The Simplicity Story
My health journey that led me to SIMPLICITY...
I suffered with what almost 20% of Americans do – fertility issues.
We were over the moon when we had our daughter, Margaret. I was 36 years old – lived in Chicago with my hubby and couldn’t wait to have another baby. We got pregnant, and miscarried. We tried again, and after 6 months couldn’t get pregnant. At that point, my friends urged me to go to a fertility specialist. After testing we discovered that I had a high FSH (indicating low egg count and low egg quality)—the specialist suggested we use donor eggs.
We did 3 rounds of Clomid, 6 IUIs, endured 9 attempted IVF, and 2 IVFs with gestational surrogate and 3 more miscarriages.
I tried fasting, detoxes, Chinese herbs/supplements, bloodletting (a Chinese medicine tradition). I had several uterine surgeries. I saw 5 different acupuncturists, and was stuck with over 3,000 acupuncture needles. I tried healing with hands, healing over the phone, numerology, tarot cards, intuitive sessions, chiropractors, energy work, crystals, and foot/hand reflexology. I had massages, mediation sessions, fertility yoga sessions, Ayurvedic, spa sessions and teachings, and vibrational healing. I used oxygen baths, light healing, liver cleansing, ear candling, Reiki, rebounding and rebounding classes, blood cell tests, uterine surgeries, steam baths, closed colon hydrotherapy, countless books, DVD, CDs, nutritionists, and not surprisingly, psychotherapy.
I ended up mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted, and wow had I spent a ton of money!
And boy was I a load of fun at a cocktail party!
When each of our pregnancies ended in miscarriage, I was beside myself. Especially the last one- thud! I truly thought the loss would break me. I was truly losing hope and myself in the losses and the loss of my dreams for my family.
I was out of options. I was kicked out of several fertility clinics— (they didn’t want me to bring down their impressive stats). The doctors and nurses told me I was too old to have a baby. Ultimately, I was given a less than one percent chance.
When I was in Chinatown getting bloodletting – and this 6th generation acupuncturist had some of my blood in her hands and she said “Your blood is too thick. That’s way you can’t have a baby” ahhhh there was the light bulb moment and the words that changed everything.
At my first fertility appointment – I had come across an ad in a magazine that had pictures of blood. There was a picture of clean ”pretty” blood and a picture of dark “ugly” blood. But you had to change your diet and lifestyle to get the clean ‘pretty blood.’ (ohhh who would want to do that? Its much easier to get surgery and pump $10,000 worth of drugs into my gut each month. Ha Ha.)
I found the Center and went. I was so bitter and angry. But I was there – and committed myself to try this avenue. I was crying on and off for several hours my first day there – and the doctor looked at me and said “oh this is your greatest gift” and my reaction (in my thoughts) was a quick “F- you—you have NO idea of my pain and my suffering”…. I had no idea how right he really was….
And so my healing journey began.
I went there three times a week for colon hydrotherapy and I had to listen to tapes, CDs on what to eat, what to drink, how to sleep better, how to exercise properly, how to breathe properly (and I thought – geez – I have to learn how to poop and how to breathe- what is the world coming to?) detoxing, prayer, and meditation. At first I was really just going through the motions. There was a lot of information to take in – and there was a lot of new things to learn. New kitchen equipment to buy, new foods to buy that I had never even heard of. It was a painstaking process and trying to make these new recipes was very overwhelming. I am horrible in the kitchen! So this was not enjoyable in the least (thank goodness for my husband).
And then, something started to happen.
I started to feel good….I didn’t realize it at the time.
I didn’t realize how I hadn’t felt good for a long time – I had gotten use to feeling tired. I had gotten used to being constipated. This was just life, this is just what it feels like to get older- I didn’t think I had been feeling poorly – because I would jack myself up on diet cokes in the morning and that, “got me through the day.”
With my new regime-I didn’t even realize - I started to heal from the inside out. By focusing on me – and earning my health back - I started feeling good-really good. And it showed. It showed on my complexion, on my body and on my face. I started smiling- I felt ‘lighter’ from the emotional turmoil I had chosen to endure.
Everything changed. I was still the same person with the same circumstances. But my body was healing. My heart and head were healing. I was coming out of the fog of sadness and loss, and the anxiety of fertility rat race.
I stopped ‘trying’ – I was just living. I was filled and living with gratitude. Grateful for my husband, so grateful for the child that I did have- and for my experience in the journey. I became completely consumed with JOY and appreciation.
And that is when we became pregnant with our son. We weren't even trying- and at 39 years old- I had a healthy baby boy.
I felt so good – I kept up with my recipes and routine- And then at 42 without trying- I became pregnant and had a healthy baby girl.
I was so incredibly grateful. I felt so blessed…
And…
…I didn’t think that this blessing was something that I should just count…
…this was a blessing that I needed to share.
And then my healing journey turned into Simplicity.
Taking a proactive approach to your health, healing and beauty is a conscious choice.
But there are so many distractions, ‘diets’, articles, clips, sound bites etc. etc.
But the choice while the choice means some hard workd—It does not have to be complex. Afterall, it is—honestly—about simplicity.
Because it’s all about YOU, dammit! What works for you? What tastes good to you? What sounds good to you? You don’t need to have someone ‘pushing’ you, ‘judging’ you, ‘telling’ you what to do—You are perfect just as you are!
Healing is not only about fertility – Simplicity has helped people with cancer, diabetes, inflammation, weight loss, skin issues, injuries, food addictions, drug and alcohol addictions, constipation, etc.
Simplicity is about life—your life—living a healthy life. And, the best way to live a healthy life is to live the simple life—a life of simplicity.
Healing is universal—we all have blood, sweat and tears, organs and muscles.
You have a choice to take a proactive stance in your own healing, health, and beauty journey.
Because healing, health and beauty all start on the inside.
It starts at the cellular level. And that is what Simplicity is all about: nourishing you on a cellular level and on an emotional level too---because let’s face it – we are all going to die- but how are you going to live?