MMA Fighter, Michael Hobby, has Miraculous Before and After

Michael Hobby almost took his last breath way too early

As I am writing this, I’m on the other side of a miraculous recovery from acute kidney failure and adrenal fatigue caused by hypothyroidism. Only a month ago, I was in the intensive care unit of a local hospital unable to walk and hearing doctors and specialists tell me that I was lucky to be alive. I had lost 35lbs. of muscle and had narrowly escaped an untimely death after my kidneys began to shut down from a case of hypercalcemia.

For 4 years prior to this disaster I had been training for 3-5 hours, six days a week at Xtreme Couture MMA (one of the largest and most revered MMA gyms in the world). The training was always hard on my body, but for the majority of that time, there was Dr. John. Dr. John Fitzgerald had been working with fighters in the gym to keep them from suffering from athletic burn out due to the intensity of the training. During this time, I was able to achieve greatness in my amateur career by winning 9 straight fights and racking up 6 belts and ending up as the #1 ranked lightweight in the PAC Northwest.

But in the last two years Dr. Fitzgerald was unable to devote his time in the gym due to an increased schedule and a higher demand for his expertise. As the last two years went on, I felt the training adding up on my body, instead of maintaining a level of vigor and resilience to the intensity I had been accustomed to. At the end of the last two years, my body and mind had been drained beyond anything I’ve ever experienced before. I developed a strong case of depression, which manifested physically shortly thereafter.

Diagnosed with Hypothyroidism

Once things got bad enough I went to a general practice doctor who diagnosed me with Hypothyroidism. The treatment was started with synthetic hormones, but it was too late to turn things around. I ended up weighing 150 pounds vs. my usual walk weight of 185 pounds. I suffered from major atrophy all over my body. This, as mentioned before, ended with me barely clinging to life.

Once I was stabilized and released from the hospital, the doctors told me that the dosage of medication given to me had been incorrect and had only made the problem worse. Instead of dealing with an underactive thyroid alone, my adrenal glands and pituitary gland were now affected as well.

A Resting Heart Rate of over 150

For the next two weeks after my release, I wasn’t gaining any weight and my resting heart rate was over 150. Combined with dangerously low blood pressure, I would lay awake each night listening to the thudding of my heart against my chest and wonder if I chose to go to sleep would I get to wake up in the morning.

Finally Got Help

One of my coaches, Tim Lane (Former World Champion Kickboxer) contacted me on a Saturday morning and told me to come with him to see Dr. Fitzgerald at his home. When we arrived I gave him a copy of my blood work and other information about my time in the hospital and he shined a flashlight into my eyes. “It looks like your adrenals and pituitary gland are screwed up.” he said as he turned back to a previous page. “The first thing we need to do is start eating the foods that help to feed these glands so your body can repair itself.”

A Miracle Happened

We then went into the kitchen where he made a smoothie of superfoods and he said I would start to feel better in about an hour as he handed me a glass. I was amazed when I started to feel a surge of energy and elatedness as we sat talking in the living room. I looked at my hands and realized the tremors I had been dealing with since my release had completely subsided. He then pulled out a laptop and walked me through the website he co-founded called My Nutrition Advisor showing me all the foods I needed to consume for my thyroid and adrenal glands. Then he showed me all the recipes I could create using these ingredients.

I had never met a doctor or specialist who could so simply explain the information that lay within this website. And yet as I was navigated through the pages it was all presented as if it were rudimentary.

And now here I sit. Two weeks later. I’ve put on 20lbs. of muscle and have already been able to go back to training. I feel better than I ever have before not only physically but mentally as well. I’m happier and more positive than I was even in the height of my training over 2 years ago.

All of my teammates and coaches at the gym are amazed at my progress and I feel like I have a new lease on life. I can now continue chasing my dream as I begin my professional MMA career. What could’ve been the end has turned into a new beginning thanks to Dr. John Fitzgerald and My Nutrition Advisor.

by Michael Hobby