Move It or Lose it - The Podcast
Move It or Lose It is a podcast about all things that Move the Mind, Body, Spirit and Soul. Your Host, Kathy Chester is an MS Warrior, Certified Personal and MS Fitness Trainer, Prenatal and Group Fitness Trainer. Having MS and Rheumatoid Arthritis and Epilepsy, Kathy brings insight and an inside view to how important MOVEMENT is to the Autoimmune community. We have fun guests and cover things that maybe others don't want to talk about regarding Multiple Sclerosis and other Autoimmune Diseases.
Move It or Lose it - The Podcast
Episode 116 - Fabulous in Flats: Kelli Gastis' Journey with MS
Recently I had a fantastic conversation with Kelli Gastis, an author and fellow MS warrior. Kelli shared her journey of being diagnosed with MS at 25 and how she navigated through various treatments, including natural remedies.
We talked about Kelli's busy life before her MS diagnosis, working in the fashion industry and teaching dance and aerobics. She shared her initial symptoms of tingling and the journey to diagnosis, highlighting the challenges and uncertainties she faced.
Eventually, Kelli transitioned from traditional medication to natural remedies, guided by a homeopathic doctor to explore different approaches to managing her health.
Now Kelli has written about her experiences in a book, "Fabulous in Flats," which is available on Amazon and has received rave reviews within the MS community.
In our discussion, Kelli emphasized the need for an open mind when looking at ways to manage MS. Her advice to newly diagnosed individuals was to try different approaches and not be afraid to explore alternative treatments.
DISCLAIMER
The information in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.
Links and resources:
Sign up for the 10 Weeks to Disrupt MS Program
Visit Kelli Gastis
Buy Fabulous in Flats: How I've Learned to Thrive While Living With an Autoimmune Illness by Kelli Gastis
Connect with Kelli on Facebook and Instagram
If you're interested in having Kathy speak at your event, learn more here
Find out more about the DMAT Fitness Training program
You can find Kathy Chester at:
msdisrupted@gmail.com
disruptfitnessgym@gmail.com
moveitorloseit109@gmail.com
Connect with @msdisrupted on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok
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Kathy Chester:
Hello, I'm your host, Kathy Chester, and welcome to the Move It or Lose It podcast, a podcast about all things that move the mind, body, and soul. The Move It or Lose It podcast is for information, awareness, and inspirational purposes only. I am not a doctor and I don't even play one on TV. So please consult with your doctor before making any medical decisions. The views expressed by advertisers, guests, or contributors are their opinions and not necessarily the views of the Move It or Lose It podcast.
Hello, today we've got a special guest with us. I move it or lose it. So you might've heard of Kelli Gastis She is an author and another MS warrior. So really excited to have you on Kelli. We've kind of played back and forth. I missed you last time and so happy to have you on today, Kelli.
Kelli Gastis:
Thank you. I'm so happy to be here. Yeah, we were going back and forth quite a bit. Life takes over sometimes.
Kathy Chester:
Who knew? Kids and all that stuff, like what the heck? Yeah, exactly. I'm just excited to have another fellow MSer on and I love that you wrote a book. I always like to hear what life was like prior to your diagnosis of MS and all that. What were things that you wanted to do, things that you thought like you were going to do because MS was probably never even a thought.
Kelli Gastis:
Yeah, no, I do know it. It's funny because it's a long time ago. It's like 27 years ago. So I don't fully remember. I mean, everything I went through at the time, but yeah, definitely in my 20s. To me, I had a fantastic life. I worked for a Canadian fashion designer. That was just so exciting in itself. I produced the fashion shows. I did some modeling. I was also a dance instructor and aerobics instructor. So I was working full time all day. I worked most nights. I worked on the weekends, anything to keep me busy. Plus go and exercise for myself. like there was a great gym I grew up in Toronto I'd always go to and so the nights I wasn't working well I was taking spin classes or I was taking the step classes remember those those were so much fun yeah yeah and I just loved it I just I was consistently busy always on the right always doing things I mean, I had a great set of friends, we were always going out, we were always going dancing, you know, Thursday nights, you're watching Seinfeld, we're watching, you know, friends, like, you know, it's just your life was totally you were living your life. So sure, I never thought anything was going to happen to my health.
