By Kelsey Conner, Founder of Cake Face Soaping

It all started one night when I was 16. I had stayed up late, and a little after midnight, this intense, gnawing pain erupted in my stomach. It felt like the most severe hunger I could imagine, the kind you’d feel after days without food. But it made no sense; we’d eaten a home-cooked meal that evening. I took note, because it was so strangely intense.

Over the next few weeks, it became a regular occurrence, especially when I was up late enough for dinner to wear off. Around the same time, I began suffering from hypoglycemia and debilitating stomach problems every morning before school. Waking up nauseous was common, and some mornings, around 4 AM, I'd be jolted awake by intense stomach pains, followed by painful bowel movements that left my legs shaking.

My mom, concerned, took me to our doctor. After blood tests, she declared I was in "perfect health," assuring us that if symptoms persisted, we could return. They did. We went back, only to be told again that I was perfectly fine, with impeccable bloodwork, and perhaps it was "all in my head." She even accused my mom of fabricating it. This was devastating, especially from a doctor we’d trusted for over a decade. We realized we needed help elsewhere.

The Path Less Traveled: Seeking Answers Beyond Conventional Medicine

Feeling abandoned by traditional medicine, we turned to an iridologist named Betty Sue. This was an eye-opening experience! For anyone looking to deep-dive into their health and wellness, I can't recommend it enough. Betty Sue examined my eyes, identifying deficiencies and suggesting supplements. She performed strength tests and recommended a strict diet of mostly leafy greens for a week to cleanse my digestive system. I was about 19 then, and the cravings were fierce, but I stuck to it: 80% leafy greens, 20% organic chicken, only water or herbal tea.

The results were incredible. After just seven days, I felt amazing. No more pain, brain fog, or hypoglycemia. My stomach problems vanished, and I truly believed I was cured! I continued with the supplements, happy and healthy.

But sadly, the relief was temporary. The symptoms slowly crept back. I tried to eat clean, avoiding sugars, sodas, and processed foods, but after about a year, my love for potatoes and carbs resurfaced. Soon, I was back to fast food, chips, and creamer in my coffee. And with it came the old stomach issues, brain fog, constant tiredness, depression, mood swings, and, worst of all, terrible cystic acne.

We returned to Betty Sue. This time, she prescribed new supplements, a probiotic powder, and we started weekly ionic foot baths. This was completely new to me, and what came out of our feet each week was astonishing! My mom’s water had blue paint chips, the exact color of her recently painted kitchen. Mine smelled like chlorine – residue from my lifeguard summers, over four years prior! The most bizarre discovery? Two tiny, chia-seed-sized beetles came out of my feet. Betty Sue, who had seen everything, sent them to a lab, and yes, they were indeed beetles!

Then came the shocking diagnosis: Candida. Betty Sue, connecting the dots from my eyes and my story, realized I had Candida growing in my gut, fermenting, and creating alcohol that was being reabsorbed into my body. I was essentially drunk from my own gut! This blew my mind. I can’t tell you how many times people had asked if I’d been drinking, and I’d innocently reply, "No, I don't even drink!" Looking back now, I just laugh at the absurdity of being buzzed off my own juice.

I embarked on another candida-clearing diet, even harder than the last, with intense cravings for potatoes. But I pushed through, and again, emerged feeling utterly amazing. And, as the cycle went, I maintained a clean diet for a while before slowly falling off the wagon.

The Breaking Point: "I Didn't Think I'd Live Past 25"

Each relapse brought worse symptoms. This third time, at 21, navigating college and newfound independence, I was grappling with awful symptoms every single day, every single hour. Mornings were a battle to feel well enough to leave the house, only to get stomach aches upon arrival at school, forcing me to seek out private bathrooms. This routine took a significant toll on my self-esteem. Every month, around my period, I’d experience intense, burning stomach pains, so severe I couldn’t eat for days. Only plain cucumber seemed to offer relief. Between classes, I'd often nap in my car, utterly exhausted.

