it was just like, wow, like I'm really dealing with this as a young adult. Yeah. And so were there moments or a moment where you just, you felt like things were just never going to change? Um, I definitely felt after, um, finding the tumor in my heart and having to have open heart surgery for that. I was kind of like, wow, like this is my life going forward. I'm a stroke patient. I'm a cardiac patient. I'm dealing with anxiety and depression and my allergies. Like this is my life. Like I truly thought that that was going to be my day to day going forward for the rest of my life and seeing my other friends going through their stages of life. It was very much this feeling of why am I having to deal with this right now? So it was very hard to comprehend in the moment. Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure. Um, so what inspired you to reach out and start working with me? I'll let you kind of explain how we know each other. Yeah. So I definitely like, obviously knew you from just like the fitness world, um, having done kickboxing with you in the past and you were someone I got to know and trust. And, um, after I'd had my stroke in my heart surgery, I had gained a lot of weight. I was really struggling to get back into physical fitness. And I remember there was a day, I think I was just scrolling on Facebook or something and you had posted something or other about wanting to get healthier or lose weight in an X amount of time. And I was like, you know what? That sounds pretty interesting. Like I know I can trust her. Like I'm just going to reach out to her and see what's going on because I think this is something I can do. So I was really glad that we were able to get back in touch and go on such a great journey together. Oh yeah, for sure. That's what we were saying. Uh, so it's been almost a year since you started the 90 day program, but you've just had so, so many more wins. I mean, you had amazing wins during the program, but just even after, uh, you know, up until now, it's, it's been amazing watching your progress. Um, so did you have any fears or hesitations though, going into it? Yeah. Um, for me, I feel like in general, I'm a very competitive person, especially with myself and I like to be successful at things. I think everyone likes to be successful, but I'm very hard on myself. Um, just when it comes to saying, okay, I'm going to do something and I'm going to see it through. I was definitely worried that I was going to fail in that, you know, I was worried for myself that I was going to fail myself and not be as successful in it. But I was like, I don't want to let Lindsay down too. So it's like, I'm just, I was really worried that I wasn't going to have the progress, you know, throughout the program. And I just knew like, I have to stick to it. I'm at this point in my life where I'm still young and I want to live a long, healthy life going forward. And I need to make some sort of change now. I said, why not? Yeah. And that's where I think though, like even throughout, you kind of learned all those little things about like celebrating all those other wins off the scale, for example. Right. Because you know, like you just said, you put a lot of pressure on yourself. You didn't want to, you didn't want to let yourself down. You don't want to let me down. But as we went through it together, you also realized that there was more than just focusing on that number on the scale and you were having so many more wins off the scale. So, so yeah, that being said, what made this approach different from what you've tried in the past? I think kind of like you said to you, like just the togetherness, like being able to work with you. But then also like working in a small cohort of other individuals too, that, you know, they have their own personal goals and they join the program for their own reasons. But I liked having that community. I feel like being surrounded by others and not being by myself on, you know, a health and wellness journey that made all the difference for me. Whereas in the past, like I've tried to do things on my own where I even had a doctor tell me, I want to say like two months before I did your program, like, okay, well, you know, there's something called ketosis. And if you are eating a lot of protein here, eat just lunch meat and like these other things. And it was just this crash course and he wrote everything.
(12:19 - 12:37) And yeah, like I went into ketosis, but there was so much more at a deeper level that was missing from that conversation. And I didn't get that until I had the opportunity to work with you. That's what helped me have success in your program and going beyond that.
