A journey to wellness

"Why wait until you get sick to start taking care of yourself?" asks NATURAL HEALTH reader Rachel Pobi, 44. If you tend to your health now, your body will be more capable of defending itself and you won't end up trying to overhaul your lifestyle under the most trying circumstances, says Pobi, who was diagnosed with HIV in 1986.

"I always lived healthfully, including teaching exercise classes," she explains. "Then, two years into my marriage, I received a call from my mother telling me, 'Someone we know has AIDS.' She'd forgotten that I had dated this man six years earlier." Two weeks later Pobi got tested, and the results were positive for HIV-antibody response.

"Today, I'm one of those fortunate people," she insists. "I've been married 20 years, and my husband doesn't have HIV. His love and support inspire me. Backpacking and hiking and eating healthfully make me feel good. I appreciate life more because of this illness."

Pobi shares her commitment to health with those newly confronting any such challenge. "After going through fear and grief," she says, "you have to make a choice whether to stay depressed or take control." Her advice:

(1) Learn as much as you can about your condition. Go to the library; research online; subscribe to newsletters from reputable authorities and institutions.

(2) Consult a naturopathic physician, along with your medical doctor, on illness-specific diet and exercise. The philosophy of naturopathy is: "If you give your body what it needs, your body has the capacity to heal itself." Healing doesn't always mean a cure, but it can be signified by improvement.

(3) Don't try to do it on your own. Take advantage of every resource. Connect with people who are going through the same thing. You won't feel so alone, and it's a great way to network with others who can share information that will benefit you on your journey to wellness. You can do the same for them.

Learning from the journeys of others is a powerful way to "Rewrite Your Personal Story" (page 100), according to psychiatrist Carl Hammerschlag, M.D., while a belief in something outside ourselves allows us to see things in a fresh light, to take risks, to have hope, to connect with the earth. As Hawaiian healer Maka'alo Yates, D.C., says in "What the Islands Know" (page 50), "To make a village work requires an alignment of mind, body and spirit with all living things."

The wisdom that informs our lives is everywhere; it bridges regions, cultures, even times. In "The 55 Best Herbal Remedies" (page 68), scientists bring us back to natural solutions we've used for centuries. Traditions from Europe and Asia combine to produce "The Ultimate Diet for Health and Weight Loss" (page 80), while the world's wine regions, buoyed by their organic connection to what sustains us, inspire heartfelt "Cheers to the Good Life" (page 58).

Lest so much information become daunting, remember that any positive step, large or small, is helpful. As Your True Nature (page 12) reminds us: We can all be heroes. When we pause to take another's hand or offer one of our own, we are one step closer to better health for ourselves and for the world around us. Be good to yourself!

COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group