The ‘aha’ moment…
It dawned on me that as much as I hadn’t enjoyed it, what my girlfriend had pointed out was quite simply the truth. I knew nothing about the link between food and illness. This was a powerful turning point for me. I had to admit that I had no idea of what to do and that the medical establishment I had been relying on for years could not help me. I had to open my mind to different ways of thinking. Up until then I had been doing nothing. I had ceded my power and personal responsibility to doctors who told me I was ‘incurable’ and it was just ‘bad luck in the gene pool.’ I realised that I had to ask for help in different places and I had to start ‘unlearning all that I had learnt,’ as the great Yoda said.
The best fruit is always the hardest to pick, so I took responsibility for my health and opened my mind to new ideas. I became focused on curing my body of all illness. I was willing to do whatever it took. Initially, the questions I started asking and the answers I got went against my thinking in so many ways. I had been told that my genes were prone to asthma and disease and that all I could do was take the medicine prescribed. This, I learned, is called ‘The Local Theory of Disease’. This theory suggests that illness is caused by a single agent acting at a single site in the body (then you treat the single agent with drugs). The very first new thing I discovered was a completely different and more holistic view called ‘The Constitutional Nature of Disease’. This theory maintains that illness and disease are the result of multiple systems throughout the body breaking down. I was inspired by the notion that if I followed this line of thinking it meant I could potentially rebuild my body from scratch and cure my illnesses; something I have subsequently achieved.
Asking for help
I went to a naturopath who suggested swimming, as it was good for training the breathing process. Swimming was very helpful. I also read Louise Hay’s book You Can Heal Your Life. Louise wrote that the asthma colour was yellow, so I dyed all my clothes and shoes yellow and only wore yellow for six months. Did wearing yellow help? I have no idea, but it certainly made lots of people laugh (particularly my bestest ever friend Robert) at my bad taste yellow outfits, which is a good thing I guess … The point I make here is that I was willing to change, willing to do the work to get well, and willing to admit I knew NOTHING about what was required to make and maintain these changes. I had zero knowledge about nutrition or how the body worked. However, I didn’t care about what I had to do, just as long as I got to reclaim my health and my life.
Study, learn, research, CHANGE
I studied. I studied hard. Food, diet, fasting, exercise, flexibility, calories, acid versus alkaline, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, how the body works, traditional diets, the bowels, vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, meat and dairy products, the internal organs, intolerances, food ingredients, additives … the list went on and on. What became very clear to me was that if I really wanted to get well, to get to a level of super-health, then I was going to have to change my behaviour.
One of the hardest things for a human being to do is to change and then remain consistent with that change. Change does not always happen as we envision it, and it can be very hard to adjust to it. This is why I have written so many articles (and will continue to), on change. The big shift in thinking for me came when I realised that the pain of remaining the same was greater than the pain of changing. The pain of having no energy, no breath, regular back pain, cold sores, constipation and bad skin was bad enough for me to change my life. Change, I discovered, was internal.
I was learning at an astronomical rate and I slowly started making progress with my health. Step by step, I learned little gems that gave me instant benefits. I went to seminars. I asked healthy people for advice about what they did. I tried different eating regimes such as macrobiotic, vegan, fasting, raw foods and elimination diets, and I found golden rules in each. I devoured books. Over six years, a miracle happened. I cured my body and totally transformed my health and my life.
Was it easy?
No, it wasn’t, but it was worth it.
This website and my health education is dedicated to passing on all that I have learned, to make a difference to whomever I can.
GOLDEN Rule 1: Be Prepared and Control your Environment
GOLDEN Rule 2: Deal with the Body you have
GOLDEN Rule 3: Honour Thy Bowel
GOLDEN Rule 4: Give up what Weakens You
GOLDEN Rule 5: Read Ingredients Panels (RIP) or Rest in Peace
GOLDEN Rule 6: Do not Smoke and Avoid all Smoky Environments
GOLDEN Rule 7: Eat a Local, Balanced, Plant-Based Wholefood Diet
Jason wishes to deeply thank, acknowledge and recognise the effort and contribution that the PIF Foundation has provided on a voluntary basis since 2014, as we educated, motivated and inspired change that helps transform the health, vitality and longevity of people all over the world.
