Adrienne Carradine - Interview Series: Healing through Food
After meeting this woman at a community event, her powerful story really resonated with me. Her story really resonates with all of us. Ms Carradine is actually the motivation behind this series. I wanted more people to know HER story. It truly exemplifies what it is to fuel your body with the proper nutrition and watch the healing happen!
Can you share a little about your health and wellness journey.
I’m Adrienne Carradine, born in New Orleans, La.and currently live in Jacksonville, Fl. My wellness journey started when I was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in 2013. I began research on the disease and found nothing related to food that could have caused the disease. I had heard different stories about beauty products and cell phones being linked to breast cancer but nothing on food. Later that year, I went to a seminar with a chiropractor doctor and she explained how to read labels and talked about cancer being linked to food. I thought, ok now i’m getting somewhere! The doctor gave us a ton of references to use and a couple of documentaries to watch and this is where my journey really began to take off.
At Blue Sage, we always say “the body wants to heal itself, you just have to give it the right fuel to do so.” Do you agree with that? And if so, in what ways have you experienced that? As I began to look at all the documentaries on food, I noticed a pattern. They all said that diet is the key to avoiding ALL disease, and that you could not address one disease with food and not address all diseases. The body is an amazing organ and it has the capabilities of healing itself, and this is what I truly believe. Take for instance a cut or scrape on your knee, leave it alone and it heals itself; it protect itself from all harmful objects and magic happens; healing.
What types of food did you consume before your current diet?
Before my current diet today I was eating any and everything from meat, seafood, sugar, bread, lots of starches, deserts, processed foods and lots of GMO’s. I didn’t drink much water but drank a lot of sodas, and fruit drinks. I felt sluggish, tired, and unfocused all the time. I would try to exercise but realized I hated it because it made me miserable. I didn’t see any change and wondered what was I doing wrong. As I began to look deeper into the research, I began to understand that FOOD played a huge part in my progress.
What physical/mental/emotional effects did you experience after switching to your current diet? By July 2015 is when I became committed to eat well. My goal was to become a Vegan by December 2015 and I did! I began to research all local farming, and all organic foods. As a began to eat these food, I began to feel lighter, of course. I lost weight but I also began to stay focused and my overall happiness increased. I just wanted to know more and more about healthy living.
In your experience, what is the most effective path for anyone hoping to heal through nutrition? The most effective path that worked for me was my commitment to research. My computer and phone became my best friends. Reading labels was enlightening, and also learning the language in the food industry, because sugar is labeled as a different ingredient on every package.
What advice would you give someone making the transition?
My advice to someone who want to be in wellness is that pay attention to the transition. This phase is very important because there is tremendous changes happening and while you may get weary, don’t give in. Take baby steps. Remember this should be a lifestyle.
What has been your greatest struggle in maintaining your Whole food/Vegan lifestyle? How have you overcome it? My greatest struggle is maintaining my vegan lifestyle outside of my home or away from home to search for restaurants that only serve vegan food. It's hard where I live, so I prepare a lot of my meals at home and take snacks with me. I learned to always eat before I leave home to avoid any disappointments . Remember this is a self love journey and should be treated as so LOVE TO SELF. Be well!
