Nurse Avoids Kidney Dialysis
Joan Ellis from Florida

When I came to the Florida Hallelujah Lifestyle Center I was desperate. You see, I’m a retired nurse and I understand the medical world. I was very sick – very lethargic – tired all the time – in fact I used to sleep until 10:00 – 11:00 in the morning each day. I just couldn’t get out of bed in the morning due to fatigue. I’ve been an insulin-dependent diabetic for ten years and the main reason I went to the Lifestyle Center was because my Doctors told me that I needed to go on Kidney Dialysis due to renal failure. My kidneys were functioning at 11% and generally they put people on dialysis at 15% - 20%. My function was a Stage 3. I was scared and determined NOT to go on the “kidney machine.” As a nurse I knew there was no quality to life when subjected to that machine every week!

I was told when Wesley and I arrived at the center, Sherry thought I was too sick to be part of the program. We arrived on Sunday in March. Wesley came mostly to support me and to help me – we both wanted me to get well again and were hopeful that the Hallelujah Diet would be our answer to prayer. Wednesday morning of that week (just 2 days on the diet) I came to our morning devotional. Everyone was surprised to see me so alert and full of life – some said they saw a whole personality change in me. I finally felt I had some energy. Wesley said he couldn’t remember the last time he saw me THAT early in the morning!

At three weeks into the Hallelujah Diet I went back to my Endocrinologist for a checkup. I had dropped 24 pounds, my Acid Reflux was gone, I no longer fall to the ground (it was never diagnosed as to why that was happening to me), I have more energy, my edema is gone, after ten years of being insulin dependent for diabetes I no longer needed insulin medicine, my blood pressure went from 200/70 to 140/70 now, my body odor is gone, my cholesterol went from 204 down to 140 in just three weeks and without meds. And the best news – my Doctor told me that I no longer need to go on the Kidney Dialysis machine. Hallelujah! The Hallelujah Diet has saved my life and the quality of it.

Commentary from Andrew Weil, MD. “Eating Well for Optimal Health”

“In the end-stage kidney disease, when patients must go on blood dialysis or begin preparing for kidney transplant operations, doctors warn them not to eat too much protein.  If the patients had started following this recommendation years before, they might have postponed the need for drastic medical and surgical interventions.  The indicator for kidney function is measurement of blood urea nitrogen (BUN); a rise from normal low levels correlates with an inability of the kidneys to clear the urea made by the liver in its effort to detoxify the metabolic waste of protein metabolism.”

By following the Hallelujah Diet, Joan has made Dr. Weil’s observations come to life.  Cutting down the intake of dietary protein is one way to reduce the workload on various organs of the body.  Joan is now filled with a new hope – renewed health – her prayers were answered – just not in the way she expected!  HALLELUJAH!