Diana shares with us her story of dedication in sticking to the Paddison Program For Rheumatoid Arthritis, which led to 5 years of symptom-free life.

We discuss in this interview:

• Diana’s sudden onset of RA symptoms
• Her diagnosis and first medical treatments with side effects
• Finding the right rheumatologist
• First experiences with the Paddison Program and immediate improvements on CRP and ESR
• A science-backed program
• Diet, exercise and the importance of mindset
• Developing resilience
• Strategies for everyday life
• Diana’s family support
• Rheumatoid Support‘s forum resources

Clint – On this channel, we like to share positive stories about rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis conditions. Inspire you to understand and appreciate how much can be done naturally with these conditions. To be able to dramatically improve your health and get your symptoms under control. Today my guest is Diana, and she has a story of a dramatic reversal of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. She’s going to walk us through this journey of hers and how she’s now living symptom-free for five years. After using lifestyle changes to overcome her severe rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Diana, thanks for joining me.

Diana – Thank you for having me.

Clint – Let’s do a commercial here before and after. Just describe a moment in time when you were at your worst, and then describe now what it is like. What’s it like by comparison?

Diana – So I guess, in terms of the moment in time I still remember the exact date. It was the 3rd of February six years ago. I had just landed my dream job, and I was sitting at my desk. I went from having sort of some niggling pain to just pain everywhere in my body just being in so much pain. The events that sort of preceded that were me trying to juggle this dream job, but being in pain on a scale of out of ten, out of ten. I was just crying in the bathroom at lunch and crying every time I needed to go to the bathroom. I was it was just so bad and I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t almost see a way out, and I couldn’t almost comprehend living in that amount of pain. Then, I guess fast forward to today and I don’t think about rheumatoid arthritis. Yes, I am completely pain-free. It doesn’t affect my life in any way and I feel very lucky to have found the program and to be able to live a completely normal life. I often just don’t even think about it.

Clint – People are going to be wondering, how on earth did you do this? There’s a lot of a lot of questions to go through here. First of all, were you diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis to eliminate the skeptics or I think it might have been reactive arthritis or something else?

Diana – I did receive a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis from my GP and two rheumatologists. I was diagnosed ten years ago with palindromic rheumatism, which is a rare form of rheumatoid arthritis. You have these episodes of joint pain that travel to different limbs or joints. I was always told being a female and the age I was at, generally, the pattern they see is that you develop rheumatoid arthritis. However, let’s just monitor it and see what happens, and the episodes happened. They went from having an episode every 2 to 3 months to every 2 to 3 weeks. I knew something was happening and it went from having this sort of tingling pain that travelled to literally on this 3rd of February pain everywhere. I couldn’t move and I still remember. I don’t know why my right calf just blew up. I remember I didn’t know how I was going to move my leg and I was at work. The next day I went and I got into my GP and he ran a heap of blood tests. He said, your body has formed rheumatoid arthritis. Since it was so bad, I felt like there was glass in my feet and I couldn’t bend my feet. He booked me an emergency appointment with a rheumatologist with all my blood tests, and they confirmed the diagnosis also.

Clint – You went to see your first rheumatologist. You mentioned that you saw two rheumatologists, was that for a second opinion? Did both of them recommend you in terms of treatment?

Diana – Sure, I had been prescribed prednisolone when my GP diagnosed me, but I was having a lot of issues with my heart. Like, I’d wake up overnight and it would be racing. Then, it would sort of like skip a beat and it would jump. My heart was jumping and they took me off that. These first rheumatologists, she told me, when are you in the most amount of pain? Sorry if this is oversharing, but I said after I go to the bathroom. Then she goes, there’s no connection to what you eat and rheumatoid arthritis. She’s like, I’ll just disregard that and she wanted to put me on methotrexate. Then, back on prednisolone, and that’s where she wanted to start. Then, she said there would be further drugs that would be on further medication, would be looking at. I just walked away and said, we had a family friend who’d also had rheumatoid arthritis and hadn’t used diet. One of those people that he always did a lot of research in anyone he was a doctor or speaking to and always wanted the best. He recommended a rheumatologist in Melbourne who I got put on a wait list for five months to see. I eventually was also able to see him.