Kathy Chester:
Right? I mean, at that age, we're invincible, right?
Kelli Gastis:
Oh, completely. Yeah, nothing was stopping me. Yeah. So were you in college at that point? No, I was working full-time as a fashion designer. So I was there and I was in the marketing department, which I mean working in fashion is just sort of a sensational job in itself. I mean just the fashion, the clothes.
Kathy Chester:
Oh yeah, that had to be very exciting, I'm sure. How many years were you doing fashion? How many years were you in that?
Kelli Gastis:
I had worked there probably from like the age of 21 to probably about 28 or 29.
Kathy Chester:
Okay, so you were diagnosed young too. You were in your 20s, right? Yeah, I was diagnosed at 25. Okay. Was that a quick diagnosis for you? Did they know?
Kelli Gastis:
I think from what I see now on social media and stuff, I do think it was quick. My initial symptoms were tingling. So I had the tingling down the legs and I spent so much time trying to figure it out. If I knew if I flexed my head down, I would get the tingling. I'd be like, Oh, but if I, you know, if I was looking straight, I didn't get the tingling. So in my head from being a fitness person, I honestly thought I'm like, I'm going to go to the chiropractor. Cause I just have a pinched nerve. Oh, yeah, same. Yeah, you know, I was just like, Okay, so I'll just go. So I went to my mom's chiropractor. And yet he adjusted me. He didn't say anything to me. The story that I had heard, which I'm sure is correct, was that he had phoned my mom afterwards and just said, You know what, she's gonna need like a referral to a neurologist. which I think even for my mom at the time was like, what are you talking about? You're a chiropractor. Yeah. So I don't even think it filtered for her. But then because that didn't fix it, and I was still just there where I'm sure there was other symptoms. I was just feeling off. So I did go to the doctor. She didn't know it probably took a couple weeks. And then she had phone saying, you know what, I'm going to refer you to a neurologist. And at the time being 25, I mean, I was just, I don't need, I didn't know what a neurologist was. Sure. Cause I'd never really heard of it and I never paid attention to the medical world. I wasn't, you know, I, I was in the fashion world. I wasn't paying attention to the medical world. Exactly. You know, so it was, it was those things. So I don't know that it's, it probably did take longer than I'm remembering, but then once I did get to the neurologist, of course, right away, they did an MRI. And then it was probably, and again, my memory is not that good, but I'm sure it must have been a week or two in between. And then when I did go back to the diagnosis, everything just started very quickly. Like just the medical world just, I want to say, you know, and just didn't want to let me go.
Kathy Chester:
Yeah. I do remember, it's hard now to remember when it's like we're older and we were diagnosed so long ago, because I'm like, I think it was then, but it's like so many things. It gets tricky. It's like, because I can go back and they can tell now there were there were you know lesions like probably back in high school so i'm like i don't know so it's tricky now right to remember back to those stuff well it's even just now at our age because we have kids like so much my memory you know and i'll be like i'll start talking like oh no no sorry no that was my son
Kelli Gastis:
Oh, no, you know, like, Oh, no, sorry. Oh, no, that was okay.
Kathy Chester:
Never. Oh, yeah. Oh, my kids have asked me now if you're gonna just put happy birthday, just say happy birthday. Don't say our age because you never get it right. I'm like, yes, got it. So you've got on you. How many kids do you have?
Kelli Gastis:
I have two kids. So my daughter, my daughter is 18. And my son is 20.
