A Story Tellers Story

There’s something I’ve been keeping to myself the past few months, but I feel it’s finally time to let everyone in on it. I’m sure it’ll come as a surprise, as dozens of close friends don’t even know about it yet. Some may be offended or hurt that I didn’t choose to share it with them before, but the situation called for immediate action and intense concentration; it’s pretty much been the center of my life for the last six months.

Fact is, I have cancer.

On August 6th of 2012, a literal lump in my throat was diagnosed as thyroid cancer, a papillary carcinoma that, while likely not life-threatening, seemed to call for removal of my thyroid; despite an excellent prognosis, surgery would still leave me taking medication for the rest of my life. And so, even though all my doctors expected me to make a full recovery, I was nevertheless left with a choice: surgery or no surgery?

My first few thoughts, immediately after diagnosis:

First, my thyroid was working perfectly, so I’d rather not cut out a perfectly good organ. Second, I speak for a living, so I was loathe to have someone take a knife to my throat, thankyouverymuch.

My partner Tess Masters immediately contacted a dear friend who organized a clinical trial for a new cancer treatment being tested for FDA approval. Within minutes, we were told that I was accepted into the study. While having remarkable success rates, it nevertheless had its disadvantages: it was eighteen weeks long, and had to be done in New York City.

But we had another promising option for treatment: dietary and lifestyle changes. Last year I was treated at Dr. Robert O. Young’s pH Miracle Center for diabetes, where I met people who walked in with Stage IV cancer, yet walked out healthy. It was remarkable, but daunting: the diet and lifestyle changes it called for were enormously challenging.

So we essentially had three options: have surgery to remove my thyroid, follow Dr. Young’s protocol and make lifestyle changes that would cure the cancer, or travel to New York for the FDA trial.

When Tess asked which of these I wanted to do, I said, “Why choose only one? I’m all about redundancy. Let’s kill it from two sides at once.”

Surgery was out; I wanted it to be my last option, not first. But the other two weren’t mutually exclusive–so I followed Dr. Young’s diet while undergoing treatment in New York. I was diagnosed on a Monday, and by Thursday I had packed up and moved, temporarily, to New York. By Friday, I was in treatment. (Many of you who follow me on Facebook and Twitter were curious why I moved; now you know.)

The publishers I work for were wonderful during this time. With only a few days’ notice, Random House, Hachette and Audible.com went to great lengths to arrange alternative studios where I could record the books I was working on for them at the time–Justin Cronin’sThe Twelve, Nelson DeMille’s The Panther and Stephen R. Donaldson’s This Day All Gods Die. Despite the dire circumstances, each book will maintain a very special place in my memory in years to come. It was while working on them that I began to get well.

Still, recording one book in particular was hugely satisfying while I was in New York, and it’s the reason I’m talking about all this today. To help lay the scene, you should know that my diet used to be, in a word, awful. My background is that of, shall we say, a toxic omnivore: meals weren’t complete unless they contained meat, potatoes, grains and sugar, and all of it packaged and processed. And, as with many Americans, my diet had its consequences: by my early 40s I was carrying an extra fifty pounds, was constantly tired, and overall, felt like crap. It wasn’t the wisest lifestyle choice for someone diagnosed with Type I diabetes when I was nineteen, but again, when it came to junk food, I was dedicated.

Me, after working too hard, exercising too little, and eating the worst food imaginable.

I began mending my ways soon after recording The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, as well as his other books, The Botany Of Desire and In Defense Of Food. Michael’s writing about food is passionate and persuasive, and for the first time, after working on an audiobook, I found myself eating better. I passed along my thanks for the healthier eating habits and better health via email and Michael was so gracious; I imagine it was hardly the first time he’s heard such a thing, he must hear similar stories every day. It was a heady feeling, and I could scarcely imagine that another such experience was in my future–reading a book about food and health that would profoundly impact my life.

