Client Testimonials

“My wife and I recently did a 6 month program with Danielle and it has made a world of difference for each of us personally and for our family as a whole. Working with Danielle allowed my wife and I to meet our personal goals (weight loss, overall health, peace of mind, etc.). We met all the goals we began with. The biggest impact through Danielle’s program centered around knowing the truth about healthy living. Rather than look solely at calories of a product, Danielle taught my wife and I how to look past simple labels and understand where food comes from, how different foods impact our bodies, how the combinations of certain foods are critical, etc. It truly has changed the way we look at eating. The program has also helped with our children. Building these habits and applying them at a younger age I am convinced will help my kids grow healthier, be happier and live longer.

I highly recommend Danielle to anyone who desires to transform their life to healthy living."

“After struggling with numerous health issues including severe fatigue, fuzzy thinking, allergies, migraines every week, and joint pain for the last few years, I decided that I needed to make a change. I saw several doctors and two nutritionists with limited results and I began to think that I would have to live with these issues. Fortunately, my doctor invited me to attend a presentation given by Danielle in his office. After hearing her speak I was immediately draw into the fact that she was able to overcome some of the same health issues that I had been struggling with. I returned home excited about the prospect of possibly addressing my health concerns with Danielle and I decided, with my partner Sue, to have a consultation with her before starting a wellness program. After the consultation both of us were anxious to start the program. We felt comfortable communicating over the phone and scheduling sessions that fit into our schedules. Within a few weeks of starting the program, I never would have imagined that I would have such great results. I immediately began to lose excess weight and, as I continued the program over the next three months, I had some amazing results. My fatigue has almost been eliminated, I am off 8 medications including my allergy medications, I think clearer, have fewer joint pains, and have reduced my migraine headaches, even going for five weeks without a migraine. In addition, I have lost 20 lbs and I continue to feel healthy.”

“As Donna's partner, I thought I was going along for the ride and that even though I had some health issues I was planning to do this as a supportive partner. Who knew that in three months I would have more energy, better mental clarity, a reduction in hot flashes, a reduction of cold sores, softer skin, and even lose 15 lbs. Thanks to Danielle I have gained a better understanding of the relationship of food to a better quality of life. Both Donna and I have worked with other nutritionists but had little success in improving our health issues. Working with Danielle was a wonderful experience and we truly enjoyed the way she addressed our health concerns. We were very impressed with her wealth of knowledge as well as her ability to explain important concepts about nutrition. I continue to learn and enjoy spending time in the kitchen trying out new recipes. This has been a life changing process and we both look forward to continuing to learn about life, love, and food.”

— Donna DeNoble & Sue Henderson, Asbury Park, NJ

“My health problems began in 2005 when I was in a terrible car accident. My immediate injuries included whiplash and a concussion. About two weeks after the accident, I noticed I had consistent pain in my lower back and legs. Thus began a five year journey of pain management therapy that included every possible narcotic and countless injections and nerve ablations of my lower back and legs. I never had absolute relief from pain during this time. At the end of 2009, I completely stopped responding to Oxycodone. I was in pain constantly and miserable. On top of that, I was a full time college student trying to get through finals. My pain management doctor put me on Percocet, which unleashed even more issues – sweating, itching and stomach problems. I started experiencing hypoglycemia as a result of constant nausea and not wanting to eat. My last semester of college grew more and more difficult.

In the spring of 2010, my pain management physician finally realized that I might have fibromyalgia. He referred me to a rheumatologist who confirmed the diagnosis and also observed that I was in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis as well. He prescribed me Savella and after just a few days all my pain was gone! I was beyond thrilled and felt like I could start to live again. However, my hopes were again dashed when I started experiencing severe hypertension from the Savella – my blood pressure was running 200/100 (or higher!) at times and I was also tachycardic (my pulse was racing constantly). I was trying to run a small business and there were times where I felt like I could have a stroke at any moment. I had to be prescribed beta-blockers to ensure that didn’t happen. At 22 years old, I felt my life slipping away yet again.

When my primary physician recommended Danielle, I was at the end of my figurative rope. I felt she would be a good resource, knowing what it was like to battle these symptoms and having succeeded! Even more, her solution didn’t include more medications. From my first conversation with her, I knew she could help me. I took everything she said very seriously and was diligent in following her advice and recipes. Within the first week, I began to detox and start to feel alive again.

