The past week, in speaking to patients we have had over the years, I am reminded of something that I myself went through years ago early on in my health journey.
I had lost what I viewed as my healthy body from an early age, and it was then when I met my first very real health challenge that I began to understand the vast amount of grey that exists between the black and white of health and illness.
I was quite young and had once been very trusting of the professional, the doctors, the surgeons, the medical profession in general.
When I diverted from that path and began to eat 'differently" and take supplements "differently" and take care of my body..."differently" than my family and my friends, I began to appear alien to them.
It was not too long after that side step that I realized, it was in my best interest to not share my journey with others. I kept my health and my challenges to myself. I was then quite unwell and in truth, I needed a shoulder that didn't exist at the time. But to feel the sting of judgement and mocking only brought me to tears and held me back, not forward.
This week, I have had two of my patients share these same struggles with their family and friends. One, brought me to tears as she described her feelings and her simultaneous gratitude for all that she has learned from our methods. Her words, "you saved my life, you gave me my life back", brought me to tears as I remembered that this is the very reason why we dedicated our lives to this path in the first place.
To not be believed, to not be supported in one's struggle for health and for life, is a very humiliating feeling.
If someone tells you, they feel something, even if you don't understand it....LISTEN! It's the greatest gift you can give someone. Don't judge!