Clint – I’m searching for the name. Was it the rheumatologist who likes to use a lot of hypnotherapy and stuff like that? Sort of a natural base.

Diana – I think he’s retired now and his name is Stephen Hall. At this stage, I was in the Paddison program. He was very like, whatever you’re doing because by this stage it had been like five months. He was like, your rheumatoid factor is coming down. Like he was like, whatever you’re doing, I have no issue with. I said to him, I have no interest in going on methotrexate and all these other medications. He sort of agreed and he was like, you steer the ship and it’s your body. I’d like to start you on Plaquenil, which is an anti-malaria medication. We don’t see a lot of side effects because I was worried about the work I’d done with this program and restoring my good gut bacteria and my stomach. I think at the time, I was using your forum a lot to piece together answers and ask questions. I think someone had said Plaquenil was less of a gut disruptor and often a safer option. Then, I went to Plaquenil for a year. Then, he said to me, if you stop having any pain for, eight weeks. He was like, you’re welcome to stop it and that Plaquenil for a year.

Clint – Okay, you already mentioned that you started doing the Paddison program, which is a good segue for us to talk about that. You’ve done five months of that between rheumatologist A and rheumatologist B. When you got to rheumatologist B, Steven Hall, you had already dropped your symptoms. Now, you mentioned rheumatoid factor. Do you mean rheumatoid factor or just inflammatory markers like CRP?

Diana – My CRP and ESR had come down considerably and my rheumatoid factor had dropped. I think because of this palindromic rheumatism. I was having blood tests, twice a year to monitor the inflammation markers and the rheumatoid. They just literally over say, a five-year period went like this. When I initially had those first blood tests, when I was diagnosed by my GP. He was just he’d never seen such a severe case for a female at my age. My GP then organized for me once a month to have sort of blood tests done. Stephen Hall does notice that these sort of three key markers, or what he deemed as key markers were coming down. I know you can be stereo-negative, but from just how you feel yourself. I knew things were where I had confidence that my blood tests would show that things were improving.

Clint – You can tell, can’t you? I used to be able to predict at one point during about four months, I predict two predicted consecutive blood test results to within a decimal place based on my symptoms. Also, the frequency at which I was getting my blood work tested and was monthly for methotrexate. I’d go in and I’d come home and I’d say to my wife, Melissa, I think I’m like a 3.4. Then, I’d come back and it was like 3.3. I’m like, that’s how good I got at guessing my blood inflammatory markers. It is because you notice that your hands are doing better with their closing and the swelling goes down. When were the main areas for you that were most vulnerable and affected?

Diana – My feet I can’t explain what it was like. It was like I’d have these bouts where I felt like I was walking on glass. It was just terrifying and my elbows both left and right were very much affected. Then, my right knee was for six months and that was constant. It’s funny, I would have traveling pain in my hands, but still today I get comments or you’ve got messy handwriting. I know I don’t have any symptoms of that, but I am kind of convinced that almost my how I hold a pen. It’s almost like maybe there’s some slight damage in my hands and there’s no physical damage. I was with a girlfriend the other night. Then, I could see her mom’s hands and they’ve been affected. Like, I’ve got no damage that you could see, but I noticed in my hand a bit. I find it hard to write a bit and I don’t find it hard to write. My handwriting is slightly messy.

Clint – If that were the only negative outcome for everyone, it’d be amazing, wouldn’t it?

Diana – Yes.

Clint – Did you go back and see Doctor Hall, and get his feedback after you managed to reduce symptoms further? Did you come off the Plaquenil entirely? Did you do that by yourself as he said you could?

Diana – Yes, he monitored me for two years just on a six-monthly basis. It would be like he would his rooms would organize blood tests. The week prior he would I’d go in and he’d review them. He’d just literally do, like a full body examination to make sure. I don’t know that he thought my joints were okay. He never actually suggested any X-rays or scans. Yes, I did come off the Plaquenil myself and he was fine with that. I hadn’t seen him in four years and I didn’t need to. He said to me, The pain of rheumatoid arthritis is just it’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced. It was for me quite a specific pain and I know that it’s dull. If it came back I would know what to do and whether or not I would want to go see him. I haven’t experienced any pain and I’ve not in contact with him or haven’t been seen him for the last four years.

