Anyone who knows me personally probably knows that I have
been on a path to consciousness and healthy living with a very holistic approach.
The body, mind and spirit are all equally as important. Exercise, eating
healthy, organic foods, and proper sleep are all essential for the body.
Reading stimulating books, researching and learning as much as possible are
essential for challenging the mind. Meditating, living compassionately, and
keeping your energy positive are essential for the spirit. I believe these
things with all of my being.
As strongly as I feel about this, I will never sit here and
preach to anyone or act like an expert. I am in no way a perfect person who has
mastered any of these things. Believe me, I have a long way to go. It’s been a struggle for years to break all the bad
habits I’ve developed throughout my life and to stay on track. I’m just being
honest. But at least I am on my way and have made many changes to head in the
right direction.
These goals and this lifestyle mean a lot to me. So I
decided to share some things I’ve given up, as well as what I replaced them
with, in case this may interest or help anyone else. Some are minor changes,
while some are more major milestones. But every single bit helps on this path,
and I encourage everyone else to do the same, share their experiences, and
focus on their overall wellbeing as their absolute priority!
1)
Medication
– I was once that hypochondriac who went to the doctors for just about
anything, where I’d walk away with an RX and pop pills without thinking twice.
I blindly and naively trusted my doctors and the medical field in general. It
wasn’t until 2013 that I learned better.
During that year, I had chronic bronchitis
due to my extremely weak immune system and respiratory problems. Every month or
so, I would get cold symptoms that would eventually lead to bronchitis. This had
been going on since 2010 for me, but this particular year was really extreme. Each
time, my doctors would prescribe steroids and antibiotics. During the holiday
season in December, I got it once again and was put on Zithromax, better known
as the “Z Pack” antibiotic treatment, which I had taken several times before.
On December 22nd, I started breaking out in hives. This allergic reaction had
happened to me a few before, though I never knew why. So I took some Benadryl and
thought it would go away as usual. However, the hives persisted and even got
worse. So I went to the doctors again and got put on steroids. I remember
calling the doctor several hours after taking them and asking why it wasn’t
working. I was in so much pain and totally miserable. They told me to keep
taking them with the Benadryl, that it might be a while before they work. On
Christmas Eve, I started to feel a little better so I spent the day cooking
dinner for my family, who were celebrating our “Noche Buena” Navidad that
night. I got to the party, and was having a great time. All of the sudden, I
started itching on my face and neck, realizing the hives were back and getting worse
than ever. They quickly spread to every part of my body. I was bummed but I had
to leave early, go home, take Benadryl and pass out, just to avoid the pain. I
wanted to rip my skin off so bad that I was in tears. An hour or so later at
about 12 AM, I was unable to sleep even despite the drowsy effect of Benadryl,
and I knew something wasn’t right. I felt my face swelling up really fast, but I
laid there in shock and disbelief. I honestly thought I was hallucinating. I finally
got up, looked in the mirror and screamed. My lips had swelled to at least four
times their normal size. My face was so swollen that my forehead had a line
where it was folding over my eyes. I was too scared to drive, so I called my
sister and she rushed me to the ER. It would only be a matter of time before my
throat also swelled, causing me to not be able to breathe. This is exactly how
allergic reactions cause so many deaths. The nurse said I arrived just in time.
I got hooked up to an IV and injected with so many medications, I lost count. The
swelling went down immediately, and I finally got relief from the hives due to
an anti-itching medication. We went through everything, and I mean everything
that I had eaten and done over the past few weeks trying to figure out what
caused this. Finally I realized I had taken the Z pack antibiotics over a week
ago, and the nurse immediately said “OH!” and knew for a fact that this was
the cause. But how, if I took it so long ago? And why did the symptoms get
worse over three days? Apparently these antibiotics stay in your system for a
while and any reactions may take time to actually appear. I was stunned, but I
was so doped up and could barely keep my eyes open. I was released that night,
so I went home and passed out.
