A few years ago, I was diagnosed with delayed pressure urticarial (DPU)- a condition whose pathogenesis is unknown. This condition causes parts of your body to swell up from any direct pressure. Carrying a backpack makes your shoulder swell. Gripping a screwdriver makes your fingers swell, making it impossible to hold a coffee mug. A friendly slap on the back will later swell up. Practically any form of exercise or physical labor is out of the question.

I was seen by the best doctors in Richmond and The Research Triangle who specialize in this rare condition. I learned there is no known cure for DPU and that it could last anywhere from a few years to the rest of my life. And while they had no idea how to cure it, they were more than willing to continue experimenting with various drug cocktails to reduce my symptoms.

An allergist put it to me simply by saying, “You are having an allergic reaction to something inside your body. Basically, you’re allergic to yourself.” 

When I relayed my story to Unique during a visit to the west coast, she listened very carefully. Realizing that masking my symptoms was not a sustainable solution, she suggested that I detoxify my body. Her plan was to take a methodical path towards flushing my organs clean while finding ways to increase my movement in order to exercise again.

In addition to setting me up with a four week cleanse, she told me to drink lots of fluids and cut out processed foods - wheats, sugars and alcohol. I also started going to a steam room once a day. If anything, I was going to sweat this disease out. After the first week, I stopped taking any medication, include the steroids. I kept them in my pocket in case of an outbreak. But as it turned out, I never needed them again. Over the course of the next month, I began low-impact cardio exercises, slowly working my way back up to jogging and even lifting weights. Soon, the weight I had gained from taking steroids came off and the swelling went away completely. The potential life-sentence of DPU the doctor committed me to had been wiped clean.

To say Unique altered the quality of my life is an understatement. The habits she helped me form not only dramatically improved my physical body, but my outlook on life as well. To this day, should I ever feel a slight tingling of my fingers or feet, I remember what Unique taught me – I reduce my sugar intake, eat cleaner, work out more and get rest. Obvious stuff to stay healthy. But in my case, it means so much more.

Richmond, VA.