Episode 12: Beth Chen. Chronic illness, pregnancy, Motherhood and healing.

Beth Chen remembers being “the healthy one” in her immediate family. Her parents battled cancer and her sister dealt with a neurological disorder that was only recently diagnosed as autoimmune and up until her 30’s, she felt reasonably healthy.

It was after getting sick to her stomach on a cruise that things began to take a downward turn. Beth felt that she never truly recovered and began dealing with increasingly severe, multiple food intolerances that caused her much pain and distress.

However, it was only after discovering that she was pregnant, something she had already been told would probably not happen, that the gloves came off and things became a lot worse.

After giving birth to her son and still feeling depleted and damaged from the birth, Beth eventually ended up being diagnosed as hypothyroid, developing severe, systemic Candida and watching her weight drop alarmingly to 100 lbs.

This whole process put a huge strain on both her marriage and her experience of being a Mother and she found herself becoming exhausted, sick, overwhelmed and afraid.

Find our what Beth did to start getting her life and health back under control in Episode 11. You can listen here, or subscribe on Apple/iTunes or search on Spotify and Google.

Beth Chen is Mama to a beautiful boy, self-taught cook and photographer. Besides the kitchen, her favourite place is her backyard where she chases her kiddo and is attempting to turn her black thumb green.

Finding joy in eating to heal and sharing her recipes and wellness tips, on her blog bonaippetit.com, with others is what fuels her.