TheHealthyApple.com participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
It’s been quite a year.
QUITE a year to say the least. Actually it’s been quite a few years of hard-core healing but who’s counting? Ha.
I learned a lot in the last 3 years- more so than I learned in the last 10 years of chronic illness. Now that I’m on the other side of all of that, I’m grateful for it and a better person because of it, I realized that I learned the most, grew the most into my true self and developed into the woman I was meant to be through the hardest, most painful days of hard core healing since 2013. Lyme, biofilm, die-off, hormone imbalances, progesterone toxicity, SIBO, chronic candida (Check out my Candida Program for more information), witnessing my endocrine system shutting down completely, loosing a TON of hair, PCOS, and like a million other things- but I don’t want to bore you….or freak you out. Needless to say, I was in bad shape. Worse shape than I was when I was on disability and when I was given 24-hours to live with C-diff colitis. Yep. It’s true. You might not believe it but I was at a point in my life that I thought I was dying. A few times….
However, something shifted in me and the last 3 years opened me to a different side of healing I didn’t know even existed.
Now, I know what you’re going to say…’But Amie, that’s what you mentioned in your cookbook about functional/integrative medicine.’ Yes, you’re correct and by golly did they help me a TON. Functional/Integrative medicine got me off steroids, pain killers, water pills and all the other JUNK I was on from western medicine. I am forever grateful for all of my doctors because I learned something from all of them, however, what really put me over the edge to healing was focusing BEYOND the supplements and the food. Yes, food is key. Food is #1. You’ve gotta get your anti-inflammatory lifestyle down like it’s your J-O-B. Eat clean folks. That’s the first step. And as I talked about in my book, detox is step #2 to learn. Detox is not a juice fast. It’s focusing on your lymphatic system and healing your gut and sleeping at least 7 hours a night and removing toxic people from your life and moving your body! Now, what I learned a few days AFTER I handed in my book to my publisher in January of 2015 was something that would change my life (and the lives of thousands of people)…this is what I’m sharing with you today and which is what I’ll be incorporating big-time in my next cookbook because this was the icing on my cake. This is what brought me back to ‘Amie Jo Valpone.’ And for the first time in OVER 20 years (yes my bellyaches started well before the age of ten for me), I can say that I’m healed. I’m feeling amazing and I’m ready to share with the world all the modalities and practices I did to get myself back to life.
As I mentioned in these recent posts, My Story of Re-Entering the World and How to Soften Yourself: A Key Step to Healing and Before and After: How I Overcame a Toxic Situation and Emerged Healthy and Whole, healing takes time and patience and perseverance. Healing is a matter of going from wanting to heal and feel better to making changes and decide you will change your life and heal. No if’s, and’s or but’s. It’s about getting very clear about what you need to do to get your life back and your health in tip-top shape so you you can feel alive again. It’s about creating perfect health in your life instead of pretending you can’t have it. Or thinking you don’t deserve perfect health. Or that you’re needy for wanting perfect health. Throw ALL of those thoughts (and any other negative thoughts you have) OUT the window. Bye-bye. Because that life you want is possible. And I’m here to tell you AND show you that I’m living proof of it.
Wanting to get better can’t be done sitting and feeling sorry for yourself and looking at social media or watching TV. Deciding it CAN be done means that you do whatever it takes and you are your own cheerleader and pom-pom shaker. That’s exactly what I was. Everywhere I went…every doctors office, every event, so on and so on….people couldn’t believe how much I had been through and how I kept on going until I found an answer.
I had hope. I had a lot of hope. But somewhere along the lines I recall thinking that “having hope” was pathetic and wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I had to start to BELIEVE and feel like I was already healing. I head to teach my body to pretend how to be healed. I had to show myself that I knew what it was like to be ‘normal’—whatever normal means anyway.
You know how it goes, and if you’ve read some of my posts throughout the last few years, you realize that when you’re in the middle of all hell breaking loose and the shit hits the fan, you suddenly find yourself waking up. It’s like you transform and have this huge shift in perception and your entire life starts to heal piece by piece.
