I didn't always eat healthily. In high school, I just ate whatever they were serving that day, grabbed a chocolate milk and didn't think much about it.

My mom would take us to the health food store and cook us clean meals, which I loved, but it wasn't until I got sick that I realized that what you eat means everything.

After being diagnosed with Lyme disease, I had to change my diet completely. I had to cut out sugar, dairy, and gluten all at the same time and it wasn't an option.

And I did it. I was dairy, gluten, and sugar-free. I also ate lots of vegetables and drank 64 ounces of water every day and I couldn't believe the results. The Lyme was actually starting to disappear. I was doing other treatment as well but my doctor told me that I was mostly seeing improvement because of my diet.

Ever since I have been obsessed with eating healthy. I mean if just eating right could fight off Lyme disease then what you eat is more important than you think.

A lot of symptoms people feel on a daily basis could be easily fixed by eating better. Headaches, constipation, tiredness, depression, high blood pressure and many more are common side effects of a poor diet.

Instead of going to a doctor and getting some prescription to cover up the problem, try eating more fruits, vegetables, rice and chicken rather than fast-food, chips and candy. You probably aren't sick. It is just your body's way of telling you it isn't getting the nutrients it needs to run sufficiently.

I didn't just realize that eating healthy was good because a doctor told me. I felt it. After I eat a salad or a turkey sandwich I feel light and ready to do anything I have to. But after I eat pizza or a hamburger I feel moody and ready for a nap.

That is a huge red flag. Listen to your body.

I'm not saying we should all cut out dairy, gluten, and sugar from our diets. I don't even do that, but there are ways to compromise.

Start out by just cutting out one of them and seeing how you feel. Nowadays it is easy to go gluten-free with all the gluten-free bread and noodles you can buy that taste just as good. You can cut back on the sugar by only drinking pop every once in a while and having water be the main beverage you consume through the day.

Eating healthy isn't easy but I know from experience that it is worth it and it can change your life. If I didn't change the way I ate I would still be very sick and that is all the motivation I need.

Not only did it help me heal but now I hardly get sick anymore because my body is strong enough to fight off anything.

What you eat determines how you look, how you feel and how likely you are to fight off sickness. So never think that what you eat doesn't matter.