Dan R.’s Success Story

DAN’S WAY

I’m sure my life’s journey of experiences and consequences will sound familiar to most. Fortunately, I continue to learn and press on.

I grew up with the four food groups, good parents, an honest outlook and strong work ethic. I was on my own at twenty and feeling healthy and indestructible. After twenty, my diet was mostly quick food that was far unhealthier than I knew. That worked up to about age forty.

I started noticing that my clothes were shrinking, and my energy level was dropping. Cola continued to be a frequent pickup.

At age forty-eight, I developed RA and was struggling with a lot of joint pain. My blood pressure was up and my cholesterol was up and of course, my clothes weren’t shrinking. I just got fat. I remember my primary care doctor commenting to me that I had turned into an old man. I started seeing a Specialist for RA and ended up on two nasty drugs that controlled my RA issues. Then came acid reflux and another drug and then another drug so I could pee.

What I wasn’t getting was a direction that I could take to reverse my problems. I started thinking that my life would be much shorter than I thought when I was twenty.

Over time I read about this apparent miracle drug or that miracle diet, but nothing sounded right to me. I even read about leaky gut which made sense for me, but I still assumed it was more garbage dumped on unhealthy people like me.

One day a few months ago I read an article about a Health and Wellness program developed by a heart doctor. This seemed like something that could help. I was definitely ready to act if I just knew what to do.

I went to the seminar and listened. It all made sense to me. I invested financially, emotionally, and physically. I wasn’t sure I would improve so I told no one. I didn’t want to be embarrassed if I failed AGAIN.

I have lost twenty pounds since starting the program and my blood pressure is now in the “Normal” range. My cholesterol is improving and I’m learning to like food that is actually good for me.

I go to Yoga twice a week and learn basic body movement that I find very helpful in improving my health. In Yoga class, I’m just another older person trying to do my best to learn and improve myself. I listen to my health coach, continue to attend group meetings, individual meetings, and I continue to do my best.

I can’t say it’s easy. It’s not. I think I will crave junk food forever but I really want to be healthier so I will continue to focus. I see this as a struggle that will last the rest of my life so I’m being honest with myself. To use a quote from the “Equalizer”, PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION. I’m now sixty and my life outlook has greatly improved. I now hope to live long enough and stay healthy enough to become a genuine old man.

I WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND I WILL SUCCEED.