Rick and Bonnie’s Story: His and Hers Heart Health
The way you look at health changes when your health or a loved one’s health changes. Bonnie had high cholesterol that was through the roof, but she was more worried about her husband, Rick. He was not feeling well so he had gone to a cardiologist and found out his cholesterol was much higher than it should be at 313 and his blood pressure was 200 /100.
Even though Rick always hated drugs he started taking the ones prescribed by the cardiologist.
“He kinda scared me and told me I was hanging by a thread and I got to take these drugs or you’re going to eventually end up in a nursing home by having a stroke or have a heart attack,” says Rick. So, he took the 5 drugs that the cardiologist prescribed. “Within 2 days I was feeling so bad. I woke up and I was tired.”
Bonnie noticed Rick seemed to be doing even worse than before he started the treatment. “It’s scary because it’s not normal,” says Bonnie. “If you’re taking a drug to help you, you shouldn’t feel as lousy as he did because really he couldn’t function well at all. It wasn’t good.”
Rick had a lot of muscle pain that is common with statin drugs along with other side effects. “If I was talking to someone just like I am talking to you I could fall asleep,” says Rick. “My face felt numb and everything and I felt worse than when I had the high blood pressure, so I told him, on my own, I just can’t do it anymore.”
Looking for Health Answers
Rick stopped taking the drugs, but they were still worried about his health. Bonnie heard about an inflammation seminar that Dr. Patrick Flynn was going to be speaking at in their area. She signed them up even though Rick was skeptical when she told him.
They went to the seminar and were impressed with what they heard. They started going to see Dr. Greg at the Green Bay Clinic and were even more impressed with the results as they worked to get their bodies functioning normally. Dr. Greg and all the doctors at Pathway To Wellness Clinics across the country don’t treat high cholesterol. They bring the body back to homeostasis, or balance.
“I think the reason we are both coming along so well is because they test completely, and they deal with one thing at a time and they don’t just bombard you with all sorts of supplements,” says Bonnie. “They get things rolling and continue on. And they keep testing, so they know what your system is doing.”
“We both started together which made it easier when it came to things like the detox because we both ate the same thing and so that made it easy for both of us,” says Bonnie. “We take different supplements because we both have different issues.”
His and Hers High Cholesterol
Dr. Greg says they both had very high cholesterol but different reasons for the cholesterol being high. “So, hers was a lot more gut related. His was a lot more general food and hormone related,” says Dr. Greg. “Even though husband and wife come in together with very similar cholesterol numbers, they had two different paths to get them to the end result.”
Bonnie knew she had very high cholesterol, but she also had inflammation that was causing her problems throughout her body in her gut, in her hormones and in her joints.
“Now I realize that the inflammation, that I didn’t know I had, was causing my knuckles to hurt, says Bonnie. “You’re like, oh that’s just part of getting older, but that part is gone so I know the inflammation is going away. I have none of that in my toes and my fingers. And my cholesterol is down and I’m so happy about that.”
Rick also prefers the regimen Dr. Greg has him on. “The big thing with the drugs is there is no quality of life,” says Rick. “The things that he has us on- I’ve seen the results and I feel better, so I know I’m on a good path.”
Dr. Greg cautions people from just not taking their drugs and pretending their high cholesterol doesn’t exist. While Rick turned down the drugs, he also sought out other changes. “I think there’s all too many people who say no to the medication but don’t do anything different and that’s a worse situation.”
Rick’s blood pressure has gone down, he lost weight, and his cholesterol is 191 which is way down from 313. He has started working out and even enjoyed hunting this year which was something he didn’t think he would be able to do.
“The cardiologist told me that it’s impossible to see these results without taking drugs. I know I didn’t take the drugs he gave me and I’m glad I didn’t,” says Rick as he shakes his head. He knows he is proof it is possible. “I’m a good example of what they do here (at Pathway To Wellness).”
Rick says he didn’t like the drugs with side effects and no results. “Well I’m not going to take the drugs,” says Rick. “I like what’s happening here; I’m seeing results.”
Rick says Pathway To Wellness is a great place for people who aren’t finding answers. “There are a number of people that are open to this that don’t care for the mainstream health care system so it’s good for someone like that, especially, if you get the results like we have,” says Rick.
Dr. Greg recommends coming in when you are healthy or before you are very sick to keep your body functioning optimally. “It’s never too late but it does get harder the longer you wait.”
“I told my cardiologist if I had come in here (Pathway To Wellness) a few years ago I never would have been in to see him because I would have been better,” says Rick.
Dr. Greg says it’s not always easy changing a lifetime of habits. “They made a commitment and the good news is they made a commitment to each other,” says Dr. Greg. “That’s one thing I like to see because it’s so much easier working with a husband and wife together.”
When you find his and hers health, your view on health changes. “We did this because, for however long you live, you want to feel good. You don’t want to deal with disease and whatever. I just want to feel good,” says Bonnie.
To read about cholesterol check out one of these articles: Exposing “Healthy” Cholesterol Levels, Cholesterol: Your Immune System’s Greatest Weapon, and Mythbusting: Clogged Artery Edition