Enter my partner, Tess Masters: an actress and voiceover artist, as well as a longtime vegetarian and now Vegan who, on her website,healthyblenderrecipes.com, helps people maintain a healthy lifestyle with an awesome array of recipes, food allergy information, and advice. In addition, having read Dr. Young’s book, The pH Miracle, when it was first released in 2002, Tess had been living a high-alkaline lifestyle for ten years.

Tess met Dr. Young at a presentation at the Beverly Hills Library and learned of the success he’s had with Type I diabetics: an extraordinary number of them have been able to stop taking insulin after adopting this diet. Impresario that she is, Tess asked Dr. Young if they had an audiobook edition of The pH Miracle. When he said no, she suggested the possibility of him treating my diabetes, after which I would record his book. God bless him, Dr. Young handed over his business card and said, “Call me tomorrow.”

Finally a bit less of me, after adopting a high-alkaline diet. This is Tess and I at audiobook narrator Katy Kellgren’s wedding.

I ultimately spent a week at Dr. Young’s pH Miracle Center, and despite some initial doubts, my nightly insulin dosage dropped from nearly twenty units to just one after only three days. Amazingly, however, it just didn’t seem the right decision for me; at the time, it just didn’t feel right. And so, although I stayed vegetarian, I stopped adhering to the stricter guidelines Dr. Young suggests.

People kept asking me, “Why quit after such great results?” Well, there were a variety of reasons. One is that it was extremely difficult. As a dedicated meat-, wheat-, starches- and sugar-eater, I thought the diet was too much for me. Another, better reason is that I just hadn’t accepted the reality or the potential of the diet, despite the success I had seen in my own life. But I actually think there was a third, more vital reason why I didn’t stay on the program: the pain wasn’t bad enough.

Diabetes was horrible, yet it was the devil I knew: it was manageable. It also let me eat anything I wanted with little thought of consequence. After all, I could always take a little more insulin if I wanted something I shouldn’t have, right? I wasn’t happy with it, but diabetes wasn’t painful.

Then along came cancer.

Dr. Young began my treatment by performing a live blood analysis at the pH Miracle Center. Here he told me I had an extraordinarily strong immune system, then showed it to me with his microscope: I got to watch my white blood cells kicking the crap out of my cancer.

Other than environmental causes like exposure to radiation or living next to power lines, cancer seemed to be a result of things we do that we shouldn’t be doing, or not doing that we should. It is definitely a systemic disease, and while emergencies often call for operating on targeted areas of the body, a topical approach to a systemic illness has always seemed too risky for my money. For me, I would rather make lifestyle changes that would get rid of cancer instead of invasive surgery.

Which means the pain had finally become strong enough, I suppose. And despite the fact I hadn’t exactly embraced his program before, the moment he heard of my diagnosis, Dr. Young was as kind and supportive as a human being can be. When Tess called him in tears to tell him of my diagnosis, Dr. Young immediately invited us down to the Center; in fact, he told us the Center was full, but we could stay in his guest room. As someone who’s spent my entire adult life under the close supervision of health care practitioners, this is easily the kindest gesture I’ve ever received.

Extraordinary coincidences immediately started happening, yet I’ve never believed in that word; I’ve always thought coincidences were merely God trying to stay anonymous. Soon after I moved to New York, I heard from Hachette Audio: after discussing recording the title several times, it was finally time to do so–I would record The pH Miracle while Dr. Young was treating me for cancer.

A high-alkaline diet means cooking TONS of greens, a skill I never learned, but here I am taking a crash-course in the pH Miracle Center’s kitchen, on my way to becoming an expert. Thankfully no-one was harmed before or after the taking of this photo.

Dr. Young has been enthusiastic in helping me battle cancer, and several months later, I’m even more enthusiastic in my excitement to recommend his diet. I can tell you from personal experience: what you will hear in this audiobook works. How do I know?

Because after only thirty days on this program, my tumors were already shrinking.