My General Practitioner continued to report "perfect bloodwork," deeming my suffering "unexplainable." Five years of agony, no answers, and the haunting echo of being told it was "all in my head." I truly felt this was my life, and a short one at that. My parents had lost their first baby to heart problems, and I wondered if I carried a similar fate. So, I decided to live as if I wasn't sick, pushing through classes, work, and friendships, refusing to let the illness hold me back. I suffered silently for another year.

By 22, I was frighteningly skinny and pale, my skin almost transparent, with dark circles under my eyes. I bruised easily, needed daily naps, and felt emotionally empty. I was a mere shell of a person, masking my sadness so effectively that most people never knew how deeply I was struggling.

Then came a terrifying new symptom. During my period, I suddenly felt an intense pain, so excruciating I passed out. I made it back to my bed, writhing. It felt like contractions, but I wasn't pregnant. It was the entire lining of my uterus being forced out. We collected it and took it to the OBGYN, utterly terrified. Her reaction? "Oh, you’re fine. This is normal, it happens every month." Disbelief turned to fury. She hadn't even looked at what we brought in, then dismissed my terror. This was not normal, and it was the last time I saw an OBGYN. I had lost faith in doctors.

That summer, 2009, at 22, my energy was so depleted that I had to quit my retail job just to rest. One time, after merely walking to the mailbox, I had to lay down and took a three-hour nap. This was not the vibrant, outgoing person I once was. Then, in October, I suddenly lost 15 pounds in 10 days for no reason. I hadn't changed my diet, no new symptoms. I thought, "Alright, this is it." I pictured my family, who had already lost one child.

The Answer, The Healing, The Purpose

Desperate, I visited a friend who recommended Dr. Fox, chiropractors in Gulfport, MS. We sent them my bloodwork – the same "perfect" bloodwork my GP had reviewed. And finally, they came back with actual care, concern, and most importantly… ANSWERS! "You are very sick," they told me. "Your scores are all right in the middle of each range. That is really bad, they should be mixed." Someone believed me! I cried happy tears, feeling validated after so many years. They prescribed supplements and powders, and in six months, I started feeling alive again. After a year, I was in full health – no stomach problems, incredibly clear and glowing skin, even improved eyesight! It was a new chance at life, and I am forever grateful.

They then referred me to Dr. Cave in Baton Rouge, who herself has an incredible story. After talking with me, she suspected I had a genetic mutation she also suffered from, and she was right. I have the MTHFR C677t gene mutation. This tiny gene was the root of all my problems, and I finally had answers, just in the nick of time! She also discovered I had heavy metal poisoning, another consequence of this mutation. More supplements, liver and pathway support, and I achieved even better health. By 24, I was like a shiny new penny, ready to take on the world!

From Personal Healing to Public Purpose: The Birth of Cake Face Soaping

Now, here's a parallel story. When I quit my retail job in 2009, I learned to make soap. I love creating, and I wanted a new skill. I was determined that my illness wouldn't stop me from doing anything I wanted. With nothing to lose, I opened an Etsy store that August, founding Cake Face Soaping. At first, it was just a hobby, a way to recoup my initial investment.

But as friends and family encouraged me, and I saw customers falling in love with my products – raving about soft skin and beautiful scents – I realized something profound. Seeing how something I made helped others made me fall in love with making products.

Then, after getting help from Dr. Cave, I truly understood the dangers of skincare with synthetic fragrances and other ingredients, especially for people with "dirty MTHFR genes" like mine. This was my pivotal moment. I decided Cake Face Soaping would no longer use fragrance, only essential oils. This was a deeper step into cleaning up my life beyond just food. And if you have "dirty genes," this is an essential area of your life to address if you want to achieve overall wellness.

My health journey fuels every product at Cake Face Soaping. We're not just making soap; we're crafting truly clean, supportive skincare born from a personal mission to heal and thrive. My hope is that through Cake Face Soaping, you can also reduce your toxic load, support your body, and embrace your own journey to holistic wellness.

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