Rheumatoid Arthritis

This is my story of recovery from 13 years of rheumatoid arthritis after a major surgery and a very stressful time in my life.  Since that time I have taken every kind of medicine for arthritis know to man.  Some had extreme side effects, stomach irritation and irritability.  I just worked around them with my family doctor.  He was a great listener but the only treatment he knew was more medication. 

Crohn's/Colitis

My 12 year old son, Quinn, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after months of unexplained and uncontrollable diarrhea. The diarrhea got to the point that Quinn could no longer attend school. Nor could he participate in any activities outside of school, since he had to be within sprinting distance of a bathroom. Not that he could sprint -- any physical activity, even a sudden movement, such as sitting up in bed, brought on an urgent need for the toilet. He was tied to the house - a walk around the block or a ride in the car became so stressful that Quinn became pretty much of a 'shut in', never wanting to venture outside the house. He went from an outgoing, confident, active 7^th grade kid to a withdrawn, dependent, depressed young person. His self esteem was going down the drain, along with everything else.

As Quinn’s disease progressed, he became thinner and thinner – to the point he looked like someone starving to death in a prison camp. The diarrhea forced him out of bed and into the bathroom six or seven times each night. In addition to the pediatrician, allergist and gastrointestinal specialist Quinn had seen in our own community, we took him to two additional pediatric GI specialists, two naturopaths and an infectious disease specialist in four cities in three different states. He was put on Asacol, which had no effect on the diarrhea, even when the dose was increased. He was then put on extremely high doses of prednisone, which also failed to check the diarrhea. One of the doctors suggested we look into the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, a diet program that has helped some victims of inflammatory bowel disease. We began to strictly follow this program but Quinn’s symptoms only got worse.

We were told that Quinn was one of a very small percentage of people with ulcerative colitis who fail to respond to prednisone and that the next step would be to put him intravenous immune suppressant drugs. We were also told that surgery would likely be the next step.

Meanwhile, I had heard about the Maker’s Diet from several different sources, including the doctor who had originally mentioned the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. None of the sources had had personal experience with the diet but had heard from someone who had heard from someone that it could be very effective in treating colitis.

We were desperate and willing to try anything. We bought Jordan Rubin’s book ‘The Maker’s Diet’ and made the transition from the Specific Carb Diet to the Maker’s Diet. The diets are quite similar but the latter emphasizes organic fruits and vegetables and natural, hormone-free and antibiotic-free meats. It also emphasizes raw goat dairy products and excludes all cow dairy.

We read ‘The Maker’s Diet’ cover to cover. It made sense and we were very hopeful. However, we saw no success during Quinn’s first few weeks on the diet. ‘The Maker’s Diet’ book makes diet recommendations but it didn’t present a protocol, or program, detailing how to introduce the supplements Rubin recommended. Although we’d bought several Garden of Life supplements at our local natural foods store, we didn’t know how to use them -- what doses a very thin twelve year old should take, nor in what order or combinations, nor whether they should be taken with or without food.

At that point I was able to get in touch with Robert Lawrence, a Senior Director at Rubin’s clinic in West Palm Beach, Florida. I also ordered Rubin’s new book, ‘Restoring Your Digestive Health’, which details specific protocols for various digestive diseases. With Robert’s guidance, and ‘Restoring Your Digestive Health’ as our reference book, we went back to the beginning and put Quinn on the two week detox program outlined in the book. We began adding the Garden of Life supplements recommended for ulcerative colitis, starting with small doses, gradually increasing them until Quinn was at the recommended level.

A miracle began to unfold. At the end of the two week detox program, Quinn had gone from having diarrhea a dozen times a day to four. Within another week he was down to twice a day. Another week and he was down to once.

I am more thankful than I can say to everyone who told us about the Maker’s Diet. Quinn is now free of all medications. He is back in school fulltime. He is back to his energetic, fun and funny self and more active than ever in extracurricular activirties. He has grown taller and regained all the weight he had lost. It is still hard for me to believe that such an enormous change could take place in such a short time. (Quinn had been sick for less than a year when we began the Maker’s Diet, and had been taking strong prescription medications for only a very short while – and this might be a factor in his incredibly quick turn around.)

I think ‘miracle’ everytime I look at Quinn these days. I believe that the real credit for his healing belongs to God. But there is no question that it was through the Maker’s Diet and Garden of Life products that the healing came.

I have never before written any kind of product testimonial. But I am so thankful that I want to spread the good news. And I want Robert and Jordan Rubin and all the team that makes Garden of Life products possible to know how much I appreciate them!

 Lynn Kuntz

         I was about to fill my prescription when my mother called me and told me to put it off because we were going to seek out alternative medicine.  She heard about Dr. Lawrence and made an appointment.  I was skeptical because I never believed that the holistic route was better than traditional medication.  Nevertheless, I was willing to try anything, so I met with Dr. Lawrence.  Dr. Lawrence was incredibly empathetic and I could tell that he truly cared.  I could also tell that he knew I did not believe that what he was suggesting would actually work.  

            What Dr. Lawrence asked me to do was a complete lifestyle change.  I promised him I would follow what he suggested for a period of one month and see if I noticed any changes.  I did it thinking that it would not work-after all, if all it took to relieve these terrible symptoms was a diet change, then why doesn’t everyone do it?  I fasted for a short period of time, giving my system a chance to rest.  For a month I said goodbye to starches, sugary foods, alcohol, and my personal addiction, caffeine.  Lastly, I took the natural supplements that Dr. Lawrence prescribed.  Within two weeks, I began to feel better.  By the end of the month, I felt like a new person.

            It has now been four months since I began meeting with Dr. Lawrence.  The road to recovery has been a bumpy one.  Fasting, completely changing my diet and taking supplements takes discipline.  It would have been easier to pop some unpronounceable prescription drug to suppress the symptoms.  However, the long-term costs do not outweigh the short-term benefits.  If I would have taken the steroids, my intestinal tract would be destroyed and the cause of the Crohn’s would never have been addressed.  

            I would tell anyone who is diagnosed with Crohn’s to meet with Dr. Lawrence and follow his plan.  It is worth taking the time to be in control of your health and take care of yourself.  Dr. Lawrence is readily available to answer any questions and he understands how Crohn’s physically and emotionally affects you.  Meeting with him may have saved my life.  At the very least, the quality of my life has improved and I can continue with my goals unaltered.           

Natalie Hagan