Kathy Chester:
I know how I talk about this a lot in my women's support group and stuff, and how different it was for us back then. My kids are a little older, but we didn't share with our kids all about, you know, MS and stuff. That was something that was like not, there was no talking about it on Instagram. There was no Instagram. There was this snail mail of like the MS Society newsletter. You know, I love Julie stem and I are really good friends and the book that she wrote is great, but we did not have that opportunity to really share what we wanted with our kids a we didn't really know anything be we were afraid that it was too much or to share anything with with our work. that we might get fired. We had no clue what we were able to share. So I had done a podcast, a quick one with my daughter and how different it was then and how confusing it was for them because they just didn't know like what was wrong or if we were going to be okay. And it's interesting now that kids are given so much more information than they were back then. you experienced the same?
Kelli Gastis:
Yeah, no, I completely experienced the same. Like definitely when I was first diagnosed, like, this was back in the 90s. Like you said, there was no social media. We had internet, but we didn't use it the same way. Yeah, exactly. Like, I mean, so you'd go and you'd buy books. So that's why I just had books and books. Yes. to try to read from and try to gain some knowledge. And yeah, probably when my kids were younger, I didn't, I didn't talk about it a lot, because I don't, I don't think I had that many flare ups when they were younger. But I was always very cautious of myself. And I was always very cautious of what we were going to be doing or where I was going to be going, like, just so that something didn't happen when I was with my kid. You know what I mean? Like, so that something didn't set me off. Yeah. And I think like, even when it came to the book, I didn't intend on writing a book. Like everyone would always say to me, I have to share, I need to tell my story. And a lot of that was also just in that because I moved to a natural route for it, my children have also been raised naturally. So people were also interested in that side of my story. Like, what have you been doing with your kids? Like, you know what, you don't give them this when they're sick. And I was like, oh, no, don't give them that.
Kathy Chester:
Yeah, I can remember that because my kids, both my older kids had ADHD and issues like that. So we went to more of a natural thing. So having that and having me sick, it wasn't so crazy for them. So let's go into that. So you were diagnosed, the medication that the doctor put you on was what?
Kelli Gastis:
Well, when I was first diagnosed and it pretty much pretty much all happened the same day, I was diagnosed, didn't know what the hell was going on. I was just with my boyfriend at the time. They told me, you know, I could call my mom if I wanted to. And I was just like, holy crap, like call my mom. Yeah. So my mom came down and what they actually did was they put me in a research program. right away so even in my book I describe it like I make it all like it was a joke not a joke but I try to make it funny in that right you know so now I had to go see a different doctor at a different hospital in Toronto which meant I had to pay parking again and I didn't want to pay parking again you know and I had a dance class to teach at 4 30 so how long is this going to take because I need to go you know like I think that was my mind frame was more like okay great so you told me I have something I don't even know what you just said it is, I'll have to look it up. But I have to go.
Kathy Chester:
Yeah, like I have to work at 4.30, like I've got like... Yeah, we could be best friends, because I was the same. I'm like, okay, great. I got things to do.
Kelli Gastis:
I gotta go. No, like I didn't have time. And even in my book, I write the whole joke of like, you know, they gave me a pamphlet to read about MS. Well, they didn't give me any time to read it. And I kept like in the book, I'm just like, hey, can I read the pamphlet now? Like, right. Okay, I got to go to another hospital. But can I read the pamphlet first? Right. I don't even know what I'm going for. So I went to this and I was put into a research program which was either a drug or a placebo. I didn't know whichever. The only thing for my young mind at 25 was that I didn't have to pay anything. So I was like, oh, perfect. Like, okay, whatever I'm getting is free. Like, that's awesome. You know, which that was my mindset because I didn't, I couldn't have afforded it. So it was all those, it was those things. Then I think that the difficult thing back then, it was so different in that with the research program, like I said, we didn't know if I was getting a drug or the placebo. My boyfriend was taught how to mix whatever I was getting. There was like two vials. He had to mix it. He had to put it in the needle, which was an intermuscular needle. So it was super long.
Kathy Chester:
So it was the Avonex probably.
