Our story

Annesse

In the summer of 1992, Annesse came home from her 20-year high school reunion exhausted. She had always been active, biking the canyon and walking everywhere. On a trip to Denver her legs cramped so badly she couldn’t move. Then came daily migraines, low fevers, aches and a runny nose after every meal.

The next years were a blur, mostly spent in bed. She couldn’t wash her own hair or climb the stairs. A food allergy panel showed she reacted to nearly everything tested. Doctors eventually confirmed lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. After a sunny trip to Aspen, the butterfly rash appeared on her face and stayed for about ten years.

She read every book at the Tattered Cover in Denver, drove to meet authors and kept following clues. Years later, one line about a connection between the face and the stomach sent her in a new direction, and it became the first real clue in a long search. That search became her first book.

Kristin

Kristin was a teenager when her mom got sick. She remembers joining the new diet and eating plain salad with their fingers at the kitchen table. In her forties she began having fast energy crashes of her own. Today she runs Nature Had It First: the videos, guides, trackers and this website.

Why we do this

Annesse’s labs didn’t always match how she felt. We make these videos so you can walk into your next appointment with better questions.

Our family’s story is shared as experience, not medical advice. What helped Annesse may not be right for you.

Annesse & Kristin