My Health Journey With Restless Legs Syndrome

 I developed restless legs syndrome, also known as Wilkin's Ekbom Disease, when I was 23 years old. It started when I had moved out with my then boyfriend, now ex husband. Every time I would try to rest at night, my legs would start itching uncontrollably. I thought I had some severe skin issue. I kept telling my parents, my doctor, and everyone else that when I tried to rest at night, my legs kept itching, especially my left leg. Obviously since at that time I interpreted the sensations as an "itch," I was trying anti-itch lotions, Benadryl, basically anything prescribed for skin itching, and of course, none of it worked. 

Unfortunately at that young age and with the lack of information at hand, I made no connection between my diet, my overall lifestyle, and this leg itching that I was experiencing. I thought it was some complex problem that would never go away. Well it turns out that I was totally right about it being a complex problem, because it has been hard to get my legs to respond positively to things that would normally help other people and work for them. But the part about never going away, there came a point where I simply refused to believe that anymore, and I still refuse to believe that, even though after almost twenty years, I still have not fully conquered this disease. 

My goal for the year of 2022 is to overcome restless legs syndrome, and I am making great strides. My plan is to share everything that helps me in this blog, in hopes that it might help someone else out there who is also experiencing severe restless legs syndrome. Since after so many years of having it, my disease has become very severe, I also experience symptoms during the day time when I attempt to relax and be still. The sensations feel like stinging, burning, itching, and piercing. So far, I have overcome the insomnia  aspect of restless legs syndrome. I have figured out how to fall asleep and stay asleep at night.

In addition to restless legs syndrome, I also had a phase of severe heartburn and acid reflux. I have pretty much cured that problem. I try to keep my home stocked with all of the natural remedies that I need in case I do get an occasional GI upset. I used to get it every single day. 

Please join me on my journey toward healing. Even if you don't have restless legs syndrome, acid reflux, or eczema, which are all health problems that I have struggled with, you can still benefit from reading this blog. I am a firm believer that food and nature are our medicine. I choose to be free from pharmaceutical medication and use whatever long-term and short-term remedies that nature has to offer.