As time progressed, I lost weight, lowered my blood pressure and resting heart rate to normal levels, and began to have a new appreciation for my body and the healing power of food. I became obsessed with eating greens and fresh vegetables and learned more than I ever thought possible. One of the hardest parts of having fibro is combating the fatigue. I have now learned to channel the energy within my food and also how to eat to encourage healing and discourage and eliminate inflammation.

After six years of desperation, I now feel like I can live. My fears about my health further deteriorating are gone and I am now looking forward to my wedding next fall and the new home my fiancé and I are building. Ultimately, we both look forward to having healthy children that we can pass this knowledge on to.”

— Michael Mary Tarala, Washington, DC 

“Danielle has completely changed the way we think about food. Before knowing Danielle, our diets were heavy in processed foods of all kinds. Especially enlightening has been the education that we received on the importance of organic and raw foods. Without a doubt we both feel much better now after changing our eating habits. We have both lost weight and Matt’s cholesterol is under control. Our kids are eating healthier, too, as a result! We even got Kim’s Mom on a gluten-free diet, vastly improving her digestion issues. Danielle is fun, informative, and will cause you to totally re-think all you thought you knew about food!”

— Matt and Kim Martin, Montgomery, TX

“I recently did a 3-month program with Danielle. I had turned to her out of frustration that while I watched what I ate and got exercise, as I've hit my 40's, my weight had started creeping up a little every year. The more I read about how I should be eating, the more confused I got.

I kept a food diary throughout my program, and Danielle would assess and discuss it with me, in addition to providing reading materials and giving me information in our phone sessions. I have a busy life and career, and had never really stopped to think about how food made me physically and mentally feel after I'd consumed it. I thought I ate pretty healthily in comparison to most people: I don't eat fried or fast food; I limit animal products; and I avoid packaged foods.

After just one week I discovered some life-changing things with Danielle's help. I had a number of food allergies and intolerances that were dragging me down, making me feel tired and anxious, even clouding my short-term memory. I also discovered that while I thought I was eating a healthy, balanced diet, I was actually eating quite a bit of processed food. Because I work long hours, I had fallen into relying on bread and frozen veggie burgers, and not getting enough actual vegetables. I discovered that wheat and things with gluten are what were giving me headaches, and that buzzing, fuzzy feeling in my brain. I realized that caffeine really did a number on my stomach and was keeping me from having deep, restful sleep. Certain vegetables (raw tomatoes, who knew?!) caused stomach upset.

While working with Danielle and making adjustments as we figured out what foods were causing me problems, I lost 13 lbs that I have been able to keep off. I now sleep better, have eliminated the headaches and the stomach issues, and feel better than I have in years. Getting this area of my life figured out has given me the foundation from which to start making other, more significant adjustments that are improving my quality of life both physically, and mentally. It was an incredible experience, so easy to do, and I highly recommend doing a program with her.”

— Susanne Reece, New York City, NY

"I’ve been on a strict Candida diet for 1 ½ years now and though I was getting better, I was constantly on programs that required tons of supplements and were extremely expensive. I was also eating the same foods day after day.

Approximately six months ago I made my decision to commit to Danielle’s program. I promptly received my binder from Danielle. I immediately knew that a great deal of time and care went into my program.

Danielle suggested I stop most of the supplements, which I slowly did and haven’t looked back. Danielle believes that we can be cured with our diet. She has been very instrumental in expanding my diet with new foods and delicious recipes.

Our phone appointments are very in depth and never rushed. Danielle is extremely easy to talk to and very passionate about her work. She is very knowledgeable and has answered all of my questions. She has also sent me articles on the topics we’ve discussed. One of our lessons was on the benefits of juice fasting which is now a regular part of my life."

— Rob, Asbury Park, NJ

"Upon meeting Danielle at a local health fair I sensed that she was a caring, intelligent person who was genuinely concerned with helping individuals improve their health situations. During the six months she counseled me on holistic health and nutrition my initial impression of her was confirmed.