The next day was Christmas Day, and I remember
waking up feeling more horrible than ever in my life. My body was
so weak, I could barely move. All the drugs they pumped me up on had succeeded
in treating the reaction, but left me feeling ill and totally depleted. I had
to continue taking some steroids and other meds to ensure the reaction was
over, and was given instructions to follow up with an allergist, who literally told me the only way to pinpoint exactly what caused the allergic reaction was to take it again and see what happens.... Umm no! I remained
swollen and weak for about a week after. Although the experience was as awful
as it gets, it was a very profound moment I am grateful for in hindsight. It
was the day I vowed to stop taking medications and heal myself naturally.
I have come to the realization that while
the medical field has made phenomenal strides and that medical practitioners
are very incredible, caring people in general, they really have no idea what
they’re doing. They either want to prescribe you a drug or operate. Their
prognosis is always a generalization or a GUESS based on symptoms. At the end
of the day, they’re backed by pharmaceutical companies so they rarely teach
patients about important things like nutrition or natural and safer healing
remedies. After all, sick people mean more business for them. So while I would
still turn to them for a general physical each year or for severe illnesses and
emergencies, I decided to avoid medications as much as possible. The antibiotics
I had been prescribed nonstop had not only become ineffective due to my body
developing immunity to them, but were also destroying my immune system overall. Not to
mention they almost killed me. When I think of all the antibiotics I’ve taken
over the years for every single little thing, it’s no wonder my body is fed up
and has developed a drug allergy.
Our bodies are ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. They
are constantly healing themselves on their own every second. However, when they
do need a little extra help, there are so many natural remedies and cures we can
use which complement our bodies’ functions just as nature intended, rather than
invading them. Your body gives you messages and tries to tell you what it
needs, and nature provides. Chinese medicine has been super effective for many
centuries by using herbs to heal ailments, and the people are some of
the healthiest on the planet who live the longest. This is something my mom has been trying to open
my eyes to for years, and I finally started listening. Now it all makes so much
sense. We do not always have to turn to chemicals that only lead to more side
effects. There is a better way!
So now I have found natural alternatives for just about everything. Instead of taking Tylenol for every
headache, I try to work pressure points, drink lots of water, and other natural methods to ease them that usually help. Instead of taking cold medicine, I drink
hot Echinacea tea with lemon and honey, which usually works like a charm when I
feel a cold coming on. Ginger eases stomach aches. Essential oils with orange can
provide energy, instead of the terrible Adderall I once took to get me more
focused. And so on and so on. In general, I have been much healthier now that I
resist the urge to see a doctor and take drugs for everything. It is actually pretty ironic that seeing the people who are supposed to heal me made me more sick. Since this
incident, I only got 2 colds in 2014, only one of which led to bronchitis, which
was a huge improvement. I researched natural methods to treat bronchitis,
such as oregano, which seemed to make a difference. Also, since I moved to
Hawaii, I no longer have allergies and have not had a cold or bronchitis. Not
sure if it’s due to the environment or a healthier lifestyle that strengthened my immune system. But it’s such
life-changing breakthrough to learn all of this and now feel healthier in
general.
2)
Dairy – I
grew up drinking lots and lots of milk. I never had any issues with lactose
intolerance until recently. So I was in denial since this was never an issue
before. How could it just start out of nowhere in my mid/late 20’s? Well… it
happens. And it did to me. It became so evident that the pain and discomfort I
felt after consuming ice cream or cheese was no coincidence. And while I
absolutely adore these things (especially cheese! Oh, cheese!) I simply had to
begin giving them up slowly but surely. My friend suggested that I take "lactaid" to assist so I can eat these things, but why would I want to take an unnatural pill just to eat an item that I know I shouldn't be eating anyway?
