Not only was my skin in turmoil, so was my life.  For over 20 years I was a zombie barely living life with:

• obesity (as a child, youth, teen, young adult)

• morbid obesity (adult)

• general injuries (broken toe/foot/ankle/arms/leg/fingers, sprained toes/ankle/wrist/finger, hematomas from car accidents)

• Abusive relationship injuries (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual)

• IBS (spastic/irritated/inflamed colon causing repeated abdominal pain)

• Gastrointestinitis (inflammation and/or infection of the stomach and intestines)

• Costochondritis /Tietze syndrome (Inflammation and swelling of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone)

• Asthma (narrows airways that swell and produce mucus causing breathing difficulty, wheezing, and coughing)

• Bronchitis (inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from the lungs)

• Chronic Sinusitis (swollen and inflamed sinuses for 3 months or longer, facial pain, and headaches)

• Chronic Laryngitis (inflamed voice box, larynx from overuse, irritation or infection)

• Diverticulitis (infection of small bulging pouches that form in the lining of the digestive system, mostly the lower part of the large intestine)

• Gallstones (diagnosed age 13)

• Emergency Gall bladder and gallstone removal surgery (age 13),

• Abdominal hernia (age 9),

• Abdominal hernia removal (age 9),

• Laparoscopy Exploratory surgery (age 17, 2nd year in college), 

• Endometriosis (diagnosed at 17- endometrium tissue deposits  in a variety of places within the abdominal cavity and other organs such as the kidney, brain, lungs, etc)whole abdominal area, ovaries, fallopian tubes, the tissue lining the pelvis, and areas outside of the pelvic organs such as the kidney, brain, lungs, etc., causing organs to sometimes bind together)

• Congestive and spasmodic Dysmenorrhea (Painful period affecting the pelvis, and lower back)

• Menorrhagia (heavy, clotting, and irregular menstrual bleeding)

• Miscarriages (before and after birth of only child)

• Adenomyosis (endometrial/uterus lining tissue grows into the muscular walls of the uterus resulting in an enlarged uterus)

• PCOS 

• Fibroids,

• Medicated menopause (Depo provera, and other hormonal medications.)

• C-Section (age 25  for a 4-week early delivery),

• Endometrial Biopsy Surgery (Age 43),

• yearly mammograms due to a watched calcified deposit in right breast,

• colonoscopies, endoscopies, sigmoidoscopy ("the black snake"),

• the end of a 14-year relationship (not the abusive one, that was before this one)

• stress (childhood/adult trauma,  2 time "me too" survivor trauma)

• depression,

• chronic pain,

• acute pain,

• hair loss,

• uncoupled parenting,

• anxiety,

• mood swings,

• irritability,

• anger

• despair

• difficulty concentrating

• fatigue

• insomnia

• unintended celibacy

• stress from being a physically and mentally overworked and underpaid classroom parent, student, and dedicated educator.  .  As a result, I went from being an overweight child, to an obese adolescent and young adult, to a 400 lb morbidly obese divorced reclusive educator.  How many days of work did I miss each year?  Only 13-15, because I couldn't afford to take off financially once sick days run out. 

The abundant physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and sexual contrast in my life led to a general desire for overall well-being free from decades of prescription medication usage that had been damaging my internal organs and psyche. After the "black snake" sigmoidoscopy that diagnosed my lastest -itis diagnosis, called Diverticutlis I was over the numerous doctor's visits, invasive tests, financial loss, and trial-study medications.  The final confirmation was a move toward nutritional healing was from an excruciatingly painful and violating endometrial biopsy I would not wish on my worst "hater!"