The body can heal itself.

If there is anything I have learned about the human body over the past 9 months is that IT CAN AND WILL heal itself! The following quote sums up how I feel about the matter perfectly: "Remember, getting well is easy. All you have to do is STOP doing what is making you sick, and START living new and healthy ways that will heal you."

Three years ago I was diagnosed with hypertension. Stress, body weight, and bad nutritional practices had finally caught up to me. My body’s response to this was high blood pressure. In 2007, my MD prescribed blood pressure pills to me and told me to lose some stress and weight. The problem was that for me weight and stress were intertwined. I told her that doing those two things would be nearly impossible while in graduate school. How long would I be in graduate school was her next question. I told her that I was in year 3 of a 7-8 year program. I bet she thought—well, I hope she lives to see the end of the program.

The next two years were no less stressful. I began to get lax about taking my medication and eventually just stopped taking it altogether. I made myself forget about my diagnosis. I didn’t see my doctor because I knew my pressure was high—my nutritional choices and lack of exercise were all the evidence I needed. I didn’t need a reprimand from my doctor, too.

Well, in the early spring of 2010 I decided to see my doctor. She was pleased to see me. By this time I had lost 20lbs but my pressure was still elevated—still in stage 1 range. She put me on a different medication and told me to come back in early summer.

I continued with my healthy eating and exercising.

When I came back in early summer I had lost an additional 18lbs AND my blood pressure was significantly lowered—just a few points above normal range. She decreased my medication and told me to come back in three months.

I continued with my healthy eating (which were by now permanent lifestyle changes) and exercising but I encountered some challenges. Between my summer visit and my impending fall visit I had two stressful high-paced summer jobs to complete as well as a relocation. I was nervous about what impact this would have on my nutrition and blood pressure.

The first summer job I was able to keep up my healthy lifestyle, however the second job had me moving to UC-Berkeley’s campus, living in the dorms, AND eating cafeteria food. UGH! Somehow I made it through three weeks and actually LOST a lb! I was too excited.

When I arrived back home in August, I resumed my healthy habits and found a new gym. I worked hard.

Two weeks ago I came from seeing my doctor, I lost another 20lbs and my pressure had dropped such that it was in the “normal” range. Additionally, since the dosage of medication I had been taking was so low, she decided to allow me to stop taking it altogether.

I couldn’t believe it. While one is never “cured” from hypertension, it can be controlled. I have dedicated myself to controlling my blood pressure, not letting it control me.

I am living proof that the body can heal itself. I didn’t do anything but stop putting toxins in my body. I stopped doing things that would make me sick and committed myself to consuming “life-giving” substances. As a result, my body was able to heal itself.

"The first step in natural healing is responsibility. Natural healing is about taking control of your life and being responsible for everything that goes in and out of your body, mind and spirit."