In episode 5 of Uninvisible, Lauren is joined by best-friend duo Becca Murray and Liz Beebe – and a snoring pup named Leroy! Becca is a body-positive lifestyle and wedding photographer based in LA, and Liz is the writer of feelsgoodblog.com) and lead singer of Dustbowl Revival (not to mention dog-mom to Leroy!). Why are these ladies on the show, you ask? Because both have lived through – and continue to thrive through – their fair share of invisible illness diagnoses (and lack thereof), from Chron’s and IBD to SIBO, Candida, a heart murmur, gallstones, toxic mold, metal toxicity, and parasitic infections like blastocystis hominis. As best friends, they have supported and advocated for each other’s care and treatment protocols – and are here to share their journeys with us. Let’s bust some ass on this SUPERDELUXE episode – good for a long drive or divided between two shorter trips!
**Listen in as Liz and Becca reveal... **
how Liz presents with Chron’s…but most likely lives with a version of IBD
how Liz was first introduced to elimination diets
how meditation helped Liz find a pathway to whole body health
how Becca’s heart murmur likely caused her to overdose on antibiotics growing up – which probably contributed to more problems later on
how growing up in a diet-culture-focused household prevented Becca from learning how to eat healthfully, and how a lack of healthy fats gave her gallstones at 19
how diet culture turned Becca toward an eating disorder
how Becca’s dad noticed she was having balance issues, and after seeing a neurologist – who recommended she take a sleep study because she was a “sleepy lady” – she was diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia and temporarily given a prescription for military-grade speed
how Nuvigil allowed Becca to feel “normal”, but when her insurance changed, she was no longer able to afford it
how AIP was triggering for Becca, from an eating disorder perspective
how the meat these women choose to consume has only had “one bad day” – they seek sustainable, well-cared-for options not only for health reasons, but also for moral ones
how both women have survived metal toxicity, treating themselves with both supervised chelation and NDF drops
that your gut is your second brain
what it looks like to justify your invisible conditions to people who can’t see them or understand them
Liz’s #howdoyoueatontheroad – her tips for healthy eating when she’s touring with the band
how Becca’s health struggles have given her the opportunity to do a deep dive into body positivity – and who has inspired her in that space
why body positivity is a great space to explore when you’re going through health challenges – because it will remind you how hard your body is working and how strong it is to have gotten you this far
what is most fascinating about functional medicine: that most functional medicine doctors were once sick themselves
how Liz has learned to be unapologetic about her health needs: because she’s learned the hard way what happens when she doesn’t listen to her body
why Liz believes in food first
why it’s important to be politically active when it comes to your health insurance
how your skin is as much an indication of what’s going on in your body as your digestion and energy levels are
how talking creates community – and why you should look outside yourself for help
why you must set yourself up for success in your health
that if you can’t give yourself permission, Beebe does
how vitally important sleep is to healing your body
that self-care is not selfish, and rest is a weapon (and stress management is part of self-care) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit uninvisiblepod.substack.com)