(12:38 - 20:38) Yeah. So yeah, going deeper with that, what were some of those first like mindset shifts or habits that you started changing, you know, early on in the program that you learned and started making those changes? Yeah. I think the biggest change for me was taking the time during my grocery trips to actually look at the ingredient list. I think when we got there, that was definitely the biggest change for me. My first trip to the grocery store, I think I was there for an hour, maybe an hour and a half, literally going through the list of what I thought I was going to buy and taking things off the shelf and being like, I can't read half of these ingredients. Oh, there's added sugar in here. Or there's, you know, this soy item here. Like it really opened my eyes to be like, wow, you can't just go by the face value. You know, I feel like a lot of the advertising companies, they might say, oh, this has this much protein and blah, blah, blah. And that's right there on the front. But you have to look at the back or underneath the packaging to really see what's hiding in there. Because while it might look great on the front face value, it's what's underneath. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's a shame that like things can be advertised like that on the front. But when you actually look at the ingredients, they can definitely hide some stuff in there. So it's definitely very empowering when you start actually taking the time to to turn those those products around. And I do that still like there's even things even some things that I've like been eating for a while. And I'm like, you know what, let me just revisit this. Because also, some of these companies get bought out by these larger corporations. And so you always kind of make sure that nothing's changing in there. So yeah. So how did mindful eating and the nervous system regulation impact your recovery, both physically and mentally? Yeah, I think like the mindful eating piece, it just helped me create such just better, healthier habits. It's gotten to the point where, for example, I went to a grocery store the other day that's known for having, I guess, healthier food products overall, more natural, organic things. And I picked up a couple items. And I was like, you know, this sounds really good. It's technically healthier. It's, you know, following the things that I learned, maybe some ingredients that aren't the best, but maybe, you know, a treat once in a while. And I put both of things in the basket. And I'm staring at them. And I'm just like, I don't think I need this. And there was another person shopping behind me. And I felt bad because I had to get back in front of them to put the stuff back on the shelf. And I was like, Oh, you know, don't mind me like these are really good. They are a healthier option, but I don't really need the sugar right now. Like that's what I said. So I think the mindful eating piece just like really paying attention to what I was putting in my body, like, I'm not so focused on, you know, just grabbing whatever, like I'm taking the time to be like, maybe I don't really need to have this this week, you know, and in my refrigerator or on my shelf or my pantry. And mentally, it's I feel like I'm not just what I'm putting into my body. Now. I'm not having the everyday anxiety that I was having before, like my mindset and just overall way of thinking, it's completely changed, like the depressive thoughts that I was maybe having in the past, like I'm not feeling that overall, just having changed how I think about food. And in the moment, whether I'm eating grocery shopping, and then the output of that because of what I'm putting into my body, like it's completely changed. It's a complete 180. Yeah, yeah. And when you start like realizing that you have these connections to certain foods, or just the habit of eating those certain foods over and over again. Yeah, that's a that's another big empowering, like eye opening piece, for sure. Yeah, I mean, and when your body feels safe, when your body like feels relaxed and feels safe, that's when it can really truly do its thing and talk to you more, as you've learned throughout the program as well. So were there any other moments during the journey where something just clicked for you? I would have to say, I don't remember what weeks it was, but there was that point where we were having to like cut back on certain fruits, even when it was just to like, you know, kind of deplete our sugar intake overall, and resetting our pancreas and trying to fight that insulin resistance. And I remember when we were able to start reintroducing that and I ate some blueberries, and I was like, Oh, my gosh, this tastes like candy. And I love blueberries and other fruits in the past. But it was that noticeable difference of I'm eating something that is just from nature. And it's a, you know, it's in its whole form. And it tastes so good. And so that's the moment where I was like, okay, like, I can do this. And I can enjoy healthier foods that I need to have on more of a daily basis. Yeah, yeah. Because yeah, I mean, that's that's also like telling us to how a lot of those packaged and processed items are manipulated and manufactured to not even, that's what we think sugar and sweet things taste like. And it's really not the case. I mean, you just said it. I mean, that's nature's candy, right? The, you know, blueberries and other fruits and stuff. And yeah, that's more of what we're meant to have. Because you also get all those nutrients and antioxidants and all those other benefits, along with them that serve our body so much, so much more. So you were able to lose weight, get off of medications and reclaim your health. Can you share what those milestones meant to you personally throughout the journey? To me, it was just like, wow, like I can take back my health and create and ensure a healthier future for myself. I mean, not just those wins on the scale, but even like my clothes, it was like, compared to, I mean, I'm an elementary school teacher, things that I was wearing in the fall when I initially started your program to even at the end of the school year, those clothes are so baggy on me now. I mean, at my other job that I have, I have a uniform shirt. It's the same shirt that I've had. It's extremely baggy. And I watched kids at that job and a parent was coming in to pick up their child. And she's like, oh my gosh, I didn't even recognize you. And her daughter goes, you know, oh, like your shirt is so baggy. And her mom and I were just like busted out laughing because like, even the kids are noticing a change as well. But it was just so great to be like before something that was so tight and made me feel uncomfortable about myself. Now it's like, hey, I guess I gotta go shopping now for a whole new. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, do you mind sharing like what your, your weight loss and your inches? I don't, I mean, you probably know I'm right off hand, but I haven't done actual inches, but like my clothes are extremely large. I mean, I went from wearing a size 14 in shorts.