It’s a source of great pride for me that I was asked to write an introduction to the audio edition of The pH Miracle, sharing my experiences and its effect on my cancer. Tess, who voices the portions of the book written from Shelley Redford-Young’s point of view, as well as the sidebars and success stories, is as thrilled as I am. Dr. Young’s program has had a profound impact on our lives, and we’re hopeful that the same can be said of any one of you who listen to the audiobook. Now five months into the program, my tumors continue to wither, and we foresee a cancer-free life in our very near future. I eagerly await the day when I’m labeled the latest pH Miracle.

For me, hearing of some far-distant person who had success with a cancer treatment was never quite so powerful as knowing someone for whom it worked. So for you who listen to this book, remember that what you hear isn’t merely optimism. The Youngs’ high-alkaline diet and lifestyle works.

You can hear a preview and purchase the audiobook here, on Audible.com. I hope you will. It’s an extraordinary story, and I want to share it with as many people as possible.

The pH Miracle is Robert and Shelley Young’s story, yes, but it is also my story. And most importantly, if you choose to put it into practice, it can be your story, as well.

Thanks for listening, and thanks as well for your prayers. God bless you all.

Scott Brick

More about → A Story Tellers Story

Reversing Type I Diabetes and Thyroid Cancer

June is "Audiobook Month", so I thought it only fitting that I feature my partner, Scott Brick, one of the most prolific audiobook narrators in the world, as my June Pig Of The Month. If you listen to audiobooks, you may have heard Scott narrating popular titles such as Money Ball, John Carter (A Princess of Mars), The Bourne Trilogy, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Sideaways, Atlas Shrugged, Blade Runner, I Robot, Mystic River, Helter Skelter, Patriot Games, In Cold Blood, the Dune Series, Ender’s Game, The Graduate, Frankenstein, Somewhere in Time, Fahrenheit 451, and many many more.

He has recorded over 600 titles for top authors such as Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Michael Crichton, John Grisham, Clive Cussler, Stephen J. Cannell, Nelson DeMille, Brad Meltzer, Harlen Coben, David Baldacci, Gregg Hurwitz, Orson Scott Card, Joseph Finder, Stephen R. Donaldson, Steve Berry, Philip K. Dick, Dennis Lehane, Douglas J. Preston, Lincoln Child, Ayn Rand, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson, among others. To date, Scott has won over 50 Earphone Awards, 2 Audie Awards. Yes, I am very proud!

If that isn't enough, 2012 has been even more amazing! Publisher’s Weekly named Scott their Audiobook Narrator of the Year for the second time, and he and his fellow cast members were nominated for a Grammy Award for their work on the multi-voice recording of THE MARK OF ZORRO with Val Kilmer. Scott also finished writing two books this year -- his first novel, a supernatural thriller based on an 18th-century murder in New England, and NARRATING AUDIOBOOKS BRICK BY BRICK, to be released later this year. You can see Scott interviewed about this on VO Buzz Weekly. 

I must admit, June is Audiobook Month is just a lovely excuse to feature my favourite person in the world. However, Scott’s personal journey with food is fascinating and inspirational, and I wanted to share it with you. When I met Scott, he was living on highly processed foods, coca cola, and a cocktail of over-the-counter drugs. Not the diet I would have expected from a Type 1 Diabetic! He was a walking heart attack waiting to happen. 

Enter Denise Chamberlain, or "Lady D" as we like to call her. I connected with her the day I met Scott. She and I were like sisters separated at birth, as we sat there sipping on our green smoothies and talking about alkaline living. I said, "Oh, you must have read the PH Miracle! That book changed my life. If I ever met Doctor Robert O Young I would lose the power of speech!" To which she smiled and responded, "Well, hold onto your heart, because Dr Young is my friend and neighbour. You will just have to come down and meet him!" After squealing like a giddy school girl and catching my breath, I started imagining what I would say to this man. I didn't have to wait long. I met him a week later at a presentation at the Beverly Hills Library. After meeting many Type 1 Diabetics that had eradicated their dependence on insulin after just 10 days of eating Dr Young's vegan alkaline diet, my mind started spinning. I had to get Scott down there!