Now, I’m not telling you that this happens overnight. It doesn’t. But it does happen over time and the period of time can be very, very short. So, how did I heal? Well, after way too many years of doctors telling me I was crazy or putting me on more and more shakes and supplements, I had enough. I started listening to my heart. Yes, my heart. Funny thing is I probably didn’t even know where my heart was a few years ago. I was too busy ‘trying to heal’ and ‘trying to heal my gut’ and ‘eating perfectly for my thyroid health’. Well, guess where that got me? Not to perfect health. Did it inch me towards healing, yes but it also left me feeling a bit empty now that I look back on it. Did I feel empty at the time? No. But I probably was just numb to my feelings, which I know so many of you can relate. While everyone else was out to dinner, traveling, going on vacations, going to weddings and bachelorette parties, I was home on my Biomat and Infrared Sauna. Now that I look back on all of this I was literally numb to life and in survival mode and just getting by. I wasn’t making the improvements I had hoped to be making with my health and I was spending a ridiculous amount of money on supplements and doctors that really weren’t getting me to the next level.
That’s when I started to shift.
I started to go inwards and change ME in on the inside. I started to believe in things that I couldn’t see yet as well as things that felt impossible.
I started to push past my fears and start making a habit of doing things I didn’t feel comfortable doing.
I started letting GO of limiting, old beliefs that no longer worked for me and made a promise to create the life that I desire like my life depended on it.
I started letting myself FEEL more. I cried, I laughed. I danced to fun music (And yes I’ll be giving you lots of fun playlists to soon!! Stay tuned.). I cried to slow, soft music. I started moving my body in ways I had never done before- to wake myself up and get back the shakti (feminine energy) with things like bending and hoola-hooping and feeling like a health, happy woman who was already healed. I took myself out to dinner. I took myself out for tea and read a book. I put my hand over my heart and promised myself we’d get through this and that the light at the end of the tunnel was near.
I felt empowered and alive.
And that’s exactly what I did.
What happened next was pretty much magical.
From that point on, I started getting signs from everyone and everything I came into contact with. Someone referring me to an incredible lymphatic massage woman and colonic hydrotherapist, who cleaned up my lymph and parasites and released a TON of fluid I was holding onto that I couldn’t release for 2 years. I found energy workers who did hands on healing on me such as deep tissue bodywork and rolfing and reiki and NAET and acupuncture and acupressure and so much more. I started clicking on links for these topics online and ordering book after book about healing beyond the supplements and doctors. I needed more than that. I needed to get into my other levels. Ya see, we are made of physical bodies but we’re all just energy (that’s why you can read an EKG machine at the hospital–it’s just telling the doctor your vibration). This was news to me. Ha. I thought it was loony at first but once I started to see results and meet others who were healing from these modalities, my life completely changed and my body truly started to heal. My dark circles disappeared, my hair was no longer falling out, my blood work normalized and I was feeling great. I stopped all my supplements except for digestive enzymes, HCL and vitamin D and learned how to listen to myself.
I also stopped eating a ton of raw veggies. starting cooking my food and eating more cooked, warm foods and added in more organic eggs. I cut out white meat (no chicken or turkey because I learned it was high in estrogen-yes even organic) and was convinced from a blood test based on my nervous system from a medical doctor who’s a best friend of mine that I truly admire, that I should try to drink bone broth and eat a little bit of organic, grass-fed red meat, which I haven’t eaten in about 7 years since I had colitis. Grass fed, organic of course. I was against this because I was so scared that I wouldn’t be able to digest it. But I actually digested it well. I didn’t eat much of it but just a few pieces a few times a week is all I need. So, who are the friends that told me about this? My friends Jillian Burne and Kelly Brogan, M.D. They’re so incredibly talented and are two of the most brilliant women on Earth. They’ve become good friends of mine and they talked to me about adding in high-quality red meat and how many people need it–just a small amount. I thought this was fascinating even thought I could clearly live off of veggies. So, I still eat 99.99% plant-based (no gluten, dairy, soy, corn, sugar, seafood, white flours, etc.) but I now eat a little bit of organic, grass-fed red meat (instead of white meat) and I started to be able to eat eggs a few months ago – so this has really changed my life. It’s not for everyone- I suggest you find what works for you but for now, this works for me. I’ll still be doing a TON of veggie recipes and my site and book will stay plant-based because that’s what I love to eat and that’s pretty much how I eat all day long, all week long, all month long but as I mentioned in my book and previously on my website in the last few years, if you want meat or animal protein, make it grass-fed and organic and toss it into my salads or on my sandwiches. Whatever floats your boat. (p.s. I’m not talking about the blood type diet blood work above–I am actually a ‘vegetarian’ type on the blood type diet blood test but turns out I need animal protein to feel my best. Wild, right?)
