Taking the Nutrition Prescription to the Living Kitchen

Illness and the desire for wellness set me on a unique journey.

It was in my mid-teens (in the funky ’80s) that I started to realize that what I ate (among many other things) actually affected the outcome of my health. I was enlightened by what I think was a Sesame Street memory—“You are what you Eat”— but also by my summer job experience as a cook at a natural foods café and by the book Food and Healing by Annemarie Colbin.

Asthma and chronic bronchial issues were taking over my life. By the age of 14, I was on roughly five medications, including prednisone (a steroid) to help me breathe. By the age of 17, I couldn’t take it anymore.

Now, the ’80s were not the age of the Internet so I needed to look far and wide for what I wanted and needed—a doctor who could offer me more than just drugs. Today, integrative physicians (doctors who combine conventional Western medicine with alternative or complementary treatments) are much easier to come by. Back in the day of disco balls, they were not! But I found my dancing partner in Dr. Sherry Rogers.

Now, remember that I was:

-In my teens
-Not well
-Tired of not being well
-Willing to do anything
-Armed with culinary knowledge and skills due to my summer job experience

Dr. Rogers did what every conventional medical doctor would do: take blood tests and prescribe meds particularly for my asthma. But she also considered that there could be other factors in my life that were making me sick such as the medications I was taking to supposedly make me well, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, hormone imbalances, my environment (from allergies to stress), and the foods I was eating.

She took my blood and tested me for allergies (skin tests). One very vivid memory was that she insisted that I collect a 24-hour urine sample in these really large, brown graduated jugs that needed refrigeration. I was living with my parents at the time so I carefully labeled the jugs “STEF’S URINE, DO NOT DRINK.” Unfortunately my father (quite a character, mind you) did not look as he reached for the “apple juice” in the fridge. He poured himself a hearty glass of my urine, and upon realizing it was NOT apple juice, he drove immediately to the local doctor. He was met with laughter rather than sympathy. To this day, I crack up every time I think of this.

But back to the matter at hand—Dr. Rogers also put me on a special diet for candida overgrowth. Because I was on so many antibiotics over the years, she was concerned that all of the good bacteria in my body had been destroyed (that is, after all, what antibiotics do)—leaving my body defenseless against a harmful yeast, candida, that lives in our bodies and grows unchecked when we lack sufficient amounts of “good” bacteria. The only real way to replenish the good bacteria was to do adopt a yeast-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and ferment-free diet. To learn more, go to www.yeastconnection.com.

So, with my medications (weaning off would be a process), an allergy shot schedule to help manage my environmental allergies, vitamin and mineral supplements to manage my newly-discovered deficiencies and help rebuild my immune system, and a stack of papers telling me what I needed to do with my diet, I set out on the journey to get well. There was a light at the end of this suffocating tunnel.

I followed the plan, and within three months I was off every medication. It wasn’t just one thing that made the difference; all the components of my healing plan helped open my airways. My system was overloaded and needed nurturing to rebuild. By following my doctor’s orders for three months, it did just that. Once well, I modified the plan to better fit my lifestyle: I was going back to college in the fall and didn’t want to follow a candida diet, as I found the extremes challenging. The golden question is:

What did I modify?

-I went off the meal plan and moved into a suite with a kitchen so I could cook for myself. I wanted to be in better control of what went into my body.
-I avoided my known environmental allergens (dust, pollen, cats, down) as best I could.
-I went back on one inhaler (rather than the five medications I was taking previously).
-I continued with the supplements and the allergy shots (every few months rather than every week).

The end to that story was the beginning of another. Remember, since I worked in a health food café, I had quite a knowledge base and skill set that came in handy as I started following my “nutrition prescription.” But since the majority of people who are told to make dietary changes to support health do not have this experience, I sat with recurring questions for many years on my personal escapade: What do people without this knowledge and skill set do? How to they take the nutrition prescription to the living kitchen? After years of culinary and nutrition training, I am eager to provide guidance for those now in the same place I was in years ago.

To those working with a practitioner who provides a nutrition prescription, please don’t let one of the most critical components of your wellness (the food you eat) get lost in translation.

Don’t toss that stack of papers aside. Instead:

-Take the time to thoroughly read through handouts from your practitioner.
-Write down any and all questions to review with your practitioner (and don’t be shy to do so. You have the right to ask whatever you would like).
-If you are told to be on a specific “diet,” ask your practitioner about recommended books.
-Pick up The Whole Foods Companion by Dianne Onstad to empower yourself with knowledge about unfamiliar foods.
-Pick up some basic whole foods cookbooks as well as diet-specific cookbooks (I find it best to go to a local bookstore and explore what they have to offer).
- Go to Whole Foods Market (if you have one local) or a combination of your local supermarket and health food store (if you have one) and buy a bunch of ingredients.
-Turn your kitchen into the “arts and crafts kitchen” and play away!

If none of the above is feasible, then ask your practitioner if they can refer you to someone to guide you through the transition. It can surely be overwhelming. But I can promise, from personal experience, that diet supports health. All of the challenges associated with making food and lifestyle changes are well worth it in the end.

Health Challenges: Ten Tips for Happiness

By Maria Mooney

Over the past five years, my illness evolution has unfolded exactly the way it was meant to unfold, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the process, admittedly becoming impatient at times. My diagnosis of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (RSD/CRPS) has been my greatest gift, my teacher, and my master, bringing me closer to my core self, others, and a higher power. I received the message loud and clear in the form of incessant, burning, widespread neurological pain, but I am on the road to health and healing with the help of a spiritual counselor, who can be likened to a therapist, psychic/intuitive, and best friend all wrapped into one. She guides me on my spiritual journey by accessing my spirit guides and creating an individualized plan just for me.

I am often asked how I “do it”—how do I achieve happiness with what should be a debilitating illness while pursuing a Master’s degree, nurturing fulfilling relationships, and believing I am healing from an “incurable disease?” It has taken five years of self-reflection—breaking down my old, limiting belief systems and replacing them with new, life-affirming principles—to get me where I am today. As a result, I want to share with you my “Ten Tips for Happiness.” I hope you enjoy them!

1. Be Grateful: Being grateful for the abundance in your life and focusing on the positives can raise your vibrational energy, which always aids in healing. ALWAYS being positive can create a shallowness in relationships with others and yourself. Instead, honor your feelings of sadness and frustration when they arise, and then remember to move on. You receive what you focus on, so focus on healing rather than pain, disease, frustration, etc.

2. Set Healthy Goals: Setting healthy goals can aid in feelings of self-confidence and self-worth when an illness threatens the very core of who you know yourself to be. You don’t have to be in a Master’s program to achieve a goal. Learn how to draw, speak a new language, write some poetry, etc. These goals are all just as, if not more, important and offer distractions, especially if you are in pain.

3. Change Your Mindset: Learn to view your illness or any setback as an opportunity for growth and personal development. See what society has taught us are negatives and view them as positives by finding the lessons. Fighting your illness suggests that it is separate from you and is your adversary; healing cannot take place when you are waging a war against your own body. Relax into the discomfort and find the lessons. They are there! TRUST ME!

4. Go Inward: In our materialistic, dualistic, ego-centered society, we are taught that if a problem arises, look OUTSIDE for the cause. Did someone’s negative attitude make me sick? Is my environment toxic? Is my food polluted? Are my genes flawed? We are so quick to attribute the cause of our suffering to some outside phenomenon, but in many cases, the cause and cure for our ills—personal and social—can be found inside of us. Start looking!

5. Be in Mindful Awe: With the hustle and bustle of today’s world, we tend to forget to stop and smell the proverbial and real roses. Take a moment to allow yourself to be in awe of the wonders of the world and that divine intelligence that helps those ordinary miracles unfold. Be mindful of the present moment, because the past is over and the future doesn’t exist. Accept where and who you are in this moment and enjoy the process of life.

6. Be a Child: Look at any small child before society has forced its belief systems upon him/her. The child, if from a loving family, does not have a care in the world and only lives for the pleasures of the present moment. The child does not need to control every single detail of his/her life, does not judge, desires to spread love, and always has FUN. You will not sacrifice your maturity by taking some notes from a child.

7. Let Go of Ego: You know ego—that little voice inside of you that judges (you and others), fears the unknown, is attached to the material world, and desires to control every little detail. The first step to overcoming your ego mind is to become aware of its presence, so listen closely as you go through your day. Once you recognize it, you are more likely to let it go. Replacing the negative chatter of the ego mind with positive, life-affirming thoughts will help raise your vibrational frequency and heal your body.

8. Listen to Intuition and Others: *Let me preface this by affirming my love for each and every one of you.* We don’t have all the answers. If we did, we would be healed already. Put your ego aside and listen to the teachings of those who are wise in their fields. If you tap into your intuition, which is the voice of God, you will know the right direction to go. Have faith that your intuition will guide you.

9. REST: Over its development, our society has decided that if you aren’t constantly achieving in the specific ways that society deems admirable, you aren’t a worthwhile human being. This is not true! Rebel! Decide to take care of yourself, to go outside of the box and REST. Find that balance between work and play; if you don’t, your body will force you to stop, whether or not you are prepared.

10. Read: I have found that reading self-help/spiritual/alternative medicine books has been a great supplement to my past and present therapeutic experiences. While you read, take what concepts appeal to you and integrate them into your belief system. I have read approximately thirty books outside of the texts necessary for my Master’s program in the last year, and they have been an integral piece of my healing. The same books that appeal to me may not appeal to you, so explore a little.

Maria is a 25 year old, raw vegan graduate student living with a progressive neurological disease, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (RSD/CRPS). Follow along as Maria reflects on lessons learned through her health challenges, shares her experiences with alternative and traditional treatments, enjoys life to its fullest, and heals herself at her blog!

From Disabled to Differently-Abled

By Maria Mooney

In a society that values youth, independence, materialism, and duality, the term “disability” has been marred with negativity, much to my dismay, which stigmatizes the victim. Today, I am honored to present to you an alternative, empowering way of viewing illness and disability. My personal experiences with a progressive neurological disease, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (RSD/CRPS), have provided me with first hand experience and perspective on disability. At 25 years old, I am pursuing a Master’s degree, trying to build a life and future for myself, and desperately searching for a cure, all while navigating a society that is not structured for the disabled individual. In the first few years of my illness, I received the message from society loud and clear that I was officially “less than” because of my newfound limitations. Would I ever hold a job? Could I pursue a Master’s Degree? Would I ever be “whole” again? Overtime, I learned the answer to these questions was a “yes.” I chose to value my unique experiences and talents despite the negativity I received from others. Allow me to explain what brought us to this point in the first place.

If you are currently or ever have been a patient of traditional medicine, you have likely been subject (or victim) to the Biomedical Model of medicine, the predominant model used by physicians in diagnosing and treating diseases. According to this model, health narrowly equals the absence of disease, pain, or defect, and its focus on the physical processes of the body neglects social/environmental factors and individual subjectivity. The patient is not considered a partner in diagnosis and treatment, and the doctor-patient relationship is left uncultivated or even non-existent. Prevention of disease is omitted, and long-term treatment of chronic conditions, especially chronic pain, “scares the pants off” of the treating professionals, for lack of a better term. In other words, the Biomedical Model is severely lacking, and it sets the stage for the stigmatization of the disabled individual, viewing disability as an individual defect. The disabled individual is then viewed as “less than” by society, setting the stage for negative view of self, shame, embarrassment, isolation, and a plethora of harmful emotions—not once considering that it may be the environment that is lacking, not the individual (Orto, 2007).

A second, more comprehensive model, the Biopsychosocial Model of illness and disability, considers biology, mental/emotional health, and social environment when treating the individual. The patient is considered an informed partner in his/her treatment, coupled with professional help from a multi-disciplinary team, and all parts of the patient’s life are discussed and manipulated for optimal health and wellness. Rather than viewing the disabled individual as “less than,” he/she is considered a whole person facing an environment that lacks proper resources. Blame is shifted away from the victim and onto the environment, replacing the term “disabled” with “differently-abled” (Orto, 2007).

Empowerment is a running theme in models like the Biopsychosocial and Chronic Care Models of illness and disability, which include patient-centered, individualized, comprehensive, and compassionate care from a competent, multi-disciplinary team (Orto, 2007). Just because a person is “differently-abled” does not mean he/she is worth less than an individual who does not have a disability. In fact, while disability often comes with pain and hardship, it simultaneously offers valuable life lessons, empathy, compassion, and a unique world view that cannot be bottled and sold. If it could, I would be a millionaire, and the world would be a better place!

Instead of viewing illness and disability as negatives, no matter how difficult, let us take the focus off of the internal and turn it to the external. If our environments are lacking, then move forward and proactively create the change you wish to see. Call or write your Senator, contact your local television station, take some courses in social welfare, start a petition, etc… Do not believe the story society has written for us about disability being an individual deficit, and re-write your own story about individual empowerment, contentment, and fulfillment despite your challenges.

Maria is a 25 year old, vegan graduate student living with a progressive neurological disease, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). Follow along as Maria reflects on lessons learned through her health challenges, shares her experiences with alternative and traditional treatments, and enjoys life to its fullest at her blog!

Orto, A.E.D., Ph.D., C.R.C., & Power, P.W., Sc.D., C.R.C. ( 2007). The Psychological and Social Impacts of Illness and Disability. New York, NY: Springer Publishing
Company.

Beating the Odds

Today’s Meatless Monday inspiration comes from Keri and Paul Haken’s personal journey. Read on to learn how they are beating the odds and savoring each day of their lives together. An essential part of their wellness plan includes an organic vegan (mostly) raw diet!

Keri & Paul Haken

By Keri Haken

“There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” -Albert Einstein

In late December 2007, my 39-year-old husband was diagnosed with stage IV, metastic, inoperable Adenocarcinoma of the pancreas; pancreatic cancer. We were devastated. The diagnosis was like having a bomb dropped on our lives, and we were totally clueless as to what would happen next.

In February 2007, I battled a serious illness that almost killed me, and I was still in rehabilitation. I had a brain abscess that was remedied with surgery but left me with stroke-like symptoms on the left side of my body, along with blood clots to my lung and thigh. We were still dealing with my illness when Paul’s 40-pound weight loss and back pain proved to be cancer. It was difficult in the beginning, and it required so much just to get out of bed and face each day.

Pancreatic cancer typically means a life expectancy of three to six months and a zero percent success rate with conventional treatments. Facing this daunting diagnosis, we knew we wanted to really live our lives as positively and fully as possible. I have always remembered the time that one of my doctors told me that I was a “miracle woman.” I told Paul he could be a “miracle man,” and we have kept the attitude ever since. Eventually, Paul’s oncologist even told him that he was a miracle. Such positive reinforcement meant everything to us!

One day, I came home from work to find a new book on the coffee table. It was Louis Hay’s “You Can Heal Your Life,” and Paul seemed to soak it up. We also had a copy of “Crazy, Sexy Cancer Tips” by Kris Carr, and we devoured her book, too. Between Kris & Louise, we gained the first real measure of confidence and insight Our new focus was to heal cancer both physically and mentally, but we had to retrain our brains.

Paul began attending a place in our home town of Kansas City called Turning Point: The Center for Hope and Healing. There, he began to take T’ai Chi and Qi Gong, and he met a woman named Dee, a cancer survivor in her 70’s. At her suggestion, we read “The Secret,” which—in conjunction with T’ai Chi & QiGong teachings—led us to meditation. Meditation is a beautiful thing, and now a big part of our lives.

Paul has wanted a motorcycle for years, but he never knew how to ride. Finally, on his 40th birthday, he got that motorcycle. We have had a lot of fun on our bike, and we no longer use excuses about money or think of reasons to put off living in the moment. Now, we do the complete opposite. We no longer allow obstacles to stand in our way. Some concrete limitations are difficult to ignore—like having a balance of $20 in your bank account! Still, it is about being conscious and having the right attitude. In T’ai Chi meditation, one of my favorite flows is to acknowledge the past, honor the present, and be open to new possibilities. It is a beautiful thought.

A big part of our lives now is food: focusing on what to eat and what to omit. We, like most, were uneducated about what we were putting into our bodies before the cancer diagnosis, and diet and nutrition have admittedly become healthy obsessions as important components of Paul’s healing. Instead of viewing the changes as too overwhelming to conquer, we chose to look at them as natural ways to heal our bodies. In fact, one of my nieces battled her way to remission from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma using diet and juicing as part of her protocol, and she influenced our decision to do the same. I have been a vegetarian for over 15 years, so the changes were not actually so drastic. Paul jumped in wholeheartedly, and we are now organic vegan, almost 100% raw. I retrained my brain to think of cooking and food preparation as another creative outlet. Every meal I make is a healing meal, and I spend more time in my kitchen than any other room in our home.

I can honestly say that we have never been happier in our lives or our relationship than we are today. We are stronger, and our love is stronger, because we are part of each others’ lives and were confronted with the real possibility of loss. We no longer take each other for granted, and it is our goal to make the other happy each day. Life is truly wonderful, and it is bittersweet that it takes something like cancer and serious illness to make us fully realize that. Maybe this realization is why illness came into our lives. It awakened us both. Are we blessed? Yes. Do we bless ourselves? Definitely!

Keri is 36 years old and works at a family-owned furniture store; Paul is a 41-year-old musician and cancer thriver, beating the odds! They have been married for 7 years and together for 17 years.