The KInd Life Community Forum

I want to thank Alicia from the bottom of my heart. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis 15 years ago at the age of 20. I was severely anorexic and the cycles of starvation and hospital force feeding did a number on my intestines. I have been recovered from anorexia for 11 years, but my body never quite recovered. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in addition to the diverticulitis 7 months ago after a particularly awful intestinal infection and an allergic reaction to the massive amounts of steroids used to treat it. I have had 3 gastroenterologists over the years and every single one of them told me that what I ate was not important as long as I avoided nuts and seeds and kept my weight up. I believed them. I am a long time vegan and bought Alicia's book, because I have always loved her for her activism for animals and the environment. I read the superhero section and was skeptical to say the least. Seaweed? Miso soup for breakfast? I didn't know what to make of it. So I took Alicia's suggestions and bought books by Mina Dobic, Mischio Kushi, Jessica Porter, Christina Pirello etc. I started trying out the recipes and figuring out which foods helped with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. I learned about fermented foods ability to fight off these infections. I ate the Miso soup. I made pickles. I started pressing my salads and making soft cooked rice and Nishime. I ate loads of greens and learned to cook with seaweed and I went off the steroids and lo and behold...I felt better and better each day. I am now a student at Christina Pirello's cooking school in Philadelphia where I am learning to cook macrobioticly for my condition and I feel better than I have ever felt in my entire life. I cannot thank Alicia enough. My gratitude is beyond words. She is literally a life saver. I was facing a future of pain, drugs, surgeries and quite possibly a colostomy bag. My future is now full of health and hope.