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Greetings, livefoodfactorfriends!
RHODORRA'S VISIT, SPRING OF 2011,
TO OUR HYGIENE HOMESTEAD IN THE WOODS
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-- from 2 pounds gone in 6 weeks to 25 pounds gone in 6 weeks --
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WHAT A DIFFERENCE
OUR HYGIENE HOMESTEAD MAKES!
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Note: In the brackets, Victoria is writing = [these are brackets].
MY BACKGROUND: I am fortunate to have been raised in a middle-class family in the Midwest. I was raised in a pretty structured Christian home with two loving and supportive parents. I am one in the middle of 6 children. When I was young, often I took for granted my family structure. As I have grown, I have become deeply appreciative.
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Two years ago, my Mom began to share that she was having major challenges in the care of my Sister, who had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Mom began having challenges to her own health. Consequently, I began transitioning to the South to assist in the care of my Sister and Mom. I, along with my Sister and her family, moved to the South. Prior to my move, I had not seen my Sister for several years. Her condition had greatly deteriorated. The stress of care had its impact upon Mom. I was heartbroken. Consequently, I began identifying resources that could help our family manage the care of my Sister and stabilize my Mom. This process took 1 year and 3 months.
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My Sister's care involved managing her hospital stays, 6 physicians (neurology, urology, primary care, bowel management, bladder management, etc.), 4 therapists (physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, recreational therapy), insurance carriers, long-term care facilities, housing. And the list continues. My mom's care involved oncology, senior living, senior car. And that list continues, as well. Once I got them stabilized, I was a complete mess -- physically, emotionally, and psychologically. During the year and 3 months, I gained 70 pounds. I knew I was gaining weight, but I simply did not have the strength to manage my own personal life while caring for my family. Finally, it was time to address my own needs.
MY 6 WEEKS AND 2 POUND WEIGHT-LOSS TO REPORT: My first step was to identify a personal coach. This coach had me buy several books, and he placed me on a raw food diet [taught my an East Coast Natural Hygiene Doctor] for 6 weeks. He took me to a large, local, organic whole foods market to teach me how to shop for my meals. This diet was composed of 3 major meals which included [basically, the same thing every meal, even breakfast!]: 1 cup of lentils or beans along with a large, green, raw salad. I was allowed 3 small snacks which were composed of raw fruits, raw nuts and seeds. Additionally, I was instructed to drink water within specific time zones. I walked each day for 45 minutes and trained with the coach 2 days a week. During the whole 6 weeks, I lost maybe 2 pounds. I was so disgusted that I began looking for alternatives.
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MY SEARCH FOR A BETTER ALTERNATIVE: I went to visit a bariatrician. This term refers to a licensed physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of overweight, obesity, and other weight-related conditions. I took several tests, including blood tests. The physician confirmed I had a low thyroid. My condition, he shared, was primarily due to overwhelming stress. He said that I would never lose the weight without first addressing the thyroid condition. He wanted to put me on pharmaceutical medicine. I rejected the medication. I believed that I could find a natural alternative. Next, I began searching the web for natural health physicians that could give me natural ways to heal and restore my thyroid. I went to see a natural health physician that took his own set of tests including blood work. He confirmed my low thyroid. He suggested that I begin a raw food program. He gave me a list of vegetables that inhibit thyroid stimulation. I was shocked because the prior raw food program I attempted with the coach never mentioned vegetables that would inhibit thyroid stimulation like spinach or cabbage. I loaded up on spinach every meal from my personal coach. This physician recommended I limit my fruits and focus on vegetables, including eating live sprouts. He said this would assist the thyroid along with kelp and dulse.
Since I had limited exposure to raw foods, I began searching The Internet for retreats. I needed more help to be successful. One of the websites I identified was the ROYL Retreat by Drs. Gregory & Tosca Haag [in consultation with Dr. Vetrano who had run Dr. Shelton's Health School single-handedly from 1965 to 1985]. However, they no longer had their retreat. Instead, they direct readers thru their website to contact "GetWell*StayWell. America!" [where these 3 doctors work in consultation with me and my guests at Our Hygiene Homestead in The Woods]. I initially called and spoke with Victoria BidWell. She briefly explained her program and told me that she absolutely could assist me. I initially planned on staying the whole summer, but circumstances would not allow me to stay that length.
