What I learned about health

I lay down on the exam table, eager for my first acupuncture treatment. I have no idea what to expect. My background is science, this is something very different. I've done research, acupuncture has been around for millennia and appears to have had great success and continues to expand and thrive. I'm even looking into learning to do this myself. I'm excited to be trying it.

This was 17 years ago, I was 32 years old. I had been working in research for several years at that point. I had obtained a bachelor's degree in molecular biology and thoroughly loved science. I was eager to take the next step in my career path. I was weighing the different options; more science, medicine, there were even more administrative roles I could consider.

There was one other factor that was developing; my own health. It had started when I was around 28, my whole body seemed to just start rebelling. There had been certain issues before, but very quickly they all intensified. Years of insomnia became much worse, night after night I would lay awake for hours. Prior to 28 I had 1 migraine headache, but I was starting to get them regularly and the frequency continued to increase. My sluggish digestion got significantly worse. Every time I ate, no matter what I ate; I felt sick. My allergies and sinuses went through the roof and got so bad, it descended into my chest and I got my first case of bronchitis. I ended up with 3 more cases of bronchitis and had to start taking drugs; 2 pills, a nasal spray and an inhaler. By the time I was 32, I only felt worse, not better.

As I'm sure you can imagine I was quite distressed. I hadn't even made it to 30 before I started falling apart. I shuddered to think of what 40 or 50 would look like, and beyond that, Eeek! I was ready to try something completely different.

In just a couple of months I will be turning 49. I don't take any prescription medications, I haven't for years. I sleep well, I can eat, I haven't had an actual migraine in years and I barely notice allergy and sinus season. Bonus; for several years now I have been experiencing those womanly changes, peri-menopause. While not totally smooth sailing, I have yet to experience some of those common symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. I have few physical symptoms at all. I do get rather edgy, I have to admit. Emotions can be a bit tricky to deal with, but I am steadily making progress with that now as well. What's the secret? I have consistently utilized the natural and wholistic approaches since that first acupuncture treatment.

That first session didn't seem like much to me actually. Honestly, I felt like I just lay on a table staring at the ceiling. The initial results were not dramatic, but for several days afterwards, I just felt pretty good. Enough to pursue this more.

I did enroll in the program and became a practitioner. I learned many more tools and incorporated them into my life more and more. I don't know where I would be today if I had not stepped onto a new path. With a wholistic path I learned that I could take control over my own health. The issues that had been increasing began to decrease and ceased to be a problem. I learned to quiet my mind and get in tune with myself. Being in tune means I can readily feel what is going on and quickly take action if needed. Even when intense and long standing stress entered my life, I did not develop new problems or see a return of the old ones.

Aging happens, certain decline happens; its just how life works. I stand today with 50 looming, but I am not worried or fearful, I'm not dreading it. I look at my later years with eager anticipation. I feel great, I'm healthy and ready for new adventures. I am deeply grateful that I found natural and wholistic tools and had the sense to actually try them. I may face issues as I age, I will face them with excellent tools and move forward with confidence.