Why do I have rheumatoid arthritis? Clint answers this question in three parts, covering both the physiological and philosophical aspects of developing and dealing with the condition.

We discuss in this episode:

• Clint’s journey with RA, the physiological causes and how he deals with it
• Life’s balancing forces and a useful interpretation of the condition
• How he has been able to use his very unique skill set to transform his condition and help other people who were suffering

Why do I have rheumatoid arthritis? I’m sure you’ve asked that question of yourself many times throughout your time with this condition. I got asked the question recently by someone I haven’t seen in 18 years who I caught up with a close friend the other day. Why do you have rheumatoid arthritis? And I answered this question in three parts, and the second two parts of my answer fascinated her, and we got into a deep discussion about it because it was so interesting what I had said. And so I decided that I would share my answer to why I have rheumatoid arthritis with you because of her interest and because maybe it might be thought provoking for yourself. Or maybe it’s just interesting to see how someone else views this condition.

The first part of it was a mechanical answer, a physiological response that I’ll share with you first, and then we’ll talk about the second two parts of my answer. The first is a simple correlation between antibiotic use, dysbiosis, and the development of rheumatoid. So I took antibiotics as a teenager from the age of around about 16 through 21. And throughout that time I just kept getting script after script filled for antibiotics. And no doctor ever questioned whether or not it was a good idea to continue these drugs. I was too young to understand the potential side effects. So I had then a dysbiotic microbiome, which means a messed up bacteria in my gut between the age of about probably 16.5 through to my early 30s, at which point as an entertainer. As a stand up comedian, I went and performed throughout the Middle East on a 16-day tour performing for the Western troops who were over there deployed. And prior to the deployment I had to take the same exact doxycycline antibiotic, and I took it for three months as per my requirements to be able to have malaria prevention. Upon returning to Australia within a few months, I developed rheumatoid arthritis. And so in my case I’m all but certain that my onset of rheumatoid relates to the scientific supported correlation between antibiotic use and rheumatoid arthritis, which is both dose dependent and also recency associated, meaning the total amount of antibiotics increases your risk, and the recency of when those antibiotics were taken increases your risk, and I had a huge dose and I also additionally taken them recently. We’ve done other podcasts about this, I’ll put a link right here on this video to a video where you can go and learn more about the connection between antibiotics and rheumatoid arthritis.

Now the second two parts as to why I have rheumatoid arthritis perhaps quite distinguishable against other people’s views as to why they have rheumatoid arthritis and they’re quite personal that I’m going to share with you now and a little bit vulnerable. So if you have different views or you think this is something that doesn’t apply to you, then that’s fine. But here’s just some insights for me because these were the ones that were quite interesting for my friend. So reason number two then is because of the following. When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 31, I had pretty much no major health problems prior to that, with the exception of the problems of a dysbiotic gut, which for me were indigestion, bloating and some sensitivity to particularly dairy products which would block up my nose when I would try and breathe. Other than those sort of just unpleasant trees with my health, I’d know I’d never broken a bone, I’d never had any serious health problems other than those digestive inconveniences, and I had an unbelievable life. I mentioned the touring with stand up. I’d been on TV a few times here in Australia doing stand-up. My career was going amazing and something that I loved to do. I had a blessed life in so many aspects with my university degree and the accolades associated with that and stayed straight into an amazing high tech start up company, which put me in charge of nearly 100 people as a senior manager at the age of 24. I mean, there was some insane things.

I had a wonderful support network of amazing friends and my parents who still today are happily married and together on a vast, spacious farm, living in the country where they’re happy. My relationship with my only sibling is amazing. Living in a wonderful country with beautiful weather and wonderful healthcare. So many things to be grateful for. And I was just a very, very, very happy living, an amazing life kind of guy. And so when rheumatoid arthritis hit, it was not until a few years later, but I started to apply the thoughts that I actually maintained to this day, which is that it was a balancing of my life in terms of things that I considered good as a label and things that I would consider bad. I’d done work with Dr. Demartini, who teaches this concept that he calls the breakthrough method, and it is an equilibrium rising process that we go through to understand that with all things in life, there’s no good, there’s no bad, everything is in balance. The world is in balance. And the insights that I gained from the sessions with Dr. Demartini made me appreciate and contemplate this concept that for me, there weren’t many negatives in my life that I would label. And this was one giant heck of a negative that came into my life, this debilitating joint pain that put me into a state of mind where I wondered if life was worth living. A lot of people say that, but I mean, I was like, I can say that with genuine intention that I’d said to my later fiancé, Melissa, who I’m now married with, that she’d be better off if I was hit by a bus because of the horrific things that I was going through. So that second part of the three part answer is that I believe that it was a balancing experience and that disease plays a role in just equilibrating, perhaps my life. The benefit of thinking that way, and it is only an interpretation of course, it’s just an interpretation. But the benefit of thinking that way is I now think that nothing terrible is on the horizon because I feel that my life is balanced now. And that is again, just an interpretation, but it’s a supportive one and it’s one that I like.