The sessions were very informative and included a trip to the health food store, cooking sessions, and instruction in juicing. Danielle prepared handouts and DVDs for use in between sessions that greatly increased my understanding of nutrition and the effects of my food choices on my body. She made specific suggestions of foods to avoid and foods to add to my diet to improve the conditions of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.

After implementing her suggestions for a few months I was no longer anemic and realized that I had renewed energy and interest in life. Some of the benefits experienced were reduced cravings for sweets, no acid reflux, lowered cholesterol, weight loss, and improved blood sugar levels. More importantly I am feeling more alive, energetic, and interested in pursuing new activities thanks to implementing dietary changes suggested by Danielle’s teaching and counseling.

The information she provided is neatly arranged in a notebook that I can review at any time and includes delicious, nutritious recipes. The entire experience was interesting, educational, and fun. I highly recommend her course to anyone who desires to increase their understanding of the role food plays in our lives and to improve their health through modifying their diet."

— Ginger Specian, Longview, TX

"We heard Danielle speak at a Healthy Woman seminar and everything she said made sense to us. We had gotten into a rut with our meals and decided to talk to her. She showed us what we were eating was not the best for us and showed us how to change our diet. We have started eating more greens and vegetables and both of us are feeling better. We have both lost weight, which to us is a plus since we don't feel like we are on a diet. I would say that the best thing we have done is to work with Danielle on our diets and would recommend her to anybody."

— Ted and Joanne Sparks, Longview, TX 

“I have been working with Danielle for about 6 months. Prior to finding her, I had lived a fairly healthy lifestyle. In my mid 40s I remain thin but muscular, and enjoy weightlifting and yoga. Living in Mississippi, I considered myself a healthy eater compared to others around me. I loved yogurt, granola, salads, and avoided red meat, barbecue and fried catfish. My diet sounded good on paper! However, as a busy mother of 4 and a newlywed, my day started with strong coffee that left me crashing hours later. Every afternoon I needed a pick-me-up in the form of more coffee, or my favorite vice - chocolate chips and peanut butter. Most nights ended with a glass of red wine (or 2) that left me sluggish in the morning and needing strong coffee (thus my cycle of trying to stay alert!).

My only physical complaints had really just become part of my life. I had struggled with a very unpredictable digestive system for most of my adult life. After a long series of tests to rule out Crohn’s disease, doctors chalked it up to IBS and prescribed drugs. On top of those issues, there was the never-ending sinus drainage and upper respiratory infections. I was told to take Zyrtec every night for the rest of my life and use steroid nasal spray. I couldn’t go anywhere without a tissue in my pocket. Living with constant sinus drainage makes one feel like they live in a bubble; and that’s how I felt – constant brain fog and trying to wake up!

A friend of mine worked with Danielle after being diagnosed with cancer. I was amazed how ‘good’ she reported feeling, despite being ‘so sick’. I was intrigued and contacted Danielle. After my first food diary and conversations with Danielle, I realized that my food choices were determining my health – gut, sinuses, brain fog and all. It became quickly apparent that I had some serious food intolerances. With Danielle’s help, I embarked on a whole-foods elimination diet, avoiding the main allergenic foods. We also concentrated on my blood type and how that affected my digestion. Danielle was a wealth of knowledge and taught me not only what to avoid, but also what to feed my body for vibrant health. Beyond that she gave me the theory behind the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of foods instead of just giving me a list of what to eat. That helped me actually understand what we were trying to accomplish.

Fast forward 6 months and I live a life without tissues and Zyrtec! The foods I loved; yogurt, red wine, granola, though all relatively good foods, were not good for me. Once they (and many other foods) were replaced with foods my body could thrive on, the fog lifted. On top of that, no more crashing – I have a steady stream of energy, and much more stable moods (haven’t had PMS symptoms in months). As for my gut distress, it is under control. It’s amazing to have confidence in my body and know how to self-correct if I do choose something my body doesn’t like. That is the greatest gift that Danielle could have given me!

Probably my favorite moment of my journey was when my husband commented on how much smoother my hair and skin felt. My friends already thought I was strange avoiding the stereotypical southern meals, but now I really stand out in a crowd, and am proud of it. Through the journey, Danielle made herself completely available and gently guided me. She has given me control over my body and my life, and the lesson has been invaluable.”