Kelli Gastis:
You know what, it probably was.
Kathy Chester:
Yeah, because I remember that was what I was on. I was like, dear God, what is this needle?
Kelli Gastis:
Oh, yeah, I know. And so my, like, my dear boyfriend, like, we'd only been dating, I maybe want to say a year, like, he had to learn how to give it to me. So they taught him on an orange, so he knew how much pressure to put. Looking back on it, I just think, oh my God, how wrong was all of that?
Kathy Chester:
Right, absolutely. Everything was so wrong back then. I mean, it was so bad.
Kelli Gastis:
Yeah, it was. It was so bad. So yeah, so he learned how to mix everything. He knew, then he learned how to do it. So three times a week in different spots on my body, he had to give me the needle.
Kathy Chester:
Yeah, three times. So that might have been beta seron, or the other one that starts with the B, that was three times a week, it will will go on for forever.
Kelli Gastis:
And, and I think I hated it so much. I've just blocked whatever the name is from my memory.
Kathy Chester:
Because I was like, I remember that one because they were gonna put me on and they didn't. But I remember that one. It'll come to me when I'm not thinking of it.
Kelli Gastis:
Yeah, it'll come to you later. So yeah, so I mean, I did that. I don't know for how long I did that. But then I think I finally just decided, you know what, I can't do this anymore. Like these needles. I then became a fear of needles. It was so hard on my boyfriend. He hated giving in to me. So when we knew it was that day, like I could even see in his face, he'd just be like, right. Oh, it's Monday. Yeah. Okay. Like, I gotta mix all this, I have to be careful, I have to be, you know, so it created so much more stress, which funny enough, I mean, with MS or with anything autoimmune, you're not supposed to have stress. Cause that just, that makes it worse. So it's like, okay, good. So thank you. You're stressing me right out. It's supposed to make me better. It's not.
Kathy Chester:
For sure. So then you're on that for a while and you decide like, this has to change and I don't want to be on this. I'm going to go natural.
Kelli Gastis:
And so what did that look like? When it wasn't at that point, I was put on Rebif.
Kathy Chester:
Okay, Rebif. Okay, that's the one I was thinking, because that's the three days a week one.
Kelli Gastis:
Okay, it was probably very similar. That one wasn't an intramuscular anymore. But so I was put on that and I don't, I probably stayed on that for a good two or three years. Okay. I didn't like it. It was the same. I didn't like the needles. I didn't like any better. I didn't feel like I was feeling better. I was having more flare ups. and they were lasting a little bit longer and each therapist you know is so different so you just you had no idea was it going to be my hands it's going to be my feet is it going to be my legs it's going to be my eyes whatever it is it's going to stay it doesn't you know that's stuck with you forever so yeah and it was in that time period i had met a fantastic massage therapist because i knew massaging would help with my body with my stress And she was a phenomenal woman. She did it out of her house. It was so peaceful. And every time I went, she would always say to me, I have this fantastic homeopathic doctor. I didn't know what homeopathy was. Again, I was like, maybe at this time, probably 26, 27 years old. And To me, I just sort of thought I'm like, Oh, that's all that natural stuff. I don't know anything about that. But after her saying it to me so many times, I think in my head, I'm like, Okay, maybe I should just go see him. Maybe she is saying something, you know, that could be done. So yeah, my husband, my boyfriend and I did go. And it was one of those things that like, the minute you sat down with him, I just I put all my trust in him.
Kathy Chester:
Now, at that time, were you nervous about the expense of that?
Kelli Gastis:
I wasn't because I knew it wasn't that expensive. Like I knew it was maybe say $40 or $50 an appointment. We did have health insurance, so I knew the majority of it would be covered. I think I more went for my first appointment was just so I could tell her that I went. Right. And then she could stop talking about it. And then I never, you know, the conversation was over.