Clint – Yeah, amazing. How interested or bemused all fascinated. Was he in the results that you’d achieved with your lifestyle changes?

Diana – He was very interested. He resonated with me as a rheumatologist and as a doctor, he seemed quite open. In some ways he didn’t pry too much, like he was like, whatever you’re doing, it’s working, and just keep going. He was like, you do what you want. He was in a way, I feel like you could pin him as very much like a doctor’s doctor. I think he was turning the page and understanding that a lot of people were looking for more answers and trying to understand the connection between diet, and whether or not that would affect rheumatoid arthritis. He was very open-minded and I found him interesting too because he was constantly traveling in between, like the UK, and doing a lot of research and study. He was very well informed, even if it was a different approach or a more Western medical approach. He was always interesting to talk to. Then, I would tell him things like I’ve been taking potassium for my feet and I find quite an instant relief. He was like, that’s interesting and he’d write sort of notes and stuff. Whereas, that first rheumatologist I saw, she was very much like, this is what we do and this is how we treat it. She was like, you’re going to be having infusions in hospital for a very long time. She was just quite doomed and gloomy, whereas he was much more collaborative.

Clint – My rheumatologist is the same. I think a clue there for a lot of people is that when you’ve got a medical professional who is neutral or just open-minded. I love how he described that you’re in control, that you’re the CEO of your health. I forget the phrase, but basically, you’re the boss. I tell people this all the time. If I’m coaching someone, you’re still the boss. Like, I’m serving you to get well and your doctor serves you to get well. You are in control here, we can guide you and I love that. My relationship with my rheumatologist who I’m at a distance. He is similar to and he is always curious, taking notes, and interested. It was never a cup already full mentality.

Diana – It’s funny because when I first went to my GP. He was the GP and not a specialist, but it felt very much like there was no hope. You’re going to have to live with this for the rest of your life. This is a really serious medical issue, and here’s a cocktail of pain medication. I just remember being like, I can’t live like this. Then, that reverse rheumatoid rheumatologist was a bit like that. Whereas, Stephen Hall was like, let’s work together, and let’s figure this out. It’s your body, you steer the ship. Thus, I didn’t feel backed into a corner.

Clint – Yeah, it’s very empowering. People remember things that their rheumatologist has told them 20 years ago. I’ve got people saying to me, oh, you know, I’m afraid to do that because my rheumatologist said I couldn’t do that. When was that, 2001 or 2002? You’re talking about something. Let’s talk about what you did because some people who are new to this, haven’t even heard of that program. They’re going to say, well, what is that? I want you to talk openly about what pathway you went through. Obviously, there’s a heavy emphasis on diet, but there’s so much more to it. What did you go through? Just explain to us in detail how you went about your changes. What experiences both up and down have you had, and everything that you can divulge, please?

