I chose to do a 21-day raw food diet for two important reasons: The first is because many of my patients would greatly benefit from less inflammatory foods, but all my preaching in the world could not motivate many of them enough to radically change their diets. They needed more than my verbal guidance; I needed to set a shining example. Second, I learned that I had a recurrence of my brain tumor. I do, however, feel it is my obligation—and my honor—to share my story with my patients. No one is immune to bad luck, no one is above tragedy, and all humans experience burden. The lives we lead are not linear, and we have to confront what comes our way. How we choose to confront is the key. And so, in You. We. All. fashion, for 21 days I ate only foods that were not cooked. I chopped, diced, sliced, spiralized, dehydrated, blended, pureed, and juiced each week.
- My skin cleared and the texture improved.
- My sleep was deeper and more restorative.
- My bowels have never been smoother.
- I lost 9 pounds.
- I had incredible amounts of energy and bounce in my step.
- I felt more motivated in general, as if there was nothing I could not tackle.
- I rediscovered the real taste of foods before we cook and sauce them up. My patients were impressed, intrigued, and clearly motivated as they now contact me more regularly to ask for recipes. And I am now ready to face my radiation treatments and am feeling confident I will do well and persevere and continue on my path of trying to help others be well and stay well. In total honesty, my patients do more to encourage and motivate me than I do them. It is their pain that makes me want to dig deep inside myself and find the strength to show them who they can be, despite the challenges they face. It’s only an added perk that I now salivate when I see an avocado or a banana or even a plump leek. Know someone who’s in pain? Here’s a neurologist’s best advice on how to help them.
