Choosing Hippocrates Health Institute for a Healing Journey

I am an impatient soul by nature. When I got the diagnosis of autoimmune disease (Sjogren's), which likely stems from a "leaky gut," I wanted to take action, right away. After all, my precious vision was at stake.

I did some research, and at Teri's prodding, I looked seriously at the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida. I remembered my friend, Gino Giglio, speaking highly of Hippocrates, so I was curious.

I went online and saw a testimonial from a woman whose unhealed broken bones finally healed after a standard 3-week raw foods and green juices program at the Institute. All the data overload from my research on many programs ended in that moment. With my own fractured ankle not healing (the doctor reading my third x-ray wanted me to go to an orthopedic surgeon and get assessed for a pin).

So, I wanted to learn more about this Institute with more than 50 years of track record in healing people. Alas, I didn't have the easiest time getting to someone who could quote me rates and availability. I called and waited for 2 weeks. I sent an email to their website and got no response. I was seriously looking at another "wheat grass farm" in Austin, Texas, and decided to give Hippocrates another shot.

I left messages on a Saturday, itchy as I was to make a decision and get flights booked, given the holiday season coming up. I left specific instructions about how long I would be at my home number and the need to call me on my cell phone if we somehow missed (I gave a 5-hour window during which I sat close to the phone expecting to hear from someone who could just tell me availability and rates).

No luck. The Hippocrates rep called my home number and left a message and we stepped into an annoying game of phone tag. I decided I didn't like her voice. Petty, I know, but I was frustrated. I finally gave one more try, asking to speak to a manager. Quickly, I was in the same phone tag game. Sigh.

Monday morning, I finally got to talk to someone from Hippocrates, and she sealed the deal. I signed up on that call. When I told friends that I was going on a 3-week healing retreat, they asked whether I was excited. No, I felt more of a sense of curious anticipation than excitement, as Hippocrates is not exactly a recreational spa environment. It caters to people with serious diseases, many of whom have gotten the word from their doctors to get their affairs in order because they are "terminal."

I arrived last Sunday, so I've gotten through the first week, which included two days of fasting on green juices (Wednesdays are fasting days, but I fasted on Friday as well). Everyone says the first week is the hardest, as shifting to all raw vegetarian foods is a major detoxification event for the body.

My energy is returning and I'm ready to start sharing what I've been learning, which is plenty. November 2008 is a turning point for me in how I see food, food combination, and the need for everyone to regularly detoxify in systematic ways.

By the way, I got an x-ray of my fractured ankle the day before I left for the Hippocrates program, and happily, it had started to heal finally, 3 months after I fractured it in August. I attribute this to my getting off eggs and almonds along with wheat and dairy, which allowed my intestines to start to heal from the allergen assaults and start to take in the mega nutrients I was taking.

The doctors who had taken the first three x-rays over a 2 month period and wanted me to get a pin were surprised yet visibly delighted. I don't think my sharing about allergies and diet changes made any impact, but I was more than happy to head out on my trip with permission to start running again!

At long last, I expect to be back on the tennis courts when I finish the Hippocrates program (yeah!).