Diana – Sure. I guess I still remember very clearly. My family’s always been quite into health. My mum brought us up and we saw naturopaths. She always had us taking zinc and vitamin C. I didn’t eat gluten, but we ate meat and we never had sugar. I guess I thought we had a very sort of healthy diet. I was eating when all of this came about it was gluten-free and sugar-free. However, eating meat, and oils, eating out a lot, and stuff like that. I still remember when this all came about. It happened on a Monday when the pain just came on like a freight train. That weekend, I didn’t leave my house and I did so much research because I’d been to see my GP. He was like, you’re going to live like this for the rest of your life. Then I was like, I just can’t live this. I did a lot of research and found gluten-free and stuff. I was like, I’m already doing that and I’m in so much pain. I don’t remember how, but I found your program and it sparked interest in me. Your story in terms of the fact that you’d had it, so you understood. For all the skeptics out there, your science background resonated with me. It is because I’d listened to a few Ted talks on the lady I think Chicago with MS the Wahls protocol or Terry Walker, which is a different kind of diet. Similar story in the way that she had sort of a science background, and that’s how she approached. Thus, it resonated with me because it felt like it provided the Paddison Program provided a lot of answers, Also, it was science-backed. On that Monday, I went back to work and I started the juice cleanse for two days. I didn’t notice, a huge shift in my pain. I remember talking about the forum. I remember talking to you, Clint, at the time. Your body has just morphed into rheumatoid arthritis. It can be hard to get it under control to stick with it and I did the base. Sorry, I haven’t looked at any of the documents for a while, so if any of my terminology is not correct. I did like the base diet for around 2 to 3 months. I didn’t eat out and I found Bikram yoga too hard for me to manage. I was doing these 40-minute 3 to 4 times a week, like a hot yoga class. Then on the days I wasn’t doing that, I was doing saunas and I was constantly making sure I was perspiring. It is because I would also notice that if I was in a sauna, the pain wouldn’t go, but it would dial down and I would get some relief. The supplementation was recommended in the program, and the probiotics and digestive enzymes? I was doing the base diet for around the first three months. I lost a lot of weight, but then I increased what I was eating. I think looking back on that time, I sent myself a bit insane. Like, I wish I could have just sat back, relaxed a bit, and not known I was doing everything that I could to like just my mindset. I think I was so scared that my work was going to find out. It was my dream job and I was just trying to juggle everything. I would say around the 4th to the 5th-month mark of doing the program you and I had a call. Then, things really shifted for me after that because you said, look, you’re doing all the right things. I think you need to calm down the nervous system.

Diana – I had some peace of mind that, this would get better. Also, you are kind of doing the right thing, and that resonated with me and gave me some confidence. It is because I was also doing acupuncture. Then, I was just doing all this stuff, which was just exhausting trying to juggle this all with work. After that, I just honed in on making sure I was perspiring. During the days I couldn’t get to a sauna or anything, I was doing hot baths, like an Epson bath. I was making sure I was walking every day and that my diet was as clean as possible. I did a baseline diet for the first three months and then slowly increased. There was no cheating of the program in terms of how you’d suggest reincorporating foods. I went overseas four months into the program. Then, I remember reading a lot on the forum about how people approach that. I decided to go buy a rice cooker, which I traveled with. I was actually in hotels and I would eat quinoa and steamed vegetables. I went to Europe for three weeks and I ate steamed vegetables. I would go down to breakfast and have orange juice, bananas, and just fresh fruit. I can’t even remember what I did for lunch, but for dinner every night I would just have steamed vegetables and quinoa in my room. I think for me, there were almost like milestones in all of this. I think finding the program that marks where you and I connected on the phone helped me. Then, I saw Stephen Hall, that rheumatologist gave me a lot of confidence to think just knowing what I was doing from a blood test perspective. Thus, that was working and things just went like for me after that. I didn’t eat out for eight months and just followed this program, and I didn’t stray. My friends and family were like, how are you doing this? I was like, well, it’s working and I don’t see it in other way because I’m not in pain. It wasn’t really like an option for me.

Diana – Well, also didn’t see another way. Like, I couldn’t go back to the amount of pain that I was in and the way I was living. It wasn’t sort of to me, it was a means to an end. Just to improve my health and to be pain-free. The level of pain I was in, I don’t know how anyone would live like that. I guess the way I’m wired is I want answers. I want to know why, and I want to try everything. For me, why wouldn’t I do this? I got a lot of strange looks and questions about what I was eating, but I just didn’t care. It just didn’t bother me.

Clint – I love it. You kind of have to have this all-or-nothing mentality to be able to get through this, don’t you?

Diana – I think that some and I’m not trying to make it too serious. However, I do think some people don’t understand. It’s almost like the dedication that is needed. Like I remember reading on the forum at times people would be like, I’m back from my trip in Thailand. I ate three meals a day and there were oils and I’m in so much pain again. I don’t mean this in a judgmental way, but that’s just not how I approached it. I took it very seriously, and I think that I maybe could have progressed faster if I had been a bit calmer. I was just in such a spin of being so anxious and almost not knowing what to do. I wish I just had thought to calm down and trust the process a bit. Once I did, things moved a lot faster. In terms of my digestion, it seemed to be a lot better. I was able to tolerate some other foods. I mean, it takes dedication, but the reward just outweighs having a pizza on a Sunday night.

