Shawn Kirkpatrick
Opelika Observer
It’s a new year and losing weight, along with better overall health, is at the top of resolution lists. But for many, one goal is to better manage their chronic fatigue or pain.
At the Opelika Sportsplex, there’s now a health coach that knows from experience what it is like to live with chronic pain. Health Coach Yvette Davis said she had her first symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis around the age of 13, but wasn’t diagnosed with secondary progressive MS until she was in her 30s. “My neurologist told my husband to look for a nursing home. In six months you won’t be able to manage her, said Davis. “At that point I could barely walk. Some days I couldn’t dress myself, and most of the time I couldn’t talk. I was stuttering intensely. We went home from the appointment and we said there has to be something else.”
Davis and her husband went online and found a group of people with MS managing their disease using natural methods. “I cut out gluten and sugar and started taking supplements. And slowly, I started seeing improvements. I could see across the room, I could hold a fork, little things, and those little things kind of built.” She said as she improved and learned more, she decided she wanted to teach others what she was doing. So, Davis went back to school to study the field of naturopathic science. Each week, Davis said she bases her class on who is in the class and what their needs are.
According to Davis, a major health issue that many people need help with is chronic fatigue. “The kind of fatigue that most people don’t know about,” said Davis. “It takes too much energy to cry or even sometimes too much energy to move a finger. The kind of debilitating fatigue that comes with a lot of illnesses.” Davis said she teaches how to better manage it using natural methods and inform her students on two crucial things to do for good overall health.
“Diet is critical. Eighty-five percent of your health is what you eat.” Davis said. “And attitude is critical. If you don’t believe you can do it, then you won’t do it.” “Also, sitting or standing stationary is a bad thing. You need to move as much as you can.”
Davis added that anyone with chronic illness should focus on the small accomplishments. “If you couldn’t walk across the living room a week ago and you can today, that’s a huge accomplishment and you need to celebrate those things and pay attention to them because they’re important.”
To attend any of Davis’ classes, call the Sportsplex at (334) 705-5560 to get the most up-to -date class schedule. Davis also offers individual sessions. For more information, go to her website msquill.com.