I Learned

When I got sick in 2005 my doctor insisted was there was nothing wrong with me. Seeking a second, third, fourth and fifth opinion didn't change my non-diagnosis, despite my worsening health. After a ridiculous breakdown I was finally given two diagnoses of exclusion, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. Little good it did, however, because I was told there was no way to treat those illnesses. Once again I was sent home with a patronizing pat on the head, except for this time it included the terrible advice to learn to live with something that was in the process of ripping my life apart. I guess it was progress, but it sure didn't feel like it.

The people I came across who didn't think I was crazy, because they too had been sick with something mysterious at one time, all knew the answer. One lady had a parasite, so she insisted that's what was making me sick. Another person had a candida condition, a different one Lyme disease, and about 75 people a thyroid problem. Everyone knew how to fix me, yet none of them had a clue. It used to drive me crazy, so much unsolicited advice, until I realized if I stopped complaining nobody could tell me what to do, because I wasn't asking them to! 

Instead of relying on the experiences of other people, I started studying health and sickness for myself. Boy was it a rough learning curve. Not only was my knowledge sorely lacking, it turns out there are as many different theories on health and wellness as there are stars in the sky! So I kept studying. Eventually I came to recognize things like the 'immune system' and 'stress response' weren't foreign systems invading my body. They were part of how I stayed healthy. Which led me to conclude they must be doing a bad job, so I researched how to change that. Before I knew it, sleep started to seem like a valuable thing to waste time on. The more I learned the more I changed, until eating processed food made me feel like crap because I just didn't do it very often. And then my ultimate breakthrough finally came late last year, when I was able to link the concepts of happiness, intention and outcome with good old fashioned healthy living. The craziest part of this insane journey is I didn't get here because I listened to what any one person had to say, I got here because I listened to what everyone had to say, and then figured out what was right for me.

Thanks for joining,
Leah                

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