Transformations Why We Do This

Transformations – Why We Do This

Why do we do this?

Because WE CAN CHANGE LIVES!

I am taking a little break in the series on clutter and health to tell you a couple of stories about how some people have improved their health and their lives.

An Interview with Cathy Sykora:

My story is the easiest to tell, because I am the most familiar with it. I will try to keep it short, although it is kind of long and complicated.

From the time of 2001 on, my weight started to increase, I lost about 30 lbs at one time without trying (too busy learning to eat) and when I gained that weight back, it all came back as fat.

In 2004, I started getting migraines. First, I went to my eye doctor because my vision got disturbed first and I was sure I was losing my eyesight. When that tested out okay, I just let it go. In 2006, I went to neurologists and an alternative medicine doctor because the migraines became more frequent. They gave me a test for food allergies and they came back over the top. I was allergic to green beans, almonds, honey, wheat, rye, dairy, and kidney beans and on. My regular doctor suggested to me that these tests weren’t reliable and that life was short and I should eat whatever I want - which sounded good to me. The neurologists didn’t get anywhere and I waited 2 more years to see another neurologist who found an aneurysm but no tie to the migraines.

In 2008, my husband got cancer and I had an aneurysm. We both got through it, but I came out with this new lifestyle of being sick, fat, old, waiting to die and too embarrassed to go anyplace. I was completely miserable.I decided to make changes and like everyone else, set Jan. 1 as D-day. It worked! I lost 18 lbs. at first and then another 8 lbs. I did it by eating 6 times a day (healthy carbs and protein) and working out daily. I lost the rest of the weight by training for andrunning in a 1/2 marathon.At that point I got pretty sick. I spent almost all of 2010 with increasing digestive problems and every test a GI specialist could give me. His nurse told me that food had nothing to do with my problems. I was still eating healthy. When my doctor threw up his arms and said he couldn’t diagnose anything, so there was nothing to treat.

I knew that if I was going to get better, I would have to do it myself. So, again, I made my changes on January 1, I gave up all animal products, dairy, gluten, sugar, processed foods and anything that showed up on my 2006 allergy tests. Within 24 hours, my GI problems were gone. That was 1 1/2 years ago. I am not allergic to animal products and ended up short on B12, so I have started eating small amounts of lean meat and fish. My diet is plant based and a lot of raw nutritious foods that make me feel good. Food made all the difference in the world in my life. I still get a few migraines. I am working on stress reduction now.

One of my mentors,Kris Carr, (Crazy Sexy Cancer, Crazy Sexy Diet, Crazy Sexy and Succulent Juices), found out about 9 years ago that she had a very rare cancer and she was not expected to make it another year. She went to Hippocrates and learned how and changed the way she ate. 9 years later she still has cancer, but she is happy and thriving and has 9 years that they didn’t think she would have. She has done a documentary, written books and workswith cancer patients.

I am so impressed, not only with what Kris has done to improve her health, but also the way that she shares it with the world.

When my husband had cancer, his resistance was so low after radiation that he caught every bug that was going around and became allergic to every little thing that flew in the air. He asked his doctor if there was anything he could eat to change the way he felt and to give him more energy and his doctor told him no. He just needed to wait and get stronger with time. This is one of the areas I would most like to make a difference in because I know we can.

My husband goes in twice a year for pet scans to be sure that his cancer does not recur. No one ever told him that there were things that he could do, especially through nutrition to be more in control of his health.

There aren’t too many people who know that cancer does not grow in an alkaline environment, or that sugar feeds cancer. If you had a genetic tendency to cancer would you consider changing the way you eat? I would.

I have health coaches who have shown success working with children who have behavior problems. She has made unbelievable progress by removing dairy or gluten from the diet and the child does not have to take Ritalin.

Inflammation is something else. That is what caused most of my problems. “It is becoming increasingly clear that chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious illnesses – including heart disease, many cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease.” Dr. Weil

My dad had a disease called “Amyloid Angiopathy”, I am convinced that my Grandma had it too. It caused dementia in her. My dad had several strokes, but because he exercised (played softball 3 times a week until he died) and was so fit, he lived to the age of 80 without dementia. I intend to avoid this disease all together. I have a genetic tendency to it, but because I am eating anti-inflammatory foods, exercising daily and continuing to learn daily,I likely will not have it. Food does make all the difference!

Our program uses primary and secondary foods to change lives. That is acknowledging that career, family, exercise and spirituality has just as much of an effect on health as food.

We have clients who have quit smoking, lost 100’s of pounds, starting moving their bodies, practiced gratitude and forgiveness, went back to their spiritual practice, joined communities to support each other and just altered what they eat a little.This is why we do this. We know it can make a difference in your life. Then when your children see what you are doing it changes their life too.

What would you like to change?What has worked for you in the past? What has not? Please share!