After a series of medical appointments, I began to educate myself and researched other options for getting through this. Then a friend called with a testimony. A young lady found Dr. Roby Mitchell, M.D., in Washington State who helped her live a normal life after Graves. Through my research, I found a success story concerning thyroid complications, written by Dr. Jonathan Wright. I knew God was answering my prayers and restoring my hope. My journey led me to Tahoma Clinic, founded by Dr. Wright in Renton, Washington, which was also where Dr. Mitchell worked. After many tests, including a full blood panel and hair analysis, I started the regimen of nutritional supplements and a very strict eating plan. I was told in a militant way if I want to be healed there will be NO GRAINS, NO SUGAR, NO PEANUTS, NO CORN, NO SOY, NO HORMONES, NO GRAIN-FED MEAT or EGGS from chickens fed with grain or hormones. I could only have dark color veggies, no potatoes except red yams, and only berries for fruit. Wow!  My first thought was “What am I going to eat?” I started praying for creative ideas, and then I started cooking. I had some flops and a lot of successes. My husband’s raised eyebrow was a good indication I missed the mark. He is an excellent gourmet cook. Any recipes in this book with “Joe” in front of them are his creations.From all the weight loss, I didn’t think about having a loss of muscle mass. The loss was discovered when I tried to push a wheelbarrow of rocks and it fell over. This caused a frazzled rotator cuff, which was healed by prayer, physical therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, and Pilates (strength training). I have always believed in exercise as a part of my lifestyle. At the three-year mark, my husband decided we could go camping and hiking again.  I decided I wasn’t going to take heart meds anymore and I tossed them.  All the way up the mountain I prayed for Jesus to take this illness away and I would do whatever He asked me to do.  On the way back down the mountain, I heard the Lord’s voice tell me, “no more thyroid storms”.  From this point on, my numbers in my blood started dropping. Dr. Mitchell said, “Graves is not a humanly curable disease, an endocrinologist would tell you that.” Dr. Hinchcliffe at Tahoma Clinic was working with me at the time. I was staying true to my eating plan and supplement regimen, and my numbers from my monthly T-3 blood test went back to normal. I was prescription drug-free once again! \o/ No more heart meds because I had a normal pulse and heart rate once again! I felt great! My husband and I love to entertain at our lakeside home so we had many guests try several recipes.  When I tried a recipe and it failed, I made it into something else. People liked the recreated recipe and would ask how I made it. My husband and I would look at each other and just laugh. I found it comical that my “Mistakes turned into miracles” recipes were such a hit. My husband and children are now eating things on my eating plan for prevention of illness and diseases, and to live a healthier lifestyle. What an amazing education to see that staying true to an eating plan, nutritional supplements, a healthy lifestyle of exercise, lots of water, fresh air, and sunshine can change a life.  I have found wisdom in the midst of my crisis. I believe a good balance of spirit, mind, and body are important and truly makes a difference. I feed my spirit and mind with light and truth daily and make an effort to stay away from darkness and lies. My faith hangs on to the truth that Jesus defeated death, hell, and the grave (a pun from Graves disease). Through His blood on the cross, by His stripes, I am healed. I have the destiny to fulfill, to Him be the Glory forever. My family, friends, and church were very supportive through this trying time. 

 I was tired of searching for my own recipes so I decided to write a book for myself and my family and told people I was doing it. The responses of requests for my book multiplied quickly. I found many people were sent to me who had autoimmune diseases. Now I get to write a book for the multitude to help people live a normal life. I find joy when I help people. One common question I get from people is, “How can you discipline yourself to eat a restricted lifestyle eating plan like this and be true to it?”  Honestly, I have prayed for self-discipline and told myself this condition is temporary and it is not my identity.  Some say it takes 21 days to form a habit, and after a while, I enjoyed this way of eating. In fact, I prefer it over the old way. I love feeling good; it makes me happy and helps me have a good attitude about life.

              In the middle of a health crisis, it seems people cannot clearly see the way out of their circumstances. Oppression, depression, helplessness, hopelessness, a spirit of death, and self-pity are true enemies to overcome before the breakthrough comes. Instead of being a prisoner to illness, I chose to see myself set free. I have a destiny to fulfill and I couldn’t do it in my condition. I thank God for answering my prayers and renewing my hope. Our God is faithful and always makes a way where there seems to be no way. I pray you find truth and opened doors to alternatives for your total healing.I hope you find this book to be helpful and inspiring while you “Reclaim your Health through Healing Cuisine”. May you enjoy creating and eating these meals as much as I do.“Path to Healing”