Kathy Chester:
Yeah. And because around here it was like, I could go to one that's like $300. And I was like, holy cow, if I had to go $300 and then she had to tell me the stuff I needed, how could I ever keep up with that? And then I was as a single mom, I'm like, there's no way I could do that. So that kind of made me afraid in the beginning.
Kelli Gastis:
Right. And I think it was like, he was, he was a naturopathic doctor, but he specialized in homeopathy. So if you know anything about the two homeopathies, this is tiny little pellets. They're like little tiny sugar pellets, which when you take them, you think. what is this doing? Like these are the tiniest two little candies and they're kind of sweet. But, and I think it was just, yeah, through that first appointment, my boyfriend and I were just, cause the appointments are longer. They really get to know you. They go through your entire history, your family's history. Right. And I just, I felt relief. I sort of felt like I had been heard. Right. And he was going to help me. Like I really just looked at him and I thought, yeah, you know what? You, you are going to help me. and then it was over time and then he just kept stressing you know what I need you to get off the drug like I can't we can't clear everything out of your body that if the drug and those toxins are still in there so it was just I mean it was a decision that was a hard decision but I'm sure with the neurologist making you probably very nervous yeah they were not supportive of that at all and even when we did say you know we are going to go off the drug I mean they had some harsh comments you know that they would make to scare you and I mean and it works because they do they especially back then well yeah exactly so and back then I mean you didn't have anywhere else to look you didn't have anybody else to ask and so I just kind of went into it with my belief that I trusted him.
Kathy Chester:
Yeah, very good. And not a lot of support from really anyone back then, because you wouldn't even really get that from very many patients. No, back then, because they would look at you like you were crazy.
Kelli Gastis:
Well, they would look at you like you're crazy. Like even I'm not saying my family looked at me like I was crazy, but even for my family, like no one had really done anything natural. So for them, it was just a you're doing what?
Kathy Chester:
No, that I think that that was so bold of you to do. And even with what you felt your gut saying, like, this is something I have to do. And this feels like the right thing. Right. And one of the things I feel like with MS patients, I think that we have a very, we're very in tune with what our body needs or doesn't need.
Kelli Gastis:
Yeah, I would totally agree with that. And I even think we just even have a sense of, for me too, it's just, how is something going to make me feel? Like, you know, there's all the things on social media, like just say no, you know, take care of yourself. I have no problem saying no. Like if I know I'm going to be in a situation that's going to stress me out or give me anxiety, I'm not going. Or if I know there's going to be, I mean, what the temperature is going to be, or if there's going to be a lot of walking and standing. I'm not going. It's just even like, you know what your body can do, what your body can't do, what your anxiety or what your nervous system can handle. So I think we also just learn as to, no, I'm not putting myself in those situations. Thank you though. Like you go and have a great time.
Kathy Chester:
And I think that that's a great thing that we can help, you know, our younger newly diagnosed, I think help us a lot with like remembering that, oh yeah, this is why we're still battling. This is why we didn't give up. Where I think we help a lot with, it's okay to say no. It's absolutely okay. We are so excited about our new program. It is not about disrupting the saddest foe. It is about empowering you to lead a life filled with strength, resilience, and joy. Join us on this exciting journey because disruption begins with you. Ready to make a positive change? Let's disrupt MS together. I can't wait to see you. So one of the things I wanted to bring up to you that you said about the book is I wanted to share stories about living with MS and any insights, humorous stories, which we talked about, inspiration and motivation for anyone. I love that, that you've done it in humorous ways because sometimes our stories are heavy, right? We've had heavy things and to lace it with humorous things, I think is such a great way to be able to tell our story.
