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Imagine doing all the medically “correct” things whenever you got sick, but it wasn’t until you completely changed up your lifestyle that you actually began to feel better.
That’s exactly what happened to Maryna Titova: A hardworking professional who, after battling chronic bladder and throat infections for years, discovered that all she needed to improve her health was to eat nourishing food and get some fresh air and exercise.
While Titova’s experience — and the science behind healthy diet and exercise — is a little more complex, these stories are vital for us to understand why we end up on the antibiotics hamster wheel in the first place. To help us unpack Titova’s journey, and learn what we can do to break these unhealthy lifestyle patterns, Rescripted spoke wth Anna Bohnengel, MS, RD, LD, a registered dietitian (aka Fertility Nutritionist).
Maryna’s story
“I had just started my first job when my health problems began,” Titova tells Rescripted. “I was ambitious, a workaholic, constantly striving for more.” As a young woman in her 20s, Titova “ate whatever was convenient.” That meant replacing entire meals with snack foods like cookies on some days. As for exercise, Titova “convinced” herself she didn’t need to work out. “By the evening, I was too exhausted to do anything but collapse into bed.”
Eventually, this “running on empty” lifestyle caught up with her. “Out of nowhere, I developed constant bladder and throat infections,” she says. But instead of helping Titova uncover the root cause of her chronic infections, her doctors “did what they were trained to do — prescribe and treat.” This did nothing to stop the “cycle of disease,” as Titova calls it. “My first flicker of doubt came after yet another course of antibiotics, when my skin broke out in an angry rash. I felt poisoned from the inside out.”
Any attempt Titova made to get some answers from her doctors about her chronic infections resulted in “normal” test results, which only caused her more anguish: “I looked in the mirror and barely recognized the ghost staring back at me,” she says. “Is this what normal looks like?”
When Titova became pregnant, however, she knew she had to make some lifestyle changes, like quitting smoking, eating more nourishing meals, and walking more. After her daughter was born, Titova felt “an almost primal pull to leave” her urban environment, because to her, “staying in the city meant staying sick.”
After moving out of the city, a healthy diet and regular walks in the country air soon became second nature for Titova. One evening, she had an epiphany: “[While] rocking my daughter to sleep, a strange thought hit me: When was the last time I had an infection? When was the last time I took antibiotics?” Titova suddenly realized that months, or possibly a year, had passed “without a flare, without pills, without exhaustion.”
More importantly, her “body had healed without me even realizing it.”
Although Titova had initially convinced herself that her chronic infections were due to “bad luck” or a “weak immune system,” she now had a new theory: Her unhealthy lifestyle was the culprit. “I wasn’t eating to nourish myself — I was eating to numb stress,” she says. “I wasn’t resting — I was burning myself out. “I had been running on coffee, cigarettes, and survival mode for so long that I never stopped to ask what my body needed.”
Titova now believes that by leaving her fast-paced city life behind, along with the “stress and toxic habits,” her body was able to heal on its own.
So, how much of an impact can these lifestyle changes actually have on chronic infections? Using Titova’s story as an example, registered dietitian Anna Bohnengel offers her expert advice below.
Chronic infections: Getting to the root cause
One of the main reasons why Titova got stuck on the get-sick-take-antibiotics-rinse-repeat cycle (like so many of us do!) is because “most of us were never taught that our immune system is highly impacted by our daily habits,” says Bohnengel. The “antibiotic merry-go-round for every sinus infection, sore throat, or UTI can feel like you’re just patching a leaky roof instead of fixing the foundation.”
In addition to knowing when to go to the doctor, it’s also important to learn that “food, movement, sleep, and stress all shape your body’s defenses,” says Bohnengel. While Titova subsisted on coffee and processed snack foods throughout her 20s — and avoided well-balanced meals — her immune system paid the price. “Research shows that nutrient-dense diets — think plenty of fruits, veggies, beans, legumes, and healthy fats — can help reduce chronic inflammation and support a more balanced immune response,” says Bohnengel. “These nutrients are the building blocks and fuel for your white blood cells, your gut microbiome, your mucosal barriers… all the parts of you that fight off infection before you ever need a prescription.”
