In 2012, after a brief period of physical decline, I found myself bedridden and unable to move for 8 months. I was entirely helpless and relied on others for all of my needs. My previous life had been all about fitness, yet here I was without the strength to lift my head or hold a cell phone, let alone stand. My nervous system was in a terrifying state of disarray, either over or under responsive, that I would best describe as a neurological firestorm. Any function I’d had as a human being was gone. The initial doctors I’d seen early on had no clue what was wrong and nothing effective to offer.
The good news is I recovered and emerged from this experience a changed person. I look back on it as the greatest gift of my life, albeit one in strange wrapping paper.
Here are a few takeaways from my health journey…
1. Our bodies have an innate intelligence and a miraculous potential to recover from all manner of symptoms and disease. I’m referring to true restoration of health, not management of disease through pharmaceuticals. This includes cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, autoimmune disease, diabetes, as well as digestive issues and allergies. More often than not, illness comes as a result of our not living in alignment with how life functions.
2. Diet and Lifestyle choices have a profound impact on our health picture… they make health or break it. This is the basis for the exciting new world of functional health care. It’s up to us to educate ourselves, make the best decisions, and take ownership of our health.
3. Our body is an ecosystem; a complex universe of various life forms (microbes and others) working together to support our health. (Check out Curezone.com to see what might be living inside you). Poor lifestyle choices upset the balance and an imbalance results in impairment of health.
4. Avoidance of exposure to toxins and daily detox support should be lifestyle practices, like brushing our teeth. We live in a sea of toxicity, as never before in history (drinking water, processed foods, plastic water and food containers, toiletries, dental amalgams, etc. are full of toxic chemicals) and our bodies can no longer handle the burden. When toxicity builds up, disease results.
5. A positive attitude and faith are two of the most powerful healing remedies. I have seen it time and time again in my work as a Nutritional Therapist and it was the case for me. Those with optimism and a strong belief in a positive outcome are propelled to health, while those who identify with their disease are held back and carry a tremendous burden of stress that interferes with the healing process. For the first three months I was bedridden, I felt anxiety, despair and hopelessness- my life as I knew it had been snatched away. Over time, I struggled to shift my attitude, to feel faith in my recovery. It was a turning point for me. Oddly, it took losing my life for me to find a deep sense of gratitude and joy that I’d never experienced before. I learned every species of bird I could see and their birdsong, and gained a new found appreciation for the beauty of plants and tree bark (these were what I could see from my bed). The beauty of nature pulled me back to life.
6. Life is the most wonderful gift. Each day is one to be grateful for and lived with joy. We spend way too much time caught up in the noise and distractions. Put down your cellphone, take a few deep breaths, look out your window or go outside and connect to the beauty of life. Few things are more nourishing to health.