Debbie's Story

Like my whole family, I have been heavy most of my life and thought it is all in the genes. I tried every diet there is and thought about doing bypass surgery. But a friend of my mom had it and died due to complications. When I went for my yearly physical after my 50th birthday, my doctor gave me a present, high blood pressure medicine. I was already taking over the counter drugs for allergies and heartburn, not to mention Advil for joint pain. I knew I had to do something.

I work for Whole Foods Market who periodically held an Immersion Program for their employees with Dr. Fuhrman. A friend attended an Immersion a few years earlier, and now looks fabulous and feels great. So when the next round of Immersions came up, I was going to go to it and take my health into my own hands. On the third day of the Immersion I was taken off my blood pressure medicine. I am still off them and haven’t had to take a single over the counter drug.

To be honest, I didn’t realize how bad I felt until my body started healing. Aches and pains that I thought went along with getting older are gone. I also never realized how bad my food addiction was until I started fueling my body with the right foods. I feel twenty years younger. I’m not going to tell you that it was easy; at least not at first. I had several pity parties for myself, and, at times, didn’t know if I could make it. What helped was the support of Dr. Fuhrman's staff and the team members. To this day I still hear Dr. Fuhrman’s voice in my head:  Am I really hungry, I am not going to die if I miss a meal (that one was my favorite), you have to exercise.

I have been eating a Nutritarian diet for a little over a year and a half and still going strong. I have never felt better. I went from taking blood pressure, heartburn, pain and allergy medications daily to taking nothing. I lost 133 pounds and am at the weight I was in 1983. I still have a little ways to go, but am confident that I will make it.

I had such an addiction to sugar, so much so, that I had a severe case of candida. Now I no longer crave sugar; instead my body craves fruits and veggies. It’s also amazing how wonderful these foods taste to me now. Every week I like to try something new, and luckily I work where the variety is endless.

For years I would avoid going to the doctors because I hated facing the scale. Now I don’t mind going.  I was worried what my doctor was going to say when I went for my first visit after I started Eat To Live and the fact that I was taken off my meds by the doctor on Dr. Fuhrman’s staff. Happily, she told me how proud she was of me for doing it the right way and that I had added years to my life. On my last visit my doctor lost 25 pounds, she told me that I had inspired her. What a great feeling that was!