My Chronic Adventure

In this episode of My Chronic Adventure, Tamra Stevenson shares how transforming her environment became the first—and most powerful—step in reducing inflammation and managing her MS symptoms. Moving from Northern to Southern Utah wasn’t just about escaping cold weather and poor air quality; it marked a deeper shift away from chronic stress, emotional suppression, and a life stuck in “fight or flight.”Tamra opens up about the emotional healing that followed—processing grief, trauma, and long-ignored stress—and how that internal work, combined with access to nature, sunlight, and outdoor movement, helped regulate her nervous system. She explains the impact of “green space,” “blue space,” and “light space” in calming the body, boosting vitamin D, and improving overall well-being.More than a story about relocation, this episode is a call to evaluate your own environment—physical, emotional, and mental. Tamra encourages listeners to create space for healing, prioritize themselves daily, and recognize that lasting health changes begin by reducing the stressors surrounding us.

In this episode of My Chronic Adventure, Tamra Stephenson shares how transforming her environment became the first—and most powerful—step in reducing inflammation and managing her MS symptoms. Moving from Northern to Southern Utah wasn’t just about escaping cold weather and poor air quality; it marked a deeper shift away from chronic stress, emotional suppression, and a life stuck in “fight or flight.”Tamra opens up about the emotional healing that followed—processing grief, trauma, and long-ignored stress—and how that internal work, combined with access to nature, sunlight, and outdoor movement, helped regulate her nervous system. She explains the impact of “green space,” “blue space,” and “light space” in calming the body, boosting vitamin D, and improving overall well-being.More than a story about relocation, this episode is a call to evaluate your own environment—physical, emotional, and mental. Tamra encourages listeners to create space for healing, prioritize themselves daily, and recognize that lasting health changes begin by reducing the stressors surrounding us.

Many of us seek connection and support through our health struggles — but at what point does this become an identity, instead of a journey to healing?I used to post about symptoms, rally for awareness, and find purpose in the support. But I realized—I was also craving validation, not just connection. That recognition, that feeling of being seen, can become addictive, and it shifts how we see ourselves.What if the real power is in listening to our bodies — not proving strength or gaining approval, but understanding ourselves?Healing isn't about ignoring symptoms; it's about learning from them and shifting our focus inward. Maybe it’s time to step out of the spotlight and ask: Am I living my illness, or am I living my life?

Tamra shares her personal journey with multiple sclerosis, exploring healing, medication, environment, diet, and mental health strategies that have helped her improve her quality of life.Chapters(00:00) Introduction to Healing and Chronic Illness(00:34) Misunderstanding Healing in Chronic Illness(02:33) Preparing for Disease Progression(04:11) Navigating Medications and Treatment(05:20) Finding the Right Environment for Healing(07:56) Diet and Nutrition's Role in Healing(09:14) Exercise and Movement for Wellness(11:02) The Reality of Living with MS(12:37) Mental Health and Support Systems(15:41) Living Well and Setting GoalsLink for the DNA test https://genewisenutrition.com/

When I was first diagnosed with MS, I thought slowing down was the only way to protect my body. But over time, I discovered something life-changing — I don’t feel worse when I move… I feel better.In this episode, I share how movement became one of the biggest tools in healing my nervous system, supporting my brain, and helping me reconnect with my body. We’ll talk about neuroplasticity in simple terms, why exercise helps regulate stress and chronic illness, and how small, consistent movement habits can create real change.From Pilates and walking to strength training, mobility, and finding joy in movement, I open up about what’s worked for me over 14 years of living with MS — including how I went from fear and fatigue to hiking, daily movement, and feeling strong again.If you’re navigating chronic illness, nervous system dysregulation, or just want to feel better in your body, this episode is for you.Because sometimes healing starts with one simple choice — to move.

After a chronic diagnosis, expectations quietly take over.Expectations about your body, your future, your work, your role, and who you’re supposed to be now.In this episode of Chronic Adventure, I talk about the invisible weight of expectations — the ones doctors warn us about, the ones we place on ourselves, and the pressure to keep life “normal” while being told it might not be.We’ll explore how fear-based expectations shape our choices, why trying to do everything the same can exhaust us, and gentle ways to loosen the grip of “shoulds” so we can respond with more honesty, flexibility, and self-compassion.This conversation is about learning how to release impossible standards, listen differently, and expect more than just getting by.

After my MS diagnosis, everyone kept telling me to “listen to my body.”What no one explained was how hard that is when your body just scared you—and when you’re trying to protect everyone else while quietly falling apart.In this episode, I talk about the resistance that came after diagnosis: wanting my old life back, second-guessing every symptom, pushing through when rest was needed, and pretending I was OK so everyone else wouldn’t worry. I share what it meant to unlearn everything I’d been taught about strength, consistency, and pushing through—and how grief, trauma, and chronic stress showed up not just emotionally, but physically.This is a conversation about learning to slow down, asking for help, and discovering that listening to your body doesn’t make your life smaller—it makes it more sustainable.If you’re living with MS, chronic illness, or navigating a body that’s changed the rules, this episode is for you.

A single sentence changed everything. In this episode, I share the moment of my diagnosis-and how it reshaped my expectations, identity, and the way I move through life.