With the force of thunder, I landed on Scott's doorstep at midnight like a woman possessed, with a signed copy of Dr Young's book, The PH Miracle For Diabetes, and a desperate plee to "save his life!" After I calmed down, and Scott read the book (!!) we were driving down to the PH Miracle Ranch in California, spending the week with Robert and Shelley Young, and Scott was beginning his life as a vegan alkalarian. What an inspiring journey it has been, and continues to be. We met so many people with cancer, diabetes, and other degenerative disorders who had returned to optimum health at the ranch. I was fortunate enough to spend the week in the kitchen with the alkaline chefs learning and soaking up the knowledge. What a treat THAT was! 

Anyway, I could go on and on. But, I will let Scott tell his story. All I will say is that I am blown away by Scott's willingness to open his mind to a new way of life, his relentless commitment to this new path of health and wellness, and the extraordinary power of live foods! Scott is almost insulin-free, and we dream of the day he doesn't have to "shoot up" every day, as he calls it. Scott, you are the smartest, kindest person I know, and I would be lost without you. You are the best friend I have ever had, and I am so grateful for your wisdom and generosity of spirit. Thankyou for sharing your story here. I love you........

Oh! One more thing.......As foodies, it may interest you to know that Scott narrated many of Michael Pollan's books such as, The Omnivore's Dilemma, The Botany Of Desire, and In Defense of Food, three of my favourite books about the ethics and politics of food. We must credit Michael for starting this process in Scott's Mind. When he told Michael he had finally become a vegetarian, and directed him to my website, I practially kacked myself!!!! LOL! 

54

Scott Brick

I didn’t have a nightmarish childhood by any means, but there was its share of hardship.  Job loss, divorce, that kind of thing; nothing traumatic, but I nevertheless took solace in food.  The idea of comfort food hadn’t been invented yet, at least in the pop culture lexicon, but food is definitely how I took comfort: lunches in high school were purchased in the snack bar, NOT the cafeteria, and was typically two of whatever was made by Hostess (Twinkies, Ding-Dongs, Fruit Pies, what have you), washed down by either Coke or Hawaiian Punch.  A hearty American meal, right?

So maybe it’s no surprise I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when I was nineteen years old; rather, I think the surprise is that it didn’t affect my eating habits all that much.  For a year or two I was good, I was even what you might call strict, but eventually I learned how to handle what I considered a normal sugar intake on insulin.  Plus, I had two doctors tell me the same thing: we don’t care how much sugar you eat, just make sure you’re eating a low-fat diet, in order to stave off long-term side-effects that in older generations typically resulted in the amputation of fingers or toes.  (Seriously, telling a diabetic that you DIDN’T CARE how much sugar he eats…?  I don’t blame them, I blame ME, but still, c’mon, have an ounce of common sense why don’t you?)

Still, for the first twenty years of my life after my diagnosis, my health was pretty decent, as was my weight.  However, about four years ago, my work life started having an effect.  I’m an audiobook narrator, so as you can imagine much of my life is spent sitting in a chair.  I work with thousand dollar microphones that can hear it when you bend your elbow, so trust me when I say there’s NO movement involved in my job, no healthy activity that might conceivably pass for exercise.  And I’m blessed to be in demand in my chosen profession, so I found myself working more and more hours.  Well, the more hours you work, the poorer your eating habits become, isn’t that a rule or a law somewhere?  And the more tired you are from work, the less you exercise, isn’t that a similar regulation?  Well, if not law, it was certainly the practice in my life.  In a year when I found myself working ten or twelve hours days, six (but more like seven) days a week, I suddenly found myself about thirty pounds heavier than I typically was.  Having spent most of my life at about 180-190 pounds, I suddenly found myself hovering at 216.  Oy.