I’m sharing this with you today to hopefully help you heal too and make you realize that all the answers you need are inside of YOU. Not someone else. Start listening to yourself. Start trusting yourself and stop fearing life, food and anything else that you are scared to do. Real, true, lasting healing comes when you let go, when you surrender and you do what makes your heart sing.
Now, go make a delicious recipe, dance to some fabulous music, put on some makeup (or if you’re a guy…then shave!), and smile. Your healing is coming. Can you feel it?
Feeeeeeel it.
That’s what will get your body ready and what will alert your cells (according to Bruce Lipton, M.D.) to start moving toward wellness and healing.
So much love for all of you!
xo
Good for you. Hippocrates said let food be they medicine. I gave up caffeine and have gone 90% vegetarian and feel better after just three weeks.
Very happy for you.
so happy to hear you are feeling better! xx
I agree!! I could list off a very similar, if not identical health struggle list… And I also did the lifestyle of extreme health-seeking that got me not too far. Then, in a tenacious move, I went backpacking for two weeks in Glacier Nat’l Park. I knew I had to just LIVE. I was so ill right up until I left… And wasn’t perfectly healthy on the trip. But it broke something in me. Some fear. Some sickness hold. Some grip of evil. It was so encouraging spiritually as I saw Jesus come through for me in miraculous ways during this trip. And the vice grip of being a sick person has never returned…since 2013. I have not been the picture of health, but I have been *free*, which is even better. And I have gotten healthier and just do things now! I know there are more layers to go through in life, but I praise God for His faithfulness and the gift of tenacity!
Thank you for this beautiful note Cheri; sending you so much love and a huge hug. I’m so happy you are here. Much love, x
Thank You ! Reading your journey was like being at the right place at the right time for me and as if you were telling my story. I have some of the same ailments you had and my struggle has been one of ten years. The more health summits I attend I find that several people have the same growing list of autoimmune diseases and I am not alone. Earlier this week I thought to myself, ” the answer is within” after expending so much monies on alternative treatments (e.g. acupuncture, colonics, detox programs, supplements, chiropractic adjustments, myofascial, gluten free diet, bone broth, collagen, books and more books, meditation, therapy, spiritual, etc..), as I work to heal my leaky gut to reverse my autoimmune diseases but continue to lose my hair, weight and my skin (another story). The only thing I explored but did not try was Rolfing. I am at that numb feeling stage and have not been creative in awhile, as I wonder what stone I have left unturned in my quest to heal. Also, life stage challenges (being laid off, denied disability, etc.) serve as additional stressors. However, I found your post encouraging and a testimony that we arrive at our healing at different times and hope springs eternal. So as I ask the universe to help me heal myself, I will be more patient with myself as I know the sun is still there though temporarily eclipsed by the clouds. Thank You for sharing as it helps others to keep on keeping on!
My pleasure Jacqui; sending you a huge hug and lots of love. Keep following what feels good and you will end up where you need to be as simple as that sounds, it’s true but many of us are too scared to listen to ourselves. xx
hi. is there anything unhealthy about eating lots of raw vegetables?
Yes, it will negatively affect your thyroid and hormones!
Can’t wait to get your book (just ordered it off amazon). I’ve been plant-based (and gf too) for a while but continuously feel bloated and gassy. Would love to know more about the reishi and acupuncture that helped and any books you found useful.
Thank you Sarah; I’ll be posting more about all of this soon. Enjoy my book! Lots of love. oxx
Hi,
Can you tell me when is your second book coming up?
Thanks
Dolly
Hi Dolly,
I’ll be starting it in a few months. I’m getting my recipe ideas together but not yet sure if it will be a memoir or a cookbook and mind/body connection book with my story of how I’ve continued to heal. xox
Excellent post! This is really interesting about the mind/body connection and something that is resonating with me right now. What books did you find the most helpful?
Thanks Cathie; I’ll be sharing my books that I love soon! Try Louise Hay’s How to Heal Your Life book first. xox
dear amie, i needed this post so much. the past few weeks have been horrible and i haven`t dared to hope. thank you for this. wishing you a peaceful and happy time over the holidays and a good start into a healthy, happy, joyful, exciting new year. all the very best from faraway berlin, anja xx
Thank you Anja; so great to hear from you! Your note meant so much to me. Stay positive. I’m sending you so much love and the biggest hug. Muahhhhhhhhh! xox