Clint – How are you now about diversity? Can you eat at an Indian restaurant or a Mexican restaurant and have a bean burrito? Well, how are you now about resilience?

Diana – I would say I live a completely normal life in terms of eating out. I’ve definitely found ways to kind of navigate or work. My auntie says she’s never seen someone work a menu like me. I still don’t eat any meat and I don’t have dairy. I always try to choose a low-oil option if I’m eating out. I rarely have some wild fish and I don’t find it that hard because I kind of know what to order and where to go. I mean, I live a very busy life and I run my own business. Generally, Monday to Friday, I cook all my meals. I’m out maybe once a week, and I’ve got almost where I know I can go. I was at a dinner recently and they served some meat. I ate a tiny bit of it and it was not appealing to me. However, it didn’t sort of throw me off course or anything. For me, I’ve got to have that structure of 90% or 95% of the time, sticking to what I know works. However, I’ve relaxed a lot in terms of whether I’m at an event, I always try to plan. However, all my friends and family know how I eat, but sometimes you just have to and that’s life a bit.

Clint – How would your mum describe what you went through in her terms to, say, one of her friends?

Diana – I was in such a state and she used to come into the city three times a week and have lunch with me. It’s because I’d just sit there and I wasn’t having lunch. I’d have a Tupperware container, but we’d meet at a cafe and I’d just sit there and cry. She just said it was her worst nightmare just watching me go through this. She just said you can’t comprehend watching a child go through. My parents didn’t know what to do, but they also were proud of me for being very proactive in finding this program and sticking to it. However, my mum has told me multiple times it was just torture to watch. Like, I just come home from work and I’d bawl for hours. Then, she’d meet me in the city and I’d just be crying for an hour. She just said it was just absolute torture.

Clint – Yeah, it’s not a question I’ve ever asked before. Now with kids who are getting along, Angelina’s ten, I’ve got an eight and a six-year-old. You start to think about it from a different perspective. It used to all be for me, just me and my wife just trying to survive.

Clint – Did you have a relationship at the time throughout this process?

Diana – No, I don’t think or I don’t know how I would have managed with that.

Clint – You were traveling too? Right, I remember from a brief chat before. Where were you?

Diana – I was in Melbourne, but I was the head of the supply chain for a big apparel label. I was traveling a lot and I was in Asia 5 to 6 times a year. Then, interstate once a fortnight and it was a lot to juggle.

Clint – If you meet someone next to them on a plane, they’re traveling on a domestic flight. You’ve got an hour together and they tell you have rheumatoid. Before the advice that you would give them or before you never see each other again. I’m curious what level of confidence would you have. If they paid you, $1 million, that you could turn their life around based on what you now know about this disease.

Diana – Well, I have 100% confidence that this program works. It works for anyone who applies themselves to and tries it. I remember having a conversation with you at the time, years ago. There were a lot of people on the forum who were like, I’m finding this isn’t working or that. Then, we had a conversations and they’re not sticking to the program. I have complete confidence that it’s funny though. I sing your praises and I sing the program’s praises, but I have almost weirdly become a bit protective. It’s because as you and I have discussed, you’ve got to be open and you have to be interested. Even the other day, my dad was talking to a friend who’s got severe rheumatoid arthritis. Then, Dad’s like you should talk to Diana. Then mum’s like, they’re not going to like they’re not going to listen. As much as I would have complete confidence. I know this program works and I know it works for anyone who applies themselves to it. I have become a bit more protective in terms of who I spend the time going through with it. It’s because you’ve got to be open and I know quite a few people with rheumatoid arthritis. I’ve tried to talk to them and their eyes just sort of glaze over. However, I have complete confidence.