Speaking of your gut, did you know that it’s home to 70% of your immune system? So it’s no wonder that our diet has a significant effect on our health. “When your microbiome is thriving (from fiber, fermented foods, and fewer ultra-processed foods), your whole immune system gets a boost,” says Bohnengel. “Studies have even shown that diets high in processed foods can impair immune function, while whole foods can help protect against recurrent infections by keeping inflammation in check.”
But it wasn’t just Titova’s dietary changes that impacted her overall health. She also credits rest, stress management, and exercise in helping to reduce her chronic infections. Bohnengel agrees with that approach: “Prioritizing sleep, managing chronic stress, and even regular gentle movement (walking or yoga) can reduce inflammation and help your immune system function more efficiently.”
Small steps = big changes
Any type of lifestyle adjustment can be intimidating, even if you’re someone like Titova, who directly felt a “primal pull to leave” her fast-paced, stressful life. But if you feel your eating and lifestyle habits are harming your health, the key to taking control is through “small manageable changes,” says Bohnengel. These baby steps “can lead to sustainable improvements.”
Bohnengel’s tips for improving your overall health:
- Set specific goals: Identify clear, achievable objectives, such as incorporating one serving of vegetables into each meal.
- Plan meals: Preparing meals in advance can help control portions and ensure balanced nutrition.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking adequate water supports overall health and can prevent mistaking thirst for hunger.
- Seek support: Consulting with healthcare professionals like dietitians can provide personalized guidance and accountability.
If your experience is similar to Titova’s, Bohnengel also has a few pieces of advice on chronic infection.
Bohnengel’s dietary tips for reducing reliance on antibiotics:
- Probiotic-rich foods: Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and other fermented foods can help maintain a healthy gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role in immune function.
- High-fiber foods: Nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, fruits and vegetables promote digestive health and may reduce the risk of infections.
- Anti-inflammatory foods: Incorporating foods like fatty fish, nuts, leafy greens, and berries can help reduce chronic inflammation and bolster the immune system.
“Implementing these dietary and lifestyle changes can enhance overall health and potentially reduce the frequency of chronic infections,” she says.
Building (and maintaining) long-term habits
Look, no one said building and maintaining healthy habits was easy. But as we’ve already learned from Titova’s story, the long-term benefits are worth it. “Think of your immune system like a team sport,” observes Bohnengel. “Every player — your diet, stress levels, sleep habits, gut health, movement, even your time outdoors — plays a role. If one player is totally burnt out or missing from the field (say, you're sleeping four hours a night and living on caffeine), the whole team struggles. That's when infections sneak in. Again.”
Bohnengel breaks these ideas down even further:
- Chronic stress suppresses immune function, especially when it's unrelenting. High cortisol over time can reduce your body’s ability to mount a strong response to viruses and bacteria.
- Sleep is when your immune system gets to “reboot.” Skimping on rest — even just a few nights — can reduce your defenses significantly.
- Fresh air and sunlight can help regulate circadian rhythms and boost vitamin D, which is key for immune health.
- A whole foods-based diet, rich in colorful plants, healthy fats, and immune-supporting nutrients like zinc and vitamin C, helps your immune cells stay active and balanced.
- And let’s not forget gut health — your gut microbiome trains and supports your immune system. A diverse, fiber-rich diet and avoiding unnecessary antibiotics go a long way here.
If you’re suffering from chronic infections, and the only medical treatment you’re receiving is yet another round of antibiotics, it might be time to consider a more holistic approach. Incorporating whole foods into your diet, reducing your processed foods intake, and monitoring your sleep, stress, and exercise patterns may just be the difference between sickness and health.
Sarene Leeds holds an M.S. in Professional Writing from NYU, and is a seasoned journalist, having written and reported on subjects ranging from TV and pop culture to health, wellness, and parenting over the course of her career. Her work has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, Vulture, SheKnows, and numerous other outlets. A staunch mental health advocate, Sarene also hosts the podcast “Emotional Abuse Is Real.” Subscribe to her Substack, the Critical Communicator, and follow her on Instagram, BlueSky, or Threads.