Kelli Gastis:
Yeah, and I'm like the humor to me, like when I first started writing the book, I originally just started it as stories for my kids. That's what I more thought. I'm like, you know what? Cause I haven't really told them things or I didn't, we never talked about, they love snow days. Well, I didn't ever talk to them about how a snow day was hard for mom. I couldn't just take it to the, you know, to the tobogganing hill. You know, I had to, I had to think about everything. So I, so I had sort of written, I'd started writing little stories and then it was just over time that everyone was saying, Kelli, you need to write a book. And I thought, Oh, I have some little stories. Yeah. I could probably elaborate on those. And yeah. And for the humor, I mean, you do kind of have to look at, Some things are funny, like when you go places or just not the reactions of other people, but just everyone, like, and that's the other part of my book, like everyone memes well, you know, and people aren't hurtful. And sometimes, especially during COVID and stuff, like people need a connection and they want to talk to people, you know, and a lot of people don't talk to strangers. They don't talk, like, I have no problem. If I see you in the bathroom, I'll have a conversation with you, like, You know, like the bathroom is my happy place. I'm always in there. So yeah. So you want to talk, you want to have a conversation? I'll talk to you like, you know, or at the grocery store, if I'm standing in line.
Kathy Chester:
My best friend hates that about me, by the way, every time I go somewhere, she's like, just stop. You don't need to talk to that person. Just please don't. I'm like, I can't help it. So the other thing you put in, I love this is the book contains valuable information for everyone is relatable. and lighthearted, provides specific tricks and tips and strategies that have used for over 25 years. I think that's so key that we actually give back the things that we've learned over the 20 something years that we've had it. And I think that that gets missed because We think sometimes we hit a certain age and it's like, well, you know, they've got all these new things and they already know this, but I think it was so key that you tapped into this because I notice often in the, in the women's support group, how much they need that, how much the guys and the girls, how much they really feed off that. So I think it's just great. And I can't wait to be able to listen to it. Cause I'm like. I want to read it, but I know the people that are close to me that have read it and they have just had great things to say about it. So congrats to you for doing such a good job. And you must be really proud of yourself for doing that.
Kelli Gastis:
It's one of those, it's like a double edged sword, like, because it's something I put it out. It was so personal. There's a lot of personal stories in there. and definitely you're probably saying to me like I never really shared my MS with anyone. I didn't share it with people I worked with. I didn't share it you know other than maybe when I used to teach dancing they knew it but definitely as I then went on to other professions like I mean I was a real estate agent that was my last profession and no one knew you know and it wasn't until I my book came out another agent was like Kelli, like I've done how many deals with you? Like I had absolutely no idea. Right. You know, it's like, well, I didn't, I didn't need to talk about it because I wasn't having a flare up. I was feeling great.
Kathy Chester:
And it's that, you know, hidden disease that you can't see unless until you see it till something goes and it's like, oh, when did this happen?
Kelli Gastis:
Yeah. And so the book, it is very lighthearted. It does share my stories. But then I also like I said, it's, I put in all the tips and tricks or what I did for mental health, just all my different little food additions, all the different things I would add to all of our dishes. I also wrote the book when my kids were younger. So it was a different stage of my life, of how I was dealing with my illness and taking care of my kids and raising them to be the best they could. So it was what I did in our family dynamics to keep everyone healthy.
Kathy Chester:
Right. So a second book, you think? Do you know what?
Kelli Gastis:
It could be, there could be a second book. Yes. It might be more of like an affirmation type book. Yeah. Yeah. I like that. Just because, yeah, I think, and I think for the younger people going through the MS, which again, their life is so different because they've got all the social media, they know all this stuff. I never knew about affirmations. I never really knew about meditating or the vision boards. Those are all things that I incorporate, which I think are huge. Like you need that for your mental health. You need that for your mindset. And so that's, I've written all that in the book. Like, you know what, these are tools just to add baskets. So when you're having a terrible day, you know what, try one of these. And I also love being creative. I love colors. I love things like that. And I think a lot of people do. And so that also takes you out of your negative mindset and gives you something else to focus on. Because as we all know, when you have a flare up, there's not much you can do. You're usually sitting at home, depending on what body part has been affected, you know, and it gets really boring. And depressing. Yeah. I mean, now we have phones. You can play games on your phones. But when you and I were first diagnosed, There was no games. You were just in your living room.
