We Have to Take Our Health Into Our Own Hands

I finally watched Toxic Nation this week.  Have you seen it?

It made me angry.  Not surprised—but actually furious.

Much of what was discussed, I already knew and have been saying for years:

We are slowly killing ourselves with the foods we eat.

Seed oils. Food dyes. Excess sugar. Ultra-processed foods engineered to keep us addicted and constantly craving more.

And when you realize that Philip Morris—the company behind cigarettes—owned companies like Kraft and General Foods for decades, you have to wonder…

What exactly did we think was going to happen?

The same corporations that mastered addiction through nicotine moved into processed foods. Suddenly our grocery stores became filled with products scientifically designed to make us overeat while providing very little actual nourishment.

Meanwhile, many ingredients and additives allowed in the United States are heavily restricted or banned in parts of Europe because of health concerns.

That should concern all of us.

Then there’s glyphosate—the active ingredient in Roundup—widely used on crops like wheat, corn, soybeans, oats, and more throughout the U.S. Monsanto, the original manufacturer of Roundup, was also one of the companies involved in producing Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.

Multiple lawsuits have linked glyphosate exposure to cancer, and while debate continues around long-term safety, many countries have chosen to heavily restrict its use.

So yes…I’m pissed off.

Because this conversation isn’t abstract for me anymore.

It feels personal.

Like many women in midlife, I’ve been navigating a roller coaster of health issues while trying to find medical care that actually helps instead of handing out shoulder shrugs and bandaid solutions.

I’m in my mid-50s. I’m dealing with menopause. I have Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid. My estrogen levels bottomed out even after months on hormone patches. I have sleep apnea. Brain fog. Exhaustion. Inflammation.

And like so many women, I’ve spent years trying to piece together answers while being bounced from doctor to doctor.

Was my autoimmune disease caused by years of eating processed foods and damage to my gut barrier?

Or was it rooted in chronic childhood stress and trauma—which we also know can impact the immune system?

I’ll probably never fully know.

Maybe it was both.

But what I do know is this:

Too many women are suffering while being dismissed.

A couple of months ago, I went to a local endocrinologist looking for help and guidance. Instead, I left feeling unheard, frustrated, and honestly horrified. Everything he told me contradicted newer research I had read and information I’d received from other practitioners. And when I questioned him, the interaction went downhill fast...he literally threw me out of his office.

I walked out thinking:

How are we supposed to get better when we can’t even have conversations with our doctors?

So now I’m working with a new provider—a chiropractor and nurse practitioner who specializes in hormones and dermatology.

And guess what?

She’s membership-based.

Because under the current insurance model, providers are often limited to rushed appointments where complicated cases get squeezed into 15 minutes.

You cannot untangle years of hormone imbalance, autoimmune symptoms, stress, sleep issues, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction in 15 minutes.

You just can’t.

So now we pay for insurance and a monthly membership fee.

Broken systems everywhere.

But for the first time in a while, I feel hopeful.

Because she listens.

She thinks critically.

She looks at the whole picture instead of isolated symptoms.

And together, we actually have a plan.

Will it take time?

Probably.

But at least it feels like forward movement instead of another dead end.

And don’t even get me started on the estrogen shortages happening while more women are finally seeking hormone support and research around menopause continues to evolve.  We have been put on the back burner for SO SO LONG!

It’s maddening.

But maybe that’s the point of this entire blog.

Not just to vent.

Not just to rage at broken systems.

But to remind women of something incredibly important:

You have to become an advocate for your own health.

Ask questions.

Read.

Research.

Get second opinions.

Pay attention to your body.

Use your intuition.

If something feels off, keep pushing until you find someone willing to listen.

Because YOU matter.  Your HEALTH matters.

And you deserve more than being dismissed, rushed, medicated, and sent on your way.

We cannot outsource our well-being to systems that are clearly overwhelmed, profit-driven, and often reactive instead of preventative.

No one is coming to save us.

So we have to start saving ourselves.

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Remi Gibbs is a certified life coach, positive psychology practitioner, speaker, workshop facilitator, and author of Renovate Your Reality. She helps women in midlife reconnect with their purpose, advocate for their well-being, and design lives rooted in clarity, resilience, and authenticity.

If you’re ready to step into your next chapter with more confidence, self-trust, and support, let’s chat. Learn more at www.renovatedrealities.com or follow along on Instagram and Facebook @RenovatedRealities.