This is an all-you-need-to-know guide on the 5-day Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) by Prolon. I wanted to share my honest opinion and personal experience as I walk you through each day of eating, how I felt and what the program is all about.

“Plants are nature’s alchemists - masters at combining the curative powers of water, soil and sunlight into the precious substances that we now call medicine.” - Adriana Ayales

I wake up around 6:30am and grab my 7 x 9 navy notebook and a pen. I head to the living room, choosing an oversized black leather chair to sit in and start writing. I skim the pages and realize I’ve written a total of 8 days in a row.

I remember having to throw personal items and clothing away, because the mold issue had gotten so bad. I quickly was able to get out of my lease and temporarily move back in with my parents. Little did I know, that what I had just been exposed to would come to haunt me years later.

…the doctor said it was one of the better lab reports she's seen come back before with no significant bacterial overgrowth, no parasites, and no dysbiosis, however it does show that I have mild/moderate inflammation…

I’ve accomplished quite a bit in the month of May, towards a healthier (more knowledgeable) version of me. I had my first meeting with my functional medicine doctor. I’ve had my blood drawn for A LOT of tests, and then more blood drawn for labs they couldn’t do in-house. I also did the lovely job of collecting stool samples for 3 days to send off. I checked back in with my health coach and lastly, I met with a dietician for the first time, in which I’m now 10 days into both a detox and elimination diet. Now let’s dig in on the different tests taken and why, and the ins and outs of what a 10 day detox looks like, as well as the purpose for an elimination diet.

Sharing the start of my Functional Medicine journey - what the onboarding process looks like, what health coaching sessions entail and answering the question - What is Functional Medicine?

Use these 11 healthy habits as a helpful guideline for bettering your overall lifestyle, and NOT as a pressure-inducing list for perfection.

Foam rollers and trigger point balls have been an ideal method for stretching and massaging sore muscles, but it might be worth considering a massage gun as one of your at-home wellness tools as they can provide much needed relief and muscle recovery.

I’m more focused on the workout apps you see being developed by trainers and influencers in the wellness sphere. Each concocting their unique spin and specialty app offerings - some with a nutrition component, others with community tabs and some with apparel and fitness accessories to accompany their workouts of choice.