Your path to optimal health

By Hazel Ellis  My choice to enroll in and complete the Hippocrates Online Program was an easy decision for me! Having attended the three-week Life Transformation Program in August 2018, which dramatically changed the way I lived and thought, I craved a deeper understanding of lifestyle medicine, raw living nutrition, and vibrant health. I wanted the knowledge that had helped me above all else to be reflected through me and shared with the world, gained from what I consider the ‘real’ school of health.   I had suffered from a chronic, debilitating disease for many years, searching around the globe for a cure and a way to achieve optimal health. I had been living captive to Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis, and life was no joke. Performing simple daily tasks was extremely difficult and painful. I needed help each day for personal care and support while looking after a newborn child. Conventional doctors prescribed numerous drugs to alleviate my excruciating symptoms and slow down the damage to my joints and organs. However, these often led to detrimental side effects, depression, and, in many cases, no improvement in the illness.   In 2016, my mother lost her life to pancreatic and bile duct cancer just 11 weeks after diagnosis. This was certainly a wake-up call for me to take full responsibility for my health and healing. I stopped looking for someone else to heal me and decided to do whatever was necessary to reach the level of health I desired. My next proposed treatment was six-monthly infusions of a chemotherapy-type drug designed to ‘kill off’ part of my immune system so it would be less aggressive in attacking itself. I knew this was merely another mask that didn’t address the root cause, so I began researching a better way, one where I would feel supported. I received help from an epidemiologist and a specialist in naturally reversing autoimmune diseases. He (along with divine guidance) pointed me to Hippocrates, and thus began this incredible journey!   Embarking on this course was, first and foremost, a gift to myself. Now, I seek to pass this gift on to as many people as possible, to those willing to hear my message and do whatever it takes to achieve incredible health and vitality. I am not the same person who first walked through the gates at Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach. The impact on my life has been so profound that I have burned my bridges to my old lifestyle and way of thinking. With knowledge comes power and responsibility.   Physically, I am more mobile and even look different to those who have always known me. So much is reflected in our countenance! I now lift weights, exercise regularly, and am the mother, wife, and person I need to be in this world.   Eating this way and ingesting high-enzymatic foods keeps my head uncluttered and gives me mental clarity. Serotonin, the ‘happy hormone,’ along with most other neurotransmitters, is produced in the gut. So, whatever I nourish myself with directly impacts my mood. Maintaining hormone balance through a raw living diet is key to greatly improving my emotional and spiritual state. Family and friends have noticed a different Hazel now! I have become the go-to person for natural health solutions. I have taken what I learned through this course and, while I refrain from preaching to others, I live as an example.   My beliefs about food, nutrition, and what our bodies need to function optimally have changed significantly as a result of the knowledge I gained from this life-changing online course. Food is not just a source of fuel, energy, and comfort; high-nutrient food is essential for creating and maintaining vibrant health. We feed our bodies at a cellular level. For the trillions of cells in our bodies to function properly, we must take care of them and provide them with everything they need. This is a huge part of self-love. How much do I really care about myself if I’m not willing to give myself the best in every area of life?   As satisfying and enjoyable as food can be, I have had to shift my perspective from seeing it as merely a source of pleasure or recreation to viewing it as the primary fuel, power, and energy for my wonderfully created body. Phytonutrients, hormones, oxygen, and enzymes need to be present in abundance to provide the correct nourishment, healing, and protection for my body. Raw living foods are the best and purest forms of sustenance. If I put bad fuel in, how can I expect a good outcome? My body is adaptable and forgiving, but I cannot continue to abuse it and expect this not to manifest as disease and fatigue.   Living this way takes commitment, time, and cost, but the benefits far outweigh these things. Without my health, I cannot perform well on a daily basis. I believe investing in my health is the best expenditure possible. Living in a society driven by money, we often fail to see the long-term costs to our health when we don’t take preventive care. The price we pay later on can be far greater. What if I cannot work due to poor health and can’t take care of my family?   A typical day for me includes the following: Upon waking, I take a meditative sauna, detoxing mentally and physically. I have a far-infrared/ozone hydrotherapy spa. I drink herbal tea and lemon water to further detox and help the elimination process. A green juice follows, typically comprising alkaline vegetables like celery, cucumber, and leafy greens or sunflower sprouts. I often add garlic or ginger as these are great for inflammation and are antimicrobial. I generally have one or two meals per day. Because the food is so nutrient-rich, it satisfies me. Growing my own sprouts in the kitchen and greenhouse is fun and an important part of my life. Food is always there at hand, alive and fresh! I find raw dressings keep my diet fun, tasty, and interesting. Algae and seaweed also play a great role in my diet. My family chuckles at my seashore foraging and large batches of dulse and kelp dehydrating regularly in my kitchen.   Exercise has now become a huge ‘nutrient’ in my lifestyle. The benefits of exercise are multi-dimensional. Having been athletic as a child, it was incredibly challenging to lose my mobility after being hit by rheumatoid arthritis. Through the new lifestyle I had chosen, combined with belief in healing, determination, and hard work, I regained the ability to exercise. The freedom, mental stamina, and emotional release it brings are immense. Exercise and training are essential to my daily life, and I must incorporate them into my routine to feel sane, fulfilled, and satisfied. Building muscle has been amazing in helping me take pressure off my joints, allowing me to perform tasks like housework that were once impossible.   