(20:39 - 21:31) Now I can fit into depending on the brand, a size four and a size six. Oh my God. I started your program pushing 200 pounds. I was at 198 pounds and I never thought I would be at that weight because growing up, I did, I danced for 15 years. I was doing cheerleading. I was doing other sports. I was in martial arts. I was very active. I had that mindset even in early college of that will never be me. Like I'll never be overweight. And it was but I went from 198 pounds. Now here mid June I'm weighing 138 pounds. So I've lost about 60 pounds in almost a year. Yeah. Almost a year. Wow. Yeah. And I, and like you just said, I think the inches, I mean, that's 60 pounds a year is, is a good, healthy weight loss over a year, first of all, but that's a lot.
(21:31 - 21:54) I mean, that is, that's a lot. But I think the inches piece is even bigger, you know, and just, yeah. And just even, even all the numbers. I mean, I think you had, you got one of the, did you use the Renfro scale? I think, but yeah. So just where it gives you like your biological age and all that stuff. I mean, all that stuff is very telling as well.
(21:55 - 31:39) Seeing those trends. I was looking at it the other day and just seeing how my metabolic age has decreased significantly closer to my actual age. I was like, all right, like I'm getting to where I should truly be. I guess another funny thing that happened with my changes physically, it was like just changing my bra size. Even I went from like essentially a C cup down to an A cup. And I just had a hard time finding bras that were fitting appropriately because I, you know, the, the weight change and just overall the measurements, it was just, it's been so interesting having to readjust overall. Oh yeah. Yeah. And for women, especially it's, yes, the things change in places that you may not want. And then, you know, right. So, so yeah, beyond the physical changes, how did you start showing up differently in your day-to-day life? I feel like just overall, like my, the biggest thing is my energy. I had even noticed the last couple of years being a teacher, there would be a certain point in the afternoon where I'm sitting at my small group table and I'm doing various activities with my students and I couldn't stay awake. And it's like one or two o'clock in the afternoon. And my eyes, I could not keep my eyes open. And my students would be like, are you okay? Are you falling asleep? And like, they could notice it. And that was like embarrassing for me. And it's like, no matter what I did. And I felt maybe, oh, I need caffeine or something to keep me awake. But after working with you, making my dietary changes, being more mindful about what's going on in my life in general, managing stress and anxiety, I'm able to get through an entire school day and have the same exact energy that I had when I started the day to dismissal. And so that I feel like has helped me just show up better as an educator in my career. It's helped me show up better when I'm spending time with friends or family. I just feel like I'm more with it. And it's a with it-ness that I didn't have before working with you. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, energy is huge. That's definitely like when I first, first started my health coaching practice, that was a big thing. Like, as I just talked to more people and it was, it was energy, energy that, you know, I was like, what's one thing you'd want to work on energy? Because especially it just turns into this vicious cycle. Then you, you drink more caffeine and then you sleep like crap and then, you know, and then it all starts over again. So yeah, that's, that's a huge one. You definitely have to break that cycle, which you, you did of course. And what has surprised you the most about this transformation? I think what surprised me the most is that I was able to actually like take my health back. And I had been telling myself that even the last couple of years before my weight got to its highest point, I was like, oh my gosh, like would love to be back to where I was, how I was feeling when I was in college or late high school. And I wasn't sure if I could do that. And now that I'm there, I'm just like, it is possible. Like it's doable. And it's just so amazing that I've been able to reach that point. Yeah. Yeah. I love what you said there. It is possible for sure. So that's also a great lead into this question for someone who's listening, who's been given a tough diagnosis or feel stuck in their body. What would you want them to know? I don't want to sound like a redundant specific shoe brand that's out there, but literally like just do it. Even if you're nervous or afraid, like, even like I mentioned earlier, I'm very competitive, even with myself. And I was worried about failing myself in the journey, but you just have to step out of your comfort zone. You just have to put yourself out there and do something. Even if it seems like it might be uncomfortable for you at first, if it's something you're not used to, but because I stepped out of my comfort zone, I was able to make lasting changes. Now that happens obviously within the program, but I've taken outside