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MY ARRIVAL IN CONCRETE, WASHINGTON & VICTORIA'S 2 HOMESTEADS: Upon my arrival, Victoria picked me up in Burlington, Washington, from the bus station. Her voice and tone were those of the same lady with whom I had spoken several times between December and June on the telephone while firming up my reservation. We made several stops in town and then proceeded to her private home quarters because she had an appointment with a repair man doing work there. The weather was dreary: cold and wet. When we drove up to her HighJoy Homestead Headquarters, I was surprised that she actually lived with her horse! [Rhodorra came this spring. Since then, I have started requiring guests, before their arrival, to read www.naturecurerawfoodhealthretreat.com so they would know exactly what to expect.] The HighJoy Horse has been trained to do several tricks. And to my amazement, he responded to Victoria with a kiss! [It does look like a kiss -- but he actually just reaches over and bumps by cheek!] Victoria continued to ask the horse to show off his delights and rewarded him with raw foods of all kinds and flavors! After putting on a good show for us, HighJoy's attitude clearly said: "ENOUGH, VICTORIA! GIVE ME MY TREAT NOW, PLEASE!" I translated this message to her. And we had a good, long laugh!
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Victoria proceeded to take me into her private "frontier bedroom" built outside her house and connected to HighJoy's quarters by a Mr. Ed Dutch door. This room was rustic! Right out of the 1800s! It didn't even have central heating -- but only a wood-burning fire place for heat! The couch was draped with a real fur blanket Victoria had lovingly made by hand! I was astonished -- and terrified! Victoria emplored me to relax and get comfortable. How could I? I was from the big city! I was in an environment completely different from my own! In fact, I was in shock! I did not know one person who heated with wood only! I had never even seen an up-close and personal, real fur blanket in my life! [Rhodorra had not bothered to read Dr. Tosca Haag's write-up of her February visit with me that I had sent her! Dr. Tosca had lived on horse ranches all her life. In her write-up, she had reported that the very favorite parts of her 2-week visit here were the several sessions of spending conference time in this very same outdoor bedroom with the fire roaring and with HighJoy's sticking his head through the Mr. Ed door competing for our attention while we planned out WHAT DR. SHELTON DIDN'T KNOW!] Next, Victoria brought me to Our Hygiene Homestead in The Woods. I had asked for The Eagle's Nest. I have fasted on water in the past. I didn't want to fast at Our Homestead. However, Victoria encouraged me to do so "to jump start the weight-loss and gain momentum." She explained the weight-loss would be so encouraging, with many times more the weight lost during the same number of days as on raw foods. m
[When Rhodorra arrived, I had two fasters checked in who had fasted several times at the city slicker $1,000 a week places, compared to my nature-haven $333 a week. Like Rhodorra, they were city people, too. They were fasting on water only to drop weight, and they were not very happy about my nature-haven setting without all the citified amenities. I could hardly get them to step outside! Even though one had two months to read www.naturecurerawfoodhealthretreat.com and even though I asked her several times during those two months to read it, she refused and was not prepared for Our Hygiene Homestead in The Woods setting or me! The other also refused to read www.naturecurerawfoodhealthretreat.com. They both kept asking for things like a FAX machine in the bedroom, a personal pedicurist to make house calls. trips into town to sit in a movie theatre, and cable T.V. to distract oneself from the actual experience of fasting. Rhodorra continues...] m
For the 2 weeks these fasters were there, the negative atmosphere began to take its toll on me. This also created a measure of tension between Victoria and me as I was placed in the middle. Upon their departure, things had escalated. I contemplated going home. After very serious talks with Victoria about reaching my goal and after calming my spirit down, I analyzed my situation and decided to stay with the program for the next 4 weeks. Victoria and I worked through our differences and began to refocus our energies on helping me maximize my weight loss in conjunction with a realistic long-term plan. [I offered Rhodorra a really low rate on top of my already low rates if she would buy her own food, prepare it, and clean up after. She liked this idea. And we proceeded. At that time, I also had Alla and CoCo here, a mother and her 3-year old. Since Alla would be preparing their own food, except for my frequent food preparation demonstrations, Rhodorra, Alla, and CoCo were all on the out-of-the-ordinary visit of preparing their own meals. Rhodorra sat in on all the recipe demonstrations and joined in on our tasting parties. At one point, she actually confided in me: "For awhile, I thought you really didn't know how to do raw food recipes!"]