Clint – It’s interesting, isn’t it? I’ve not asked that question before either. The reason I asked you that question. It is because you’ve just described the level of determination where you will go as far as it takes to get well. That’s what I see and have seen in the past of myself. When you know that you can go there where the days are very dark and the thoughts are very awful in your mind. You can’t see a way out and yet you get out of that, you believe that. If you can go to that literally below rock bottom and survive. Someone else can get out of their situation, you know they can with the right level of commitment and determination. Of course, the right strategies, tactics, and all of this stuff. I think that’s been valuable for me to hear from you and sense that from you. It is because I believe that to anyone that I meet with this condition. I believe that it’s the tip of the iceberg currently as to how they’re living their life compared to the quality of the life they could be leading. It’s a 7% or 9% quality of life that they currently have normally. Then, the bulk of their existence is below the surface, sitting there, and ready to be unleashed. The health, joy, vibrancy, confidence, and the looking forward to the future. I really believe that everyone’s just scratching the surface.

Diana – I mean, looking back on that time, I wish I had approached it a lot more calmly. I think also, I wish I’d sort of just enjoyed it a bit. I learned a lot but there were all these amazing people on the forum. It just was like looking back, it was like an amazing thing to do. I wish I hadn’t approached it as such a doom and gloom. I wish I had breathed and been like, I found this. I’ve connected with all these amazing people who understand and everything will be okay. It’s having that forum to be able to speak to people, and ask questions, and that’s incredible. I remember at the time she was maybe Swedish, or there was a girl who lived in London. She made this huge Instagram page about how she was progressing. I feel like she turned it into quite a positive. It was quite a positive thing that she did. Whereas for me, I wish I had trusted and enjoyed the process more.

Clint – Interesting isn’t it?

Diana – The other thing I was going to say is my dad was diagnosed last December with a rare form of cancer. I did similarly approach this and I found someone in Sydney who had sort of treated this cancer holistically. However, also under the guidance of an oncologist. He’s written a book, and he and I connected. He did say to me when we last spoke, he said, you’re the 3%. Then I said, oh, what do you mean? He said, you’re wired to ask all these questions and want to know. He said, a lot of people would just also wonder too. If it’s a certain type that’s attracted to the program. It is because I’ve got a very good friend who’s got very severe Crohn’s disease. He got diagnosed, and he takes Methotrexate and a whole lot of other drugs. He has no interest in looking at diet. Any time he and I ever talk to him, he’s like, that’s just what the doctors have told me. However, it’s I guess that’s just not how I think.

Clint – I’ve never understood what’s the difference between those who get it and those who don’t get it. Going way back, one of the first podcasts we ever did. I interviewed a guy called Danny, and he was your era. He was maybe just before you and you might have seen him floating in and out. At that time, he’d already got. Well, he was back playing the guitar and everything. They had to carry him to the hospital. Anyway, after 12 months, we had him off all his meds. He was as good as gold, like absolutely perfect. I did two interviews with him and his whole theme is it’s about taking self-responsibility. He says that the hardest thing is to accept that it falls on your shoulders. However, people don’t want that and they don’t want it. They think it’s the doctor’s responsibility to provide the answers. However, ultimately to accept responsibility that something in our past has contributed to the onset of the disease. Maybe subconsciously, like we didn’t know the way we were living. Our lifestyle was making us vulnerable. Then the acceptance and the responsibility that our actions now are going to dictate how our future is going to be. Thus, that’s heavy on the shoulders and people don’t want that.

Diana – It’s also exciting to know that you can kind of master your own destiny. It excites me and I don’t want to sit and spat out a whole lot of information. I have learned through all of this though. It very much is kind of how you think or how you don’t. There are a lot of people who are just not open. I guess even if I wasn’t maybe open to a more alternative or natural approach. I would still want to know, like, I still am just inquisitive. I’d want to know the science behind it, the success rate, and stuff like that.

Clint – I used to think that if I could get this under control. Then, I could do anything, because nothing before this, I’d done an honors degree in laser physics. I thought, that’s going to be the hardest thing that I’ve ever done in my life. Then, this just blew that out of the water trying to get well from this. It was just like year after year of misery, right? What has this experience that you went through now provided in terms of value or empowerment or confidence or something entirely different that makes you a better person?