The third part of Why did I get rheumatoid arthritis also is a philosophical interpretation of this condition. And what it is, is that, well, I need to rewind a little bit and give you a little bit of a insight into my relationship with God. So whilst I did not grow up in a religious family and I did not attend church more than the Easter and Christmas sessions each year at the local church in my little town, I’ve always had a private and strong connection with God. When I began to discover the relationship between the digestive system and rheumatoid arthritis by having the initial breakthrough or what I call the cherry experience, where I vomited and diarrhea from eating unwashed imported cherries and then had a pain like elimination experience like no other. And then started to look at the research and found and I’ll never forget the feeling of just mind blowing opportunity and excitement when I discovered that in a study, everyone with rheumatoid arthritis, when they stopped eating, their symptoms went away. And so I thought, Oh my gosh, everyone and I are the same and we all have this connection or the discontinuation of the consumption of food and pain relief. When I felt that, then it took the feeling away of just my misery to one of opportunity and potentially as an educational role. And so it was that cherry incident that changed everything because it was not just a personal discovery, but it was like a life discovery or a purpose. It was a purpose discovery. And so then I was working not just for myself to try and get well, but I felt like for the rheumatoid arthritis community, of which I did not know anybody. And so this was suddenly, Oh wow, I’ve got an opportunity here to create information about what I’m doing and sharing it.

This brings me to the final conclusion, which is that I believe that God has given me a cross to bear of rheumatoid arthritis on my back, and that is my skill set, which is very unique of having 22 years of professional entertainment and speaking experience at corporate events and presenting and and on top of a four year first class honours, research driven degree in science and technology. Which was focused around problem solving and research along with an extremely dramatic and chronic experience with this disease that is comparable to anybody and a story to tell of recovery of that condition throughout many, many years of effort and for the most part failure. That I have the skill set, the faith and the conviction and transparency to be able to add some value to the rheumatoid arthritis community. And so that’s the way that I think about this disease. We have the physiological impact of taking antibiotics on top of eating in a dysbiotic way. Throughout my 20s, where I would drink alcohol and I would consume a Western diet and just feel like I was fine because I’ve always had a slim and athletic body and I could get away with average eating. So I developed rheumatoid arthritis through the physiological behaviors. But I believe that there are also overlaid on top of that outcome beneficial belief systems that enable me to deal with having it and turn this very, very unpleasant life experience into something that is more productive, supportive and useful. And so those second two of balancing my life and also of being able to contribute to the rheumatoid arthritis community.

I explained all this to my friend who I hadn’t seen in 18 years, and she was very, very interested in it. We then talked at length about these kind of concepts and her life journey and so on. And I thought it would be a wonderful thing to stimulate some thought for you too, about our discussion around these concepts and have you think about what’s the mechanical way that this disease came about for you, the physiological reasons. Did you take antibiotics even once a year or every other year on top of a Western lifestyle with very little significant exercise? Because if you just did that, that combination that can lend itself to this condition, as we see with 1% to 3% of the Western population developing inflammatory arthritis. And then if you can look at how this may have come about and come to a reasonable kind of some associations of what may have caused it. Then on top of that, what interpretations have you made with your condition, whether they some of them be faith based like mine or some of them may be contribution based, like maybe you are assisting some other people in your small community or beyond and helping them with a condition like this or similar, or have you got even a different interpretation altogether? And what I would encourage you, if one of them is negative, if one of them is because I deserve it, or if one of them is I just knew that something like this would happen to me because I’m unlucky. If something like that bubbles up in your mind when you think about this? Then I would say as a priority, this needs to be addressed. Look at ways that you can apply a different interpretation to why you have rheumatoid arthritis. And then try and really embody that so that it becomes the new interpretation and it is a positive one or a positive two, as in my case.

So I hope that’s helpful. And if you like this video, give us a thumbs up. Make sure you subscribe to the channel. I appreciate it. And for now, I hope this is thought provoking and I’ll see you in the next video.