— Elizabeth Guice, Hattiesburg, MS

“Before I can really tell you what it was like to work with Danielle, I need to tell you a little bit about myself. I was 40 years old and it was January 4, 2010 when I heard the devastating words, over the phone no less, that yes you have invasive breast cancer. How could this be? I am young. I had never had anything wrong with me. I had never had surgery, I had never been in the hospital except to deliver 2 perfect babies, I had never been very sick, I worked out, I had just ran my first half-marathon, I played tennis regularly, I THOUGHT I ate healthy, and I was not overweight. I had been living a fairly blessed life, no thanks to how I had been treating my body.

The first thing I did was start plowing through all sorts of information on the internet trying to figure out how I had gotten cancer. There must be some reason I speculated. I didn’t have a family history. I had tested negative for the gene that puts you at high risk for breast cancer. I decided that it had to be environmental or diet related. Therefore, I started making radical changes in my life. I was trying anything that I thought was not harmful and had any chance of being helpful. One of those changes was trying to eat better. The truth though was that I was very overwhelmed with what BETTER meant. I had been reading many good books and making progress, but I didn’t know if I was doing it right. Remember, I had thought I ate healthy prior to getting my cancer diagnosis.

I felt like I needed an expert in the area of nutrition to help point me in the right direction. I had started working with an alternative, environmental physician who believed that you needed to eat healthy, but he had just told me to rotate my food. I also consulted with a dietician at the hospital where I was being evaluated, but honestly she just said that the books I was reading were good and that I seemed to be doing the right things and to keep it up and take a multi-vitamin. I just knew there had to be more that I could do.

It was at that point that I remembered that a friend I had in high school was a holistic nutritional counselor. At the time I didn’t really know what this meant, but I went to her website and looked around and was impressed by what she had accomplished in healing herself as well as the work she had done in educating herself, becoming a whole foods chef, and establishing herself and her company by helping others heal through food and nutrition. Knowing that there are people out in the world who are just looking to make money and not really helping others I thought Danielle would be a good place to turn because I felt I could trust her to want to help me and not just someone trying to sell me some supplements...and I was right! I was also right that even though I was trying harder to eat healthy, I was still not making all the right choices. My first food diary that I sent to Danielle came back looking like a bloody mess from all the corrections and notes she had made on it! I had fallen into the trap of substituting health store junk food for the previous junk food I ate and also making choices that might be healthy for others but not for a person with cancer. Danielle also helped me to link together some of my less obvious health issues like sinus problems, allergies with mold, and possible systemic candidiasis into a timeline of how I probably came about to get cancer.

Danielle is a wealth of knowledge. She also genuinely cares about people and about making those people and the world we live in better. She was able to share so many insights about whole natural foods and schools of thought about treating cancer. She worked with me to decide what route would be best for me, my cancer, and my current lifestyle and what would work synergistically with other alternative and allopathic treatments I wanted to use. She provided so much material to read and learn and guided me to other experts and books to further this learning. I am still referring back to these things as I work to become even better at living a whole foods lifestyle and attempting to keep my cancer at bay.

I have been living this new healthy eating lifestyle for over a year now. I obviously falter at times, but when I do I just refer back to the information that Danielle has given me or I cook one of the great recipes that she gave me...and there are a lot of them! I have had so many positive changes in my health from this way of living. My skin improved, I lost fat in areas I thought I couldn’t lose it, I felt mentally sharper, my cold hands and feet went away, energy is greater, wake up feeling rested, my nails and hair never looked better, my eyelids stopped drooping, and I felt the best I had felt in my life! These results even spilled over to my family as I was obviously cooking for them too and my husband lost weight and was taken off of his blood pressure medication.

In the end, I chose to have chemotherapy as a way of debulking my cancerous tumor as my cancer was aggressive and I didn’t feel I had the time to let food alone be my medicine. I do still feel that food alone can work but you do need the time to commit to that lifestyle and I did not have it with 2 young kids and a new job at the time. Danielle was great in helping me choose to lead the life I needed to at the time while advising me of the affects this might have on my cancer.

