I
was born in the Deep South, in Mobile, Alabama, also known as the
Azalea City because of the vibrant landscapes colored by these beautiful
flowers. I had been adopted away from an abusive family situation, and
had almost died twice as a toddler.
I grew up
on a small, dirt road in the country, and my family had few resources,
so college was seemingly not an option. I had no connections, no
education, few positive role models, and making matters worse, my
self-esteem had been crushed through years of secreted childhood
bullying and abuses, which would take me decades to overcome. What I
remember the most about my childhood is constant fear -- and "good"
food.
I was raised in a culture of quietly
"polite" judgments: a pressure-cooker of seething hatred, prejudice,
violence and ignorance. But hey, the catfish and fried chicken were
amazing!
I was never really taught about
healthy eating. To the contrary, my cultural inheritance was learning to
"treat yourself" at "special occasions" by gorging on every horribly
delicious food you could imagine.
I don't want
to get into the greasy, buttery, deep-fried, fatty, sugary, meaty,
barbecued details here, but let's just say if gluttony really is the
second deadly sin, then I knew a lot of people on their way to hell.
With
no knowledge of positive psychology, real foods or healthy lifestyles,
time took its toll on me, and the invincibility of my youth diminished
as my gut and waist-line expanded.
Much later
in life, I found myself living (dying) in a suburban basement, like a
hunchback shut-in, not leaving for months at a time because of
embarrassment and chronic pain. It was really bad, and sad. I had no one
to help me with my plight. I cried out for help to those closest to me,
but my pleading was met with cold detachment and uncaring.
There
was a time when I was really worried and afraid that I was going to
die, because I was so unhealthy. I could not even walk up a flight of
stairs without being out of breath. I was truly and frighteningly,
unwell. I was on my own and I was debilitated. I felt old and tired, and
I could see the grave rapidly approaching.
My
body had become an entombment of fat covering the pain and loneliness
of a broken heart and spirit. Hope and life seemed very distant.
But
there was something still in me; a dream I had always dreamt of living a
beautiful life. I had a calling in my heart; a great calling for a
great work. But, to carry out my calling I would need strength and
vitality, both things that seemed so far away. I longed to be free of
the bodily pain, stiffness and decrepitude.
I
remember when I was just a little boy running around barefoot on a dirt
road in the middle-of-nowhere, Alabama. I may have been a hick, but I
could run! At dusk, often on my way home, I'd run bare-foot through a
five acre field of dew-covered grass. I was running wildly on the tips
of my toes with such speed, that all I could hear was the loud winds
blowing in my ears. I felt like Mercury, or an Indian brave, and my
energy seemed inexhaustible. I could run like the wind; feeling my power
rushing through me. I wanted that joyous, youthful vigor and spring
back.
One of the first steps to achieving
wellness
for me, was learning humility. To abuse the gift of life and one’s own
precious body is a form of extreme arrogance and self-hatred. So one of
the keys for me was reacquainting myself with the beautiful gifts that
exist, for those who have respect,
gratitude and appreciation for all that is available to heal and sustain our bodies.
I
also made a very deliberate decision to live life with health and
vigor. I decided I wanted the energy and vitality to do and experience
all of the wondrous things in life that are available to all people. I
wanted the strength and stamina to lead a life of activity, exploration
and true excellence. Ultimately it came down to my deciding whether I
wanted to advance toward the grave in a state of decrepit stupor, or
rise and advance in life as a fresh, vital being, full of youthful
energy and joy.
In my quest for understanding, I
realized something very important one day. That the human body is an
unfathomable and miraculous microcosm of divine order. The intelligence,
complexity and order of even a single cell rivals that of a large
modern city. Our bodies love us! Just think about it. The universe
within--your trillions of cells all cooperate in a grand orchestration
to serve and heal you. Your cells work around the clock in total unison
and harmony cleaning, repairing, restoring and nourishing your entire
physical being. Every person’s body wants nothing more than to cooperate
with them in achieving optimal health.
But I realized that I was at WAR with my OWN body.
I
was waging a terrible war of violence against my body by bombarding it
with stress, toxic environments, lack of sleep, and the most terrible
and dreadful toxic foods known to man, otherwise known as, the modern
American diet and lifestyle.
When you are
obese, you are chronically diseased and you are moving toward the grave
at a rapid pace. My body had become completely addicted to heavy
greases, oils, animal fats, highly refined carbohydrates, sugars, salts
and an endless array of toxic chemicals. All of these self-inflicted
bodily assaults kept my body's own rescue and repair mechanisms
overloaded and unable to keep up with my deteriorating state.