I decided to try something new at New Year’s 2010 – I decided to try a fruit and vegetable cleanse.  Three weeks of living on basically only one category in the food pyramid was a wake-up call for me, but I survived, and lost sixteen pounds, putting me right at the two century mark.  Great start, I thought, but there was still work that needed to be done.  Well, 2010 was also the year I met Tess, a year that saw a wonderful amount of change in my life.  Dating a vegan was not something I’d expected to ever happen, yet I’ve always tried to embrace change rather than fear it, so I dove in feet first.  (Thank God I’d had that trial run of three weeks with only fruit and vegetables, it made my upcoming transition bearable, and far less of a shock.)

Tess introduced me to Dr Robert O Young and The pH Miracle, the vegan alkaline diet that is devoid of any type of food I’d been stuffing myself with for years, and extraordinarily effective with Type I diabetics, many of whom ultimately stopped taking insulin. I started out giving up meat; I was a vegetarian for several months before going "vegan."  It was an easier transition, I thought, less culture shock.  Then came the shift to being vegan, which wasn’t easy, I have to admit.  There were days when I was so exhausted that Tess said, “C’mon, let’s go to a restaurant and get you some fish.” I felt like an addict weaning myself slowly, rather than facing the agony of withdrawals.

And really, that’s what I was.  Food is by all means an addiction, as is any learned behavior.  I had to break myself of mine, and it hasn’t been easy, I’m the first to admit that.  Rather than craving meat, I found myself dreaming of grains, of rice or bread or please God just a handful of Wheat Thins.  Still, the body learned bad behavior over time, it can learn good behavior as well.  And without even trying to lose more weight, I lost a ton.  I got as low as 166, literally fifty pounds lighter than I’d been at my heaviest.  Weight was dropping off me like hot fudge off a sundae.

There finally came the day this past December when I found myself at the Southern California ranch of Dr. Robert O. Young, whose book THE PH MIRACLE has had such a profound impact on both Tess’ life and mine. I was excited to meet Dr Young, and I’d planned on being there a week and was really curious what kind of an impact the diet and exercise regimen would have on me by that end of that time.

A week? Not even! Within two days, I was down to a single unit of insulin a night, when my previous dosage was 25-30.  And that night’s dosage was taken more for comfort than out of necessity. Again, learned behavior; I was more comfortable dealing with the devil I knew than the one I didn’t.  Embracing change doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t scary.

Now, these many months later, I’m not off insulin completely; but I remain on a MOSTLY vegan alkaline diet, and I’m much happier.  Whereas my breakfasts used to consist of cereal and milk, or bacon and eggs, or doughnuts and orange juice, or a combination of all the above, my mornings are now spent blending something along the lines of spinach, cucumber, an avocado and two limes into a vegetable smoothie in our Vitamixand drinking it down.  Lunches at the studio, which used to be grilled cheese, hamburgers or burritos are now typically vegetable soups, salads, or the (very occasional) veggie-burger patty – no bun.  Dinners, which were never quite as bad as the Cheetos and beer I joke about with Tess – though yes, there were a few nights when it was popcorn and Coke – are more likely to be vegan salads, soups, stir-fried veggies, or even the occasional salmon salad or vegan fried rice! 

It’s so hard to recognize my life anymore.  I mean, who knew that the Junk-Food Kid’s splurge meal would suddenly become a salmon salad?  (Thank you, California Canteen, I am a convert!)

Tess often introduces me as a vegan, yet I feel guilty claiming to being such; so many vegans have made their choice based on passionate feelings about their fellow living creatures – the so-called Meat Is Murder vegans – while I am not that person.  I’ve made my decision because of health reasons, and am more addicted to fish than ever. In all truth I’d have to label myself a pescatarian with vegan tendencies. I will get there.....in time. Still, it’s a long way from the junk food junkie I used to be.  And it never would have happened without Tess. Not just her encouragement, but her example, and her website.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve turned to it to make my life easier. It never would have happened if I’d had to do it all on my own. I am also so grateful to Dr Young and his staff. His knowledge really opened my eyes to a new way of living that I will always be grateful for. I look forward to recording the audiobook of The pH Miracle, and continuing my work with him. 

