In 2015 I had five sinus infections. Each of them wiped me out for two weeks at a time. I lost my job as a result and became mildly depressed. I treated myself to a fun-filled weekend getaway to take my mind off things but ended up catching a cold, which of course turned into a sinus infection. More antibiotics. And by then the antibiotics took longer to work, and it was a good two months before I started to feel better. I kept asking myself why this was happening, and although I couldn’t see it at the time I was blaming everyone but myself for my illness. I was taking zero responsibility for my own health and well-being—so no wonder I suffered. The first thing I did was write this note: “From this day forward I am taking responsibility for my health and well-being. I am no longer going to play the victim and blame everyone else for my illness.” I found the very act of writing this and sticking it on my bedroom wall incredibly empowering. My doctor had given me a sinus management plan ages ago, but I never followed it regularly. I put it into practice a few times but stopped after a week or two. It wasn’t anything over the top either: Steam once a day. Nasal rinse with a saline solution twice a day. Eat more fruit and vegetables. Drink more water. I spent some time researching these areas and found that overall, the most potent vegetables are broccoli, kale, spirulina, and spinach. The jury was still out on the benefits of eating fruit every day, so I just went my gut feeling and added apples and bananas to my plan. I included avocado because of its reputation as a top superfood and because it tastes so good! I won’t go into detail about my new diet, but here’s a rough outline of what it looks like: After only a few weeks of this diet I had a new lease of life, and my energy levels had increased tenfold. I felt like a teenager again and was just as frisky.