I
discovered that simply by getting out of my own body’s way, and letting
it do its job, and cooperating with my body, IT would heal itself from
the dreadfully debilitating sickness of obesity. To lose weight, I did
very little outside of gentle and peaceful cooperation with the inherent
wisdom and intelligence of my own body.
Through
meditation
and gentle cooperation, the body will heal itself with little or no
effort. When we are at peace with ourselves, the total expression of
that true peace includes our outer being, our body. Losing weight and
being healthy is so simple and easy. Your goal should never be
weight-loss, but rather to have true health and respect for the gift of
life.
I know intimately the deep struggles and
perseverance it takes to reclaim your health, because I have been there.
This is not theoretical for me. I have personally lost over 100 pounds
and shrank my waist from a size 48/50" to 30".
I
freed myself from all medications and healed all of my dis-eases:
extreme obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, borderline
diabetes, bad cholesterol, extreme acid reflux, candida, stiffness,
glaucoma, arthritis, bursitis, knee and joint pain, gout, angina,
insomnia, breathlessness, fatigue, chronic back problems, post nasal
drip and sleep apnea.
I believe I have
extended my life by decades, reversing my heart condition, and clearing
my arteries. I healed myself with totally natural methods, and I now
have the energy, vitality, stamina and flexibility of a healthy
twenty-year old.
It is never too late to love yourself again. Don't give up. You can accomplish almost anything, if you really want it.
What
one person can do, another can do. You can reclaim your life and get
back on track to becoming your full potential. Let me be your proof that
it is possible. Start educating yourself and learn how to take proper
care of yourself through self-love.
I will be
here to support you with the best information I can provide, to help you
on your journey. The unification of the mind, spirit and body is the
triad of focus that gives one the clarity and resolve to deliver. I have
used these, and many other techniques to completely transform my body
and my life.
My strength, vitality and health
are important parts of my secret to how I live a life of activity,
exploration and creative excellence.
And now, it's your turn!
Published November 12, 2012 at 1:49 PM
About Bryant McGill
Bryant McGill is
a best-selling author, speaker and activist in the fields of
self-development, personal freedom and human rights. He is an iconic
personality and cultural critic, whose writings have reached millions of
people and appeared in thousands of works by other authors, educators
and social leaders. His writings on values have been featured alongside
Albert Einstein and Mother Teresa at the prestigious Foundation for a
Better Life, who has called McGill one of “the brightest minds in human
history.” In an official Congressional commendation, the nation’s
leaders applauded McGill’s, “highly commendable life’s work,” as an
Ambassador of Goodwill. He is the founder of the Nobel Peace Prize
nominated, Goodwill Treaty for World Peace. His prolific writings have
been published in over 90 books and translated into 15 languages by
publishers such as Simon and Schuster, Random House, HarperCollins,
McGraw Hill, Writer's Digest and UNESCO. McGill is a sought after
workshop leader, and a speaker who has delivered speeches with diverse
groups, from the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office and Chief of the LAPD, to
the United Nations, with Dr. Gandhi, Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and the
UN Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs.
McGill has appeared on prime-time network television such as ABC,
CBS, NBC, VH1, ESPN and BRAVO, and his message continues to be heard on
satellite and major market radio stations. Bryant was the front-page
cover story of the WALL STREET JOURNAL relating to his expertise with
social media, and protecting people from identity theft and
cyber-bulling. His writings and tools are used as part of the curriculum
at the university level, have appeared in Psychology Today Magazine,
and have received positive reviews from professors at Columbia, Stanford
and NYU. Bryant's writings have appeared in the famous Chicken Soup for
the Soul series by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. McGill is on a
quest to prove that life is still beautiful, and that all people have
the power to have a better life and world — NOW.
Bryant's writings and "Simple Reminders" can be found on-line at WashingtonPost.com, Lifebyme.com, MindBodyGreen.com, TheDailyLove.com, Entheos.com, TinyBuddha.com, PsychologyToday.com and Examiner.com.He
currently runs a private life and wellness coaching practice in Beverly
Hills. Bryant is partnered with the global-leader in transformation
empowerment, PowerWithin.com,
and together they are taking his inspirational message of POSSIBILITY
to international audiences, along side industry-leading experts such as
Bill Clinton, Deepak Chopra and Tony Robbins.
Website: BryantMcGill.com
Twitter: @BryantMcGill
Moms' Health group!
Need a Good title for a banana science experiment for 9yr old DD
- Alyson121
on Nov. 12, 2012 at 5:42 PM