Tinnitus
By Nancy O'Neill
Most of my life I had a very unhealthy diet consisting mainly of fast food, soda, and high fat, low fiber food. Finally my diet caught up with me.
In late April, 2012, I came to Kushi Institute as a very sick woman with a long list of symptoms including diverticulitis and other digestive problems, vertigo, vision problems, tinnitus, many disabling menstrual problems, obesity, arthritis, and depression. In the prior four years I had gone through three hospitalizations and two surgeries. One of the surgeries was an emergency a life-saving colostomy that resulted from a perforated intestine. The operation was a success, but even six months later I was left suffering from major depression.
I went to Kushi Institute because my older sister was coming for the Way to Health program and she invited me along. Although I did not have much hope at the time, I wanted to see if macrobiotics would help remedy my ongoing health problems. It turns out it was the best decision I ever made.
I stayed at Kushi Institute for two weeks, first attending Way to Health, then continuing on another week for the Way to Health PLUS program. By the time my stay was over, I had already lost nine pounds and was less depressed than I had been in years.
I write this only a few weeks after returning home, and even in this short time, my weight loss has continued, and I am no longer depressed. In fact, I am happy and excited about my future. My body feels stronger. I also have no more diverticulitis and I go to the bathroom with no problems. It is amazing to me, because for years I always had problems going to the bathroom, I was either constipated or had diarrhea. The vertigo and tinnitus are gone. The menstrual problems are gone. I have much less arthritic pain and I feel it will eventually go away after I get down to my ideal body weight. At Kushi Institute I also realized gluten was a part of my health problems and am now eating gluten-free.
I am so grateful to my sister for getting me to Kushi Institute, and also grateful to the staff at Kushi Institute, who were wonderful, supportive and great examples of how life can be if you eat a macrobiotic diet. I keep in touch with the people that went through the programs with me. It is great to have friends now who are working on the same macrobiotic lifestyle. We share a lot of cooking and shopping tips.
I cant wait to see how good I will feel in another year! Now, instead of worrying about my future, I am eager to see how my future unfolds.
When I was at Kushi Institute, Larry and Judy MacKenney, two of our wonderful instructors, would have us get into a circle at the end of class and say, Every day in every way I am getting better and better and better. I continue to say this to myself and for me it has been true every day in every way I AM getting better and better and better! Thank you Kushi Institute for such a wonderful gift. You've given me the gift of health.