Bob's Story - IBS, Acid Reflux, and Much More!
I had been experiencing a number of health problems that seemed to be slowly getting worse over a period of several years. The most significant problems were in three categories:
1. Digestive Problems. I had heartburn, gas, indigestion, stomach cramps, and occasional diarrhea.
2. Skeletal-Muscular Problems. I had constant muscle soreness and stiffness. I developed arthritis in my back, neck, and hip.
3. Immune System Problems. I would have frequent sinus infections, sore throats, coughing spells, and body aches.
I saw my physician on a regular basis for all these problems, but aside from confirming a diagnosis of arthritis, any blood tests taken always came back negative. I am only 48 years old and have enjoyed playing basketball for many years, but that has become increasingly difficult and less and less enjoyable to do. As I looked ahead, I just couldn't imagine my life with all these health problems. It just seemed like things would continue to get worse and worse unless I came up with a different strategy.
In addition to all of the above, I had been experiencing frequent headaches, fatigue, and shaking of my hands. Now that I have had some time to reflect upon all this, I realize that my digestive problems go back to my teenage years. I was always a compulsive eater, and a regular over-eater, day after day after day. I remember feeling hungry most of the time, but even when I wasn't hungry, I still felt driven to eat compulsively.
When my hands started shaking and I experienced soreness in my kidney area and behind my neck, I made a decision to figure out what were the causes of all these problems. Conventional medicine was able to identify the onset of arthritis, and took note of my general body stiffness, but was unable to identify the cause of anything or make any connections between and among any of my symptoms. This made less and less sense to me.
I went to my chiropractor to get his opinion about my physical problems related to the body stiffness, muscle soreness, and fatigue. He asked whether I had any digestive system problems. I told him that I did. At that point he recommended that I see Russell. The rest as they say is history. I started working with Russell in March 2004.
All of the digestive problems I had were effectively eliminated within a very short period of time. I have not had a full-blown sinus infection or other significant illness since we started working together. My muscle soreness has been reduced. I continue to work to reduce my stiffness and arthritis. I have made a lot of progress in this area and I am eager to make even greater progress in the months ahead.
What I have learned by working with Russell is that there are certain complementary habits that when practiced, allow the body's own natural processes to maintain optimal health. There are also insulting habits that when indulged on a regular basis will interfere with the body's own natural processes and invite many problems and difficulties. I have incorporated the following complementary habits into my current diet and lifestyle:
The Watercure.
Effective Supplements before every meal.
I eat more consciously. I chew more thoroughly.
I am gradually reducing the frequency of certain insulting habits and/or eliminating them altogether.
I am eating more whole foods and less processed foods.
I have learned the importance of seasonal cleansing of certain organs: liver, colon, kidneys.
I have learned the importance of something I have come to name, reflective practice. By reflective practice I mean being more aware of how my own body responds to the things I do, and to make a greater effort to be less mechanical and reactive and more conscious and responsive in what I do.
I have found that the concepts of complementary and insulting habits and reflective practice are general principles that I have tried to apply to other aspects of my life. Whether it be physical exercise, work, eating, or relationships, it seems to me that there are complementary habits and insulting habits that are related to all these activities; in fact to all possible activities. We need to acquire knowledge so that we can begin to make the distinctions between complementary and insulting habits. We then need to acquire the knowledge about the most effective ways to practice the complementary habits. Lastly, we need to understand what prevents us from acting upon such knowledge because this inaction is at the root cause of much suffering in our world today. Reflective practice is necessary in order to adapt to the particular needs of your own unique situation. Just as no two bodies are exactly alike, no two situations are exactly alike, and so we must take responsibility for adapting the wisdom that is passed along to us.
I can just imagine what my life would be like today, if I had not placed that first phone call to Russell. All those years I suffered! I hope that many others will find out about the things that I have recently discovered to turn my own health around. I hope my story helps. I hope my story will encourage others to take action and find out the difference between complementary and insulting habits. I hope others will take the actions that are necessary to discover the things that nourish them best.
Bob Dufresne, November 2004
Robert J. Dufresne, PhD.
CEO, Pioneer Valley Educational Press
Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
Please check out Bob's very helpful essay about Reflective Practice which appears on page 213. Bob is a devoted husband and father of two sons. He is a trained physicist and has worked in the field of education as a researcher and in curriculum development for over 20 years.