|
Sonic Automotive Service Director Does Body Work
Some days are better than others and November 9, 2006 turned out to be one of the best days ever. On that day I attended a lunch-and-learn given by Sonic Automotive's Director of Corporate Wellness, Dr. Ginger. The subject was nutrition and heart health. As the Service Director for Infiniti of Charlotte, N.C., I attended partly out of obligation, partly out of hope, and partly out of fear. At 37 years old standing 6 foot 2 inches tall and 286 pounds, I could no longer get people to believe I was just "big boned." In recent years, I had watched and helped my weight climb up to an all time high of 286 pounds and my cholesterol and blood pressure rose right along with it. When my physician saw my lab results in August of 2006, he prescribed a medication for each condition. But as of November 14, 2006, my total cholesterol still stood at 236 and my triglycerides were at a dangerous level of 504. I was taking the medications, but had made no changes in my eating habits and neither medication was working. The only result by January 2007 was two expensive trips to the emergency room because my body wasn't able to tolerate the negative side effects of the drugs.
I realized I needed to make a change. I wasn't sure what to do, but I remembered the lecture notes that Dr. Ginger had given us. After two frightening visits to the emergency room, I read them again with a different mindset and found the section on how to lower cholesterol in two weeks through dietary changes. The auto industry requires long hours and in most cases eating involves grabbing a meal wherever you can- usually at a fast food drive through. After many years of this, I was a poster child for the wrong way to eat and as a result I was tired all of the time, felt stressed out, and my health was suffering.
With the drugs not working and my health on the line, I decided to give Dr. Ginger's program a two week trial. My next doctor's appointment was scheduled for February 6th, so 2 weeks prior, on January 22nd, I got started. I followed the dietary guidelines in her lecture notes without telling anyone at work, not even Dr. Ginger. I had nothing to lose, so for the next 2 weeks I gave up all meats, seafood, and dairy products- the foods containing cholesterol- and ate foods from her list, mostly green vegetables and nuts. The results were amazing! In just 2 weeks time, my cholesterol dropped 20 points to 216 and my triglycerides were down to 318. I had also lost 15 pounds and I was "sold" at that point. I called Dr. Ginger and told her I wanted to donate my body to science. I explained my situation, my secret experiment, and how her program had worked.
The plan was working and I continued to follow it more closely. On February 19th, I met with Dr. Ginger and learned how to incorporate even more healthy foods into my diet. Now, I was drinking almond milk protein shakes, eating flax crackers, and her special green lemonade smoothies. Monitored by both my family physician and Dr. Ginger, the lab results were astounding. Only two and a half weeks later, on March 8th, my total cholesterol had dropped to 168- down a total of 70 points in 4 weeks- and my triglycerides were down to 236- that's a 53% improvement in the same time period. My weight was down to 238- a 48 pound drop- all of this without any medications. I even went out and bought a home gym because now I feel like exercising!
Everyone at the dealership and even some of the customers are stunned at the changes. My wife, who was very skeptical at the beginning, is ready to start the plan and our young children are already getting exposed to better food choices- they love the radishes I snack on. I wasn't sure about Dr. Ginger's plan at first, but it works, and best of all it's easier than it sounds. I don't miss any of the unhealthy foods I've given up. Dr. Ginger took me on a tour of the local health food store and now I have an even wider range of foods to choose from. The energy and overall feeling of well being is in itself worth it- and you just can't argue with the numbers- this works. Best of all, this is not a diet, it is a new and healthier way for me to live and hopefully, for my entire family. My wife has already started to incorporate many of the organic, raw, vegan choices into our family's meals and I hope it will help our children make better food choices in the future. I want to set the best example I can for them, so they don't end up where I was. If I can do this, anyone can.
"Your body, if given proper tools can heal itself of any disease". That's a quote from Dr. Ginger and one I now believe. I'm finally giving my body the tools it needs and it is rewarding me with the best health I've had in years. It took just a month's time to convince myself that what I put in my mouth truly matters. Now, with the addition of some exercise, I look forward to even better lab results the next time around and a happy, healthy, and most likely a much longer life.
My name is Gerald Dillard and I'd like to thank Sonic Automotive for this opportunity to change my life. I want everyone to know, it's not that hard to change- great health is within your grasp, regardless of what health challenges you may be facing.
Oh, and for anyone who is interested, I'm currently accepting donations for the "Gerald Dillard New Wardrobe Fund."
Click HERE to read more testimonies. |
|
 |
|
;)
;)
printer-friendly