The Teenage Years

When I was about 15 years old I often felt very depressed and lost in my thoughts.  This was probably due to puberty and the realization of the loss of my father.  I was numb, even after 5 years. I hit rockbottom and felt very alone. I was too embarrassed to reach out to friends.  It was easier to be by myself and try to get through each day slowly.  I slept a lot and didn’t eat much.  Eventually I ended up taking medication to help me get through.  I also learned over time how to self-reflect and take small steps moving forward again.  Having piano lessons helped me feel accomplished and fulfilled.  My dog kept me company, as well. Slowly, I reached out to my closest friends for support. I got involved with some clubs in high school, which helped me to be with others and accomplish some things with the clubs.  Time does heal, but with such a loss, it doesn’t go away, it just becomes manageable.

In my late teens and 20’s, I noticed I was getting a lot of acne and having cluster headaches which was very painful.  I was put on more medication to help with these symptoms. I also dealt with a lot of stress in high school and applying to colleges. Daily stress, headaches, acne and having scoliosis, became a burden I carried for a very long time.  I went to a health food store often, across from my high school and became a bit interested in what they had to offer.  I often bought a so called “health food bar” for my lunch.  It might have been 200 calories, and had high fructose corn syrup or white sugar little did I know that those sugars were not healthy. This became a trend for me for a year or so.  I was a picky eater, so the bar satisfied me, tasted good and was healthy, so I thought.

As time went on, I became more and more interested in health and nutrition. I learned to read food labels and wanted to know the ingredients of everything I was eating.  I ate more vegetables and fruit. I drank more water.  I started to eat more salads and was more health conscious overall.  I joined a gym at around age 13, which was young, but my doctor prescribed weight training to help with my scoliosis.  I learned how to lift weights properly and how to build muscle.  My body and mind were getting strong.  I went to the gym 2-3 days a week at that time and looked forward to it.