If you’re someone who’s considering making such a change yourself, I won’t lie to you and say it’s been easy, or that it continues to be easy.  Yet I will tell you I’m grateful every day that I made the change. I remember the way I used to eat and all I can think is, that way lies madness.  And obesity.  And heart disease, tooth decay and an early grave. Thank God for Tess. On so many levels.

More about → Reversing Type I Diabetes and Thyroid Cancer

The Blender Girl and Scott Brick Narrate The pH Miracle

The Blender Girl narrates the audiobook of The pH Miracle with Scott Brick

By The Blender Girl on Feb 24th 2013

The last six months have been both challenging and magical for us. Certainly, life changing and inspiring. Those of you who frequent my facebook page would possibly have seen me promoting my involvement in The pH Miracle audiobook. This really was a passion project, and a story very close to my heart. You see, I lived this story...

My gorgeous partner, Scott Brick, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in August of last year. Whilst his prognosis for full recovery was excellent, it was, nevertheless, a sign that significant changes needed to be made, to not only his diet but the entire way he moved through the world. The fact is, he was working himself into an early grave, and this was a sign from the universe to SLOW DOWN!

Some of you may have read Scott's initial story of transformation when I featured him as myJune 2012 Pig Of The Month. Long story short, when I met Scott three years ago, he was a Type 1 diabetic living on a diet of TV dinners, sugary cereals, soda and processed foods. 

The day we met changed the course of our lives in more ways than we could imagine. Not only did we fall in love and start working together, but we also formed a close bond and lasting friendship with our beloved friend, Denise Chamberlain (who was co-ordinating the event where we met), who would, in turn, introduce us to Dr Robert O Young -- a relationship that would change the course of Scott's life and health forever. 

I had read Dr Young's first book, The pH Miracle, about ten years ago. It made a huge impact on me. The discovery of the power of alkalinity was literally a game changer for me and my health. (You can read more about my personal health story here.) So, when Denise revealed that Dr. Young was her friend and neighbour, I was literally giddy with excitement. 

So, when I met Rob and Shelley Young at an event a few weeks later, it was an epoch in my life. As I sat and listened to countless testimonials of insulin-dependent, Type 1 diabetics from all over the world who got up and courageously shared their personal stories of how Dr Young had helped them become insulin free, I became literally possessed. I was on a MISSION. I wanted Scott to become insulin free, and experience new health and vitality too! 

So, I don't know WHERE my balls of steel dropped from, but I marched up to Dr Young and boldy said, "Rob (yeah...he was suddenly my new BFF...in MY mind anyway) I see that you don't have audiobooks for your series. Scott Brick is the most prolific audiobook narrator in the world, and is also a Type 1 diabetic. He has narrated Michael Pollan's books, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, The Botany Of Desire, and In Defense Of Food, and would be perfect for your books! How about you cure Scott of diabetes, and in return he narrates all of your books with an audio forward -- 'This was Dr Young's story, this was my story, and this could be your story.'" My boldness immediately melted into utter terror as I realized the magnitude, peculiar assumed familiarity, and apparent insanity of what I was proposing. I quickly added, "Do you think I'm crazy?" As I stood there with my heart racing and palms sweating all the way down my pants, Dr Young looked me straight in the eye, handed over his business card, and cooly replied, "No. Call me tomorrow."

"YESSSSSSSS!"  As I sped through the streets of Beverly Hills like a stunt woman in a B grade Hollywood action movie, clutching a signed copy of The pH Miracle like an addict with their last hit, I screeched up at Scott's house at midnight and banged on the door with the force of thunder. We had been on two dates at this point! HA! AMAZING he didn't show me the hand. He doesn't go to bed until about 2AM every night. But anyway...

