Name:
Shelley Schulz
Location:
Gainesville, Florida
Story:
I am a 43 year old woman who grew up in New York State and have been living in Florida since 1992. Over the past 15 years or so, I have been diagnosed with chronic bronchitis, drug and alcohol addiction, depression, high blood pressure, Grave's disease, endometrio- sis, allergies, and psoriasis. I have used alternative healing methods for over 20 years to deal with all of these issues. I stopped having bronchitis and addiction "cravings" after being treated with a homeopathic "consitutional remedy" in 1992. I have been receiving massage therapy since 1989, with weekly sessions for the past 2 years. In November 2003, I began weekly sessions with an accupuncturist. At that time, I was on Blood pressure medicine, psoriatane for my psoriasis (which wasn't working and was stressing my liver), Loestrin to control my periods, Zyrtec for my allergies, synthroid, and an anti-depressant.
Six months later, with weekly massage and accupuncture, I am taking only the thyroid replacement medication (which will be for my lifetime) and the antidepressant. I soak in the ocean once a week, and my psoriasis is clearing up for the first time in 18 months. I have NO symptoms of endometriosis, which plagued my mother and led her to a hysterectomy at this same age, and I now have totally manageable and normal periods again. I have been drug and alcohol free for 17 years, and I am beginning to deal with my food addictions as well. I am no longer on blood pressure medication, and I have no allergy symptoms. I still follow up with my Internist as needed, and I have not completely abandoned western medicine. However, I believe that there is more room for "alternative therapies" in healthcare today, and in fact, more people could really benefit from some of the therapies that I include regularly in my life today. Please help make these alternatives more available to Americans everywhere.
