From Death Sentence to Athletic Champion: A Healing Journey
Noelle faces what once seemed impossible – a complete recovery from three autoimmune diseases doctors called “incurable.” Living in Hong Kong, this French native was told to “put her affairs in order” after being diagnosed with vasculitis, Hashimoto’s, and Sjogren’s syndrome. Seven years later, she’s not only alive but thriving as an athlete representing Hong Kong in world championships.
When Traditional Medicine Offered No Hope
“I was literally given two years,” Noelle explains about her vasculitis diagnosis. “I was told I should put my affairs in order.” With a grim 10% survival rate prediction, traditional doctors prescribed lifelong steroids, telling her that even if she survived, her quality of life would be essentially gone.
When she asked about the cause of her conditions, doctors brushed off her questions. “They become stupid,” Noelle recalls. “It’s like, ‘Why are you worrying about the cause? Why are you even asking that question?'” Seven different physicians gave her the same answer – these conditions were incurable, and questioning the cause wasn’t encouraged.
The Turning Point: An Unexpected Diagnosis
The path to recovery began in an unlikely place – a Botox appointment. While receiving cosmetic injections, Noelle’s doctor noticed the open, oozing sores on her arms caused by vasculitis. “You have an autoimmune disease,” he told her – something none of her previous doctors had considered despite three months of failed treatments.
This doctor, who was also an integrative medicine practitioner, offered something no one else had: hope for a cure. “I can cure you because I know the cause,” he said. Testing revealed Noelle had leaky gut syndrome, and he proposed a simple but profound concept: “Cure the gut, cure your autoimmune disease.”
The Healing Protocol: From Paleo to Keto
The integrative doctor first recommended a Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet. While Noelle saw improvements – her lesions began healing and gut tests showed improvement – she struggled with the diet’s sustainability. “I have a tough relationship with food,” she explains. “With paleo, because you eat carbs, I was always hungry. I always had cravings.”
After about 18 months, although her health was improving, she couldn’t maintain the diet and her symptoms began returning. That’s when she discovered keto through Facebook groups. “I started on January 19th, and by October, I had lost 60 pounds,” Noelle shares.
The Bulletproof Breakthrough
Despite never having been a coffee drinker, Noelle embraced bulletproof coffee with butter and MCT oil as part of her keto lifestyle. “The energy and clarity it gave me was incredible,” she says. “It became a drug, and I’m still doing bulletproof coffee every morning.”
Her daily routine now includes fasting until noon except for her morning bulletproof coffee. For lunch, she eats generous portions of protein – about 250 grams of meat, twice the standard size served in French restaurants – with avocado and vegetables. Dinner is lighter, with more protein and vegetables, often supplemented with protein powder. Everything “bathes in olive oil” to maintain her fat intake.
From Bedridden to World-Class Athlete
The transformation extends far beyond eliminating disease. From someone who “could hardly get out of bed” and required steroid injections for chronic back pain, Noelle has become an elite athlete who trains two hours daily.
“I paddle every day now in the mornings,” she says. “Last year, I was selected by the Hong Kong government to represent Hong Kong for the world championships.” She manages four-and-a-half-hour paddling races without the energy gels her teammates rely on, needing only her bulletproof coffee for sustained energy.
“Cured, Not In Remission”
Seven years after her terminal diagnosis, Noelle is medication-free with normal blood work. “I say I am cured, and I don’t like to use the word ‘in remission’ because if you say you’re in remission, that means that it’s incurable.”
Her rheumatologist, unaware she never took the prescribed steroids, considers her a “miracle patient.” Meanwhile, Noelle continues sharing her story to help others understand that autoimmune conditions might have addressable root causes—even when conventional wisdom says otherwise.