At warp speed (imagine the most annoying, helium-inhaled, high pitch, animated voice you can) I vomitted out my plot! He sat and indulged my hysteria with a wry smile on his face, encouraged by my enthusiasm for his health, but clearly confused as to what the hell I had promised. I finally drew breath. "So....will you call him......TOMORROW?"

He calmy responded, "No...I won't." WHAT???? I thought. "But, it could save your life!!!!" I blurted out with utter devastation. To which he replied with utter conviction and prudent wisdom, "I appreciate your concern, and am extremely touched. I don't feel comfortable calling Dr Young..." I cut him off..."Are you CRAZY?" He cut me off with a gentle raise of his hand, "BUT I WILL read the book." Silence... quickly broken by my desperate, whispered plee... "Now?" He gently responded with, "When I am ready." Those four words were a wake up call for me.

When HE was ready. I decided right then and there not to mention it again. I had already spent nine years in a relationship trying to rescue my alcoholic and prescription drug addicted husband to crawl out of the depths of denial. After five years of AL-ANON, I was not going to fall back into bad "rescuing" habits and dysfunctionality. 

About five weeks later, Scott came to me. "Yeah... it really makes sense. I want to go down there and give it a try." You can read more about Scott's visit to The pH Miracle Center in his Pig Of The Month story.  But, briefly, our stay there was hugely successful. Dr Young placed Scott's blood under the microscope and suggested a plan. I also engaged in live blood analysis. I tell you, you can't hide any sins! The blood doesn't lie. By looking at a droplet under a microscope, Dr Young preceded to tell me everything about my life: how much I exericsed, how much fluid I consumed, what foods I was eating etc. I also put me on a program of recovery. Turns out, you can always be healthier. 

Scott spent a week down at the ranch, while I spent a few days. I spent those days in the pH Miracle kitchen, getting a crash course in the principles of alkaline cooking, whereas Scott had alkaline IV unfusions, liquid chlorophyll colonics, hikes, morning yoga, daily consultations with Dr Young and the the consultants, and maintained a very strict vegan, alkaline detox diet consisting of only green liquids: Green Juices, Green Milk, Green Smoothies, and Green Soups.

After just three days, Scott had gotten down to one unit of insulin. He didn't need to take that one unit, he did it for security. I will let Scott tell his story, you can read it here in his blog post, but basically, he wasn't ready to give up the needles and the insulin security he had become used to for 20 years. He also wasn't ready to commit to being an alkalarian. So, he politely fled. To Dr Young's credit, he let him go, and we never recorded the audiobook. I was disappointed, when he had come so close to being insulin-free. But, I had to let him find his way on his own terms.

I continued preparing healthy vegan meals, and Scott maintained a mostly vegan diet that was highly alkaline for the next 9 months. Life continued...

Until a Monday in August, the 6th to be exact, when Scott came home with the devastating news that he had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer after a biopsy from a routine check up revealed malignant tumours. We weren't surprised, after a lifetime of diet and lifestyle abuse. However, it was a blow and a manageable challenge. The prognosis was excellent. Scott's doctors wanted him to have surgery immediately to remove his thyroid and the tumours. 

We knew of plenty of people who had the surgery and were living perfectly healthy lives, albeit on thyroid medication. However, we also knew of several people who had endured irrevocable damage to their vocal chords as a result of the surgery. A risk Scott, as a voice over artist, was not willing to take. He decided surgery would be the last option. However, he was willing to meet with a surgeon while he investigated other options.

After some tears and a breathless walk in the park, I flew into "fix it" mode and called Dr Young. He immediately answered the phone, and with me bawling my eyes out and coughing down the phone, Dr Young kindly invited us to come down to the ranch immediately to stay in the spare room of his house in order to treat Scott! Talk about generous. We were utterly blown away.

