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4 years ago, I had a severe case of eczema that covered over 80% of my body.  The itch went deep down into the layers of my skin, down to the bone.  I could never get relief.  I couldn’t sleep more than a few minutes at a time, and most nights woke up to rub my skin with ice to numb the itch for a few hours.  I looked like I had leprosy.  It was horrible.  

As a fitness coach, this was catastrophic not only for my business, but for my mental health as well.  So I sought out a highly recommended naturepathic doctor who diagnosed me as having a bad case of candida, and put me on a super strict Anti-Candida Diet.  I had to cut out dairy, soy, corn, flours, sugar, vinegar, nightshade vegetables, grains, and all kinds of other things that left me wondering what the heck I COULD eat.  But I was desperate to heal my body and get back to normal.  So, for over 9 months, I followed the Anti-Candida Diet to a T, never deviating or cheating once.  I took my supplements as prescribed, gave up my favorite health shake and fruits (I have beautiful mangos and bananas that grow in my yard, and I couldn’t have any of them!), no ice cream or cupcakes on my birthday, and ate plain salad and sashime everytime we were invited out.  It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and yet, I did it gladly because I could see in my mind how my skin would look like when my eczema was gone.

Because fitness is my business, diet is a big part of the support I give to my customers.  It’s not easy to change your lifestyle, and unless you were faced with a situation like mine, where your diet affects your mental and emotional health enough for you to do something about it, most people just accept the way their lives are.  

So this week, we were asked to go on a Mental Diet and fast from all negative thoughts for an entire week.  I cannot allow myself to dwell for a single moment on any kind of negative thought.  Not for a single moment!  If I give in, I must start all over again.  Tough stuff!  I am learning that I need to not only not dwell on a negative thought, but I must REPLACE it with a positive thought.  That’s the only guaranteed way to kick it out of my mind.  It’s been a hard exercise, and I start over every 5 minutes.   But I MUST learn to do it.  Emmet Fox, author of the Mental Diet says:

I cannot be healthy; I cannot be happy; I cannot be prosperous, if I have a bad disposition.  

If I am sulky, or surly, or cynical, or depressed, or superior, or frightened half out of my wits,

my life cannot possibly be worth living.

I’ve caught myself several times.  My ego gets in the way and I have to start over again.  Sigh.  I know I’ll get it. I am envisioning my mind as healthy, clean, pure, happy, and lighter.  It will happen.