I Have Regained My Health And My Life!

In May of 2014, I finally admitted I needed to see a doctor as I never wanted to get out of bed or get off the lounge, a diagnosis of diabetes, fatty liver, sleep apnoea, obesity plus a list as long as your arm of other not so great blood results was presented to me.  For the record, I was a touch over 135 kgs.

Anyone who knew me knew I wouldn’t do needles, and exercise was a swear word.  However I had no plans on “being a statistic” and taking medication for the rest of my life by way of supporting the drug companies, I asked the doctor if I could turn everything around by changing my diet and starting to exercise.  Yes, there you have it, I had said the impossible, me asking about diet and lifestyle! Actually the doctor said it wasn’t possible as I had too much weight to lose, that it would mean completely changing my lifestyle, probably gastric banding or surgery; even my wife didn’t believe it was possible that I could change.

So in the next few weeks, through a series of conversations, my wife made contact with the Dr Cabot Centre in Camden and insisted that we go down in person to make an appointment. We knew, prior to arriving, that there was a 2-3 month wait to see Dr Cabot, so we agreed I would see a nutritionist in the meantime to get me on the right path. The morning we visited the centre to make the appointment, we met the nutritionist in the reception area and a conversation started up.  An appointment was made for the following Saturday, and I was given one simple instruction to follow for the coming week. “STAY OFF ALL GRAINS MR!”  Really? What was a man of 135 kg supposed to eat if not for any grains? I could eat a loaf of bread in one session. However, my wife who knew a little about Paleo, thought we could manage to get through the next week without too much drama and that I wouldn’t starve.

I admit, I was a little sceptical about what the Clinic could do for me, given my doctor wanted me to see a local dietitian, and here we were, booking to see a nutritionist.  At this point, we didn’t even know the difference between the two. What I did not foresee was how the Weight Loss Detectives at the Clinic were going to, in a short amount of time, turn me, this unfit, overweight, stuck in my ways truck driver, who ate most of my meals from take away shops, chased down by bottles of coke and V’s, into a green juice fanatic, who now has everyone in my family owning juicing machines, and who also, to this date, hasn’t touched a grain since that chance meeting at the Cabot Clinic way back in May!

To start, the Clinic went over my blood tests more thoroughly than any doctor had prior. They explained what was what, why this did that, why that did this, it was all laid out in a manner and way that I could understand and relate. We discussed what foods I needed to turn my blood results and weight around, what foods to avoid, which supplements I needed, and why I needed to drink more water and not sugary drinks!

So we were off… I say “we” as my wife was taking this journey with me. Well she had to cook and make all the food!

First came the daily green juices, dropping all grains, lowering the carb veggies, increasing fresh/canned fish and grass-fed beef and dare I say it, starting to exercise! With the team’s passion, knowledge (and humour), I was so hooked on this, I even joined a gym! I was also prescribed a list of supplements to help my liver work better, to help stabilise my blood sugar levels and to help me to relax and sleep better. As each day progressed, I was feeling the difference, feeling the energy come back. To my shock, I was even told I was becoming a nicer person to be around! And the best part… the weight was coming off!  This was working!

Then we went onto the HCG Diet. What I would have to call the most socially boring diet of all time. My wife and I just looked at each other and thought, how on earth does someone survive on 500 calories a day? But we were going for this and at that point the Weight Loss Detectives had not explained the mechanism of HCG on the body. It’s an amazing protocol! It was at this point, and due to another situation, that I decided to take time out from work and just concentrate on my health and see this through, and it was a success! In three weeks, with the Clinic’s continual monitoring and unwavering support, I lost a further 12 kgs in 3 weeks!

My family have been so impressed with the changes to my appearance and overall health that other family members are also now consulting with clinicians at the Cabot Clinic, one of whom is my wife, who has multiple sclerosis.  The changes we have witnessed with my wife are just amazing.

At first, my brother was sceptical at what I was doing. He wrongly believed that supplements didn’t kick in for twenty years, so what was the point? That was until the day he saw me bounce in through a door, with more energy than he had 20 years ago! Needless to say he is now a patient at Dr Cabot’s clinic too!

To date I have lost over 25 kgs, built my muscle back up, brought my blood results back in line where it should be, and regained my health and more importantly… regained my life!

Perhaps if people consulted with Dr Cabot’s clinicians periodically, to learn a little about food medicine and learnt some boundaries with foods as a whole, there would be less need for seeing a doctor.  Just sayin’…

I highly recommend anyone who has any sort of issue relating to weight, their energy or just general health to see the good people at the Doctor Sandra Cabot Clinic in Camden NSW.

John F, NSW Australia – December 2014