Improving Your Nutrition to Heal

As long as I can remember, my beliefs have led me to trusting pharmaceutical medication when I get sick. Tylenol for a headache, Advil for my periods, cold and sinus drops for a cold, etc.

In February, when there was inflammation in my body, my reflex was to wonder which pill to take, so I wanted to consult a doctor. First of all, the doctor refused the blood tests I had requested and invited me to come back 4 to 6 weeks later if the inflammation persisted. I took it as an encouragement to explore avenues outside traditional medicine, since certainly I wasn’t going to wait and do nothing about the pain for 6 weeks.

Anyways, for some time now, another belief started to manifest itself inside my mind: illness is my body’s way to send me a message. 

Therefore, I explore the various areas I can think of: emotional, spiritual and physical.

To explore the physical aspect, I meet two specialists from the À Fleur De Vie shop, and a naturopath. I read books and watch movies about inflammation. These efforts get me to believe that some foods cause more inflammation than others – so I decide to cut out dairy and greatly reduce gluten. Following some food intolerance testing, that indicated I should cut out eggs, I decided to push my experiment to the maximum and I cut out all animal products from my consumption at home.

Following a naturopath’s advice, I consider natural products that can help diminish the fire inside me. So I add turmeric and ginger to my meals, and I take daily birch supplements to clean my kidneys. 

Slowly, I start believing that the presence of a hormonal IUD in my body is damaging – therefore I remove it. I get a gym membership, because to me exercise is essential for my mobility and flexibility, as well as for my articulations.

I also did some work emotionally and spiritually at the same time. So I am unsure what truly had a positive impact on my pain, but I can say that 3-4 weeks after implementing these changes, my body started to feel radically better.

Quelques ressources qui m’aident

• Cora Loomis, nutritionist : Cora offers private consultations, concrete workshops, guided grocery tours and a resourceful website!
• The Buddhist Chef: vegan recipes
• Le P’tit Local, simply gluten-free, 366 Alexandre Street, Sherbrooke (Quebec)
• À Fleur de Vie: natural products and consultations, 292 Alexandre Street,  Sherbrooke (Quebec)
• Avril Supermarket
• Gluten-free foods list

Other Vegan Recipes Websites

• Jamie Oliver
• One Green Planet
• Hot for Food
• Plant-Based Cooking
• Forks Over Knives