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AFTER MY FAST: Once my fast was over, Victoria opened up and began to share her wealth of knowledge on raw foods and raw food preparation. The thing that was the most invaluable was learning that living on raw foods as a permanent lifestyle could be so healthy and tasty! I have often heard many theories on food. One that sticks out the most is: "Eat to Live." It implies that eating is mechanical and that taste is not important. I believe eating can be mechanical, but it should be enjoyable also! When I did the 6 weeks on raw foods promoted by the East Coast Natural Hygiene doctor, I hated the foods: they were tasteless and boring! Victoria made raw food tasty and fun! VERY FUN! One of the things I enjoyed most was watching the ease with which Victoria would leaves the many GetWell*StayWell, America! duties at her place and then just waltz into her well-equipped and well-stocked, little kitchen and use such simple appliances and tools to prepare really wonderful and lovely meals! I can now clearly see how easy and fun it will be to integrate healthier, Natural Hygiene foods into my overall eating plan!
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MY HAPPY SUMMARY OF MY SPRING, 2011, VISIT TO OUR HYGIENE HOMESTEAD:
My first two weeks were fasting on water only: 19 pounds down
My next two weeks included eating 80% raw fruits and vegetables: 4 pounds down
My fifth week included juice dieting on fruits and vegetables: 1.5 pounds down
My last week included whole foods and a trip to a salad bar: .5 pounds down
My first day of eating, I went on a long walk with Alla and CoCo. This was not what Victoria had in mind. But I went anyway. And by my description and body language when I told Victoria what I had done, she was horrified! I was paying the price for the months of sedentary living, on top of breaking the fast incorrectly on a very long walk. Victoria cried out: "You pushed yourself like those people on The Biggest Loser! I can't believe you did that! We were all laughing at my comically and clearly expressed agony! After that day, Alla and CoCo and I or myself alone went on very long walks -- sometimes up to 4 hours. I put my heart and soul into these agonizing walks, "waking up muscle groups from a long slumber," as Victoria had put it. I also spent time on the mini-trampoline nearly every day. Basically, I had followed the program in Victoria's big book with "Before" and "After" pictures of 26 successful fasters who lost weight, then lived right: The Natural Weight-Loss System. I had fasted, stayed all-raw up until the end, and exercised -- a lot. I lost a total of 25 pounds in these 6 weeks as compared to 2 pounds on the East Coast doctor's regime in his 6 weeks. Just an aside: Victoria is probably the only Natural Hygiene Health Director of any retreat who picks you up by taking you to juice bar and telling you to "have whatever your heart desires" and then drops you off by going with you to a salad bar and tells you to do the same!" m
MOVING FORWARD: Based upon my own observations, whether I eat raw foods,
whole foods, or do juice dieting which includes fruit, my weight loss
will be minimal as a result of the thyroid situation, until it
normalizes. This realization has helped me better understand and accept
the sometimes slow progress and resolve and direct my efforts toward my
continued weight loss and improved health. I will be methodical and
patient while my healing begun during the fast at Our Homestead
continues. My initial plans are to continue juice dieting for 3 days -- Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday -- and to eat 70 - 75% raw vegetables on
the other 4 days -- Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday -- until I
have reached my optimal weight. I do not even want to aspire to eat
"all-raw."
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THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT I HAVE LEARNED AT OUR HYGIENE HOMESTEAD IN THE
WOODS:
1) I have found a Natural Hygiene program that actually does work
for me with enough progress to be pleased and not disgusted.
2) I have addressed my thyroid and can get the iodine I need by juicing iodine-rich vegetables and fresh sprouts and by eating the sea vegetables such as kelp and dulse until I am at my optimal weight.
3) I need to follow the guidelines of The Natural Weight-Loss System -- and especially limit fruits.
4) After getting back to my optimal weight, I want to adjust my eating with 70 - 75% raw foods.
5) The walking and using the trampoline should be apart of my ideal exercise plan.
6) I need to minimize animal protein and dairy.
7) I need to... ENJOY EATING HEALTHY!
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As I reflect back on my time at Our Hygiene Homestead in The Woods, I will ponder some of the most memorable moments, like my trip with Victoria, Alla, and CoCo in the black PT Cruiser, on the North Cascades Highway to Winthrop. The view was breathtaking!
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I WILL REMEMBER VICTORIA... An extremely resourceful teacher of Correct Natural Hygiene who touched me during my life's journey...
Highly educated
Out-of-the-ordinary, not your regular, stand-offish health director
Strong-willed
Gentle
Choosing to live out of the mainstream and live in touch with nature and animals -- and the wilds, instead!
The Wilderness Woman who heats with wood only, uses her own handmade fur blanket on especially cold nights & who has a highly entertaining horse for company!
[AND I WILL NEVER, EVER FORGET RHODORRA -- IF SHE EVER WANTS TO LEAVE HER PRESENT CAREER, SHE HAS A GREAT FUTURE WAITING IN COMEDY! WE ALL SPENT SO MUCH TIME JUST LAUGHING!]
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