About Us: Lee and Della Credicott

Lee's Story

I have battled with my weight all my life. