I was first introduced to the therapeutic benefits of Chiropractic and whole food supplements in my mid-20’s when I began having female health problems. I had stopped having monthly periods and steadily begun to gain weight. Over a couple years, I gained 50 pounds.

One medical doctor told me that I had hormone dysfunction, suggested pharmaceuticals, even a hysterectomy if I didn’t want kids. Another said that I was just under stress. I had just graduated from college and gone though a relationship break-up so that made some sense. I decided to buy a one way ticket to Maui to visit a friend. On a beach, I met a Chiropractor and his wife who were getting ready to sail to New Zealand. He offered to help me for a month. He found areas of nerve interference throughout my spine, affecting not only my female and digestive organs, but also my entire endocrine system. He recommended that I find another Chiropractor when I returned to the mainland who could continue my care. The new Chiropractor also had a degree in Biochemistry and ran blood tests showing that I was severely anemic and protein deficient. He said that my metabolism was so far off that I would “have to run around Lake Tahoe twice to burn off a piece of toast”! I was amazed since I had concentrated on eating healthy foods and avoiding sugar since I was 18.  Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that my Vegetarian diet for the previous 8 years had greatly contributed to my severe malnutrition.

After several months of receiving regular Chiropractic adjustments and following a specific nutritional program using Standard Process whole food supplements and adding organic animal proteins to my daily diet, I resumed my menstrual cycle and lost the 50 pounds. I was impressed enough to enroll back in college, focus on Nutrition and Biochemistry and eventually enroll in Chiropractic college.

Since then, during the last 50 years, I have been faced with other health challenges. Seems like every decade of life I gain more awareness of where my body needs help. I am very thankful that I’ve gained the knowledge and experience to help my body heal with gentle Chiropractic care, whole food nutrition, and other natural remedies avoiding drugs and surgeries.

In my early 30’s, I blew out the ACL in my left knee skiing. It healed on its own, with rest, ice and specific ligament repair nutrition, 45 whole food pills per day. I was blessed to be skiing again after 2 months without surgery! 

In my 40’s, I struggled with aching joints all over my body and found it hard to work. After attending a seminar, I decided to do the Standard Process 21-day Purification and Cleanse program. Amazingly, all my joint pain went away, my energy increased and I lost the extra 10 pounds I was carrying.  I had learned that I was in Stage One of Insulin Resistance and made dietary changes necessary to reverse that, discovering the foods that caused inflammation in my body. One of them was giving up breads and grains for several years.

In my 50’s, I contracted a double parasite infection on one of my African trips that caused extreme fatigue and diarrhea. I lost 3 sizes of weight in a short time and became crippled with unrelenting joint pain, barely able to walk.  After a long journey, it was discovered that I had many toxic metals stored in my fat (mercury, lead, aluminum) from swimming in polluted Lake Erie my entire childhood. Apparently they all hit my joints suddenly when I lost all the fat that was protecting my organs and joints from the heavy metals. A Naturopath diagnosed me with Rheumatoid Arthritis. It took two years of Homeopathy and specific Nutritional remedies to slowly detox and help my body release all the toxins from my cells and organs. And several more to return to the ski slopes! I was pleasantly surprised to see that my blood tests no longer showed the RA (Rheumatoid arthritis) factor after that. A true inspiration to learn that all medical diagnosis don’t have to be permanent!

My 60’s taught me that aging brings on more challenges and seems to require increased diligence to remain healthy. After a poisonous spider bite on my left ankle in 2015, I suffered with various skin and vascular issues in my lower left leg. The high dosage estrogen birth control pills the medical doctor put me on in my late teens and early 20’s caused varicosities in my left leg leading to venous stasis which has worsened with age. Working on my feet all day is not healthy and requires that I get regular exercise to keep the blood moving. I learned that wearing compression socks all day is a necessity. I have been grateful to continue to be active spending as much time outdoors as possible in spite of the occasional set-backs.

The first few years of my 70’s found me in a major life transition, re-evaluating where I wanted to spend my “Golden Years”. As a widow of 14 years, it felt secure to remain where I had lived and worked for so long. Learning to live Solo had been enough of an adventure. But my trust in God and faith had deepened enough that I knew He would take care of me wherever I chose to be as long as I was serving Him. I made the big decisions to sell my house and office building and downsize 40 years of “stuff” over 3 years. The ongoing physical stress while still working full-time took a major toll on my health. I no longer had the things that helped me stay healthy like soaking in my hot tub, spinning cycle, garden, time to go to the gym. Every waking moment was filled with getting rid of things, donating, selling, regular trips to Value Village, boxing, moving, and organizing. The whole experience caused my lower left leg to flare up into acute Cellulitis and a superficial clot in my left ankle. I’m very grateful that the Lord led me to health care providers that ran the necessary tests to rule out all the serious things. No medical treatment was necessary. The stress of all the moving was over. I just had to patiently wait as my leg and ankle healed using natural remedies. God found me a little trailer on some dear friends  property to live in while I pursue the next season of my life. My prayer is that I will continue to help children, pets and their families find health outside unnecessary drugs and surgeries until I take my last breath. I love what I do!