Kathy Chester:
Metal tasting. It was just depressing, for sure. Absolutely. I love what you've done. I know you've done essential oils, and that's on your website, and I'll put a link to that at the bottom. I feel very strongly about that. I'm going to look into yours. Also, obviously, I think you'll agree and it'll be in your website. I always have an issue with someone going to the drugstore and getting them like, please research where these essential oils are coming from.
Kelli Gastis:
Even when it comes to the essential oils, yeah, I knew nothing about them. I want to say probably a good five or six years ago, wasn't even anything. And it was just, I happened to stumble upon some lady who was talking about it on internet or somewhere. And I was just like, what? I was like, what? I was like, oh, it's not just something I put in my diffuser and walk away. You know, like she was actually using as a health benefit. And I think then That just sparked my curiosity because I love doing research. I love looking at anything that might help me. And so as soon as I started doing the research, I was blown away.
Kathy Chester:
I think it was my massage therapist and she got me into them and I was like, yes. So yeah, definitely. I want you guys to take a look at her website and look into her essential oils. I'm definitely looking into your oils. I'll get you getting some. Thank you. You have a monthly newsletter that you put out.
Kelli Gastis:
I just yeah, I just do a monthly newsletter, which is just just supposed to be more of an entertainment thing, something interesting to read. I don't really write about MS in it. It's just anything that's happening sort of in my life at the moment, what's resonated with me or just what's going on in my world. I mean, like, yeah, like my my most recent one, which this is just what's happening in our life was my son wants to buy a watch. Well, when we were growing up, you went to the Bay, right? You went to the Hudson Bay, you just picked out a nice watch and you went home. But now the world is so inundated and everyone has to do so much research. You know, and I'm like, and as the mom, I'm just like, okay, like, you know what? I'm like, it's been long enough. Just buy a frigging watch, right? Like, you know, but he's his mindset is like, No, no, I want to see where is it made? What are the mechanics inside? What are the you know? Yeah, like, it's like information overload. Whereas I'm just like, I'm like, Oh, my gosh, I'm like, when it like, we would go to the bay. And like, you didn't have any information. It was just like, yeah, that looks pretty. Yeah, you know, like, whereas now, and I think that was sort of the too much. Yeah. And I think that's the thing, like, they know too much. And everyone, like, it's just constant information overload.
Kathy Chester:
And your newsletters on your obviously on the website, right? Yes. Yeah, they can. Okay. Yeah, I'm gonna definitely have to look into that. So my last question for you, if you you ran into a newly diagnosed person, and they're asking you, you had one bit of advice, what would it be?
Kelli Gastis:
I would say to keep an open mind. Don't only just take one person's advice. Look into all the multiple ways that you can control this. There are natural ways. And I would think just keep an open mind and try things. If it doesn't work, that's okay. You tried it. Try something else, right? Like just sort of, you know, have a belief system that like, you know, there are more than there is usually more than one answer.
Kathy Chester:
Love it, beautifully said. All right, name of the book, where can they get it? It's Fabulous in Flats. Fabulous in Flats, I love that. Fabulous in Flats, because I cannot walk in heels. Fabulous in Flats, Amazon.
Kelli Gastis:
Yeah, on Amazon is the best place.
Kathy Chester:
Like I said, all the reviews have been awesome. Everyone in our community has already been raving about this book. So thank you so much for being on Move It or Lose It.
Kelli Gastis:
Yes, no, thank you so much for having me on. This has been great. This conversation has been so much fun.
Kathy Chester:
Well, thank you so much for joining us today on Move It or Lose It Podcast, where you can, again, find us wherever you like your podcasts, whether it's Apple, Spotify, and join us on that. And we can't wait to see you again. We're gonna have a lot of exciting guests and working together. And as always, you'll hear us say at the end of every podcast, we are stronger together. So let's do it. Let's become stronger together. Have a great day.