I’ve done a lot of reading on the Paleo
diet craze, and the theory on dairy truly make sense to me. Our bodies are not
meant to process the milk of another animal. We are made to drink our mother’s
milk as an infant, and then that’s it! Why would we drink a cow’s milk or
consume products from this? Just for calcium, which we can get so many other
ways? This has undoubtedly led to so many of the healthy issues that Americans
face. And for me, it always has my stomach in total knots.
I gave up milk a long time ago and replaced
it with almond milk, which is delicious. But that wasn’t enough. So I finally
admitted my lactose intolerance not too long ago. It’s been hard to give up
cheese, so I’m still working on that little by little. But I try to avoid
everything else. The one thing that is still okay for me is Greek yogurt.
However, other than that, dairy is something my body won’t miss at all. Not surprisingly, I now rarely have the stomach issues that I used to have regularly.
3)
Coffee – I
know coffee itself is not bad for us, but what bothers me is the caffeine dependency it creates. I know people who literally act like they’re dying if they don’t
get their fix. I never wanted to be like that or depend on anything, but
eventually that’s exactly what happened to me. As a result of terrible sleep
habits, I came to rely on my morning cup of joe. Not just for the caffeine,
since eventually you become immune to that, but also just for the comforting
ritual that going to get coffee and drinking it had become to me. I have
replaced this with tea, which is MUCH healthier and has so many benefits, and I
can tell what a difference this has made for me. I don’t even need to add milk,
cream, sweetener, or anything into my tea. I have come to appreciate the flavor
of the tea itself and savor it just as I did with my coffee ritual. Green tea
is especially amazing for health and antioxidants, so I try to have 2-3 cups a
day. I’ve actually become quite the tea connoisseur, trying and buying all
kinds of delicious and satisfying organic teas. Definitely a victory!
4)
Television
– I grew up watching lots of TV and it wasn’t until a later age that I
realized how unhealthy this habit is for us. Not only does it mean you’re
sedentary as you sit on the couch or in bed watching the blue flickering light,
but it is also not good for your brain. There is no challenge for us in
mindlessly watching TV, not to mention that much of the content is simply
garbage anyway. It is mind boggling to me how many hours a day that the average
American WASTES watching TV. I mean, everyone is entitled to watch and enjoy a
few shows. Of course. But when that is the highlight of your day and the
majority of your day, then it’s a problem. For the past few years, I have been too
busy to watch loads of TV, but that is just one reason I have greatly reduced
the amount I allow myself. I follow a few shows, like the irresistible Scandal
series, but in general try to spend my time doing other things, especially
reading. This is MUCH better for our minds anyway. Since I moved to Hawaii, I
actually never even got cable. I only get the basic channels, and I only really
watch the news, which is truthfully more listening to as I get ready in the
morning than watching. However, since I have finished grad school and missed out
on so many epic shows people raved about, I have indulged in the luxury of
catching up on some series like Reign, Walking Dead and Mad Men on Netflix. But I definitely limit it and also balance it out with reading some good books. And most
important, I realize that it IS a luxury and a reward, not a part of my daily
routine and a favorite hobby.
5)
Juice/Sodas
– Like many, I grew up drinking sugary sodas and juices. In fact, I recall
a point in my teenage years where I was absolutely addicted to diet soda. I
would wake up every morning and the first thing I drank was a can of Diet Coke.
UGH! Eventually, I stopped that nonsense and replaced it with water. I’m at
the point now where I drink NOTHING but water and tea. If I do have juice during a juicing cleanse, I make sure it’s 100% juice. I still crave diet soda and once in a blue
moon I’ll give in and really treat myself (more like a trick than a treat
honestly) but I am very happy to have made this drastic change. Another bad thing I drank was alcohol, which I haven't had for a couple months now. I can't say I'll give this up permanently, because I'm always going to enjoy some wine here or there, but I'm glad I don't drink as often as I used to. Water is all I need! It's SO very critical to our bodies in countless ways. I drink tons
and tons, and can never get enough. I can’t even put into words how much better
I feel. My skin has cleared up as an added benefit too.
