How I Started Changing my Life

I was led to your Web site earlier this year by some friends. I started reading specifics relating to my concerns. It’s hard to remember now how rotten I was feeling then, but I do remember my anxiety about my health was escalating, to the point of fear and depression that I may never get better and wondered what the heck was going on with my body anyway?

I’d been fighting heartburn since my first pregnancy in 1966. I was also in the hospital for mysterious stomach pains when I was about 8. For this I was given white chalky liquid and my doctor sent me home after a few days.

Drugs, Ugh!

I discovered Ranitidine and Famotidine (OTC) in the late 1980s and began taking one, then two per day. Eventually, these were ineffective. A doctor friend recommended I take prescription doses of six a day. Finally, I got a prescription for Prilosec 30 mg, took that for about two years and things were lovely for the first 9 months or so. I could eat like a normal person without belching, could bend over without searing pain and could even run, jump, and twist… for a while.

Then, though the heartburn remained in abeyance, in July of 2003 I developed a painful burning sensation across the bottom of my ribcage…on the skin. It felt like I had a bad rug burn. It hurt to have my clothes touch my skin…and jiggle while driving down the road. I had to hold my arm protectively across myself when moving about, which got to be an odd habit.

From other symptoms, and a strong tendency of others in my family, it also seemed I had Fibromyalgia. My muscles hurt everywhere, like a big bruise. If anyone grabbed my arm or poked me, yowie! Massage therapy was ineffective too…and painful.

All of this atop a big nasty hiatal hernia was just too much.

I went to area doctors, had costly blood tests (which I never heard a peep about…they said if there was a problem, they’d let me know) and had an ultra-sound, which showed a small gallstone. The doctor’s recommendation--Have gall bladder surgery to remove it. They also said they could fix the hiatal hernia with surgery too. The problem is, I experienced clinical death in 1982 from anesthesia for a D&C after a miscarriage and don’t want to repeat that. They [the doctors] told me drugs are much different today. Right.

I don’t like the idea of going under either anesthesia or the knife. At times I thought I might have some horrible disease and die, as no one would tell me why my skin burned so much.

Trial and Error- Shooting in the Dark, Nutritionally

I have studied nutrition and read doctors’ newsletters for many years. Some of the many books I read include: Body’s Many Cries for Water, Eat Right for Your Type, The Atkins Diet and others. I modified my diet in various ways. There were times when the only things I could eat without burning to the point of vomiting, were eggs, chicken, and salads. (Which turns out to be what I was supposed to be eating.)

I tried this and tried that. I felt like I was shooting in the dark, as I could not determine what my base problems were, nutritionally…and I knew that’s where it all started and ended…but what was I to do for my particular needs?

Getting on the Mercola Program

After reading Mercola’s Web site and taking the metabolic typing test in the book I bought, I decided to become a patient. So, I made an appointment for May 18-20, for the full treatment.

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

You won't believe how many patients I see who don't know my Optimal Wellness Center is located just an hour west of downtown Chicago in Schaumburg. For more information about making an appointment, take our new patient tour. Meanwhile, I got started on the diet plan by keeping charts of what I ate and exercising. I also nearly eliminated grains, but was still eating wild and brown rice and corn chips. Later, I found out about mycotoxins and dropped those too. I was starting to feel better and had lost a few pounds before getting to the appointment. My starting weight was a high of 182 lbs. Eeek! That had gotten a big push by gaining 12 lbs in one month after starting Prilosec in February of 2003. It seemed my stomach said “hungry” all the time. (I have dropped 20 pounds so far, since being on the Mercola Plan.) By the time of my appointment with the Optimal Wellness Center, I was so ready for a program that could customize my way to wellness. During my visit, I realized I had finally found the place and the people to help me with my health that I had so long hoped and prayed for. I had hope that I could feel healthy again. I started doing EFT and tapped maybe once to three times a day. Following the Nutrition Program My diet program for the first eight weeks consisted of eggs, raw and cooked vegetables (90 percent raw), lots of tomatoes, chicken, turkey and Cornish hens. Liquids consisted of water, sauerkraut juice and store-bought kefir. The heartburn began to decline. My energy has always been high and heartburn had always been my measuring stick as to food response. One of my problems is not eating regularly and working into the wee hours. As a work-at-home artist I have no regular schedule at all. (This has improved a little and I now sleep better when I do sleep) I slowly added some fruits: sour apples, plums, dark grapes, or nectarine, around 4-5 servings a week. On the occasion that I would have a little grain (especially whole wheat) the heartburn came back. After staying on the food program, I gradually began feeling better…how much better…I would not know till August when I ate some things that I really cannot eat any more…and it told me very clearly what happens in my body. August Experiment Guests were at our home and we had parties and art openings to go to. I made bread stuffing for company turkey dinner. I ate whole grain toast with guests at breakfasts and ate desserts. First, I noticed joint stiffness from the sugar. Then I realized all my muscles hurt. Holy Cats! They hurt a lot and everywhere! This was a reaction to the wheat. How did I know? I didn’t eat any grains at all for a couple weeks, ate bread again and it happened again. Fibromyalgia? Grain sensitivity? Mycotoxins? Yes--It was a good experiment. I have found that I can eat a little dark chocolate and ice cream once every 5-6 weeks or so with no problem. Even a cup of coffee (with a dessert) once a month doesn’t do me in. Tasty Greens I love my salads of mixed greens (no iceberg), home made dressings of olive oil and lemon/lime juice with herb seasoning, and sweet and hot peppers, with lots of tomatoes. I eat a whole salad bowl myself, with a bit of chicken or an egg, and maybe a little cheese. And I am happy. I take more time to eat, chew more thoroughly and sit and relax for 30 minutes afterward. EFT What a great technique to personal management of health! I use it daily and study the CDs. I took the course offered by Gary Craig and Dr. Mercola and bought the newer sets of CDs. I was amazed by the language some of the people used while tapping. It was so provocative, funny and successful. Recently I have taken two seminars on EFT/PET (Provocative Emotional Therapy) with Dr. David Lake and Steve Wells, and I plan to teach others to help themselves get well. I’ll certainly share print-outs from Dr. Mercola’s web site as well. Exercise I am not very disciplined with this, but better than I used to be. I walk more, farther – and more vigorously than before. I march around the house and use those stretchy rubber ropes. I also run up and down the stairs in my big house and work in my yard, always keeping in mind to do the activity until my heart rate increases and I sweat a little. I still need to be more consistent with exercising. Regular schedule? I may be a hopeless case on this subject. I’m an artist, do computer graphics and sell my work online. I work late into the night when I get on a project and just can’t stop. I use Holosync and the other CDs I bought from Dr. Mercola. I had been using Holosync at night for several months and thought it might help with sleeplessness. After stopping them for a while and adding the newer CDs, I am now sleeping like a log and waking rested with plenty of energy. My eating is not on schedule either, but I try to get in at least three meals a day, with a protein along with my veggies each time. I do the best I can. With tapping and personal discipline, things are still improving. I’m not quite perfect yet, but close. My body is much happier than it has been for many years and so am I. Though I am pretty upbeat all the time, it’s sure a lot easier when my body feels better along with my positively directed mind. Thank you to everyone at Mercola! Judy M Johnson Skandia, MI