Chrons
During a recent interview, I was asked the following question:
'When did you really start noticing significant improvements in your overall well-being once implementing the well-documented changes in your diet and lifestyle?'
During a recent interview, I was asked the following question:
'When did you really start noticing significant improvements in your overall well-being once implementing the well-documented changes in your diet and lifestyle?'
My mind immediately flashed back to the summer of 2004, when I was diagnosed with 'borderline Crohn's disease', 'Spastic Colon', and 'Chronic Irritable Bowel Syndrome'. I was living on prescription medication and sustained myself by eating Goldfish crackers and Diet Dr. Pepper. I was more than sick; I was severely malnourished.
The intense pain I experienced on a daily basis came to be a normal, natural reaction that I became accustomed to. In fact, I really don't recall a day during those years that I didn't suffer. Pain, bloating, fatigue, sallow skin, yellow eyes, dull hair, and exhaustion were the best words that described me in my twenties.
The doctors of course gave me a dim outlook, reminding me every time I would go to see them that I could only treat my symptoms with drugs and try to eat as bland of a diet as possible. Oh, and the other thing that was preached at me was not to eat raw vegetables and fruits. Swear to God.
As you can imagine, my condition worsened, and by spring of 2006 I couldn't take it anymore. The pain was so intense that it kept me awake at night. The medication wasn't working, and it made me feel like shit. I was done listening to my doctors.
I went to the local bookstore and perused the aisles for anything that would strike my eye. I had already tried just about every gimmicky diet you could possibly imagine, and none of them had any effect on my symptoms. The only thing that seemed to work to my advantage at all was when I avoided animal products, so I started picking up books that focused on a vegetarian diet.
I found a book by former supermodel Carol Alt entitled, 'Eating in the Raw'. I opened it up and plopped down on the cold, hard carpet at Barnes and Nobles. I skimmed through the first few chapters and I was immediately intrigued. Everything she was talking about just made so much sense.
I bought the book and read it, cover to cover, within one day. She spoke about the importance of enzymes and how cooking our food destroyed most of its nutritional properties. She stressed the importance of not tampering with our food, leaving it raw, organic, and unprocessed. She also shared her story in which she referenced a book that was written by someone named David 'Avocado' Wolfe.
An hour on Google and a couple hundred dollars later, I had ordered a library of books from this peculiar 'Avocado' fellow. Little did I know this would be the day that would change my life forever.
I received the books and immediately dove into them. I was sucked into every chapter, soaking in every word and embracing the information. I had never heard of a 'raw food diet', but the more I read, the more convinced I became.
I decided to try it and went 100% raw overnight. I stopped drinking coffee, alcohol, sodas, and only drank pure spring water and raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and cold-pressed oils. I also periodically fasted on fresh green juices and herbal tea. I became a master 'salad creator' and would spend hours slicing and chopping fresh produce, juicing vegetables, and preparing new raw dishes. I also did an intense parasite cleanse which I feel might have been the most important step of all.
As much as I'd love to tell you that I felt fabulous immediately, I didn't. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I got weaker, sicker, and experienced an onset of symptoms that were worse than ever before. However, I didn't give up. Continued research had taught me that this was a sign of major detoxification, and a rise in symptoms was common since diseased tissue and toxins are released into the bloodstream for removal through the skin, lungs, and bowels.
I was steadfast and focused. I wasn't giving up, and thankfully within a couple months my symptoms started easing. My skin cleared, my eyes sparkled, and the pain in my intestines? Gone.
I implemented yoga and meditation and started taking strong herbal supplements such as Probiotics, MSM, Reishi, Turmeric, Chlorella, and Fish oil. I felt better than I had ever remembered.