As we frantically packed our bags, I realized I was taking control again. So, I stopped and turned to Scott, and said, "How do YOU want to manage your illness?" He sat down, and said, "Can you call New York?"

Six months prior to this, a dear friend of mine had come to stay, and told us about a remarkable drug study being conducted in NYC for FDA approval. The results they were getting with all kinds of cancers was astonishing. I can't go into too much detail about the study due to confidentiality clauses. But, I made one phone call, and my friend got Scott in.

Scott decided he wanted to do BOTH treatments, the study and the diet. Within 48 hours, he was on a plane to NYC. Dr Young proceded to help Scott simulate a version of his protocol in NYC with some trusted colleagues. He introduced us to the remarkable Dr Cruz, who adminstered alkaline IV drips, and the amazing Tracy Piper from the Piper Center For Internal Wellness in Soho. As one of the top colon therapists in the country, she worked with Scott almost every day of the week. Scott also had iridology, lymphatic drainage massage, infrared saunas and counselling, while he also participated in the drug study every day. 

We lived in NYC for almost six months, during which time Scott continued recording audiobooks. I flew back and forth every couple of weeks. When I wasn't in town, the glorious Pamela Elizabeth and the team from her Blossom Du Jour restaurants made custom organic, alkaline, vegan meals and cold pressed green juices for Scott every week. 

Scott also flew back three times to have ultrasounds and thermal imaging done by Dr Young's colleague, the incomparable Dr Galina Mijalko. She was like our fairy godmother, guiding us with her gentle wisdom, and keeping us grounded and hopeful. After just 30 days, Scott's tumours and inflammation had decreased dramatically. We were thrilled. After 60 days, more reduction. We were also fortunate enough to meet with Dr Mark Urken, one of the top throat surgeons in the country as a precaution. "No stone uncovered" as they say. But, you can read or listen to Scott's story in more detail here. 

During our stay in NYC, we were fortunate to be guests of the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge NYC on West 32nd Street for over five months. The staff there were extraordinary, and we met some incredibly courageous familes from all over the country while they were also undergoing treatment. I will never forget walking the streets of NYC the night before Hurricane Sandy without another human being in front of Madison Square Garden. A surreal experience.

Then, in December, when Scott was almost cured, we finally recorded the audiobook for The pH Miracle at theHachette Audio studios in Manhattan. It was an emotional project for us. We will always be proud of this book. Thankyou to Anthony Goff, Jon Klemm, and our delightful engineer, Charles McCrorey for making this happen, and for making this book such a joy to work on. 

We hope you will listen to it. It was a life changing read for us, and I hope it will be for you too. You can also get aprint copy of the book. 

The latest update: Scott's latest PET scan showed no activity. We have moved back to L.A, and Scott is heading to Dr Young's ranch today for a few weeks to continue treatment just to make sure he is all clear. We will record the remaining books in The pH Miracle series later this year.

We hope that by sharing our story we can help and inspire just one person that you CAN change your life with the power of whole foods, good doctors, and hope.

When I met Scott, he was a Type 1 diabetic, 50 pounds overweight, and eating processed junk foods. If he can start drinking green smoothies, green juicing, making almond milk, etc - ANYBODY can. WHAT a turn around.

I love him, and am SO inspired by his commitment, courage, and grace during this challenging time. Please listen to, or read his story, and share it. It was a really big deal for him to share this story publicly after keeping it private for six months. But, when the book was released with his audio forward, there was such an outpouring of emotion and gratitude that we knew we needed to share this story on a much larger scale.

We really hope it can help.  

"Let Food Be Thine Medicine" Hippocrates

Dr Young, we will be forever grateful. 

To order the pH Miracle Audio Book go to: http://www.amazon.com/The-pH-Miracle-Balance-Reclaim/dp/B00AVGGFP2/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1361869479&sr=1-1

More about → The Blender Girl and Scott Brick Narrate The pH Miracle