I vividly remember lying on the floor in kindergarten screaming to my mom because of such immense stomach pain that dragged down for a week at a time. By sixth grade, I would lie in bed with debilitating migraines. I'd have the shades down, sunglasses on, even the smallest amount of light felt unbearable. And then junior year of high school, my parents found me on the ground shaking after I'd fainted and fallen out of a high top chair. In software year of college, that's when my non-epileptic seizures began. I went from having three seizures a day to starting my own podcast and business. Welcome to the Chronic Fighter Podcast, where we help teens and young adults with chronic illness take their lives back. I'm your host, Liv Winkler, a health and nutrition coach, founder of the Chronic Fighter Health Coaching Business, Lifelong Chronic Illness Girl with a degree in psychology and concentration in health coaching. This podcast meets you exactly where you're at in your health journey and offers science-backed tools that changed my life and can change yours too. I would love to be the person for you that I wished I had growing up. Growing up, I didn't dream about one day being rich or owning fancy house. Looking back, all I really wanted was to feel more in control of my health and my life. There's a comic quote that says, you can have a thousand problems in your life until you have a health problem. Then you only have one. And honestly, there were seasons in my life that that felt very true. Maybe you felt that way too. When so much of your day revolves around managing symptoms, it can be hard to think about anything else. But the reality is you're not alone. Chronic illness is far more common than most people realize. In fact, the CDC estimates that around 60% of young adults are living with at least one chronic illness. If you're one of those people, I want you to know that your life isn't over. You still have the ability to build a life that excites you. Over the years, I've made lifestyle changes that have allowed me to better support my body. So even when my symptoms flare, they don't get to dictate everything I do. And I want to teach you how to do the same. Hi, welcome to the first episode of the Chronic Fighter Podcast. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm your host, Liv Winkler. This podcast has been in the works for a long time now. So I'm incredibly excited to finally share it with you. When I first told my friends and family I was thinking about starting a podcast, it was funny. I don't know what I expected them to say, but no one was really that surprised. They thought it was pretty fitting for me. When I was young, I had one of those little pretend mics that I love talking into. And who remembers VideoStar? I was a big fan of that back in the day. I would make music videos to Taylor Swift's music. Then came musically, and of course TikTok. Better believe I'm making my friends do TikToks with me. Oh, and in high school I had one of those Bluetooth microphones that sinks to your phone and allows you to sing karaoke in the car with your friends. I'm an awful singer, so podcasting is probably the better route. But in all seriousness, I am passionate about my mission to help others with chronic illness because chronic illness has been a part of my life quite literally since the day I was born. I'm hoping to reach people who are navigating similar challenges, help them feel less alone, and show them they're capable of amazing things, no matter where their health is at. For over two decades, I've dealt with mystery health problems. I've seen countless doctors and taken what feels like every test out there. Some of my earliest memories involve symptoms. I vividly remember lying on the floor in kindergarten screaming to my mom because of such immense stomach pain that dragged down for a week at a time. By sixth grade, I would lie in bed with debilitating migraines. I'd have the shades down, sunglasses on, even the smallest amount of light felt unbearable. And then junior year of high school, my parents found me on the ground shaking after I'd fainted and fallen out of a high top chair. In sophomore year of college, that's when my non-epileptic seizures began. My whole story is full of moments like these. And throughout this podcast, I'll be sharing much more of my story. For most of my life, I felt very different and alone. Not because I didn't have an amazing support system, but because no one around me truly understood what it felt like to live in a body like mine. Kids at school made fun of me for missing. They assumed things about me without knowing even a little of what I was going through. I would have given anything to be there, but I was too sick to get out of bed. Doctors often told me it was a complicated case. And continuing with competitive soccer was definitely discouraged. Many didn't think college was realistic for me at all. Medical settings, it often felt like the focus was on what I couldn't do rather than how could I adapt and continue pursuing the things that mattered to me? If you're listening to this podcast, chances are you have felt overwhelmed trying to figure out chronic illness. I know I did. That's exactly why I created The Chronic Fighter, because no one should have to figure this out alone. At thechronicfighter.com, you'll find one-on-one coaching and a community designed to help teens, young adults, and parents navigate the challenges of chronic illness. My parents and I spent years trying to make sense of my health on our own. Researching, connecting the dots, implementing lifestyle changes, advocating and searching for answers. Experts estimate that 80 to 90% of health care happens outside of the doctor's office. And that was certainly true of my experience. Growing up, I would have given anything to have someone who truly understood what I was going through. Someone to show me that I could work with my body and still build a meaningful life. Through one-on-one coaching, I helped bridge the gap between the doctor and patient because managing chronic illness involves so much more than what