“I wanted to not just palliate my symptoms. I wanted to actually address the underlying root cause of what was going on in my body, so that I could get rid of it.”

– Lindsay

For Lindsay Mure-O’Neill, life was unfolding just as expected – until a car accident changed its course.

At the time, Lindsay had two young daughters and was expecting her third. She enjoyed a thriving career in tech, working on early AI and machine learning, and had just helped a company go public as an executive.

Then, seven months into her pregnancy, Lindsay was involved in a car accident. While she and her daughter came through it, injuries left Lindsay on bed rest and medication for the remainder of her pregnancy. After she gave birth, however, her health declined further.

“I thought that I was okay, but the accident had actually triggered massive autoimmunity,” she says. “My hair started to fall out. I had crushing pain in my body, and I had a fever for 10 weeks. I couldn’t get out of bed. Just chronic fatigue.”

Listen to Lindsay’s story:

A Diagnosis of “Rupus:” Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus

Doctors ran test after test to uncover the cause of Lindsay’s debilitating symptoms. From cardiologists to endocrinologists to research scientists, numerous specialists attempted to understand the cause of her decline, but each appointment inspired more questions than answers.

Finally, one doctor offered a diagnosis: “rupus.” Lindsay soon learned that, though not an official diagnosis, rupus refers to those with the rare combination of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and lupus. She recalled her grandmother’s 10-year battle with lupus — filled with pain and pills — and dreaded what might be to come.

Alternative Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus

Initially, Lindsay began with a conventional approach to autoimmunity, taking heavy doses of steroids. While her pain was relieved, she felt run down and her mental health suffered.

“My kids were so little, and if they spilled a glass of water on the counter, I would lose my mind. So I knew that it wasn’t a sustainable thing,” she reflects.

Then, something shifted. Lindsay resolutely set out to heal her autoimmunity beyond easing symptoms.

“I knew that there were other people who had changed their diet and had reversed autoimmune,” she says. “I wanted to not just palliate my symptoms. I wanted to actually address the underlying root cause of what was going on in my body, so that I could get rid of it. It was like a poltergeist.”

She made sweeping changes: moving homes, changing her career, and completely overhauling her diet and lifestyle. She eliminated inflammatory foods, such as seed oils, fried foods, refined sugar, and anything processed.

Then, she took a more intense step of living off nourishing shakes and supplements for three months as a means of resetting her system and healing her gut. After that, she brought back foods one by one to see which ones caused digestive or other reactions.

Stress and Autoimmunity

She also realized that recovery required more than just diet changes.

“Stress is also a massive trigger of inflammation, and inflammation is really the root cause of all evil when it comes to autoimmune conditions,” she says, which led her to explore mindfulness, breathwork, and practices like Reiki and hypnotherapy.

It felt like she tried virtually everything, but eventually, it worked. Through that mix of tactics, Lindsay reduced her inflammation and the symptoms of her autoimmunity.

A New Mission

Just as Lindsay began feeling back to herself, her three-year-old daughter began exhibiting symptoms of chronic illness. After all she had learned, Lindsay helped guide her daughter over the next few years through physical, mental, and emotional steps to get better. Today, Lindsay’s daughter is thriving.

“Doctors said she would have to be on medication for the rest of her life,” Lindsay says. “But she defied modern medicine.”

After healing her body naturally, Lindsay turned her powerful experience into purpose. She founded Small Hinges, a company that offers a comprehensive food sensitivity test that goes beyond the standard options by including a gut health assessment and various inflammatory markers.

“Small hinges swing big doors,” she says, acknowledging that she made some extreme moves to heal, but is hoping to help others discover easier, bio-individual ways to get better.

“There’s no ‘what’s good for the goose is good for the gander’ solution that’s out there,” she says. “Your body is different from mine, but also your perspective and your spiritual energy are different too throughout your life.”

Find and follow Lindsay:

Lindsay’s YouTube

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The Ammortal Chamber

The Steps That Helped Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Pain

  • Identifying and eliminating food triggers – An elimination diet helped her identify the specific foods causing inflammation in her body, enabling her to heal. Now, she has developed a test to help others shortcut this.
  • Adopting a clean, whole foods diet – Transitioning to organic, grass-fed, and free-range foods became a foundation of her healing. She emphasized avoiding highly processed foods and those with additives not allowed in other countries.
  • Healing the gut – Lindsay focused on healing her gut lining through specialized supplements, shakes, and mindful eating practices. She avoided foods that caused gut permeability and used probiotic-rich foods and supplements.
  • Reducing stress and cultivating mindfulness – She practiced meditation, breathwork, and other mindfulness techniques to manage stress, a significant trigger for inflammation. She also left a stressful job.
  • Embracing holistic approaches and bioenergetics – She explored alternative therapies such as Reiki, hypnotherapy, and bioenergetic technologies, such as infrared light and molecular hydrogen treatments, to support her body’s healing.
  • Prioritizing sleep and hydration – Ensuring quality sleep and proper hydration were also key elements. She emphasized drinking high-quality water at specific times to support digestion and overall health.
  • Adopting an attitude of gratitude – Practicing gratitude daily helped Lindsay and her family maintain a positive mindset, which supports overall well-being and healing.