Several of our clients have improved their health by working as a team not just with us but with a family member as well, often their spouse. In fact, it’s been proven that people are more successful in taking up healthy habits if their partner makes positive changes, too¹. Some begin their journeys at the same time; others don’t. One key theme that you’ll read below is readiness–readiness to take health into your own hands. Such was the case for Josh L.

You may remember his wife Adina’s inspiring story from a while back. Her before and afters encouraged many!

But this time, it’s not about Adina. Well, that’s not entirely true–because she was certainly a driver for her husband taking the leap for his own health. Let’s rewind:

Josh is a business owner, a dad of two, one who enjoys volunteering, and a guy who hit a point of frustration with his well being, too. Looking back, he attributes this as a part of his motivation to change.

Josh was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease almost 15 years ago and had been seeing a gastroenterologist to manage his care. Symptoms were affecting his quality of life, and though Josh had been taking biologics (medications to help manage his Crohn’s disease) for a couple of years, he just didn’t feel like things were getting better.

Simultaneously, his wife was experiencing success on her own health journey. Their son, who is on the Autism spectrum, was also benefiting from some of the dietary and lifestyle changes that Adina had implemented into the family. Seeing them both have success was part of the catalyst for Josh. The other was his wife, as Josh says, telling him to do it. 🙂

“I own my own business,” says Josh. “My family is a priority. Every other morsel of my time and effort go into my business. We also like to volunteer. These are the areas where I spend my time.”

Up until that point, taking care of himself had not made the cut.

“It was good spousal advice to make yourself a priority too,” Josh reflects.

Their motivations for getting started were different too, not something that’s uncommon. “Adina was more ‘jump all in,’” he says. “I was more dip-my-toe into the pool. As I’ve seen results, I’ve made it more of a priority.”

Managing his auto-immune disease was an initial driver, and this did take high priority in his care. But as we progressed with this entrepreneur, other areas surfaced that were equally important to give some attention.

Throughout the process, Josh received an integrative approach to his Crohn’s, ADD, hormone health, and mold toxicity. And of course lifestyle management, which can support (or contribute) to all of this, needed to be addressed.

As Josh explains, “we don’t intend to, but my wife and I have a fairyl high stress life. This has been an important awareness for me.”

Through his work with Companion Health, he learned techniques that were able to help him manage this stress, which had a positive trickle effect on his sleep.

“Work never seems to end,” he says. “I realized that I have to make a conscious decision to turn the volume button down.”

Josh’s health coach helped him both identify this, as well as come up with tactics to manage the stress, which was leading to interrupted sleep. This continued into the area of boundaries, something that Josh was not consistently using in the past, but IS very much doing so now.

Recent diagnostic testing has shown that his Crohn’s is under control! The disease is not progressing, he’s stopped taking the heavy duty medications, and he’s on an individualized supplementation and peptide program that’s taking their place. He admits to no symptoms, pain or bloating; he feels good!

Of his journey, Josh says this: “I suggest this approach to healthcare to so many of my friends, but I’ve learned that it’s really such an individual choice for someone to join. My encouragement to them is a matter of timing. You have to be ready to take that journey … you can’t talk someone into it.”

Josh’s own before and after photos speak for themselves–what a blessing it was that he was ready to do the work. Not only is he feeling much better, but the visuals show how much less inflamed he is. And the value of less inflammation coupled with feeling better? Priceless.