My Journey to Natural health: Faith, Family, and stewardship
I grew up watching my mother and brother navigate serious health challenges. My mother battled depression, hyperthyroidism, and breast cancer, while my brother was born with hydrocephalus. Like most families, my parents followed traditional medical advice—doctor visits, prescriptions, and treatments. But they also wanted to do more. They explored other ways to support their bodies, incorporating a healthier diet, juicing, detoxing the home from harmful chemicals, and using supplementation and natural medicine, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Because of this, natural health was never foreign to me. It was simply a part of life. But back in the 1990s, it wasn’t as mainstream as it is today. My mother didn’t have the online communities and support systems we now take for granted. Instead, she faced skepticism—especially from friends, family, and even the church community, where holistic practices were often misunderstood as unscientific or even unbiblical.
Looking back, I wish she had a community that supported her instead of questioning her choices.
For me, natural health has always been about stewardship—taking care of my body so I can live well, serve well, and have the energy to do the things that matter. Seeing my mother’s health decline in her 30s made me realize how valuable and fragile our health is. I wanted to make sure I took care of myself in a way that honored God and allowed me to thrive, not just survive. I don’t smoke or drink, and while I’m not perfect in my diet, I prioritize whole, fresh foods over processed alternatives.