6)
Sulfate
Shampoos – I have never been too conscious of the stuff I put in my hair,
until I realized how important your hair is and why we should keep it healthy.
This seemingly petty switch from regular shampoos to sulfate-free shampoos has
made a huge difference for my hair. Not only does it feel and look better with
more shine, but it grows faster too. Again, any unnecessary chemical can and
should be eliminated when possible.
7)
Foundation
– Like many girls, I globbed foundation on my face for years, not realizing
that this was only covering up an issue I was making worse. I don’t know about
you, but my pores need to breathe! So now I am a lot more conscious about what
I put on my face. If I do need coverage, I use mineral powders. And I apply
sunscreen in the form of a BB cream (which has so many great benefits) daily to
protect my skin, instead of just covering it with foundation. This is another
petty improvement, but has made a big difference.
8)
Processed
Foods – We are all guilty of buying, eating and loving JUNK. But for
endless reasons that are way too obvious, we all know better! I remember
reading something about grocery shopping that stated all you need is in the outer
aisles of the stores, i.e. produce and protein. Again, this is a paleo concept but
it makes so much sense. I decided I just will not keep this crap in my house so
I don’t have access to it. Instead, I will shop more often to get fresh and
whole ingredients. Since I stopped shopping in the middle aisles of the grocery
store where all the junk and processed crap are, it’s so much easier to eat
better. There is no temptation with chips and cookies, or processed junk
sitting in my pantry. I will sometimes get things from those dreaded center
aisles, such as salad dressing or crackers, but I at least try to buy organic
so I know there is a far less chance of getting those horrible ingredients and
chemicals I don’t need or want.
9)
GMOs and
Pesticides – Disclaimer: I am not 100% organic, YET. But I damn sure try.
This deserves its own entire blog post, so I won’t even get into the benefits
of going organic, but I cannot urge people enough to look into this. I have
spent so much time researching this, reading books on it and watching
documentaries. So even though the price of organic food is much higher, the
benefits totally offset it. I would say I’m about 90% organic with my shopping
now, but the problem has been eating out, something I love to do but
unfortunately do not find a lot of organic options. So this is a work in
progress. However, buying organic whenever I can has reduced the amount of Genetically
Modified Organisms (GMOs) and harmful pesticides that I’m exposed to.
10)
Stress –
In my opinion, this is the single most harmful and dangerous thing for people,
and has led to more illnesses than diet and lack of exercise. Negative energy and
thoughts that you harbor can poison your cells, and will only attract more
negativity into your life. Long before I moved to Hawaii, I begun a
transformation in which I stopped letting things get to me or caring about the
opinions of others. Of course, some stress is inevitable, such as what I experienced
from school, work or family drama. However, I learned to eliminate stress as
much as possible and to deal with it in positive ways, such as writing in a
journal, exercising, meditating, praying, venting to friends, or any other way
where I can positively release the stress instead of holding onto it or
dwelling on it. I realized each and every thing we go through will
inevitably pass so there is no reason whatsoever to stress on it. A high pressure job can get you worked up, but you must learn
to go home and truly let it go. Money worries only bring more money problems,
so they’re pointless. Being consumed with pleasing others and what they may
think about you is backwards, as you should be living for you and do not need
to please or impress any other soul on this planet. Once I began reading more
spiritual books about energy and the law of attraction, I realized that stress
was the most detrimental thing I was doing to myself and stopped it
immediately. I spend as much time as I can doing things I enjoy, which leads to
a fulfilling life where stresses are minimal and even when they do come up,
they don’t last long. If I am in fact experieincing stress, I am able to acknowledge it and find ways
to appease myself or reason with myself as to why the thing I’m stressed over
doesn’t even matter. It works every time. This would be my best recommendation
for everyone and most important takeaway from all the things I’ve given up and
all the healthy changes I have made in my life.
