Breaking Free: My Journey from Pharmaceuticals to Natural Healing

I never set out to be an herbalist.

I never thought I’d be here—sharing my story, talking about healing, and living in a body that feels like my own again. I now see that God had a plan for me all along.

For years, I followed the path laid out for me— taking prescriptions, and doing what I was told to manage my health. I had Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and like so many others, I believed that pharmaceuticals were my only option. Looking back, I see how I got trapped in a cycle that kept making me more sick instead of better.

One medication turned into another. Then another. Each new drug came with side effects that required more drugs to manage. The spasticity, the brain fog, the fatigue—I thought it was just my condition worsening, but in reality, it was the medications snowballing on top of each other. I was drowning in prescriptions, and I didn’t even realize it.

Then, I got aspirated pneumonia, and everything changed.

The Illness That Changed Everything

After three days in the hospital, the doctors sent me home with a grim prognosis. They told my husband to prepare for the worst, as the antibiotics were unlikely to work. But my husband is stubborn. He refused to accept that this was the end.

Desperate for a solution, he called his Great Uncle Butch (we love you and miss you!) and asked him what his mom would do when they were sick with respiratory infections. Uncle Butch shared a family remedy: steaming with thyme.

Following his advice, my husband placed me over a bowl containing 2 tablespoons of thyme and 2 cups of steaming hot water, three times a day. I inhaled the steam deeply, hoping for any sign of improvement, praying for healing.

A week later, we returned to the Doctor. He was stunned. "It's a miracle. What did you do? You should be dead." My husband explained the thyme steam remedy. The doctor admitted he had seen studies on such treatments but had never witnessed their effectiveness firsthand.

Research supports the use of thyme essential oil in respiratory conditions. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that inhalation of Thymus vulgaris L. essential oil improved respiratory conditions in patients. The treatment facilitated the clearance of the mucous membrane, improved gas exchange in alveoli, and increased oxygen saturation in patients' blood.

> Turabian Citation:

P. Gallego et al., "Antimicrobial and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Thymus vulgaris in Pneumonia Treatment," Journal of Ethnopharmacology 284 (2022): 114898, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2022.114898.

This experience was a revelation. If a simple, natural remedy could save me from pneumonia when conventional medicine had given up, what other holistic approaches might help my MS?

The Withdrawals That Opened My Eyes

Because my MS medication suppressed my immune system, I wasn’t allowed to take it while recovering from pneumonia.

I didn’t expect anything major. Maybe some extra fatigue, maybe a few bad days.

I was not prepared for what happened next.

The worst nerve pain of my life hit me like a freight train. The burning, the electric shocks, the deep, unbearable pain that made even the lightest touch feel like fire.

I was convinced that my MS had taken a brutal turn. I thought, this is it—this is how it's going to be.

But then, something strange happened.… the pain vanished, it had been Withdrawals.

Not just back to normal—beyond normal.

That was the moment I knew.

I had never had nerve pain before taking pharmaceuticals.

The medications weren’t just managing my MS—they were creating new symptoms, snowballing the problem, and trapping me in a cycle of dependency.

Becoming an Herbalist: A New Path to Healing

Once I saw the truth, I couldn’t unsee it.

I needed to understand how my body actually worked. I needed to know how to heal naturally, how to support my nervous system, and how to take charge of my own health.

That’s when I began studying herbalism, and human biology.

I became a certified herbalist and am constantly continuing my education in natural healing, traditional medicine, and human biology.

I started to realize: God gave us everything we need to heal. I had just been looking in the wrong places.

The Mushrooms That Helped Me Heal

1. Reishi: The Inflammation Fighter

🔍 What Science Says:

A study in Frontiers in Pharmacology found that reishi reduces inflammation and regulates immune function, making it beneficial for nerve pain and autoimmune conditions.

📖 Reference:

Wachtel-Galor, Sissi, and Ichikawa, Haruyo. "Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi): A Medicinal Mushroom." Frontiers in Pharmacology 2 (2011): 24. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2011.00024.

✔️ Reduced inflammation = less nerve pain

✔️ Supported my immune system without suppressing it

✔️ Helped with stress and sleep, both of which impact healing

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2. Turkey Tail: The Immune Balancer

🔍 What Science Says:

Research in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology confirms that turkey tail modulates immune responses, helping prevent inflammation that can contribute to nerve pain.

📖 Reference:

Ooi, Vincent EC, and Liu, Feng. "Immunomodulation and Anti-Cancer Activity of Polysaccharide-Protein Complexes." Journal of Ethnopharmacology 65, no. 1 (1999): 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(98)00141-9.

✔️ Helped prevent immune overreactions

✔️ Reduced inflammation that can trigger nerve pain

✔️ Supported gut health, which plays a role in overall health

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3. Lion’s Mane: The Nerve Regenerator

🔍 What Science Says:

A study in the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms found that lion’s mane stimulates Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), which helps repair and protect nerves.

📖 Reference:

Kawagishi, Hirokazu, et al. "Hericenones and Erinacines: Stimulators of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) Synthesis in Hericium erinaceus." International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms 6, no. 2 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.40.

✔️ Helped heal my nerves

✔️ Reduced nerve pain and tingling

✔️ Improved brain function and focus

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4. Cordyceps: The Energy Booster

🔍 What Science Says:

A study in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that cordyceps reduces inflammation and improves mitochondrial function, which is key for energy production.

📖 Reference:

Ji, Dong, et al. "Effect of Cordyceps sinensis on the Treatment of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in C57BL/6 Mice." BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 17, no. 1 (2017): 322. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-1820-0.

✔️ Boosted my energy and stamina

✔️ Helped fight muscle weakness and fatigue

✔️ Supported oxygen use and lung function

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My Story, My Choices My Faith

I never expected to be here.

I never expected to step away from pharmaceuticals.

I never expected to realize that my medications were making my symptoms worse, not better.

Now, I know the truth.

I’ve found natural tools that actually support my healing instead of just masking symptoms. I’m no longer dependent on something that was working against me.

I didn’t understand why I was going through all of it—why the pain kept coming, why my body felt like it was failing me. But looking back now, I see that God was leading me somewhere greater. He wasn’t just letting me suffer—He was giving me the challenges that would open my eyes, that would bring me to the life I’m in today.

If you’ve experienced relief through natural remedies, I’d love to hear your story. Drop a comment below!

And if you’re searching for answers, don’t forget to pray.

God has already provided so much—we just have to look.

Rooted in tradition, crafted for wellness, and always guided by faith.

—Momma J, The Frozen Herbalist