Health for me and my fur baby

From Nikki N., Hamilton

My name is Nikki, and I was born on March 10, 1980.  When I was a child, my family moved several times so I have lived in many parts of the GTA, Niagara and upstate New York.  I dread the “where did you grow up?” question with no simple answer. Moving roughly every year of my life till planting some roots in 2009, making Hamilton Ontario home and the longest time I have ever stayed in one place!

From the time I was a young teenager, I dealt with chronic illness.  This is not necessarily how I perceived it at the time, but in retrospect I realize that my frequent bouts of tonsillitis (requiring hospitalization), my allergies, and my general low energy were signs of poor health.  I was frequently on antibiotics, and I believe that this contributed to a larger health issue later on in my life.

Several years ago, my partner died suddenly and unexpectedly.  My grief and stress manifested themselves in bouts of extreme anxiety, and persistent, recurring illnesses.  I consulted medical doctors, who wanted to prescribe anti-depressants and other pharmaceuticals, but I somehow intuited that was not the correct course of treatment for me.  I had saved some money, and decided to travel with my dog, Zoey, across Canada to Vancouver, where I worked as a home stager for a few months.  I then travelled down the west coast through the United States to Mexico, where I stayed for the remainder of the year.  While I was there, I became quite ill and the Mexican doctors I consulted urged me to return to Canada, where I had health coverage.  I was treated with care by Canadian doctors, but  they again wanted to put me on anti-depressants, and try exploratory – and invasive – surgery.  This is when I started to seriously investigate alternative medicine as a possible solution for my problems. So many of us have been brain washed that main stream medical practices, prescriptions and a battery of often unnecessary tests are the only road to good health. I was no different than most in this regard and sought out physicians to "cure" what ailed me. More often than not I was met with disappointment and a recurrence of the same health issues.

I consulted a homeopathic practitioner, and within four months my anxiety was under control, and my physical health had rebounded.  My medical doctor was surprised at my recovery.  So my personal, positive experience sparked my interest in the possibilities offered by alternative medicine.  I am fascinated by the mind-body connection, and the importance of a holistic approach to cure illness.   For myself, and for others, I am interested in restoring health, not managing symptoms.  I enjoy reading all types of literature regarding health and wellness, and I try to use the knowledge I have gained to educate my family and friends and help them with simple ailments or just provide them with tips for daily well-being.  Although some people consider me shy, I have always been forthcoming in sharing my story about my positive experience with homeopathic treatment.  It is a joy to let people know there is real hope for a condition that has not responded to allopathic intervention.

I have had my dog, Zoey, for almost 12 years now (my fur baby) and as she's aged I’ve come across  some major decisions in regards to her health. I was told she should have surgery on her knee. With the risk of her other knee or hips failing post surgery this sounded risky and extremely invasive for a older animal. I did a ton of research on alternative options and found a animal Naturopath who treated her the same way she would have treated me with her ailments. She is healthier now then she has been in years and with this gives me so much joy and adds to my fascination in alternative medicine.

I am currently self-employed, working full-time out of my home hairdressing salon, and I also work part-time staging homes for re-sale.  I have always loved the creativity of hairdressing, and the personal contact with my clients. However, I have also done a lot of research on how toxic the environment of a hair salon can be.  I want a career change, and I cannot imagine a more rewarding experience than helping people heal and lead long, healthy and happy lives.  These are the factors that have put me on the path towards becoming a healer.  On this path, I will bring with me excellent communication and listening skills, as well as self-management and motivation.  I hope that many of my clients will visit me in my new profession, and instead of making their hair or their homes beautiful, I will make them beautiful on the inside, so that they can live their lives to their full potential.

Image courtesy by Marin  (freedigitalphotos.net)