Women’s stories

“It’s a little embarrassing...”

Though not severe, Ada’s lifelong constipation had been such a nuisance. While she carefully avoided laxatives and ate an excellent diet all her life, it was only after starting the Personal Program at age 71 that her constipation resolved — in just two weeks. Now she’s like clockwork! She and her dietician agree — Ada made a smart choice.

“It’s a little embarrassing,” Ada began. “I’ve had moderate lifelong constipation, and though it was never severe, it was bad enough to be a real nuisance.” She explained, “I used to never know if I was going to have a bowel movement, but I would never let myself get overly dependent on laxatives. Instead I tried flaxseed, increased fiber, cranberries — I’ve always liked the natural approach best.

“My sister from Portland, Oregon told me about you. Two weeks after I got onto the supplements, I starting having totally, completely normal bowel movements, with no discomfort, every morning. This has been an amazing experience. It’s so much better than having hard uncomfortable stools and straining. Now I know I can expect it within the first 15-20 minutes after I’m up, and that’s it for the day. That I could trust that was amazing to me. I kept thinking, ‘What have I done differently?’ I decided it must be this.”

Ada shared with us her passion for fresh whole foods and farmer’s markets, and we recognized how careful she’d been with her choices over the years. She grew up on a farm in Northern Vermont, she recalled, where “You didn’t pick the corn until the water was boiling. So for me, the very idea of going to the grocery store to buy vegetables — well, I can be really picky. See, I got used to good stuff.

“And it’s not like I haven’t taken vitamins and supplements before,” Ada added. “I’ve been very conscientious for years. I’m 71, and I think I do pretty well. But I wanted to get up another level, so I went to see a registered dietician. She asked me, ‘What supplements are you taking?,’ so I showed her the label and explained how the constipation had completely resolved. She looked it over and said, ‘I have a feeling that you were probably low in some of these minerals.’

“And it was so nice to go to somebody and not have them lecture me with, ‘Oh, you should be really doing such-and-such instead.’ I felt wonderful that a registered dietician would say, ‘Wow, you really made a good decision.’ She didn’t know about you, so she took your information down — she was so enthusiastic. She said people don’t realize that we have soil depletion, and the minerals just aren’t there any more. Even if you think you’re eating a perfect diet, over time, you just aren’t getting them.”

Swallowing a lot of different pills is not an ideal solution for Ada, so she really appreciates the convenience of Essential Nutrients. “There’s something about the little packets. I just take that, plus the Herbal Equilibrium, twice a day, and I am good to go. It’s clear-cut, so I can stick with it.

“Thank goodness that my Oregon sister found you on the web! Now we’re telling my other sister in Washington, DC: ‘You’ve got to do this!’ We’re passing it around the family!”

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Last Modified: 02/16/2010