My Story
by Paul Nison
From Living Nutrition vol. 5
Up until I was 19 years old, I ate the SAD diet (standard American diet). Then I received my wake-up call. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Most people would consider this a tragedy in their life. I think of this as one of the best things that ever happened to me!
I don’t know how many people know about ulcerative colitis, but it is not an easy illness to live with. The colon is achey and painful with inflammation, ulcerations and sometimes bleeding, and this is accompanied by spasmodic and frequent bowel movements. The typically poor diets, increased bowel movements, decreased assimilation, and drug therapies all add up to malnutrition and decreasing vitality, not to mention misery and a ruined life.
I would get colitis flare ups about six times per year. Each time I’d go to the doctor and she’d tell me to stay away from dairy foods until I felt better, and she’d increase the dosage of steroids. When I would feel better in a few weeks, she would say it was ok to eat dairy foods again. So I would go out and eat as much dairy as possible and sometimes a whole pizza pie. Then I would get sick again.
I finally saw the pattern and cut out dairy products altogether. I was very pleased with the results; I would get sick less often. I then started to cut out whatever the doctor told me was ok to eat, e.g., eggs, meat and sugar. I told her I noticed a difference and she told me food had nothing to do with it. After hearing that from her, I knew she was wrong and I was on the right track.
When I was 23 I left my stressful job on Wall Street in New York City and moved to West Palm Beach, Florida. I was still having colitis flare ups, but not as often or severe as before. By seemingly sheer coincidence, I moved next to a place called the Hippocrates Health Institute. At the Institute I learned about raw foods and I put myself on an 80% raw food diet. What a difference that made! I told my doctor in New York City about my improvement and she said raw foods were no good for my condition. Once again I knew I was on the right track.
I was feeling much better but was not totally well. When I was 25 I moved back to New York City, my present home and resumed working on Wall Street. In the city I met many people who were eating the raw food diet. I also began reading books on raw food diet and lifestyle. One day I was in EastWest bookstore in lower Manhattan and I picked up a booklet by David Klein, “The Fruits Of Healing - A Story About a Natural Healing of Ulcerative Colitis.” This is exactly what I needed to read. Soon after that I heard David Wolfe of Nature’s First Law speaking on a local radio show about the raw food diet. Next I was prompted to call David Klein and he gave me some teachings which were the final piece in my health puzzle. Then in Manhattan I met raw fooders Matt Grace and Tom Coviello, and then Roe Gallo at a fantastic talk she gave. The more I got involved with the raw food lifestyle, the more positive became my outlook.
I stopped eating the 20% cooked foods which were mostly made of wheat flour. It had been hard to give them up until I made the decision to eat 100% raw foods. Also, the more I spoke to the Nature’s First Law guys, the more I was influenced to enjoy fruit.
Since going 100% raw with my diet I have completely overcome the ulcerative colitis, feel better than ever, and have become increasingly inspired about life. I quit my stressful job on Wall Street and began working as a raw foods chef in Caravan of Dreams restaurant in Soho. I also hold raw food potlucks every month at my home. And I have helped several people who have just gotten their wake-up call.
I recently traveled the world to experience the pleasures of new cultures and exotic fruits. My favorite fruit is the durian. My friends call me the “Durian King.”
Since adopting the fruitarian diet I have gone through several “healing crises.” I am happy for these elimination episodes and feel that the fruitarian diet is the best way for me to go. I feel “home free” now.
I am thankful for all of my friends who helped me make this all possible. I feel that anyone can overcome ulcerative colitis the way I did if they want to, but it is important to get the right education and friendly support to make it go easily.
You can contact Paul Nison at paulnison AT mindspring.com
http://www.livingnutrition.com/rawfoodarticles/overcame.html