When people see me out in the street going about my daily life, they tell me they struggle to believe I was once so crippled and housebound. I attribute much of this to the daily practices I’ve adopted that contribute to my agility and vibrancy! I had bilateral knee replacements last year due to previous damage and was able to run a mile just five months following this major surgery. The surgeon was astounded, saying he had never seen this kind of recovery in any of his patients. He told me that whatever I was doing was amazing and an inspiration. Those words meant a lot to me. My daily efforts to heal and strengthen myself do pay off. On days when I feel like giving up, this way of life and the guidance I’ve received are there for me. It has become part of me, who I am, and how I shine.   I remember being told, “Don’t preach to others, but be the example.” This is my mission. Personally, this way of life directly impacts me and my immediate family. The benefits are immeasurable—less pain, more mobility, and greater confidence, to name a few. If I neglect my health, it negatively affects my husband and children. I can’t help them physically, prepare their meals, or wash their clothes. When in pain, I experience low mood and irritability. My tolerance for others and situations is greatly reduced. I believe my children are very aware when their mum is on track or, conversely, when I’ve neglected my recovery!   Being made acutely aware of the impacts of the Western diet and lifestyle on our planet has motivated me to reduce all chemical usage in my home and use organic, biodegradable, and vegan products wherever possible. Learning the alarming statistics during this course has deeply affected me, and I feel this issue cannot be ignored. I have made changes in my life and continue to educate others, planting seeds of knowledge wherever I go.   Using essential oils and homemade plant-based cleaning solutions has been one of the most beautiful things I am grateful for. Everything we need is provided by nature, and we should utilize the benefits of these plants, reducing and eliminating toxins from our homes.   Cutting out meat and dairy reduces demand for these products and encourages creativity with other delicious protein sources that I once would have overlooked. Lentils, beans, and chickpeas, for example, can be substituted in most recipes, and this does no harm to creatures or the planet. The shocking quantities of land and water required to raise livestock could be far better utilized for agriculture. Buying organic cotton clothing, or even second-hand, helps support the planet. Learning about GMO cotton growing was a big shock to me and something I had never considered before taking this course. The harmful effects on the soil, the farmers, and eventually the consumer and wearer are devastating. I now make informed choices and take responsibility for nurturing and replenishing this beautiful earth, as we are all custodians and caretakers of it. The earth was created in perfect balance and harmony, and human greed has disrupted its natural rhythms and depleted its resources. This course has taught me so much! There is the diet, the growing, the lifestyle, but perhaps most importantly, the deeper spiritual aspect that must be addressed when changing one’s life. Integrity has become a focal point for me. My communication and honesty with myself and others are now of utmost importance. If I know the truth about life, health, and their significance, I need to live by these principles, share them with those in my immediate influence, and align my actions with my beliefs. If I choose dishonesty, I am cheating myself in any area of life. On the other hand, by loving and valuing myself, I am able to love and respect others. Connection and community start with me. There are many aspects of life and healing, but if I had to choose one as the most transformative, it would be changing my diet to a fully raw and living plant-based one. I need to invest physically in my body and nourish it at a cellular level. This is key and should be the number one priority. When I give my body the proper fuel, I have a foundation upon which to build emotional and spiritual healing, all of which are deeply interconnected: body, mind, and soul. Daily exercise and movement are non-negotiable for me. I engage in at least two scheduled sessions of quality workouts each day. I vary these throughout the week to keep things fun and interesting and to avoid monotony. Swimming, rebounding, walking, and resistance training are my favorites, and I’ve recently taken advantage of the warmer weather to pursue wild swimming. I am building strength and stamina and have set goals to continue advancing in all these areas. Hiring a personal trainer has been a valuable investment. Working on tailored programs with someone who understands my body is important to me. My children keep me mobile, and wherever possible, I join them in games and sports! I am very excited about becoming a mentor for the Hippocrates lifestyle. I feel passionate about returning the knowledge I have gained and helping others find their path to becoming their best selves. The vast majority of people do not know where to turn amidst a sea of conflicting information from the mainstream education system and what is portrayed as ‘healthy’ online. What should they believe, and whom should they trust? I will be there to guide, support, and help them navigate their health challenges and goals. Working with people who are ready to take stock of their lives is incredibly fulfilling, and I already have several potential clients lined up to work with me. This alone is proof that there is a beacon of hope, and others are finding the truth. I am honored to be an instrument that helps others reach their goals. I have a network of natural practitioners with whom I will collaborate, complementing my services. By doing my part to spread and share this superior and fulfilling way of living, I hope that those I help will, in turn, pass this knowledge on to others. These rays of light and hope will spread wider and farther, and parents can teach their children what is truly healthy, nourishing, and important. I envision these offspring passing down this ‘gold’ to future generations. I feel so privileged to be part of this great movement, and I believe this is my work for humanity and our planet. Knowledge is power, and wisdom is a gift. Let us make this world a better place, starting with ourselves.