Over the past 40 years in health care, I cared for some of the sickest patients.
Many required IV nutrition. Some were living with liver failure, diabetes, kidney and Cardiac disease, or cancer.
This was the work I was trained to do. And it mattered. But over time, I began to ask a different question. Why are we waiting until people are this sick?
When Health Care Becomes Sick Care
Our system is designed to treat illness. In many ways, health care has become sick care. When I was first diagnosed with Cutaneous Lupus, and excess histamine development. I was given a pill so I would not feel nauseated from the medication that I was taking, and then another one, so I would not excessively salivate. At some point I made changes to my care, and a reduction of pro-inflammatory lifestyle factors so I did not need all of the additional pills.
Medical care is necessary. It is often life-saving. But it typically begins after years—sometimes decades—of underlying imbalance. What I saw repeatedly was this:
These conditions did not start overnight.
The Missing Middle: What Happens Before Diagnosis
Before diagnosis, there are often signals:
- fatigue
- brain fog
- digestive changes
- joint discomfort
- changes in energy or sleep
These are often dismissed or treated individually. But they may be connected.
Understanding the Inflammation Connection
Think of inflammation like a tree.
- The roots represent lifestyle factors: nutrition, stress, environmental exposures
- The trunk represents inflammation
- The branches represent symptoms
When we only focus on the branches, we may miss what is happening at the root level. Over time, this accumulation can increase inflammatory load.
Why This Matters
Chronic inflammation has been associated with many long-term conditions, including:
- cardiovascular disease
- type 2 diabetes
- certain cancers
- neurodegenerative conditions
This does not mean every symptom leads to disease.
But it does suggest that earlier awareness may matter.
A Shift Toward Prevention
This is what led me to shift my focus. Not away from care—but earlier in the process.
Helping people:
- recognize patterns
- identify possible triggers
- reduce overall inflammatory load
Because small changes, made earlier, may reduce long-term risk.
Where to Begin
If you have ever wondered whether your symptoms are connected, you are not alone. Learning how to observe patterns and make realistic adjustments can be a meaningful first step.
Learn More
I created a course to guide this process step by step: Detecting and Reducing Pro-Inflammatory Lifestyle Factors in 30 Days
You can find it at:
StephanieLarmour.com → Course
If you would like references, ask in the comments.