I decided practicing Hygienism at the age of 18.
I was suffering at that time from various illnesses like asthma, obesity, allergy, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), among others, so I wasn’t enjoying my body, my life, I was having stomachaches almost every day which was the reason why I was pushed to change my habits and my nutrition. Due to the asthma I never was able to practice sports during school. My sedentary lifestyle didn’t help very much, neither did my addiction to chocolate and refined wheat products. When I discovered Hygienism (In Spanish we use the term "Higienismo" which was originated from the French language Hygiénisme) I realised I was making many mistakes in my nutritional decisions and the lack of sports was making it worse.

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When I got to learn more about Hygienism, I understood that health is something I create every day through my habits. So, the good news was that it was up to me to change it and create a new health. In fact, I learned that my cells are programmed to be heatlhy and reestablish themselves when needed. The big obstacle for this to happen was my bad nutrition that was providing many toxins to my body, instead of food to recover tissue and nourish me.

I realised that there is a law of nature and that law influences every living being, including us humans, of course. So the secret to being healthy was to be a part of this law, to be in contact again with my breathing, movement, good food, good friends and good people.
I learned that health is generated by behaving according to what we are , biologically. Our characteristics are designed to receive specific food such as an abundance of fruit and raw vegetables among others.

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I never was into the main current of beliefs: praising doctors and fearing microbes or believing in a god or a state. The philosophy I found in Hygienism was simple, just as I like it: “we are animals, we have a specific design, so, nourish yourself according to said design. Don’t create a false paradise and magical solutions. Every improvement will be a consequence of your effort and your body’s wisdom”

Of course, following these rules I got healthy pretty quickly without any pills, doctors and with large quantities of fruit. My own process inspired me to do the same with other sick people, which is why I became a therapist. I studied Higienismo Integral in Chile, from 2006 to 2010, and made an investigative journey to Europe where I shared with other very well known authors, such as Désiré Mérien who taught me bio-respiration, a technique he created at his fasting centre located in France.

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I looked into different therapies such as gestalt, bio-dancing and others which have given me additional tools to continue my own path.

I have written two books, one called “Instinct. A Perspective and Proposition Concerning the Planetary Crisis”and the second called “Nourish to Heal”, both, as of yet, only in Spanish available. They are about Hygienism, love and life.

I would like to comment that my contribution to the health of people is accompanied by art, which is something I love and cultivate for myself.
I hope to keep focusing my research on the factor of adaptation within the human diet and to continue updating my patients with the findings.

 

 

Catherine Ariana

Manager Instinct Magazine

Author and guide of Adaptative Hygienism