I have just completed my chemo regimen and it went remarkably well. A lot of the improvements that I had gained from months of healthy eating were overcome by the toxicity of the chemotherapy but I know they will be back now that my chemo is over and I can start gradually ridding myself of those toxins. The months of healthy eating and living did still help with my chemo because I actually never lost all of my hair and was not very sick during most of the treatment. This was all quite shocking for my nurse and oncologist and he even remarked that he had never seen anyone go through this chemo regimen without losing their hair! I do credit this to the healthy eating and juicing that Danielle helped me with, but I must also give credit to the alternative physician that I worked with to detoxify before starting treatment and I also worked with a naturopath during treatment to help shore up any deficiencies that chemo might cause and to keep my immune system healthy while the chemo did its job. Supplements are not the magic bullet, but they can help in certain instances such as overcoming the great toxicity of chemotherapy when maybe you cannot eat enough of the good food you need. Also, my naturopath has been very impressed with many of the healthy foods I already eat such that she has not had to advise me really on diet since Danielle and I had already done all of the work!

So, I say to anyone out there looking to get healthy, stay healthy, prevent disease, or cure a disease that I truly believe you are what you eat. Danielle is highly educated, she is current and informed, she is trustworthy, and she cares about you as a person. She is someone who still reaches out to check on me and to offer advice about my health. She is a beautiful human being and a friend. I now attempt to celebrate life and eat to nourish my body and my soul. I now realize that I am very blessed! I am blessed to have a wonderful family, to have great friends, to be on the road to a full recovery and have my health back, and to have supportive experts in my corner like Danielle. She is someone that you should call on to help you start your journey to better health!”

— Tabitha Haigwood Kavalew, Houston, TX

“I was experiencing a lot of fatigue, some pain and generally not feeling well. I had tried changing my diet on my own, but came to the conclusion that I really needed some professional guidance. I know Danielle from graduate school so I contacted her for advice. She helped me analyze my current diet and we immediately made some changes. Through her advice, coaching, guidance and demonstrations (she showed me how to juice and took me shopping at a health food store), I was able to make some immediate changes in my diet and began to feel better almost immediately. She also spent a lot of time teaching me the theory of food. That is, how the food you eat has a direct impact on your emotional and mental well being. I learned a lot from Danielle and will continue to seek out her advice.”

— Mitch Kent, New York City, NY and Philadelphia, PA

"I have been consulting with Danielle Heard, MS, HHC (her company, Artemis in the City) with the goal to eliminate all my medications and to lose a few pounds. After evaluating my then current diet, Danielle made diet change recommendations and lo and behold it worked! I have been able to eliminate all my medications by adopting a more healthy diet.

In the first week after adopting her recommendations, I eliminated the Nexium I was taking for my acid reflux disease. I had been on this medication for more than a year and have had NO incidents of reflux since beginning the new diet in late October 2010.

I then saw my doctor for my regularly scheduled annual physical in early November and my blood pressure, with medication, had already fallen to 110/74. After a gradual reduction in dose, I am no longer taking the Lisinopril and my blood pressure is in the neighborhood of 120/74. I was also able to lose about 10 pounds and am at my life-long stable weight of 165.

Finally, and most dramatic, was that I no longer needed the Naproxen to control the inflammation in my knees. Off and on over several years, I had been experiencing debilitating pain in my knee joints which prevented me from bicycling and hiking, and at one point from being able to walk more than a few hundred feet. The need for the Naproxen left me in the second week of the new diet and I have regained confidence in my knees to the point that I am again back on the bike and able to run on rough terrain, all the while free of pain and able to “trust” my knees.

I had no idea that my supposed relatively “healthy diet” was so directly connected to my several medical conditions for which I was taking medications. I hate taking medicine, and I have such peace of mind knowing that I can actively impact my health by paying attention to what I eat—and don’t eat. Danielle’s recommendations were spot on and there is no way I could have done this without her help. Her diet recommendations are counter-cultural, and I am eating much differently than I did, but I cannot go back, knowing that my health and wellbeing depend so intimately on what I eat."

— John Norris, Longview, TX

"When a person learns they have cancer they are never the same. I learned I had cancer and then it was by good fortune a friend introduced me to Danielle. Trying to take care of cancer with lifestyle changes looked a lot better than jumping into cancer treatment with conventional medicine where there is limited choice. Conventional medicine will treat a cancer but there does not seem to be any lifestyle changes addressed to keep a cancer or other disease from coming back. The exception may be when a person is treated for lung cancer or other cancer attributed to smoking or tobacco use. Conventional medicine calls a person cured after a certain number of years with no new progression or new cancer found. Many times we have known people who ‘had’ cancer were treated and ‘cured’ only to have it come back.