of that 90 day program that I did. I'm continuing to see growth in myself as an individual when it comes to my health and wellness, but you just have to take those first steps and then you just have to commit to it and do it for yourself and be selfish in that way. Yeah. I mean, I've even learned that personally, even like with my business, I want everything to be perfect before I do this. And it's like, no, I just have to take the messy, imperfect action, you know? And then eventually, yeah, I can like make it a little more perfect, but like you just, you just have to do it. And so whether that's your health or whatever, you can't wait to say, I can't do this until I have the time or the money or whatever. No, there's still changes that you can make now, even just the smallest little changes that can have a big, big impact. So what does health mean to you now? Now it means, honestly, it's become like my life. I feel like, I feel like I've become an advocate in a way for a healthier lifestyle. A lot of people, especially my coworkers, even people that I'm seeing, like I said, at my other job, families that are coming in, they're noticing the changes of the outward appearance and they're like, well, what are you doing? I even had a doctor tell me yesterday, like, this is amazing. What did you do? Maybe I need to meet with your nutritionist. It's, it's definitely, I feel like I, like I said, I've become kind of an advocate because the people are like, well, what did you do? And I tell them like, you have to commit to yourself and you have to make some hard choices in your everyday life to make the change. And while they're hard choices, they're the healthier choices. And, you know, I, you know, have that conversation with people because they have to realize it's not just, you know, one small thing. It's like, it's a multi-factor experience or a multi-factor change that you have to make. So definitely becoming an advocate for living healthier. And, and I feel like I've also made an impact on others as well. Even if they, you know, haven't signed on to a particular program yet or working with you, they're still realizing, okay, like I've cut out X, Y, and Z. And I'm noticing that I'm feeling a little bit better. I'm like, see, like, yeah, you went through with the whole thing and you started making deeper changes in your everyday life. So being an advocate and just helping others, that's definitely become part of my life now. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's, that's basically, I definitely relate to that because that's kind of what led me here. I mean, from, you know, owning the gym, yes, health was a priority, but I was focusing more on the fitness side of it. And then I had to have my own realization with health too, to really get me to where I am now. And that's part of why I'm doing this and why I have you on because I, I think you have a powerful story and any little thing that could help just one person, you know, I think is, is amazing. So what do you think is the biggest myth that people believe about healing? I think the biggest myth that people believe when it just comes to healing overall health and wellness is that the change happens quickly or that there's like just one thing that they have to do when that's not the case at all. I mean, yes, 90 days is relatively like a short amount of time. It's three months. Some people might still see that as a longer span of time. But still like, it's not just, okay, I'm trying to make changes in that 90 days. It's wanting to make that change beyond that. And I didn't lose 60 pounds in that 90 day window. Like I, I had lost weight and I had great success, but then I had to be accountable for myself and want to continue that to get to the point where I'm at now. And it wasn't just removing sugar from my diet. It wasn't just being mindful of, you know, foods that have carbs that I'm intaking. It wasn't just keeping track of what I'm eating during a day and journaling. It's everything all together, truly. So it's like, you can't get the changes overnight. And I feel like a lot of people are looking for those quick fixes right now. Sadly, I know a couple people that have gone down that path, especially with medications that are out there being advertised in our face. I feel like every single day lately, I know a couple people that they've had some really negative impacts, some very scary negative health impacts as well, because, you know, they made those choices. And while that might be the right choice from some people, it ends up being sadly the wrong choice for others. (31:39 - 32:03) And they're having to then be set back and having to reevaluate, you know, how am I going to proceed forward with, you know, getting to my personal goals? So yeah, it's definitely it's not a short term thing to health and wellness, but you just have to be committed and want to make the change. That's that's I mean, you couldn't have said it better. I mean, yeah, that's just perfect.
(32:03 - 32:13) That's the thing. It does not happen overnight. And we just we do we live in a society where it's, you know, do this for 10 minutes a day, sometimes even five minutes a day.
