A Second Chance At Life by Kristi DeCoster

This testimonial is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever written. The Protective Diet has so significantly impacted my life, in numerous ways, that I’ve wrestled with how to condense the immense rewards yet still convey its remarkable value. Even doing my very best there is so much to share.

Let me begin with the facts of where I started, and what changed WITHIN 5 SHORT MONTHS:

• I transitioned into my new lifestyle 145 lbs overweight; my body is now already 55.5 lbs lighter. After battling obesity for 22 years due to a diagnosis of giantism (called Lipedema) and being told I’d never lose weight and would only grow larger, ending up crippled in a wheelchair – I have lost 1/3 of my excess weight already.
• My total cholesterol has dropped 105 points (from over 230 down to 125) and I was taken off my statin, Atorvastatin / Lipitor.
• My blood pressure was, on average, 175/90 and is currently 110/65. My resting heart rate was running 110-130 (sometimes even higher from tachycardia, arrhythmias, sinus rhythm issues, PVC’s and PAC’s) and is now in the 70s. Because of these changes I no longer take beta blockers, such as Metoprolol / Lopressor and prevented the addition of an F-Channel Blocker.
• My a1c for my Type II diabetes went from 7.5-8.5 down to 5.5; glucose from 180s-200s down to 110s-120s and I no longer take my medications I was on such as Metformin / Glucophage, Ozempic / Semaglutide injections, etc.
• My inflammation markers, such as C-Reactive Protein (CRP) & erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), were high (CRP 30+ when normal is < 3; ESR 60+ when normal is < 29 for women) and my autoimmune disease markers (Lupus, Ulcerative Colitis, and more) have become normal. I am off medications such as corticosteroids like Prednisone / Deltasone, as well as Duloxetine / Cymbalta, Leflunomide / Arava, Methotrexate (a form of chemotherapy) with Folic Acid, & Plaquenil / Hydroxychloroquine as well as Sucralfate / Carafate, Omeprazole / Prilosec, Ondansetron / Zofran, Mesalamine / Canasa Rowasa Suppositories, and other gastrointestinal prescriptions. Please note, my battle with inflammation and autoimmune diseases via mainstream treatments has been over 30 years long, with no resolve.
• Latest nerve conduction studies confirm my improved sensation within my legs and feet.
• A liver fibro scan just before beginning PD rated me as having F2 liver disease and a recent one now shows F0.
• My ocular pressure was elevated, and my Ophthalmologist was monitoring me every 3 months; yet now I’m at a normal level.
• Since 2020 my local hospital has been monitoring me every 6 months with diagnostic mammograms & breast ultrasounds due to an area of concern, yet now I have been “discharged” from this twice a year observation.
o The radiology report findings for the mammogram now reads: Additional imaging of the left breast was performed. On the additional views, the previously described findings are LESS APPARENT". (Emphasis my own).
o The report findings for the ultrasound now states: “Targeted gray scale and doppler sonography was performed at the site of the previously described finding. Gray scale images of the real time examination were reviewed. NO SONOGRAPHIC ABNORMALITY AT THE SITE OF THE PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED FINDINGS”. (Again, emphasis my own).
• These problems with my health, and medication side effects, resulted in severe depression, anxiety, and panic attacks for which I had been prescribed even more medications: Clonazepam / Klonopin, Prozac / Fluoxetine, Wellbutrin / Bupropion, Zoloft / Sertraline, Zyban / Bupropion and Mirtazapine / Remeron – among others.

I was to the point I could not function physically nor cognitively. I felt I would soon pass away and sometimes I even wondered if it would be better for myself and prevent my family from one day having extreme caregiving responsibilities and financial obligations.

Again…… All of this changed for me personally in 5 short months; even though I had been told so many of my ailments were genetic, out of my control, or irreversible. And, I’d like to be clear: the only modified lifestyle factor that took place in my circumstance was the application of a Protective Diet. No supplements, formal exercise, etc.

When I first started a Protective Diet, I had no idea how I would manage my application. I was too weak for hours in the kitchen and too mentally foggy for decision making and planning. Julie, however, has arranged a system that not only took me step-by-step on how to make this easy: kitchen set up, meal planning via the website, the staples for my pantry, the recipes that are healthful, sourcing….. My life in the kitchen and at the grocery store became so unbelievably simplistic. The PD lifestyle did not add more work, it lessened my efforts. I only had to follow along and trust this system to get better.

Finally, following the Protective Diet changed my financial health. After calculating the tremendous reduction in the cost of ingredients for meals, as well as the medical savings, my annual expenses have lessened by more than $12,000.00.

It’s a strong statement, but true: Julie Christensen and Protective Diet has saved my life and provided me with a way to thrive from here forward: physically, mentally, financially. And I believe wholeheartedly that anyone interested in PD could achieve their optimal life too!