What got me started...
It was three years ago I went to see my physician for routine blood work. Like most young Americans I thought that I was in perfect health with no serious issues. Upon examination my physician found me to be hypertensive, have elevated LDL and pre-diabetic. I immediately said that I would follow his suggestions to increase exercise and discontinue consumption of red meat and return for a more blood work in 3-4 months. I felt little difference after following the regime. After taking more blood work my physician reported that all my numbers actually went up! My systolic blood pressure was now 148 and my LDL were at 270 and I was still pre-diabetic! Now comes the prescription drugs. I didn’t understand. What was I doing wrong? This is when I realized that natural health and medicine were far more complex then simply omitting certain foods and exercising. There was a serious imbalance going on within my body and I wanted to fix it.
I feverishly researched information online to find ways to cleanse the body. Most of the information lead me to different quick fix detoxes and diet plans that were too good to be true. I wanted to be healthy and free from the ‘crutch’ of medications. Upon my discovery I found information on using dried herbs as medicine to correct problems in the body. After finding an herbalist in Uniondale, NY I consulted with a young herbalist named Andre who willingly explained how to take and prepare herbs to use as medicine, creating decoctions from dark roots like dandelions, and how to effectively heal myself using food as medicine. So I embarked on my journey for self…
My results were nothing short of amazing! After following a specific regime including raw fruits and vegetables combined with various herbal decoctions and teas I was able to notice changes in my behavior, mood, and energy. I started to require less sleep and would wake up feeling more rested. My attention and focus was increased. I had an significantly more energy. Most of all I was able to look at myself in the mirror and say to myself “I feel GREAT!” Since that moment, I have searched and studied everything I can that is holistic, natural and healing to the body. Since then, I have lost a total of 70 pounds, went from running three miles to fifteen miles, lost all of the pain and discomfort in my joints especially my knees, and have increased my cognitive function and ability to retain and recall information.
I have realized that natural health is not a quick fix or fad. It is a journey that shows the promise of better health and improved quality of life. So many people loose sight of hope after receiving the ‘sentence’ of disease from their physicians thinking there is no other way except medication. I have found that phytochemicals accompanied with education and discipline can have the greatest impact upon the body. Learning the difference between health care, crisis care and disease control was the first step to understand what true health really was.
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