Danielle started me on a new path of nutrition and we studied different methodologies about nutrition while following a holistic approach to eating, food choices, preparation, storage, shopping and most importantly juicing.

As soon as I started to do the things recommended by Danielle I was losing weight, feeling good and getting a new energy level. I did have to have cancer surgery because of an aggressive form of cancer caused by Agent Orange exposure during my combat tour in Vietnam. However I truly feel that the holistic approach to health will keep me from getting any other maladies caused by Agent Orange or other environmental factors we all are exposed to on a regular and daily basis.” (Note: Chuck worked to strengthen his immune system and lost 20 pounds prior to his surgery which has helped him achieve the results he wanted and endure and heal successfully from surgery.)

— Chuck Overbeck, Gladewater, TX

"I have been diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) since I was a freshman in college in 1997. Over the past twelve years I have been in and out of the hospital even though I was taking all of the prescribed medication. During this same time frame, I have become aware of certain foods that consistently cause my condition to worsen. Each year that goes by usually adds a few more foods to the avoid list, but still have not managed to completely control my disease. After meeting with Danielle, I was impressed that she could identify almost every food I should avoid that it has taken me over twelve years to discover.

While I have been able to identify foods that cause my condition to worsen, I have been less successful at finding foods that are beneficial. Because of the fact that she had been able to accurately single out what foods I should avoid, I trusted that the foods she recommended to be beneficial would indeed be helpful. I have added these foods into my regular diet, and have been feeling great. I have also noticed an increase in energy at the office.  My job is very demanding (process engineer) and it is important for me to be able to work very long hours when necessary.”

— Michael Matlock, Oklahoma City, OK

"My name is Brenda Buck and I’ve been working with Danielle since April 9, 2009 after meeting during the Women in Longview Day. At the time of our meeting I had a resistant skin rash over a large part of my body and felt my health was deteriorating for quite some time. It was gradual, but over the prior 2-3 years I noticed cuts and bruises would not heal, my joints were aching, I was constantly tired, my blood pressure was soaring, and headaches everyday were becoming the norm. I was with a physician for over 6 months trying to lower my blood pressure and investigate the resistant skin rash. So, by the time I met Danielle I knew things had to change in my life. I just didn’t know how much change was in store!

I was in a bit of denial and quite skeptical when we began, but really felt I had nothing to lose. Even though I was detached emotionally for the first few weeks, I was dedicated to the program. She helped me understand the role of food in my everyday nutritional needs. We quickly focused on trouble areas and worked toward making life changes. Easy? Good grief, NO! This was incredibly difficult for me, but I felt Danielle’s encouragement every step. She taught me about whole foods, new meal choices, cooking skills, and life long eating habits among so many other things.

I’m happy to say I feel wonderful after only 4 months. It’s amazing! I’m no longer a skeptic, but a full believer. My skin has already healed. My joints no longer hurt. Bruises and cuts heal so fast. My blood pressure has dramatically decreased and stabilized, without medication. I’m not fatigued…and for me this was big. Some wonderful “side effects” are no more food cravings and I feel completely satisfied after eating.

I know my nutritional journey is not finished, but I’m so excited about the difference already. Honestly, I didn’t know how bad I felt until now feeling so good! This journey with Danielle is not for the faint of heart, but it’s for those who want to live and not just survive his or her life. Definitely…it’s for those who want to TRULY LIVE! I feel wonderful for the first time in many years. Best wishes on your own journey.” (Update: Brenda has lost over 22 pounds and has not been sick in 18 months!)

— Brenda Buck, Longview, TX

"I have known Danielle since we were children. I never dreamed that she would end up playing such a vital role in my life.

When Danielle began her website and gave me a bit of information on what she was doing as a health counselor, I found what she said to be interesting. I have had issues with weight, heart and stomach, along with depression and mental fuzz.

I wanted to support Danielle, but didn't realize at the time what an impact it would have on me, and those I know. I knew that I could trust Danielle, and I know that she is sincere in whatever she does.

