"Sue, if you don't change your lifestyle, you will end up just like your mother!" My friend Marilyn Diamond warned about 13 years ago when she met my mom. Like my mother, I was obese. I didn't even know how much I weighed because I stayed away from the scale. Marilyn's words rang all sorts of bells and whistles in my mind, but I didn't change my lifestyle. I thought about it.
Not sure why, I suppose I had false starts and stops. I always had some excuse that I made to myself as to why I couldn't stick with it. I needed something to motivate me; more than my dear friends encouraging words. I had a problem getting a handle on my health. I knew the steps to take to gain control, but I didn't do it.
I traveled for my work. Rarely was I home to eat a nutritious meal that I prepared; grabbing something quick on the run was my way of life. I cooked and ate the wrong foods when I was home. Foods that my mother loved. I ate too much. I drank too much wine. I loved Crown Royal. I never exercised.
I became huge... I was turning into my mother!
My health wasn't the greatest. I had some health issues. Blood pressure that was uncontrolled, blood clots in my leg, fibroid cysts and endometriosis.
I felt horrible and I was only 40.
The catalyst for changing my lifestyle was when I saw my mother suddenly lose her mind 5 years ago. Dementia set in fast and my entire world was turned upside down. I was given a glimpse into one of my potential futures; it was up to me to change.
I remembered everything that I had learned from Marilyn and began practicing her helpful tips and advice for good health. It seemed miraculous at times, when my mother's health improved with a diet change. She was still demented but we were managing her symptoms with food, hypnosis, acupuncture, Reiki and homeopathic medicines. I documented all of this in my blog here.
I believe that I had cured Mom's diabetes with food and fenugreek. Helping my mom with food, she lost 125 pounds and for the first time in 50 years she was at her ideal body weight. Mom was happy. I was happy. I lost weight too. We had quality time together before she passed. I feel so fortunate to have had the extra time.
It was a roller coaster ride, care giving and maintaining my health. The more my mom declined the harder it became to keep a healthy lifestyle. I gained a lot of weight when my mom went into the nursing home. I slipped back in to my old eating habits. I had lots of what I call, WOOOHOOOO time with food and drink. So much so that I ended up having a gall bladder attack and landed in the hospital. I wonder if it was all that bacon I ate?
Fortunately, I knew what to do to heal myself, thanks to my friends Marilyn and Donald. Their book Young For Life reminded me of the simple steps I can take to make big changes in my life. I discovered healing properties of food and ate whole food, just as Marilyn would instruct me years ago.
It's been over a year since my hospital stay. While I laid in my hospital bed, I thought about my mom in the nursing home and all of her health treatments. I thought of my friend Marilyn's words. I asked myself why I didn't take her advice. I vowed to myself that if I got out of the hospital alive, I would make PERMANENT lifestyle changes.
I got out alive.
I made serious lifestyle changes.
I feel great. The added bonus with all of this is my mom had way more good days before she went to sleep and never woke up. I documented our entire journey on how we helped my mom to have the perfect end to a long life.
I could not cure my mom, but with what I had learned from Marilyn and Donald, I was able to help my mom have more good days than not so good ones. I got to enjoy my mom even while she was demented because I applied my knowledge to help myself and my family.
Today, I feel better than I did when I was 30. I am lighter than I was back then and can move more easily. I am fortunate to have met Marilyn and Donald. Their book, "Young for Life" is out today, it is a must read for anyone who wants to get serious about getting control of their life.
You can purchase your copy here!
Young For Life: The Easy No-Diet, No-Sweat Plan to Look and Feel 10 Years Younger
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