happens during appointments. Together, we focus on symptom management, nervous system regulation, sustainable habits, and practical strategies that help you feel more in control of your health and your life. If coaching isn't the right fit right now, or you'd like support alongside it, the Chronic Fighter membership offers flexible access to tools, education, and a community of people who get it, without a rigid schedule or pressure to keep up. No matter where you are in your health journey, I'd be honored to be a part of it. Visit the Chronicfighter.com to learn more. My body always seemed to take much longer to recover than anyone else's. Even though health was a big part of my life, very few people knew what I dealt with behind the scenes. Not even my closest friends. Until about two years ago, when I took a huge risk and started sharing my story online. I kept it a secret for so long because I wanted to look strong and like I had it all together. But the truth is, chronic illness can make you feel stuck. Like your life is on hold. And when you live like that, you might start telling yourself things like, I'll live my life once I get answers. I'll be happy once my body works the way it should. I'll start saying yes to things once I feel better. And when I finally start opening up, I realize so many people feel this exact same way. But I don't believe that has to be our story. Because one of the biggest things that keeps us stuck is something called destination addiction. The belief that life only begins in the next stage, when things are finally fixed. That mindset keeps us from experiencing the joy that's possible right now. You don't have to wait for your circumstances to change before you can start living your life. Your symptoms may look different than mine, but most people living with chronic illness feel unsafe in their body. What I've learned is that having the right tools can help your body feel safe and supported, even without knowing exactly why your body needs that extra care. If I had spent the last 22 years waiting for all the answers, I would have missed out on so many experiences that shaped who I am today. Those years weren't by any means easy, but I'd rather have goals and have to be more strategic about how I achieve them than miss out on life altogether. This podcast is even an example of where it would have been easy for me to wait to convince myself I wasn't ready yet. But I will never forget something my Aunt Jebba told me when I had mentioned to her about starting a podcast. She has her own cultural consulting business. She handed me a picture of myself when I was a kid and said, Do you think this Liv cared what other people thought of her? Channel that energy in what you do now. People will always question and judge, but you have too much to offer to let that stop you from sharing your experience and wisdom with the world. That was some of the best advice I've ever had. Because at the end of the day, this isn't about being perfect. It's about trusting yourself enough to take the next step, even when you don't feel ready. Is my health perfect? No. Do I have everything figured out? No. But I have learned how to care for my body in a way that allows me to take on exciting opportunities. I truly believe that God wouldn't place something on your heart and in your mind if you weren't capable of achieving it. I've learned that our strength can always be found in God, no matter the circumstances. And this is something I've had to lean into a lot when I have fear in the unknown. My hope is that we can create a community of people with shared experiences. A place where we can learn, grow, and support one another through every health challenge, where we can talk about everything chronic illness, nervous system regulation, personalized nutrition, navigating the healthcare system, relationships, purpose and identity, reducing flares, and learning how to adapt your life to meet your needs, rather than pushing yourself to the point of burnout. The name The Chronic Fighter represents every person out there who's learning to accomplish their goals while still caring for their body's needs. A fighter doesn't push harder, they choose smarter. They reclaim control through intentional choices. We'll go more in depth on those intentional choices through both solo episodes and conversations with incredible guests. I am so excited for what's to come. Please make sure to subscribe. New episodes are out every other Tuesday. I think I'm going to wrap things up there. I just wanted to give a brief overview of the podcast and our mission. Everything I shared today really comes back to these three things. Three things that I wish I was told growing up with chronic illness. Number one, there will never be a perfect time. Waiting for all the answers, the right treatment, and the perfect health will keep you stuck. Life doesn't begin after healing, it happens alongside it. Number two, self-trust matters more than answers. Yes, try and fight in the diagnosis, but you don't need diagnoses or permission from doctors to move forward. You need self-trust. I have found that helping your body feel safe is key to living your best life. Number three, you don't need to push through pain to move forward. Being a fighter doesn't mean burning yourself out. It means learning how to work with your body, meet your needs, and still build a meaningful life. And these are the kinds of topics we'll continue to explore together on the podcast. We have some amazing episodes coming up where we dive deeper into my health story and my parents' perspective of it all, nervous system regulation, navigating friendships with chronic illness, and so much more. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to listen to the Chronic Fighter. See you next time. I hope today's conversation resonated with you. Don't forget to follow us on social media at the Chronic Fighter Co. and the Chronic Fighter Pod, and check out our website, thechronicfighter.com. Remember to celebrate the little wins and have something that gets you excited to get out of bed every day. I'll see you next time.