We began the program, focusing on the areas of my life that needed improvement. Over the period of six months, we covered a lot of material. But the way it was presented...line upon line, it was not overwhelming or confusing. She has been a great teacher, with patience, in-depth explanations of diet and health, and love.

I had to change, little by little, the way I ate. I began to make lists of what I would need to experiment with recipes, and eat in a way that would be friendly to me, and friendly to our earth. It is working. And to add to the benefit, the cost of my food supply has decreased. I simply eat fresh.

I had come to the conclusion that I was simply becoming heavier, and my clothes must be donated to a good cause, and I would need to literally expand my wardrobe. It didn't turn out that way. The more I learned and practiced what I was taught, the more I noticed an increase in energy, an interest in my health, and weight coming off my frame. I am able to not only fit into my clothes, but they are loose. This is not a fad, or a flash in the pan, it is a lifestyle. My health gradually improved and weight gradually came off. I feel good and I know I will continue feeling better.

I would advise anyone to be patient and honest with themselves. Danielle's knowledge and teaching style are full of love. You can feel it from her, and you can taste it in the recipes that she prepares. Even though I live so far away, she made great efforts to provide me with her samplings.

I would also advise anyone looking for a change to not focus on a dollar amount, for what I've been given is priceless. I have had a complete change of attitude, strength and understanding.”

Thank you Danielle! (Update: John lost over 50 pounds during his 6 month program! He has continued to lose weight and has lost 70 pounds. Click here to read John's success story and view his before and after photos. Since John's success story was written he has gone on to lose more weight and has lost a total of 92 pounds. Now he frequently enjoys mountain biking, hiking and other physical activities that he couldn't do before and only needs to take one medication instead of 11!)

— John Gillespie, Denver, CO

"Hello. My name is Michelle Cook. I am a type A overachiever. I have always worked, even when I am not in an office setting. If I am not working, I am going to school or teaching. I have been hard on myself, guilt ridden in fact, and when I am unable to live up to the goals in my head, I emotionally destroy myself with the physical side effects soon to follow.

In 2005, I contracted the Epstein Barr Virus. Six months and four doctors later when I finally got a doctor to listen to me, without his eyes glossing over, I got the full diagnosis: EBV, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Thyroid Disease. Throw in a little high blood pressure, a pinch of depression, and a dash of hormonal imbalance, and you have a recipe for disaster. For years I barely lived. I became a true invalid locked in my own home. Many days I was barely able to get out of my bed. Walking from one end of the house to the other exhausted me and going up or down the stairs was impossible. Often I couldn’t stand up, because I would fall down.

Except for my husband, who saw the real struggle, my family wrote me off to being lazy. Then in 2008, I had a stroke. Hmmm. One doctor poked his head up. Do I hear medication anyone? ‘Let’s give this one a shot. No that’s okay you won’t need to contact me. Any other health problems? No? Great!!’ In 2009, the medication that this doctor put me on caused my heart attack.

You have heard this story before. The medical system has failed me. It is time for something that won’t.

I had my first meeting with Danielle Heard on June 11, 2009. I have been skeptical about nutritionists because I really didn’t think my eating habits were that bad. Danielle was very patient with me, but by the end of our very first meeting I could see that even the ‘healthy’ deli food and pizza I normally ate, as opposed to eating out, was actually the cause of a great many of my problems. And that was just the beginning.

There was so much about food that I didn’t understand that I finally realized that I was actually afraid of it. I am not a cook and never really have been. I have never had a cooking lesson and have cooked out of necessity all of my adult life from recipes handed down, that were meant to be ‘hearty’ or ‘filling.’ I now know that that means, a lot of starch and a lot of simple carbohydrates, because those are the foods that most young families can usually afford. Unfortunately as those families mature we seldom see a change in those cooking and eating habits and thus you see the state of the American family today. I am a prime example, and I am pleased to see that now my own family does not eat the way I learned to and the way they were taught.

Danielle has set me straight about varieties of foods, and value of food, what is best for your body, when it is best and why, why your body needs it, how it uses it, stores it, processes it, how to cut it, buy it, cook it, and eat it. So many things she has taught me about, not just food, but my own body.

