Milli's Story - Lyme Disease
I considered myself to be a pretty healthy 57 year old woman. Other than being a little over-weight and not getting enough exercise, I felt I was always moving and full of energy. In September 2017, I was experiencing excruciating neck pain and migraines and was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. I started the course of antibiotics, fully expecting to recover in a few weeks. That never happened. I continued taking antibiotics for three months and saw my condition worsen. I was experiencing neurological symptoms: pain all over my body; especially in my spine. My neck and head felt as if they were in a vice. I started having facial pain and cold and numbing sensations in my limbs.
My primary care doctor adhered to the CDC guidelines and felt I would eventually get better on my own and suggested acupuncture to help with pain management. This advice felt terribly inadequate and so I sought the counsel of a couple of Lyme Disease Specialists who prescribed a regimen consisting of antibiotics and antibacterial drugs for the next 18 months. I was so upset after meeting with one Lyme Specialist that my mouth felt numb and I could not even speak. As desperate as I was, their treatment sounded crazy and I knew my body would give out if I took more antibiotics and drugs.
At this same time, my husband suggested I consult with Russell Mariani. We had met Russell a few months earlier and I decided to get and read his book, Healing Digestive Illness. It was the deciding factor for me. I then phoned Russell to set up an Initial Consultation. Russell’s confidence and broad knowledge base convinced me that he really knew what he was talking about.
Having a background in science research, (I also teach science at the high school level) I scrutinized everything Russell said. In each case, he was right. Russell taught me that the key to good health is having a healthy immune system and the key to a healthy immune system is a healthy microbiome. I was also looking for answers for other health conditions and doing a lot of reading independently and I learned that the latest research in the area of chronic degenerative diseases (like Dementia and Alzheimer’s) indicates that our intestinal microbiome plays a vital role in the brain’s health. Russell is extremely knowledgeable and immersed in new research. He suggested a basic program of dietary and lifestyle improvements that he himself adheres to and one that he has fine-tuned constantly for the last thirty-eight years.
I started the program in January 2018. I remember I had not been able to go to work that week because I felt so ill. Russell coached me and helped me every step of the way. He implemented the program systematically so it was never confusing or over-whelming. We had weekly phone calls and almost daily email communication at the beginning of the program.
Russell and his wife and partner Megan Moore, have created a program that is very structured and supportive. They facilitate all the aspects by walking you through every step of the process, including ordering supplements with you and addressing all your needs. They do so with the utmost patience and efficiency. Gradually, I started seeing small changes in my symptoms and by the spring of 2018, I was 70 percent better.
I will be honest and say that the mostly cooked whole grain and vegetable diet was difficult for me as I am a gifted cook and love food. I realized that I had been consuming too much dairy, bread and sugar for most of my life. There were days when I was feeling better enough to contemplate cheating a little. “I will never eat mashed potatoes and gravy again” I complained to Russell one day. Russell let me have my little tantrum and patiently said, “You will be able to eat those foods occasionally one day, but not now as it would be detrimental to all the progress you have made.” I realized he was absolutely right. Being well again was far more important than having a little ice cream.
More importantly, I started making a connection with the food I was eating and my body’s well-being. I could not put processed sugar into my body without realizing how big a price I was paying. My thinking has shifted and I now see food as the best possible medicine for my body. I have learned to love the natural flavor of whole grains and beautifully cooked vegetables and I feel very satisfied. When I do occasionally eat some bread or a piece of cheese, a small amount is enough. I am told I look ten years younger and my body feels best when eating healthy to the point where my brain has been reconditioned and I no longer get the same pleasure from gastronomic cheats and indulgences.
Six months after working with Russell, I am almost symptom-free but more importantly, I have a map for the future. I now know that following Russell’s program is the best way I can live out my life as an active senior. Imagine, to be active and disease-free all through your 90’s! It’s not luck; it’s following Russell’s Digestive Wellness program.
I will be forever grateful to Russell. He gave me back my health when I had lost all confidence in ever being well again. I get so emotional when I remember how alone and helpless I felt. Russell is a true healer. He taught me how to heal myself. If you seek him out, he will make it his mission to teach you how to heal yourself too.
Milli Mendelson, age 57
Tomkins Cove, New York
August, 2018