Teri’s LEAP Story: Anxiety
All my life people told me I worried. I kept saying to myself “I don’t worry, but I wonder.” I became aware that what I called “wonder” others call “worry”; what I called “worry” others call “anxiety”. I asked myself, “Doesn’t everyone wonder what will happen in the future and wonder what can be done now to prevent the predicted future problem?” Over time, I began to accept I might have anxiety and decided to seek help. Finally, at 58 years of age, a doctor gave me tests that diagnosed me with anxiety.
It was a relief to have a name for my challenges. I have heard others say, “We all worry.” It’s true but to a different degree. People that have worry can accept that the worry is solvable and manage it. In my life with anxiety, a worry turns thoughts in my mind into ongoing, unproductive, repetitive cycles. The worry goes in circles in my head and stomach.
It felt miraculous to have found the LEAP program through Kari. I asked for her help after hearing the success she had with other patients. She helped me learn that my body’s reaction to different foods could contribute to some of my anxiety. Anxiety is a combination of many things: inflammation in the gut and brain, and nutrient deficiencies, as well as thoughts and reactions to various life experiences. Kari and I worked together to heal my immune system and restore my deficiencies with foods and nutrients. I worked with other professionals who helped me with my thoughts and reactions.
Kari used the MRT® to learn which foods my body’s immune system reacted to. Kari took the results of my MRT® test and created an individual meal plan that had lists of foods I ate in different phases, also known as LEAP.
Mindfulness is one of the tools I use to help manage my anxiety. Sometimes it is difficult to become mindful and ground myself when I am in an anxious moment. My greatest desire is to gain control over those anxious thoughts.
As I followed the LEAP program, I noticed I did not have to remind my mind and body to ground itself when I noticed a signal of anxiety. I found that it grounded itself! For me, the LEAP program was a huge success!
As I followed the LEAP program, I noticed I did not have to remind my mind and body to ground itself when I noticed a signal of anxiety.
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