While I am not sure I qualify as a "success story" just yet, I offer this message in hopes of encouraging others who may be dissatisfied with their progress towards better health and weight loss.

If you're interested in knowing my background and how I got to this point, I posted a personal blog on July 18 with that information.

I had an endoscopy done yesterday by a doctor who is a member of the Institute for Functional Medicine (www.functionalmedicine.org).  Without going into boring details, what he found certainly explains a lot of my frustration with weight loss and optimal health.  While the news wasn't "good", it's all treatable.  And, I await the results of the stool and blood tests that this doctor ordered so that I can be put on a treatment program to get my system back in balance. 

If it weren't for Dr. Hyman, I would never have gotten the treatment I need to be well and happy.  A proper diet and a good exercise program are essential, but without taking care of underlying contributing factors such as fungal and bacterial infections, improvement will only go so far.  I will be eternally grateful to Dr. Hyman and his staff for their knowledge, support and personal sacrifices in order to help people feel better.

My advice to anyone who still hasn't achieved the benefits they expected is to keep looking for the answers.  Don't let the medical community tell you that "you're fine" when you know deep in your heart that you're NOT!  Don't believe them when they say, "work out harder and eat less and you're going to lose weight".  And, most of all, believe that good health and wellbeing is possible.  Believe that you are more than the flesh and bone that is on loan to you for this lifetime, but that this body is in your custody for a reason.  And know you're on the right track and haven't gotten to this web site or this program by accident.

May you learn from your journey, as I continue to,

Cat