I was twelve years old when I first realized that I was depressed. I was a little seventh grader and I was so sad and exhausted all the time, but nobody had any idea. I was athletic, studious, had a solid friend group, a good home life, and no legitimate reason to feel constantly full of dread and darkness. Without going into too much detail, it eventually got so bad that I had to ask my mom for help, because I wasn't sure how much longer I would be able to live like that.

Around the same time that I told my mom I wasn't doing too good, she had read an article about how someone had cured their mental illness by switching up their diet. I was willing to try anything, so I went gluten-free the summer after seventh grade and almost immediately, I felt lighter, happier, more energized, and less anxious.

That was the first time I was ever healed holistically, instead of going on anti-depressants, and it was enough to prove to me that simple changes like switching up my diet, could not only change my life, but save it.

I still get depressed, it is something that I will always have to deal with, but I have never been back down to the level that I was six years ago, and I credit it all to my diet change.

A few years later, when I was fifteen, I realized that my body was no longer functioning properly. After going to countless medical doctors, surgeons, pediatricians, dermatologists, and specialty doctors, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder that left me in chronic pain, hindering my ability to be active and sometimes would leave me completely unable to move.

I was put on antibiotics and given steroids and other medications that were completely destroying my body. I would show up to work and be so nauseous from my medication that I would have to sit with my head between my legs, waiting for the feeling to pass. As you can imagine, it was awful and I wouldn't wish it on anybody.

Even as a teenager, I just knew that there had to be another way for me to heal. I went off of my medication and my mom and I began doing research ourselves. I started realizing that certain foods trigger symptoms of my autoimmune disorder, and I decided that I wanted to start seeing a naturopathic doctor, to get a professional's opinion.

Naturopathic medicine is essentially a type of medicine that promotes a more natural and self-healing approach to health. You still have to go to school to become a naturopathic doctor and although my grandpa calls my doctors "witch-doctors" and everybody who knows me, thinks I'm a total hippy for my choice of self-care, there really isn't any medical doctor I would rather see than my naturopathic doctors.

Naturopathic doctors use food, herbs, supplements, and holistic practices, in order to find what works best for you in helping you live your healthiest life.

With their help, I have got my depression and anxiety under control, and with their supervision, I completed an extended water fast that has almost completely healed my autoimmune disorder, allowing me to live my life nearly pain-free for the last year!

Yes, I did see a medical doctor at school when I got extremely sick this year and didn't have access to my naturopathic doctor, and I would go to a medical doctor if I broke something or had a medical emergency. But, I figure if I can help myself heal naturally, from the inside out, why wouldn't I?