Member-only story
Healing in the Jungle
I was sick, and now I’m healed.
Two years ago I came to Manu, in the Amazon jungle of Peru. I had rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease, and came to heal with the medicinal plants of the jungle.
RA causes inflammation of the tissue and joints, resulting in pain and fatigue. RA gets worse over time, and eventually causes bone erosion and joint deformity.
My doctor told me if I didn’t start medication right away, I could be in a wheelchair soon.
Western medicine sees RA, and all autoimmune diseases, as incurable.
Prior to coming to Peru, my life had fallen apart. Twice.
First when I got diagnosed with RA in 2011. And then a couple of years later when my marriage fell apart. For I had changed. I was no longer the energetic, adventurous woman when I first got married.
I felt dead inside. My whole body hurt and I was paralyzed with fear. Fear of my body deteriorating, fear of the future, fear of what my life had become.
It seemed that overnight my life changed from an active life of rock-climbing and hiking to barely being able to climb stairs. In reality, this disease had been slowing creeping up on me for years, until I had a flare that was debilitating.
