| I never understood the lesson in my life's greatest | | | | the most attention on. The book explained that we are |
| challenge until years later. That time for me was a | | | | the creators of our own reality and that by harnessing |
| dramatic awakening that ultimately led to personal | | | | this knowledge, we can make powerful changes that |
| growth and an ongoing spiritual journey of exploration. | | | | even create what we most desire. This was a new |
| It started in the early part of 1978. My life until then was | | | | and profound notion for me to contemplate. Could I, at |
| centered on my new marriage, my work and my circle | | | | this crisis point in my life, take charge and turn my life |
| of friends. My husband and I socialized with a whole | | | | around? |
| entourage of young married couples, some with small | | | | In desperation, I started meditating to find some |
| children and most without. When I became pregnant in | | | | answers, as the book suggested. In quiet introspective |
| March, it was a true blessing and my life shifted into a | | | | moments I realized that somehow, in some way, there |
| new and extraordinary focus. Of course, we planned | | | | was a lesson for me to learn from this frightening, |
| on having a healthy pregnancy with a natural delivery | | | | challenging experience. I continued meditating daily, |
| and we chose a birthing center in New York City to | | | | disciplining myself to visualize total health, my whole |
| deliver the baby. | | | | body healed. I began to feel more in control, less like a |
| Unfortunately, from the moment I became pregnant I | | | | helpless victim. I started believing I was an important |
| had morning, afternoon and evening sickness. All kinds | | | | factor in my own healing process. I felt I made a major |
| of odors bothered me, especially cooked chicken and | | | | shift in my perception of the situation and I was able to |
| fish. I had no appetite, since no food appealed to my | | | | feel hope and even experience inner peace. With this |
| palate. However, I did force myself to eat a high | | | | renewed motivation, I decided to go the alternative |
| protein diet (about 80 grams a day), plus a quart of | | | | route and see where it took me. |
| milk (in the form of milkshakes and ice cream sodas), | | | | Some friends knew of a wonderful holistic doctor in |
| lots of vegetables, fruits and other carbohydrates. This | | | | West Hurley, N.Y and advised me to seek out his |
| was the recommended daily food requirement for | | | | opinion. After an extensive examination, his prognosis |
| pregnant women and I adhered to it without question. | | | | was that with mild exercise, good nutrition, daily |
| The health of my unborn child was my only concern | | | | relaxation and unquestioning faith, in seven years I |
| and I would do anything within my power to assure it, | | | | could most likely heal my body. This was all I needed |
| even if it meant enduring nausea and other | | | | to hear to generate the commitment I needed to carry |
| discomforts. | | | | out a life-changing crusade for personal health. My goal |
| I couldn't wait for the first three months of pregnancy | | | | was set. |
| to end, because I believed that my morning sickness | | | | To reduce my digestive stress, the doctor put me on |
| would finally subside. But after five months, I was still | | | | a strict food-combining regime. It was important to |
| sick with vomiting and cramping, as well. My baby was | | | | follow a more natural or pure diet, he said, which |
| growing normally, thank goodness, yet I was feeling | | | | eliminated all white flour, sugar and artificial substances. |
| worse and worse. The symptoms usually hit me when | | | | I prepared my meals with compatibly combined foods, |
| I least expected it. I would be supermarket shopping | | | | which improved the nutrient absorption and assimilation |
| and all of a sudden, I'd double over in pain from severe | | | | in my intestines. No longer did I eat meat with potatoes |
| cramps and intestinal spasms. These bouts were | | | | at the same time or have dessert directly after I ate. I |
| generally followed by intense vomiting and incessant | | | | started eating less protein, and more complex |
| diarrhea. | | | | carbohydrates with plenty of raw fruits and |
| Eventually, I noticed a vaginal discharge and some | | | | vegetables. The doctor told me I had a lactose |
| bleeding. I was given a sonogram to make sure the | | | | intolerance, which was the reason my cramping was |
| fetus was not growing outside the placenta. All clinical | | | | so severe. I was advised to eat goat yogurt instead of |
| evidence showed an average pregnancy. But by this | | | | milk, since it was easier for me to digest and full of |
| time, I was a mess! I had only gained 9 lbs during the | | | | healthy bacteria necessary for proper digestion. |
| first five months and was nauseous and vomiting daily. | | | | As soon as I changed my eating style and rearranged |
| I could keep nothing down. | | | | my food choices, the nausea, vomiting and cramping |
| Finally, on one of my routine doctor's visits, my OB | | | | ceased. By the time I gave birth, four months later to a |
| GYN advised me to see a gastroenterologist for tests. | | | | perfect baby boy, I felt healthy, energetic and vibrant. |
