Essential Nourishment

FOREWORD

Like many of you, I’m older than I ever intended to be.  Not that I’m old old, but still…

Old is a relative term, I suppose.  Unfortunately, we live in a society that does not value older and wiser individuals, and aging is viewed as a fate worse than death.  In any case, I have decided to age gracefully. 

Aging is not a disease.  It took a lot of years, but I’m finally at peace with my body, which explains the cover of this book.  I was inspired by the Dove campaign that ran a few years ago and featured older women tastefully nude, proving to me that older women are, in fact, beautiful, just the way we are.  There is an inner wisdom and grace present that simply doesn’t exist in youth.  The facial lines, grey hairs, age spots, spider veins, scars and stretch marks are symbols of our life experiences and the strength that we have acquired on this adventure with all of its ups and downs, unexpected twists and turns, joys and sorrows.  Embrace whatever age you are—you will never be this young again!  I love Martha Beck’s quote:  “Although beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, the feeling of being beautiful exists solely in the mind of the beheld.” 

A little history about me:  About 15 years ago when I was living in Cincinnati, I was told I had a rare non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  The symptoms manifested on the skin and had been coming and going for many years prior to me going to the doctor.  I thought it was eczema all that time until my dermatologist expressed a concern about it.  I was sent to an oncologist for further testing.  Without going into all of the sordid details, suffice it to say that it was a very dark time.  I had three young children to raise and I was terrified, especially since the doctors offered no hope other than “it’s slow growing” and had no answers as to why I had this.  None of the doctors ever asked me about what I was eating. 

Around the same time, I started to experience severe episodes of vomiting, diarrhea and giant hives that lasted for at least eight hours each time.  I suspected food allergies since I had a history of stomach and digestive issues, especially after eating dairy.  I had both skin and blood tests, neither of which indicated that I was allergic to dairy. 

At one point, I underwent a form of radiation therapy that burned my skin and made me itch uncontrollably, and I had to stop treatment.  The next step was going to be a form of chemotherapy and I didn’t want to do it.  I sought support at the local cancer center where I was introduced to Ayurveda, an ancient holistic approach to health that has been practiced in India for over 5,000 years.  The basic premise is to prevent and treat illness by balancing the body, mind and spirit through cleansing, diet and lifestyle.  It made perfect sense and gave me hope because I realized, for the very first time, that there were alternative options for healing and I absolutely did not have to accept the doctors’ grim prognosis.  It was the beginning of a whole new life for me.  I made some dietary changes, the most important one being the elimination of dairy.  Since the symptoms from the type of cancer I had came and went, it wasn’t until a few years later that I connected the dots and realized that I had been symptom-free since eliminating dairy.  It became clear to me that I had been unknowingly killing myself with food--food that was considered healthy--and I wondered how many others were doing the same.

While my health had greatly improved, I was still experiencing some digestive issues and was told I had irritable bowel syndrome, which is what they diagnose when they don’t know what the real problem is.  Again, none of the doctors asked me what I was eating.  They just told me to eat more fiber and wrote me a prescription.  After moving to Austin, I discovered a doctor who did a stool test and both severe dairy and gluten allergies were confirmed, even though they did not show up on the previous blood and skin tests I had done.  I eliminated gluten completely and had no more IBS.  I became even more interested in food allergies, nutrition, physical fitness and emotional well being, and I have been on this path ever since.  I truly believe that I healed myself with proper nutrition, exercise and changing how I think about things and I want to share my knowledge with others.
 
Now that I am getting older and wiser, I realize how important my health journey has been not only in keeping me healthy and cancer free, but also in keeping me physically fit and enjoying a wonderful quality of life as I get older. 

In addition to eating right and exercising, another extremely important aspect of my healing has been about spiritual growth and learning to live to my fullest potential while navigating this amazing and often difficult journey.  Every day brings its joys and challenges.  I’m still making mistakes and I’m still learning.  We are all works in progress.

Perfection is not the goal.  It simply does not exist.  Look at the people you think are perfect.  Many celebrities come to mind.  They may have fame, fortune and good looks, yet they may be miserable and have a whole host of other problems—unhappy marriages, drug problems, etc.  We read about them every day.  Even your close friends and relatives who may appear perfect have their challenges.  Everyone does.  How you handle those challenges is the key.

Happiness right now, not at some magical time when you have everything you want, is the ultimate goal.  The happier you are right now, the more likely it is that you’ll get what you want.  I’ve come to realize that it’s all about your attitude toward yourself.  You have to love yourself.  The rest will come naturally when you do.

Some of this book may sound bossy.  That’s because, well, I am bossy.  I’m also honest and sincere, and passionate about the essential nourishment of ourselves for overall health. 

This book is intended to be a simple guide to help you start living a healthier life.  Life is not about the quantity of your days, but the quality of your days, and feeling vibrant and alive every day that you are here on this earth.  I have provided basic information that I think is important, much of which is common sense and intuition.  Unfortunately, due to the media that we are exposed to on a daily basis and the brainwashing by people in authority, we have lost much of our intuitive abilities and common sense.   

The recommendations in this book will make a huge difference in your energy levels, your ability to focus, your overall health and your happiness.  Remember, YOU have to make yourself a priority every day, no matter where you are, who you are with or what you’re doing.  Being your best is the most wonderful gift you can give to yourself and others.