Let’s welcome this weeks warrior, Mariah!
Hi! I’m Mariah LaMattina. I am from Cape Canaveral FL, but after college moved to Athens, Ga for my husband’s graduate program, then Penn State for his post-grad work, and finally landed in San Diego California. We have been here almost 4 years and LOVE the sunny beaches. We have 2 Carolina dogs and my dream is to rescue many more animals in the future.
After two years of trying to figure out why food caused me pain and GI symptoms, a colonoscopy diagnosed me with UC in 2016. I started a round of prednisone, Lialda, and changed to eating a very low fiber diet based on medical advice.
Over time, I was only able to eat a small variety of foods without causing symptoms and had more frequent flares. After a huge flare in 2018, my second colonoscopy “upgraded” me to Crohn’s, and a little later was diagnosed with PCOS as well (a story for another day). I have tried to take a minimalist approach with my medications, but I do use Lialda when lifestyle and diet changes just aren’t enough. After research, I decided to go almost completely vegan/plant-based and then read the book Fiber Fueled which solidified my decision.
It’s still a very difficult journey. Balancing the foods I add is tough and symptoms in my eyes, teeth, and skin have been hard to deal with. Every day is a bit of a roller coaster because you just don’t know what kind of energy I’ll have or joint pain that might pop up. I know how much worse it can get, so I’m just thankful that I’ve been able to stay at this level for as long as I have. I am open to more drastic medications and surgeries if and when they are necessary, but hope to prolong that progression as long as possible.
The struggle with IBD is real, but it has made me who I am today. Through my journey with it, I’ve found my strength, my passion, and most importantly, my community. I always try to stay positive as much as possible but also keep things real. I share my story not to say I’m right or what I do is right for everyone, but I hope that my story helps someone figure out something faster than I did and save them years of pain. The more we share, the more we learn and that is our greatest defense.
The best advice I have is just that you know your body better than anyone and you know when something isn’t right. I know for years the less I could eat without problems, the crazier I thought I was getting. You’re not crazy, you just have to keep fighting for the right tests and the right diagnosis. Also, tap into this community. Other invisible illness friends are the best. They just get you and everything you’re going through like no one else can.
As a fitness professional, I love to move. Workouts are great for me physically, but almost more importantly, mentally. If I am not doing a home workout, I am probably out at the beach or hiking a trail with my husband and dogs. I like to think that while this diagnosis sucks, we still have so much life to live and I want to live it as healthy as I can, so I keep learning and growing in order to help myself and others live our healthiest life…despite the life altering illness.
I also created a new lifestyle brand to help empower our community to broadcast the strength we have within, help create awareness, fund research, and inspire others to find their strength too. inVisible Voices was formed because through the setback of my disease, I’ve found my passion and I love supporting such an amazing community of warriors.
Feel free to reach out to @mariahlamattina or @the.invisible.voices anytime. I would love to connect with you, learn from you, and support you in any way I can.
Thank you for allowing me to share my story with you,
Mariah
M A R I A H L A M A T T I N A
CEO & Founder of inVISIBLE Voices
IBD Advocate
Thank you Mariah for all you do for the IBD and invisible illness communities! Be sure to give her a follow at the accounts listed above, and reach out any time at [email protected].