Hi there, I'm Karen and I have recently taken the plunge from my Film Buyer's job of eight years into Nutritional Therapy. Why you ask? Well I have to say that the film industry was a difficult one to leave, having been spoilt for so long seeing films way in advance before anyone else and in exclusive screening rooms in Soho, all velvet seats and devoid of any popcorn eaters. And being spoilt with getting the occasional invite to glamorous film premieres. The red carpet will definitely be missed.
It's actually been a journey of about six years, beginning with my days of being a cinema manager, working shifts, living on MacDonalds and partying the night away on those terrible alcopops. I seemed to get every cough, colds, flu going and continuously suffered from tonsilitus. My energy levels were definitely less than they were and over the next few years, started to decline big time and by the time I was working in London doing the commute thing, I really started to struggle. I couldn't understand how everyone else managed to get up every day as just that seemed like the hardest thing ever. Getting the train home was a nightmare too, if I didn't get a seat I knew I wouldn't be able to stand so had to wait for the next one. Work was a struggle too, always felt foggy headed, unable to cope, really anxious all the time and exhausted no matter what I did. I began eating as healthly as I could and bought a steamer to have fresh vegetables. Although I still didn't feel any better and now I was getting a cold for about three weeks, getting rid of it for about three days before catching another one. I got to the point that I'd stopped going out socially, stopped going to the gym and apart from going to work stayed at home.
Thinking the worst and that perhaps I had some terrible immune disease I became depressed. Then a friend told me about allergy testing and decided to have it done. I was basically allergic to everything I was eating. I completely changed my diet overnight, but when I went back a month later I was allergic to all the new foods. I got very down again and wasn't sure which way to turn.
In the January, having read Patrick Holford's Nutrition Bible, I went on his web site and found a nutritional therapist in my area. After sitting with her for about half hour, she told me I had a candida overgrowth in my gut, leaky gut syndrome, food intolerances and was chronically fatigued. Further tests showed I also had parasites in my gut, incredibly low good bacteria, intolerances to gluten, dairy and potatoes. I then went on a strict anti-candida diet which avoids sugar and yeast and allows plenty of vegetables, fish and chicken. It is one of the hardest diets particularly if you have intolerances as well. You can also suffer from die-off symptoms, which I did. As the candida is being killed off it releases more toxins that have the after-effects of drinking alcohol and a hang over - feeling exhausted and heavy, fuzzy headed, can't think straight, disorientated and just plain rubbish.
The food intolerances are from leaky gut whereby the candida has protruded through the gut wall allowing undigested food particles through. The body then attacks the foods thinking it to be alien and creates anti-bodies againist it. It then becomes a daily battle of the body fighting the food you are eating! It is not surprising when a cold bug comes along, the immune system has no way to fight it off.
I kept to this new food regime, took my supplements and slowly started to feel better and regained my energy levels and my life. It was a long uphill struggle with other complications on the way, which I will divulge throughout this blog. But I can honestly say that I have more energy now than I ever have had. It might be a strange thing to say, but I feel that my brain works now too. And having gone through this battle with my health, I have renewed passion for life and making the most out of it.
I signed onto the Institue of Optimum Nutrition Diploma course about six months after my diagnosis as although still battling I was compelled to learn more. After three years I qualified with a Diploma in Nutritional Therapy and having worked part time since, I am now launching a practice in Belgravia, London. It has been a quite a journey of discovery and I now want to share my knowledge and help to improve other people's lives through the incredible power of food, supplements and nutrition.
If you are interested in finding out more please click http://www.sunflowernutrition.com/
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