Purification Complete

Yesterday was the last official day of the purification program. It feels fantastic to have completed it! I'll admit, I did steal a few mini-marshmallows from Andrew along the way, but other than that I was able to make it three whole weeks eating only the specified foods. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. I am now completely off of medication and my headaches have improved drastically. I went 10 days with no headache at all - the longest time in two years! While my sleep is still rather disturbed, I have a marked increase in energy throughout the day too. I'm hoping that as the topamax works out of my system, I will see an improvement in my sleep. If not, I can try to remedy the insomnia with supplements. It feels so liberating to know that I am no longer attached to a medication, especially one that had so many detrimental side effects.

In thinking about the root of my symptoms, I have come to believe that, while some of it is linked to the foods I had been eating, most of the damage I did was a result of over-use of medications. I have alluded to the fact that I had some eating and body image issues in the past. When I was 12 years old, I bought my first pack of diet pills at a local drug store. I continued use of diet aids off and on for 15 years. On top of that, in high school and college, I sometimes used cold medication to give me an added energy boots. I never thought twice about popping 4 Motrin at one time for a headache, taking NoDoz to help me stay up to study or taking Benadryl regularly to help me sleep. I was on countless prescribed medications over the years too, some, like the Topamax, with serious consequences for the human body. That monumental pill popping, along with the normal exposures we get from foods, alcohol, and the fact that I smoked half a pack of cigarettes a day for ten years, led to a complete overload. It makes sense. Needless to say, I will be thinking twice about what pills I take from this point on.


I believe that God places us in certain circumstances because that is where we need to be. There are vital lessons to be learned, benefits to be reaped from every situation if examined closely enough. Unlike much of life's schooling, the lessons I have learned recently are straightforward. There are many things that I dislike about my job, but it was my job that actually saved me in this instance. It was a coworker who recommended the doctor I am seeing, who in turn has done more for me in the last 4 months than any other medical professional, without the use of anything artificial. The woman who referred me is a very considerate and friendly woman, but she isn't someone who I interact with outside of work. If I hadn't been at my job, interacting with Jami, I would not know about Dr. Luke. I would still be struggling with the headaches, still miserable. I am extremely grateful for having had that conversation with Jami, for her referral, and ultimately, for being employed by Head Start. It's a gratitude that I have passed on by referrals of my own, and something I intend to continue.

Going through this program has also truly opened my eyes as to the effects of the things we ingest. It has given new meaning to the "body as a temple" view. I have even thought of how God, as our father would want us to treat ourselves. (Bear with me here, this isn't going to be some majorly religious jaunt) Think of your own children and how concerned you are with what they are eating: are they getting enough nutrition, eating their vegetables. We talk to our kids about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes because we love them, and we want them to lead long, healthy lives. Now think how frustrated you feel when you provide them a plate at dinner only to have them bemoan the healthy foods and then try to cajole you into a heaping dessert. If they could only understand the value of what you have placed before them and the detriment of the sugar fix!

God has placed before us a wealth of nutritional possibilities, and the knowledge to clearly see the benefits and detriments of the choices we make. He has given us everything we could possibly ask for in order to lead healthy lives. But what do we do with it? Do we choose the healthy food? Not usually. On top of that, we desecrate the foods that he has given us by adding preservatives, dyes, all kinds of artificial ingredients and then processing them into something that isn't even recognizable as its original form. How sad would it make you, as a parent, to see you children doing that, over and over and over, destroying the foods you provided and thereby also bodies that you gave them? You know the dangers and the health consequences they are going to endure later, but they don't, and they don't listen to what you are telling them. This is what we, as God's children, are doing.

I'm not riding a naturalistic high horse. I'm not saying I'm going to boycott chocolate or chips for the rest of my life. I think all of that is OK with moderation. I just think that in trying to improve our lives, we humans have actually caused ourselves a lot of problems. God doesn't need to be improved upon. That's the attitude I plan to take on my eating from now on, eating foods in their most natural state, the less processing and the less additives, the better. I've started with myself, and Greg is following suit. Now the tricky part - changing the kids. It'll be a slow process, but much like anything worth pursuing, well worth the effort.