September 19th, 2017 by Cindy Perlin
In 1996, Susanne developed severe pain in her left shoulder. X-rays showed nothing, and doctors never offered an MRI. For four years, she tried a variety of treatments—physical therapy, cortisone shots, anti-inflammatory drugs, ultrasound treatments. Nothing helped. She could not work or sleep because of the pain. Finally, she was able to obtain an MRI, which showed a severe rotator cuff tear, a bone spur, and a deltoid muscle that was abnormally positioned. She had surgery to correct the abnormalities. But she woke up from the surgery in tremendous pain and with a paralyzed left arm. She was diagnosed with reflex sympathetic dystrophy (now called complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS).
Susanne was told she would never use her left arm again. She continued with weekly physical therapy and occupational therapy. The pain was excruciating. Her daily life consisted of violent shaking on the left side of her body (including her neck and head) if she attempted to lift or move her left arm.
In 2000, she was referred to a pain management specialist who wanted to give her injections that would numb her from her neck down to her fingers. She was not comfortable with him or his recommendations, so she didn’t follow through with his medical advice. After being out of work for a full year because of her disability, she was financially strained and became sicker from all of the stress. Side effects from the narcotic pain medications negatively affected her ability to function on a daily basis. She was nauseous and depressed and experienced cloudy thinking.
The following year, Susanne was diagnosed with a pre-diabetic condition and had a precancerous pap smear. She was also experiencing reoccurring fevers reaching 103ËšF. At this point, a friend referred Susanne to Dr. Arta Salma, a naturopath. Salma told Susanne to throw everything away in her kitchen and purchase a Champion juicer. Salma changed Susanne’s nutritional intake to nothing but fruits and vegetables and suggested an all-alkalized diet. Nothing was to be eaten from a box or a can. No dairy or meat. No breads or processed foods. She was told to live on raw fruits and vegetables and plant sources of protein, including avocados, almonds, and flaxseed and coconut oils, which support and create an alkalized body.
Susanne learned that an alkalized body cannot produce disease. If the body’s pH balance is too acidic, it compromises the immune system. Susanne’s pH level was a –5, the worst level possible. The ideal pH is 7. Susanne’s goal was to become alkalized and reach a pH level of 7. Eventually, Susanne was released to go back to work part time using only her one good arm. She continued her fruit and vegetable intake, along with daily juicing using her Champion juicer. After four months with her nutritional changes, Susanne had reached a pH level of seven, had reversed her precancerous cells, and was no longer pre-diabetic.
After six months, Susanne regained some movement in her shoulder. After 13 months, she had complete movement in her left arm, and the pain was gone. She is pain free to this day. In 2010, Susanne had surgery on her right shoulder for a torn ligament. This time, she healed in half the time because her body was so healthy. Susanne still follows a mostly raw diet today. She has gone back to school, studying at the Wellness Forum Institute in Ohio, and has become a nutritional educator, a certified health coach, and a wellness coordinator. Furthermore, she is a senior sales coordinator with NSA and Juice Plus+. Juice Plus+ is a “whole-food” supplement consisting of 17 different dehydrated fruits and vegetables in a capsule. It is also available in gummies. For Susanne, changing her nutrition, juicing, and living on raw fruits and vegetable, along with Juice Plus+, has been pivotal in helping her get well.
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