I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in January of 1998. At the time I was a junior in college. My symptoms were very concerning (8-10 bloody bowel movements a day, with severe abdominal cramping) so I went to a gastroenterologist who did an endoscopy. I remember clearly the way he gave me the diagnosis. He told me that I would have to be on medication the rest of my life and that my risk for colon cancer was very high. He also told me to stick to a low fiber diet and to stick to foods like chicken soup and white rice. The Gastroenterologist prescribed Asocal, and I took this medication for the next two years.
I remember clearly the way he gave me the diagnosis. He told me that I would
have to be on medication the rest of my life and that my risk for colon cancer was very high.
While I was on medication, I continued to have periodic flare-ups. When I told my doctor, he would simply increase the dosage of Asocal. I would go through periods of time without symptoms, but the flare ups would come back every few months even though I was taking the medication. It didnt make sense to me that I was taking so much medication and yet I continued to have such severe flare ups with painful cramping and lots of bleeding.
In 2000, I decided to start looking for alternative methods to relieve my symptoms. I started to read about UC and the medication Asocal and I discovered a long list of side effects including liver and kidney damage. Since I continued o have flare-ups while I was taking the medication, I decided to try acupuncture, herbs, various supplements, and a macrobiotic remedy of kuzu and umeboshi plum which my friend showed me how to make. So I stopped taking Asocal and I tried any natural remedy I could find.
For the next 6 years I continued to use the kuzu drinks and I took various supplements and herbs. I would go for months feeling well, but when I faced stressful situations I found myself deep within a flare up that would last for days or even weeks. The vast majority of flare-ups were coorelated with stress.
In Fall of 2005, I had a particularly bad flare-up. I used all the natural remedies that usually stopped a flare-up, including kuzu drinks five or six times a day, but the condition worsened. When I started getting bleeding, which I hadn't had since I was taking medication, I panicked and decided to find a healing method that to get me out of the immediate crisis, as well as something that would cure the UC so I wouldn't continue to have symptoms.
Determined to find a way to heal myself, I searched the internet and came accross Virginia Harper's website. Immediately I felt encouraged by the information and the testimonials, so I called the number and spoke with Ginny about the serious flare up that I was having. For the next week I spoke to her several times a day and she gave me a number of remedies to do. Within a few hours of implementing her suggestions, the bleeding stopped and by the end of the week, I was eating solid foods and having normal bowel movements.
For the next few months I continued to eat a very specific macrobiotic diet as well as continued the lifestyle suggestions Ginny would give me. My health gradually improved and as time went on I felt better and better.
As I write this testimonial, it is May of 2007. I've continued with the macrobiotic diet for the last year and a half, and I can honestly say that the last year has been the healthiest year of my life. My digestion is very good, my energy level is strong, and friends who see me comment that I look "more radiant" than I did before. I've also noticed that I dont suffer from allergies as I once did, and I feel more emotionally balanced and centered.
My digestion is very good, my energy level is strong, and friends
who see me comment that I look "more radiant" than I did before.
This last month my husband and I moved from Rhode Island to Oregon, which included selling one house and purchasing another. As anyone who has moved cross country knows, it is a lot of work and a lot of stress. A few years ago such a move would have triggered a major colitis flare-up. This time though, I was able to stay healthy and centered and handle most anything that came my way.
I intentionally waited to write this testimonial because I wanted to make sure that my health (on the macrobiotic diet) would continue to improve with time. I have found that macrobiotics helped me get out of a major flare-up, complete with loose and bloody bowel movements, and macrobiotics has helped me to stay healthy so that a year and a half later, while moving cross country, colitis, is the last thing on my mind.