End of Week 1

End of Week 21

I have been interested in natural health and nutrition for most of my adult life. My eating habits have swung the pendulum from one extreme to the other. I have eaten the “S.A.D” Standard American Diet, been a vegetarian, eaten organic produce, avoided dairy, and like the Little Red Hen, ground my own wheat and made my own bread. My life experiences, dramas and traumas, helped usher me into the “World of Raw Food”.

Life happens

Over the past couple of years, several major life events occurred, and it seemed that each one brought new stressors into my life. I wasn’t aware of the effect the stress was having on my body, mind and spirit. Chronic insomnia, depression, anxiety issues, migraines, chronic sinus infections, lethargy, injures that wouldn’t heal and an immune system that just wasn’t functioning correctly anymore. On top of all that was already going on in my body, I was involved in a car accident Dec 2, 2009 which caused new injuries that would not heal and were getting worse with time.

Through a series of “divine appointments”, I found an amazing new Chiropractor and a new Massage Therapist, both of whom were instrumental in getting me over the “hump of injury” and on the road to recovery. At the same time I found out about Optimum Health Institute – a raw food, body, mind spirit detox center. It was during this time, at the beginning of February, 2010, I started to regain H.O.P.E. (Health, Opportunities, Possibilities, Excitement) and in just 3 weeks, lost 11 pounds changing nothing in my life but having hope. Life started to return to my eyes and even my facial features began to soften. H.O.P.E opened the door for me to walk into my destiny!

New Beginnings

I spent the last 3 weeks of March in San Diego, eating raw detox food, which consisted of fruit for breakfast, veggies, seeds, dehydrated seed crackers and chips, seed cheeses, fermented food and 3 days of fresh vegetable juice each week. Within the first two days, I started noticing remarkable improvement in the areas where I had health opportunities. I was able to walk without constant foot pain for the first time in over 6 months and the nerve pain I had been experiencing in my shoulder and arm started to diminish. I went through an emotional and mental detoxification process as well and chose to forgive myself, stop judging myself, my body, my appearance, etc. I started working on an attitude of gratitude, turning my negative destructive thoughts to positive life giving thoughts.

My journey in the Raw Food World has been filled with Excitement, Anticipation, Life, Joy, Happiness, Healing, Weight Loss, New Career Opportunities, New Friends and the list goes on. To date, I have lost 46 pounds, more than 18 inches,12% body fat and have gone from a size 14/16 to a size 4, from an XL to a S. I am on no medication, no longer have insomnia, indigestion or anxiety issues. My resting heart rate went from 92 to 58 and my blood sugar and blood pressure are once again in the normal range. My health opportunities from the December car accident continue to heal and improve. I found my “Happy”, I love life and myself and I am comfortable in my own skin for the first time in 49 years.

Life Passion

My desire is to help others find the emotional and physical healing, happiness and health that I have found by living the Raw Food Lifestyle. It’s about living in the present, not living in regret or remorse about yesterday, or last year. It’s about fueling our bodies with nutrient rich foods so they can function the way God designed them to – in harmony and balance with God, nature, good nutrition, exercise and a positive attitude. It’s about making a better choice today than yesterday so that tomorrow can be the best, so you can live in optimum health!