My Story
I am Cassandra, and I live in the panhandle of Florida. I grew up in Southern California, and after high school, I moved to Loma Linda to get into the nursing field. In my early 20s, I was struggling with weight gain and not living a healthy lifestyle. After feeling tired and overweight, one day, I decided it was time to take charge and change my lifestyle.
This change meant taking control of my life and making important decisions about living and maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle. After I decided to make a change, I spent a large amount of time reading, researching, going to school, and studying Nutrition. I engaged with people who were living healthy lifestyles and surrounded myself with positive and encouraging people. There were several elements that I found out that were part of the equation for a healthy and happy lifestyle. They include diet, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and essential oils, getting my finances in order, and spiritual living. Not one element alone can do that, but all methods are part of building a healthy and happy body. The key is a balance for everything and taking everything in moderation.
I have also concluded the spiritual feeding element is important to balance. As a Christian, having a spiritual path to Christ is what keeps us balanced, to have that internal peace with our Lord Savior, Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:20 states, "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which is God's." God gave us only one body, and it is up to us to take care of that body so that we can be good stewards of Christ and live a life free of disease and illness as He promised us. Remember, our purpose here is to follow God, spread His word, and love one another. If our bodies are unfit, how can we do God's work?
In the last 15 years, I have seen a shift in the way people live. Society and America's health have become sick and overweight due to the vicious cycle of living we have adopted. When people watch TV, 90% of our commercials consist of fast food and junk food to entice people to eat processed and unhealthy foods, but eventually, they come with negative consequences. The high consumption of junk food leads to health problems that stem from processed fatty foods. And the terrible cycle begins as a negative consequence of eating unhealthy foods. The ongoing routine of unhealthy foods will cause your body to break down, creating high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease, cancers, and the list goes on. When health issues arise, people are now forced to go see a doctor or are rushed to the hospital for a serious condition. After the doctor visit or trip to the hospital, people are diagnosed with an illness and receive a prescription drug to "fix" one problem, which then creates another problem that can sometimes lead to death.
Drug commercials appear to fix one problem, then you hear about the horrible side effects of only placing a temporary Band-Aid on that problem. The next commercial you see on TV is about attorneys who are now pursuing a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies for people who took prescription drugs. The serious consequences create more health problems and even death. I see it and hear about it every day. Do you see where this is going?
Personal Stories
I am going to share my personal story regarding my father. I almost lost my father years ago due to his heart having a 75% blockage. Prior to that, he had a pulmonary embolism which can be life-threatening. The doctors said they had never had anyone survive something of that size; the clot was the size of a baseball. All this was due to an unhealthy lifestyle of junk food, lack of exercise, and consistent drinking of diet soda and beverages every day. They informed my father that he needed to change his diet and sent him to a registered dietitian to include foods to eat and avoid. Since then, he has focused on eating better and does get some exercise. However, with a lifelong practice of poor habits, it is very difficult to reverse over 70 years of age that consisted of bad eating habits. He has several stents in his heart to help with the blockage, but his health is no longer the same. He continues to live but complains each day about how he has become so limited in what he can do. I just hope and pray this does not happen to you or a loved one.
My next story is about my grandmother. She suffered from severe arthritis, diabetes, and extreme pain throughout her body. Doctors have prescribed her a large number of prescription pills. She used to bruise so easily, suffered from depression, and was in pain every day. Over the years, we have always encouraged her to exercise and eat right, but she was always one who would sit on the couch, and the only movement she had was to the kitchen, bathroom, and back to her chair or off to bed. She lived until she was 90, but her quality of life was very poor. Again, this is a result of the average lifestyle that many Americans are dealing with today. It is sad, but I hope that the information you gain from my blog can shed some light on why people need to take charge of their lives and make some significant changes.
My third story includes my mother. She suffers from severe fibromyalgia and arthritis and is given a cocktail of drugs to block the pain. However, the doctors have not been able to get to the root of her problem. People I meet every day have the same diagnosis and take the same meds. No one knows what the cause is or really knows what the problem is. Doctors today just give a general diagnosis and prescribe meds and send people on their way. She takes sleeping pills and pain pills as part of her daily routine. Over the last several years, I have lost several friends due to cancer and heart attacks. People I know have no energy, are depressed, and are just tired.
Anti-depressants are very common prescriptions people take. People I have worked with and those who serve in the military, many are overweight, less active, and do not eat nutritious foods. They sit in front of the TV or computer for more than eight hours a day and drink sodas, and snack on junk food from the vending machines. This is not a healthy approach to living. Many Americans are on prescription drugs, and cancer rates are on the rise making pharmaceutical companies and hospitals billions of dollars.
What is wrong with America's health industry? I thought our health system was created to help cure our illness, not treat and keep the problem or make the problems worse. I have a lot of friends who are physicians, and many are not familiar with the health and nutrition field. However, I do know one thing. Most Americans and doctors do not focus on Nutrition or incorporating a healthy lifestyle to include holistic living, the way God intended us to live. I am not saying, western medicine is a bad thing, it can be helpful in conjunction with holistic methods, but it should not be the only method we rely on. If we do our part in a preventative manner, many people would not have to rely on pills to "fix" or "mask" the problem.
Instead, we should focus on the root cause and resolve the problem or prevent the problem from happening. Foods, cosmetics that contain chemicals, and home cleaning products are making people very ill. Again, I have seen many people become very sick due to a large number of environmental factors. Some illnesses stem from emotions within ourselves which can lead to depression. Dealing with stress, anger, and frustration and keeping those emotions inside is not a healthy process. Eventually, your healthy immune system will not be able to handle the stresses for a long period of time. It is important you eat healthily, drink clean water, reduce the number of chemicals in your household, and avoid using nontoxic hygiene products. These steps can be a good start. Having a strong spiritual side and having a social life with friends and family is also important to keep that overall balance. Reach out to God, seek His word, and trust in Him to guide you. He can help you change your life if you are ready to commit.
Over the years, I received my certifications in Holistic Nutrition and am now a Health Coach and PraiseMoves instructor (the Christian alternative to Yoga). I currently teach adult Bible classes at my local Church, lead the women's ministry, and provide spiritual coaching/mentoring at my Church. I completed Seminary School at Regent University and graduated with a Master of Divinity to become a Chaplain/Spiritual Counselor. I received my ordination as a Minister through Vanguard Ministries to help those who need Christ, which will allow them to find peace and direction in their lives.
My blog here is to provide you with information that I have received from various sources throughout the years. My goal is to inform people like you to make informed decisions about their health and find ways to live healthy. I am not a doctor of medicine, so be sure to consult your physician before making any drastic lifestyle changes. The information presented on my blog is strictly for informational purposes so that you can take charge of what goes into your body and in your home environment.
This site is in the process of adding helpful information regarding your pets. Remember, our pets are our family members too. So it is important to be aware of what veterinarians are saying and what is taking place with our pet's health today. I hope you enjoy reading the information on my site and find it helpful to live healthier and happier. Many Blessings!
God Bless,
Cassandra
