Metamorphosis

[Middle of March to Early April]
I pulled out my phone and immediately started searching up local herbalists. Surprisingly, on the very first try I found a five star herbalist right in my neighborhood. Like most people I was skeptical and started to dig deeper reading comments, looking for how many people reviewed, etc. I was stumped, there was nothing but positive feedback. In a few days I had to meet with my nurse practitioner, it was the first check up after our initial meeting. When that day finally arrived and I woke up early to walk over to her building. In Philadelphia, winter was transitioning to spring and the remaining snow was melting off. When I reached the waiting room, I went through the beginning procedures: stepped on the scale, checked my blood pressure, and was asked the routine questions. Once my practitioner made her way to the room, we did what I considered as counterproductive tests. She also reminded me of the two possible procedures that I have available to solve my problem. They were radiation and brain surgery. In my mind I was screaming “NO F#CKING WAY!!!” but I stayed relaxed and polite. After our meeting ended, I quickly walked over to meet this herbalist once and for all.

First Experience

I had my backpack with all my paperwork that the doctors left me with. This fire inside me was extraordinary. When I reached the front door there was an automatic lock with a door bell, I rang it and the man inside buzzed me in. The shop had a refreshing smell of herbs and incense. He was an older African American gentleman with a voice that was full of life. I walked over to his counter and started to explain my scenario to him. For about forty-five minutes we went over the diagnosis. I showed him my test results and he asked me questions such as “what do you eat regularly?” and “was there anything that you did differently that may have caused this event?” In the end he suggested that I go online and do some research on this diagnosis to find out what IT is. Looking back at it now, I am certain it was a lesson to see if I was serious about curing the problem. Within two weeks I returned to his shop feeling defeated that I could not find anything about it.

Eye Opener

I confessed my ability of not being able to find information that could help solve this incident. This time, we spent two hours working together to make an attempt to solve the problem. Going through multiple books and websites, the last place we looked at was WebMD and found that in fact these "Cavernous Malformations" were lesions on the brain. I'll never forget the face he made when he found out. It was a face of absolute fear like finding out your sibling passed away. It started to freak me out. After a moment of silence he told me of a way to cure it, but it required a very strict eating regiment. A vegan diet that prevents the consumption of acidic foods or beverages also known as an Alkaline Vegan diet. He grabbed a piece of paper and pen writing the name Dr. Sebi down. He suggested I review his nutritional guide and watch some videos on Youtube. I thanked him for his assistance and walked home. When I got back I remembered that face, then immediately reality struck me like lightning. This tragic event actually happened and now you have the choice to heal yourself or continue neglecting it. Ivana got home and saw me crying my eyes out. I finally had accepted that this was a serious issue.

[Middle of April to Present]
I came back to his shop with a better understanding of this herbalist and decided to take on the challenge. He reminded me again of the implications of it and how it needs to be taken seriously otherwise it will do no good. I remember him saying “You can't cheat, the body will know and you will suffer the consequences.” Before perusing this transition I paid a visit to New York. One of my friends from California moved there and I was curious to see how she was doing. Despite it being extremely short it was good to reconnect. Ivana and a couple of her childhood friends were also in town, which in the end, we all ended up seeing each other. The trip was treated as an end of consuming without thinking. Reviewing the guide, I made sure to enjoy my last piece of chocolate, bottle of orange juice, and favorite tofu dish in lower east side. One evening after getting a massage in Chinatown, we stopped at this coffee shop where I had my last double shot espresso. I believe the place was called Grind and it was flawless, the best pull I have ever had. The following day when we returned home I mentally prepared myself for the following day.

New Standard

On April 19th, 2017 I transitioned to the new eating regiment and felt completely content. My first step to self health was officially made and I do not regret it one bit. The first week was brutal because I hardly ate a thing. But after being on it for a couple weeks you eventually break out of the vicious cycle that many people are unaware of, which is the slavery of taste. When you eat, the only thing that matters is the taste, not the nutritional value of it. Breaking free from that surprised my peers and family members. I could confidently walk past a restaurant and not have any interest in eating there. While in the past, I would say something like "Oh damn that smells great! I could just taste the flavor!" A key part I would like to mention about this lifestyle is that you fall in love with cooking and the creativity behind it. I noticed that the amount of time an energy I put into the food I eat would only come back tenfold to nourish the cells that make me. Which is the exact reason why I don't miss my old self.

April 19th, 2017 Day One

Wrap Up

This ride called life has been well crafted for me. Ivana told me one time "the best investment you can do for yourself is bettering your health" and now I see exactly what she means by that. Being even more self-reliant is one of the greatest feelings I have ever felt. I personally would not trade it for anything. If you dear reader are interested in this subject and have any questions feel free to ask. I would be more than happy to share the bit of knowledge I have gained thus far.