(32:13 - 38:01) You know, and it's or take this supplement or get this injection, and it's the quick fix, but ultimately, it doesn't last, it might give you what you need in the moment, but it doesn't, it doesn't last either. And it can come along with some other very potential bad side effects, too, unfortunately. But yeah, I think once you once you learn to accept that, whatever you're doing doesn't happen instantly. That's definitely a big game changer as well. So what would you say to your younger self back when you started all this? I mean, if I was looking at my younger self or myself before I started your program, I, I'd be like, we are back like, like I said earlier, I never thought I was going to be someone that was pushing a very unhealthy weight being five foot and pushing 200 pounds is a scary thought. When I look at my side by side pictures of myself in the beginning, to now, I don't even recognize the person in the beginning. Yeah, it's honestly shocking when I look at, um, but it's just like, you know, if I could tell my younger self, like, you know, we did it, we are on track for a healthier future. We can do this, we can continue to keep doing this, we're going to keep doing this. And we're just going to continue to see the positives. And that's like the most enjoyment I feel like I'm getting out of it is, you know, not just that short term gratification, like, okay, I did the 90 days, it's continuing to feel good about my progress, and continuing to feel good about continued progress going. Yeah, that's amazing. If people could take away one message from your story, what would you want that to be? I think it would be to not give up on yourself, because I really felt like when I had my stroke, when I had my open heart surgery, I felt like I was starting to give up and I was just going to submit to this lifestyle of medication and having to see the doctor multiple times a year. But don't settle for that, like, change is possible if you set your mind to it. Yeah, love that. And what are you most proud of today? I think I'm most proud of, you know, stepping outside of my comfort zone, reaching back out to you, being able to work with you and work with like minded people that were in my 90 day cohort. And just being able to get to this point. I mean, I went, I typically see my cardiologist ever since 2021. I was seeing him multiple times a year because I was having various symptoms of not feeling well. And ever since joining your program and making lifestyle changes, I went an entire year without having to be in the office for anything in between my annual, you know, checks. So that was like something I was really working towards instead of having to see my cardiologist five times during the year, because I'm not feeling right, or I'm having chest pain, or my energy level seems off. Like I went from one test last summer to this summer without anything in between. So very proud of that. And I think that wouldn't have been possible if I hadn't worked with you last summer. So yeah. I feel like you probably answered this. But is there anything else that you'd like to add? And is to how you how do you see the rest of your life differently? Now that you've been through this new, you've reclaimed your health? Um, I think when it comes to seeing my life differently, I just I feel better for the future, because obviously, as we age, like our body is going to naturally slow down in different ways. But because I've made healthier changes, my body is ready to take on age better, I feel like I'm be able to handle that better as I get older. Like I want to be able to have a family one day, I feel like my body is going to be more prepared for that whenever that happens. But yeah, I just feel like as my body ages, I'm more prepared to handle that. I feel like I've added years onto my life. Whereas if I would have stayed put, I feel like maybe it would have been a shorter lifespan for me. So yeah, yeah. Um, well, yeah, I mean, I think that's a great way to end it. And I mean, I love the your answer. So those last few questions, because I feel like that just kind of summed it all up. And that's why I had you on. And yes, you, you did not have PCOS, you were never diagnosed with PCOS. But I think you were finding some insulin resistance, which you did mention at some point, not necessarily diagnosed. But if you go by the symptoms, I definitely think that was playing a role in there, which, as I've talked about before, my other episodes is a part of PCOS as well. But also just the fact that you weren't just limited by your diagnosis, and you have such a powerful story. And unfortunately, whether it's PCOS, or, you know, in your case, with some cardiac conditions and stuff, you didn't accept that it was just going to be a lifelong condition and just this kind of like, prison sentence. And you were just going to get in this, you know, rhythm of going to see your doctor every few months and taking this medication every day.
(38:01 - 38:22) And you, you really overcame that. So yeah, so thank you. I really, really appreciate you sharing your story. And thank you for being a guest with me today. And wish you all the best. Thank you. Thanks for having me on. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of PCOS unfiltered. If today's episode spoke to you, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing.
(38:22 - 38:31) And if you loved it, a quick review would mean the world to me. Remember, healing is a journey, not a destination. And you deserve to feel empowered every step of the way.
(38:32 - 38:36) Until next time, nourish your body, heal your heart and thrive like the boss you are.