When Jasmin Corbett was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 29, she was told that her active lifestyle was over.
But accepting limits is just not in Jasmine’s nature.
Instead, the adrenaline-seeking former accountant from Fraserburgh decided not to let the autoimmune condition define her.
Determined to take back control of her body and health, Jasmin embarked on a mission to become pain and symptom free.
‘I didn’t let rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis define me’
Seven years on and Jasmin, 36, is in remission and is using her experiences to help other women.
“When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, I was told that my active lifestyle was over, that I’d have to slow down, accept the pain and just ‘manage’ the symptoms,” says Jasmin.
“But I don’t accept limits.
“This diagnosis wasn’t the end – it was the beginning.
“Because instead of letting it define me, I made a decision to take back control of my body.”
Happy and healthy childhood…
Jasmin’s inspirational story begins in Fraserburgh where she enjoyed an active and happy childhood.
“I grew up on a farm so we were always outside playing in some sort of mud pit,” laughs Jasmin.
“I loved my childhood and I feel very lucky to have grown up in that environment.”
Happy, healthy and extremely sporty, Jasmin had no health issues when she was growing up.
Jasmin thought aches and pains were from sport…
But everything changed when Jasmin was in her late twenties.
“At the time I was doing a lot of endurance training so I was running and hiking a lot plus I was in the gym every single day,” says Jasmin.
“I was training for two 24 hour hikes so the training was quite intense.
“I always had aches and pains and my joints were stiff and sore but I thought it was because of the level of intensity that I was putting my body through.”
‘My acupuncturist suggested I could have rheumatoid arthritis’
It was while getting acupuncture treatment when Jasmin discovered her aches and pains weren’t what she initially thought.
“I had pain in my hips, my knees and my ankles but then I got the same pain in my index finger,” says Jasmin.
“When I told the acupuncturist about the pain in my finger, he thought the pain could be something else.
“He suggested it could be rheumatoid arthritis and it turned out he was right.”
‘I thought rheumatoid arthritis was an old person’s disease’
When doctors broke the news that she did indeed have rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints, it took Jasmin aback.
“It was a huge shock as I was in my twenties and I thought it was an old person’s disease,” says Jasmin.
“The doctor told me I would have to give up my active lifestyle so no more running or hiking.
“He also said it was going to be a case of pain management to slow down the progression.
“It really felt like a punch in the stomach.”
‘Being told my life would change really shook me’
Initially Jasmin struggled to process what she had been told.
“My identity was that I’m a bouncy, energetic person who goes and does crazy challenges and was outside all the time,” says Jasmin.
“So I was like ‘who am I going to be if I can’t do those things’.
“That was what really shook me more than being told that I had this disease, that my life was about to change completely.”
‘I just thought, I’m not accepting this’
But after the initial shock, Jasmin decided to change her mindset.
“I gave myself a night to feel super sorry for myself and the next day I woke up and thought, no this doctor doesn’t know me, he doesn’t know what I’m capable of,” says Jasmin.
“I just thought, I’m not accepting this, I’m not just being told that this is how my life is going to look.”
Determined to feel better, Jasmin worked hard to relieve her pain and symptoms.
“I went down multiple rabbit holes and I tried so many different things to see what would work,” says Jasmin.
“Eventually I started to see a difference in my symptoms.
“The pain eased and I started to feel better in myself, so I kept continuing with that.”
Jasmin focused on her health and wellbeing…
So what does Jasmin think helped her symptoms?
“I tried a lot of things all at once so I can’t say what was specifically effective,” says Jasmin.
“I started a whole foods diet, stripping out sugar and gluten and I didn’t eat meat or dairy either.
“Then I started trying various different supplements like turmeric which helped a lot.”
Jasmin also worked on her mental wellbeing.
“I also started focusing on stress management,” says Jasmin.
“So I really started to work on calming my nervous system.”
‘My life’s work is to help other women’
As well as this, Jasmin started cold water dipping and wild swimming.
She also tried holistic therapies like acupuncture and Bowen therapy that involves gentle manipulations of the body using fingers and thumbs.
Today, Jasmin is in remission and is now using her experiences to help other women.
“I went from feeling trapped in my own body to thriving,” says Jasmin.
“I’ve got more energy, less pain and a level of health I didn’t know I needed.
“Now it’s my life’s work to help other women do the same.”
‘Helping people feel better makes my heart smile’
Jasmin is now an online gut health coach who is determined to help other women.
“I qualified as a health coach in 2021 and I started coaching while I was working full-time as an accountant,” says Jasmin.
“I did that for nearly two years and then I got to the point where something had to give so I went full-time as a health coach.
“I get so much more fulfilment and joy in helping people feel better – it makes my heart smile.
“I feel like I’ve found my purpose.
“Also, I can say to people, I know what you’re going through and I know the pain that you’re feeling because I’ve been here.
“I’m a walking example that it doesn’t have to be this way.”
Excited about the future, Jasmin has big plans.
“I would like to be in a position where I could say I’ve touched millions of lives,” says Jasmin.
“My mission is to help women and that’s really what it’s about for me.
“I’d also like to write a book.”
For more on Jasmin, check out her Instagram page @jasmin_corbett
And for more information on rheumatoid arthritis check out the NHS website nhsinform.scot
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