| The results came as a shock during this, my | | | | My gynecologist was as surprised as I was. He was |
| introduction to the miracle of motherhood. I had Crohn's | | | | skeptical at first and didn't believe that diet could |
| Disease, an inflammation of the intestines, which was | | | | actually improve my health. But throughout my |
| considered incurable, highly debilitating, painful and | | | | pregnancy he noticed a marked change in my physical |
| chronic. Although it was not life-threatening, here I was | | | | state as well as my emotional attitude and decided to |
| five months pregnant with an incurable disease! My | | | | let me continue with whatever I was doing. |
| fear of the unknown was my greatest enemy and | | | | Meditation and visualizations became a big part of my |
| threat. I didn't know what to expect or how my | | | | healing process, because they gave me comfort, |
| lifestyle would be changed. | | | | reinforcement and a sense of inner calm. I kept my |
| The doctors all assured me I could lead a normal life | | | | faith through setbacks and discouraging times, |
| and keep the disease under control with medication. | | | | because I always knew I was on a perfect path |
| They explained that this illness had nothing to do with | | | | towards my success. It just felt right! |
| diet, even though I told them I always felt worse after I | | | | I couldn't convince my brother-in-law to join me in my |
| ate. It seemed to be a young adult disease that usually | | | | healthy-lifestyle transition. He didn't want to make any |
| struck before the age of 30. At that time, treatment | | | | sacrifices. Today, his Crohn's Disease has dramatically |
| was a regimen of sulfur drugs prescribed to suppress | | | | worsened and he has undergone many operations |
| some of the symptoms and reduce inflammation. | | | | over the past decades. |
| I cried continuously for three days. Through a twist of | | | | I continued my eating regimen after my son was born |
| fate, I already knew something about Crohn's Disease | | | | and through the pregnancy of my second child. Seven |
| because my brother-in-law suffered from it. He had | | | | years later I noticed definite changes in my body. I |
| endured several operations and had taken numerous | | | | began to gain some of the weight I initially had lost, |
| drugs to alleviate both his discomfort and prevent | | | | which meant my system was finally digesting food |
| subsequent flare-ups. Knowing this scared me, since I | | | | more efficiently. |
| was concerned that these drugs might harm my | | | | It's been 28 years and I haven't had recurring |
| unborn child. | | | | symptoms. I consider this illness a wonderful blessing, |
| I became so depressed that I couldn't function. I | | | | because it changed my life and spiritual focus. It sent |
| wallowed in my misfortune and submerged myself in | | | | me on a voyage into the sublime realms of my body, |
| sadness for hours on end. I felt I'd been doomed to a | | | | mind and soul. From this crisis, I learned perseverance, |
| lifetime of misery and hopelessness. Fear seemed to | | | | faith, love, discipline and commitment. I learned that |
| rule my life. To his credit, my husband was very | | | | setbacks do not mean failure, nor do they mean |
| understanding and supportive. He tried to encourage | | | | defeat. I learned to believe in myself and to trust my |
| me in any way he could. But I alone had to deal with | | | | intuitive sense, since my health depended on it. I learned |
| the reality of my disease and prepare for the | | | | to nurture myself with love and to feel joy and pride in |
| circumstances that lay ahead. With a major decision to | | | | my accomplishment. I especially learned to keep my |
| make, I was caught between the traditional medical | | | | mind steadfast on the positive and to focus on the end |
| route or perhaps another alternative. My concern was | | | | result with determination and conviction. |
| the welfare of the innocent baby growing inside me. I | | | | I hope other women learn that they, too, have an |
| spent agonizing days wondering if I should fill the | | | | internal strength from within to overcome adversity |
| doctor's prescription for azulfidine -- or live with the | | | | and that patterns can be changed if the desire is |
| consequences. | | | | strong enough. Of course, there's no guarantee |
| Fortunately for me, I was surrounded by people who | | | | everyone who experiences a health crisis will recover. |
| were more objective than I. They would assure me | | | | But, I learned that life is a journey and that during the |
| that panicking was not a sensible solution. I needed to | | | | journey, it's best to take charge and enjoy the process |
| calm down long enough to examine my options and | | | | as positively as possible. In that way, you attract more |
| my sister knew just the right advice to give. | | | | of what you want and less of what you fear. Then it's |
| She recommended I read, "Three Magic Words" by | | | | easy to accept that sometimes bad things happen for |
| U.S. Anderson, which explained the Law of Attraction, | | | | a good and purposeful reason. |
| the concept that we attract into our lives what we put | | | | |