My Not-So-Sexy Road to Wellness

I first became aware of nutrition in high school when my body was growing & changing rapidly during a time when my diet had changed severely due to a shift in parental households in 1983. My body screamed silently for sound nutrition while my distraught teenage eyes saw undesired height and weight gains. With combined general angst of youth, childhood sexual abuse, and school & family pressures for which I was unprepared, I developed a case of violent and daily bulimia which lasted five solid years. I made a feeble attempt to understand nutrition from the front introductory pages of The Joy of Cooking original cookbook…probably not the best resource, but it was what was available.

In college I eventually overcame bulimia after working with a doctor who placed me on the anti-depressant Prozac. The drug worked a miracle for me and freed me from the enslavement of absolute self-torture and addiction. Within the year I knew that I did not want to rely on medication to be stable, so I weaned myself off the anti-depressant. I gave myself permission to eat whatever my body craved and I subsequently gained the most weight I had ever carried….about 40 pounds more than I carry now.

Cravings to binge and purge began to creep back into my dominant thoughts (which absolutely frightened me!!) and I attempted to get placed back on Prozac, which failed. I was desperate to find an alternate solution to prevent the bulimia from returning so naturally I went to the bookstore. I read about Prozac and serotonin. I learned that Vitamin B6 was a precursor to naturally produced serotonin in the body so I started self-medicating with copious amounts of B6 tablets which helped me to feel like I was again on Prozac.

Knowing that this was not a permanent solution, I began to learn which foods were naturally abundant with Vitamin B6. This was my first real attempt to heal myself with nutrition. However, I was still smoking cigarettes (we had a 16 year love affair), drinking coffee, taking The Pill, ingesting artificial foods & sodas, and drinking alcohol…all habits that leach vitamins and minerals from the body. At one point my facial complexion became so bad – a sign of such toxic overload and inefficient elimination – that I received a prescription for Accutane. It was during this time I was also fitted for prescription eyeglasses, a sign of a congested liver.

In my late 20’s I knew that medication was not the answer and that there had to be a better way so I slowly started making changes. It wasn’t until I was nearly 31 did I stop smoking. I had already stopped taking all prescription medications and instead regularly consumed dietary supplements. My diet was not ideal, but slowly improved over time. In 2001 I became pregnant and enjoyed nine months of the worst diet of my life. I ate and craved greasy cheeseburgers, candy bars, and soda. I suffered from nausea and a torturous case of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). I had regular near-fainting spells while working & driving due to the weak nutritional support for a body hard at creation.

As so often happens, after the baby was born and I was now in charge of her diet, I began to look at food with very different eyes. I nursed her for 25 months which took its toll from the resources of my already compromised body. I began reading cookbooks for children’s food which naturally lead to preparing these foods for the whole family: whole grain waffles, wholesome cookies, whole wheat pasta with basil pesto, freshly squeezed juice, and the like. We shifted into a less-processed food diet yet we were eating from the full spectrum of foods and drink. My favorite meal came to be a grilled ribeye steak with a glass of Jack Daniels and flat Coca Cola.

When the baby was around two, I discovered the yoga community which influenced some healthier food choice awareness. When she was three and a half, I entered a massage school community which further exposed me to new and healthier food options. I opened my massage practice in 2006 and starting blogging on OneHealthyGirl.com in 2007. I am forever indebted to books, newsletters, people, and classes who helped me learn the vital importance of personal food choices for wellbeing and longevity.

Today I am more fit and nourished than I’ve been since 1983. Between then and now I lived many years of struggling with food choices and misunderstanding nutrition while suffering the consequences of ignorance. I’ve since released excess weight, overcome bulimia, cleared my complexion, retired my eyeglasses, and I avoid animal and processed foods, daily coffee, alcohol, soda, prescription medications, and most supplements.

I have no amazing “before and after” photos to share or miracle healings to report, only stories and knowledge from everyday living. But neither are there reports of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or obesity in this tale because disease prevention & awakening occurred before anything took hold. I will continue to share my passion for the healing and preventive power of foods because I know this knowledge can spare pain, illness, chronic disease, and unnecessary stress, suffering, and expense for others. Good food can help just about anyone to have the body, health, and comfort that they desire.

A whole food vegan diet remove’s one’s participation in animal exploitation, increases nutrition, and reduces environmental degradation. If these issues are important to you too, join me and many others on this peaceful journey.