Donna Lawson is a mother, grandma, and teacher. Lawson had an extensive career in teaching and leadership, as she began teaching in 1984 as a special education teacher. Her career led her to become Senior Director at the Columbia Baptist Church Child Development Center. It was then that Lawson faced disastrous symptoms that would take over her everyday life. Over the next 10 years, Lawson would fight uncontrollable coughing, shortness of breath, mouth sores, and inflammation. After relentlessly battling these symptoms every day, it was time she took these warning signs seriously.
From 1999 to 2006, Lawson would go on to visit multiple physicians. They would question her, because how could she be so sick if she was still good enough to work? The truth is, she wasn’t. She began to experience “brain fog”, couldn’t teach properly, forgot tasks for meetings, experienced depression, and anxiety. However, every doctor said the same thing: “I do not know what is wrong with you,” Lawson claims,” but I am prescribing this medication.” Enough was enough!”
Between 2007 and 2008, Lawson was in and out of the emergency room; she was finally diagnosed with Lupus
alongside HIV; however, with disease comes medicine. Lawson began to fight off side effects daily, including diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, decreased appetite, weight loss, and high blood pressure. Lawson claims that with these side effects, “It is even more important that I eat sufficient fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, pasta, and several meals daily.”
Donna Lawson has firsthand experience of the benefits of foods on the body and how they can be used to heal. Providing essential nutrients will boost the immune system, which will aid in recovery and, most importantly, prevent further complications. The correct diet will not solve the issue and be the cure.
However, it may be the cure to living a happy and productive life again.
Sources:
Food and friends: https://foodandfriends.org/
Food is Medicine: https://odphp.health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/food-medicine