On December 28, 2009, I had an appointment with my cardiologist, one of the few doctors in this town that I trust, and he gave me a clean bill of health. Blood pressure is good, lungs are clear, weight is down 10 pounds, heart sounds good. I have gone from taking fourteen medications per day to seven, and I believe in the next six months I can cut another two off of that.

My original goal with Danielle was to find a reason to want to live again. She was the end game for me. By three months I knew I was going to live and then my goal became to be well. Do you know that I have never once dieted on this diet? I have never once counted calories or even stood on the bathroom scale. I weighed in the doctors office last week and I was stunned at the weight loss. That was just an added bonus.

So what more can I say about Danielle and how she has helped me? I am not sure. Except that she is filled with love for her fellow humans and wants nothing more than to share her life sustaining knowledge with you. She has shown me how to help myself. I want to live again and now I can.” Click here to read Michelle's success story and view her before and after photos. (Update: Michelle has been able to run her business and work again, she is able to enjoy a social life which includes lots of traveling. During the 11 months since she completed her 6 month program, she has only had one episode of EBV which was triggered by food that she ate while on a cruise. She is doing great!)

— Michelle Cook, Longview, TX

“I have been treated for years for symptoms of fibromyalgia without me knowing neither what the real problem was nor what treatment would really help. After deciding on my own to take better care of my body, I found that there could be great benefit in eating healthy. I lost some weight – about 20kg (44.092 pounds) and already saw some improvement. I then read about fibromyalgia on Danielle’s site and since this condition was unknown to me, but I seemed to have all the symptoms, I decided to email her. She replied and arranged a Skype consultation for me to Cape Town, South Africa.

The amount of information that was shared was overwhelming. I simply never found it packaged like that. I was ready to start immediately applying Danielle’s instructions to both me and my 9-year-old son. Some of the effects will probably show over time, but there was an immediate improvement in the way I felt and an improvement in my son’s concentration (one of the issues Danielle advised on). In fact he scored 4 average this quarter – that is the highest one can score (grades are averaged out from 1 to 4 with 1 the lowest and 4 the highest.) He came up from a 3 average, where the class average was 2. This in a school with a very high standard.

I currently live a very active life, something that was not possible a while ago. I never imagined that I could feel younger at 42 than I felt at 30 by simply eating the right food.”

— Pieter Loftus, Cape Town, South Africa

— Ron Nader, Longview, TX

"I have been working with Danielle since May 22, 2009. I was first introduced to her website by a friend a month before, but did not think much of it at that time. I was already starting to move into some frequent episodic inflammation due to my arthritis and had already started to investigate healing food sites; Artemis in the City being one. I did not really understand how to put what I was reading together into a menu or start the process until I went to hear Danielle talk at Vitamin’s Plus one Saturday afternoon. She basically confirmed what I was already beginning to gain some awareness about, and that the food I have been eating was very unhealthy, lacked nutrition, and was probably acerbating the inflammation, because I was not providing the nutrients my body requires.

I filled out a history and had my first session on May 22, 2009. I knew going in I was going to have to make some drastic changes to improve my health. I thought I can either let the food continue to hurt me or I can let the food heal me. Danielle spent about 2 hours with me going over my health history and current situation, as it was pain providing the incentive to act, and prescription medication only slows the pain but does not cure the pain. I wanted to go for cure. I remember that day vividly. But what most impressed me was that she looked at me intently and said, 'I really want to help you.'

I have been working with Danielle for over 7 months now and have tried to follow her direction in a way that I have not done before. I have lost over 60 lbs! I don’t have to count calories or weigh anything. I just have to follow directions and eat healthy.

One of our sessions together was learning about the different foods in the health store and reading labels. I am eating real food, nothing processed or chemically treated, and my body can tell the difference. It is outstanding! Another of our sessions was over two hours of learning to use my juicer, but always in our sessions there is guidance and education.

I am going to continue to work with Danielle because I have achieved a level of comfort and success working with Danielle that I have not achieved in the past and I feel very hopeful for the first time in my life.” (Update: Margaret was presented with a certificate of achievement award from the executive director of her company for her efforts to take control of her health! Click here to read Margaret's success story and view her before and after photos.)

— Margaret Cunzalo, Longview, TX