One visit changed my life...

Those who suffer from sinusitis understand how bad the pressure and pain can be when you have it, your nose gets stuffy, your eyes burn, and you get headaches and find it difficult to concentrate properly. After suffering from sinus for years and believing it was something I just had to live with, a visit to my doctor for what seemed like the hundredth time finally led me to some answers. Frustrated with my stubbornness and unwillingness to continue taking sinus medication or have surgery the doctor reluctantly suggested I visit a Naturopath. Although I thought I would give it a go I had no idea how much a visit was going to change my life.

Both nervous and excited I arrived at my first Naturopath appointment, however she was so relatable and easy going that I felt at ease as soon as I stepped into the consultation room. Not only was my sinus an issue but I was also in a very bad sleeping routine which consisted of going to bed very late and not getting enough quality sleep due to vivid dreams and being a very light sleeper throughout the night.

Through my teens and early to mid twenties I would have vivid nightmares. This led to a terrible sleep routine as I would stay up until I was dead tired. Being so tired when I finally went to sleep usually meant I wouldn’t have nightmares, but it also meant I wasn’t getting enough sleep to repair and revitalise my body and mind. The Naturopath was confident that if I was to stick to a healthy eating plan and take some herbal concoctions with some time I would be free of both of these issues with the added benefit of losing weight that I had found hard to lose.

The eating plan meant I wasn’t to eat high carb foods or flour and I was to avoid dairy which was a known cause for my sinus as I’d had allergy testing done a few years earlier. Within a week and a half my sinus had gone from a heavy weight sitting in behind my eyes and nose giving me headaches and a “foggy” brain, to just a hint of the feeling I’d tolerated for such a long time. Also, my extra weight easily began to fall off. It wasn’t always easy in the beginning; it took a few days to overcome what I called my “Carb Cravings” where all I wanted to eat was a burger or even a piece of toast. And sometimes I would get frustrated that I had to prepare most meals instead of eating "quick" or "easy" foods. However I now feel so much better in myself that I am not interested in the foods I’m not supposed to have (most of the time). Anytime I’ve dared to try some “bad” food, I felt terrible afterwards with sinus and an upset stomach which helps with not including those foods in my diet anymore.

I’ve been on this eating plan for almost 9 weeks now and as well as not having to take sinus medication the entire time; I have managed to lose 6kg with some but not excessive exercise. With some herbal help I am sleeping through the night; dream free and for around 8 hours a night. I couldn’t have imagined a visit to a Naturopath could change so much for me, but it really has been life changing. I feel healthier, lighter and fitter and haven't had to take sinus medication which I was taking almost everyday. I have also started to feel more motivated and energetic which can only lead to more great things. I’m not saying that a Naturopath can fix everyone and is right for everybody but it helped me to lead a healthier happier life.