Sarah, 56, has a strong family history for osteoporosis, but she was still devastated when she found out she had osteopenia. After trying Actonel and experiencing several disturbing side effects, she found help with Dr. Brown, and now feels she finally has control over her health.
“When they told me I had osteopenia, I was devastated. And I certainly wasn’t pleased to go on Actonel, but I didn’t know what else to do. I was on Actonel for about a year and was slowly developing problems with it. In fact, even after the second time I took it, I felt like something wasn’t right. As a few months went by, it got worse. I couldn’t sleep because of a burning in my stomach. I was only taking the Actonel once a week so it took me a while to make the connection between the drug and my symptoms. Soon I got a rash on my legs and talked with my doctor about seeing a nutritionist. Years before, my allergist had recommended Dr. Brown, so I decided to look her up.
“When I first went to see Dr. Brown, I had very low vitamin D levels. It was at 9 ng/mL, way below the optimal range (which is between 50 and 70 ng/mL). She told me I was at risk for all sorts of things, including cancer, and that higher vitamin D levels were associated with better overall health. So I started taking Dr. Brown’s suggested supplements, increasing my resistance exercises, and following an alkaline diet.
“I wouldn’t say I’m following the diet 100% of the time — probably more like 75% — but any little bit can make a difference. An alkaline approach to eating makes sense because it’s focused around fresh foods. We get bombarded with ads on TV saying this or that is healthy for you, but it really isn’t. We just aren’t exposed to enough of the right foods to eat. At work, most people eat Lean Cuisine for lunch and think they’re being healthy, but I don’t think they are. We need to go back to cooking for ourselves and cooking with fresh foods.
“After being on Dr. Brown’s program, I’ve noticed that my digestion is much better, and I have a lot more energy. I just feel better. I’ve had digestive problems my whole life, even when I was a kid, and they’ve gotten better for the first time. I feel better today than I did when I was 21! My test results have also improved, probably not as much as the traditional medical people would like, but Dr. Brown has been pleased and so have I.
“Going to see Dr. Brown was one of the most important decisions in my life. I’m not one for taking prescription medications, although I think there’s a purpose for them. But if there are other options available, we have a responsibility to look into them. I would prefer to take charge of my own health as opposed to someone else taking charge of it for me. Dr. Brown has a strong connection with the traditional medical community, but also has connections worldwide. She’s extremely knowledgeable and current on what is going on in bone health. I work in the medical field. I’m not an expert, but I’m very familiar with the system. And I’d say she knows far more than 90% of traditional physicians when it comes to treating bones and bone health.”