Be Your Own Advocate When It Comes to Your Care

Advocate

Be Your Own Advocate When It Comes to Your Care

Being diagnosed with metabolic syndrome was not an answer. It was a beginning.

It would have been easy to treat that diagnosis as the final explanation — a label to accept and move on from. But I knew in my gut there was more to understand. A diagnosis names something. It does not always explain why it is happening.

For the last two years, I have been on my own health journey trying to figure out what on earth was going on with me. Low energy. Hormone shifts. Thyroid confusion. Lab values that didn’t match how I felt. Medications layered on top of medications. “Normal” results that didn’t feel normal in my body.

And I did not settle.

Last week I returned to Integrative Medicine to continue making adjustments. We were able to remove one thyroid medication and eliminate Metformin while adding some natural alternatives. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because I kept asking questions. I kept tracking symptoms. I kept writing things down. I kept going back.

Advocacy is not aggression. It is engagement.

And when it comes to your health — engagement matters.

What Metabolic Syndrome Actually Means

When I was diagnosed, it sounded big and overwhelming.

But metabolic syndrome is not one disease.It’s a cluster of risk factors that tend to show up together.

A diagnosis typically includes at least three of the following:

• Elevated fasting glucose (insulin resistance)

• Increased waist circumference

• High triglycerides

• Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol

• Elevated blood pressure

In simple terms, it means your body is struggling with metabolic efficiency.

Often, the root issue is insulin resistance — when your cells stop responding well to insulin, forcing your body to produce more of it. Over time, that affects fat storage, inflammation, energy levels, hormones, and cardiovascular risk.

But here is what matters:

Metabolic syndrome is not a life sentence.It is a warning signal.

And warning signals are invitations to investigate.

For me, it raised deeper questions:

• Why was insulin resistance happening?

• Was stress contributing?

• Were thyroid levels truly optimized?

• Was inflammation being addressed?

• Was sleep part of the issue?

• Were medications helping or simply masking?

A diagnosis identifies the cluster.It does not automatically solve the root cause.

Normal Is Not the Same as Optimal

One of the biggest lessons I have learned over these two years:

Lab ranges are wide.

For example:

• TSH may be “normal” between roughly 0.4–4.5 — but many people feel best closer to 1–2.

• Fasting glucose under 100 is “normal” — but consistently trending high 90s can signal early insulin resistance.

• Triglycerides under 150 are acceptable — but under 100 is often metabolically healthier.

Normal is statistical.

Optimal is personal.

You deserve conversations about optimal.

What Being Your Own Advocate Actually Looks Like

It does not mean arguing with your provider.It does not mean self-diagnosing from the internet.It does not mean rejecting medical advice.

It means:

• Writing down questions as they come up

• Tracking symptoms honestly

• Bringing notes to appointments

• Asking for copies of labs

• Asking what each marker means

• Asking what your options are

• Asking when to re-test

• Asking, “Is this still necessary?”

I bring a notebook to appointments.I write questions down in real time.I follow up.I revisit.I adjust.

I do not disappear when something feels off.

And neither should you.

Medication Is Not Failure — But It’s Also Not Always the Final Answer

There is nothing wrong with medication.Sometimes it is necessary.Sometimes it is lifesaving.

But sometimes medication is layered onto symptoms without asking deeper questions.

In my case, over time we evaluated:

• Thyroid medication types and dosages

• Insulin resistance markers

• Inflammation patterns

• Hormone shifts

• Stress load

Adjustments were made carefully and responsibly.One thyroid medication was removed.Metformin was removed.Natural alternatives were added strategically.

That required honesty.That required lab work.That required persistence.

You are allowed to reassess.

Especially for Women Over 40

Let’s say this clearly:

Women are often dismissed.

Symptoms get labeled:

• Stress

• Aging

• Perimenopause

• “That’s just how it is”

No.

Metabolic shifts, thyroid dysfunction, cortisol dysregulation, insulin resistance, hormone imbalance — these are real. And they deserve investigation.

You deserve to feel well — not just acceptable.

And Men — This Applies to You Too

Men are often just as quiet about symptoms — sometimes even more so. Fatigue, weight gain around the middle, rising blood pressure, low motivation, poor sleep, declining strength — these are not just “getting older.” Insulin resistance, testosterone shifts, thyroid dysfunction, stress overload, and inflammation affect men significantly, especially after 40. Many men are told to “watch it” and come back in a year. That’s not a plan. That’s a pause.

You deserve answers too.

Tracking your labs, asking what optimal looks like, questioning medication necessity, and understanding your metabolic health is not weakness — it’s leadership. Your family benefits when you take ownership of your health. Prevention is strength. Engagement is responsibility. And advocacy is not emotional — it’s strategic.

Track Your Body Like You Track Your Food

You already know I believe in tracking.

Tracking your health markers is just as powerful.

Track:

• Energy levels

• Sleep quality

• Mood

• Cravings

• Hair changes

• Skin shifts

• Weight trends

• Medication reactions

Patterns tell stories.Stories lead to better conversations.Better conversations lead to better care.

You Are Not Alone in This

One of the most important things I want you to remember:

You do not have to sit in appointments feeling overwhelmed.

I am here to advocate for you too.

I can help you:

• Organize your questions

• Review your labs

• Prepare for appointments

• Process options• Think through next steps

• Stay steady during adjustments

Sometimes you just need someone grounded beside you saying,“Ask that.”“Clarify that.”“Let’s not rush that.”

Advocacy is a skill.And like every skill, it strengthens with practice.

Final Thought

For two years, I have stayed in the process.I have not settled.I have not disappeared.I have not said, “Oh well.”

Being diagnosed with metabolic syndrome was not an ending.

It was the moment I decided to become even more engaged in my own care.

Your health deserves your voice.

Be curious.Be honest.Be persistent.

And if you need support — I am Always On Your Side. 💜

— Coach Paris

Want to chat? Book a consultation here: https://www.alwaysonyoursidecoaching.com/service-page/1-1-coaching-consultation

Coach Paris