Diana – I think that going through something like this puts a lot of things into perspective. I think with small things in life don’t get worked up over it. It is because I’m happy to be pain-free and living the life I always wanted. Then, I don’t do this for friends and that it’s more family. It’s given me the skill set to read blood tests. Ny mum was diagnosed with something with her thyroid, 18 months ago. We looked at that from a diet perspective. Then, she’s it’s all rectified and she’s medication free. My family would maybe say from a medical perspective, it’s given me some skill sets. I have training or anything. Nowadays, if someone presents something to me medically. I think I know the questions to ask. I know where to look in terms of finding some other answers. I would say just not sweating the small stuff. Then, just the way I approach, I guess if anyone’s been unwell in my family.

Clint – I like those. What about from the point of view of when there’s a business challenge? one of the last things I’ll ask you is about your business. When it comes to problems that present themselves. Do you think you can tap into a deeper reservoir of self resilience or deeper roots if you can overcome problems because of what you’ve been through?

Diana – Well, yes, I think I am very resilient. I think that I kind of have a mentality that I can overcome anything. However, I don’t really see problems and maybe that’s not a great thing. I don’t view something as a problem. I’m looking at a solution that I don’t like. One of my clients if I ever say to her something, she’ll be like, yeah, but we don’t think like that. This is how we’ll solve it. I think I’ve got a lot of resilience, but also I don’t see problems.

Clint – I love it. It’s either a success or it’s a lesson kind of mentality.

Diana – When you’ve been through something like this and you’ve got yourself out of it. I do feel like you can do anything a bit. Like where a lot of people just see these small hurdles or problems, I don’t see things like that.

Clint – It’s a beautiful sort of mindset to have, especially if it’s kind of subconscious. You’re not working at that and it’s just how you view life. I think that’s wonderful. I’d like to develop a little bit more of those skills as well. Then you have a business now. You mentioned before that you’re working a dream job. We don’t need to get into something that’s not as relevant for our audience. However, what’s it like running your own business? Is your business of interest to anyone in our community that you could offer services to or is it something completely unrelated?

Diana – Yes, it’s unrelated and I help scale consumer-based brands. Thus, I get bought into apparel labels, homewares, and that to help sort of fix issues in the businesses and help scale them. I’m not sure how that relates to the Paddison Program. I guess, being in charge of the structure of my week and days. I work across a lot of different businesses, which I love. It is because I feel like I’m learning new sort of skills and things every day. I think going through what I’ve been through has just given me a lot of confidence to do this. Then, running your own business isn’t for everyone. However, I just feel like I wanted more out of life than working for someone and working incredibly long hours. I wanted to almost do that for myself.

Clint – Fantastic, it’s all fallen into place the way that you wanted it to. You’ve gone dream job to even better, which is running your own company. Then, you help people probably who are doing what you used to consider your dream job. Now, you’re advising companies and helping these big brands, which is really cool. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate the insights that you’ve given and all of the details of the journey. I think what comes across is how big of a struggle it was. Then, how much have you stuck with it? You’re able to realize I am doing everything that I need to be doing. Your nervous system allows that transition from flight or fight into a kind of rest digest. This helped to finally balance the microbiome a little further. You’re able to come down, get off that Plaquenil, and get your microbiome sorted. Now, build such tolerance that you can eat out at restaurants symptom-free. Then, you also have some other things here and just doing fantastically for years and years now or five years. I’m so glad we connected, Diana. I appreciate your sharing.

Diana – Thank you. One last thing I will say that I guess helped me the most too. It is because I feel like sometimes I listen to podcasts and I’m like, but how did they do it? I would also say, if you are part of the forum, ask a lot of questions. There’s an incredible wealth of knowledge of people on these forums. I remember even one day my feet were so bad and I was like, I don’t know what to do. Someone was like, try potassium. Then I think, Clint, you chimed in and was like, try it. I was like, wow, I’ve got an instant solution. I would also just say, to ask as many questions. It is because the more you ask, the more you’ll learn.

Clint – Thank you. Yes, that particular forum is now bundled into our six-month breakthrough coaching. If people are interested, we have built a huge infrastructure of medical support through an MD as well as physical therapy and everything. We’ve got an online health and wellness center that extends over six months to get people well. Thus, they don’t have to stress on their own and that’s the way we’re shifting our business. Thank you, it’s amazing. Thanks so much, Diana. We’ll continue to ponder on what you’ve shared. Congratulations again.

Diana – Sure, thank you so much.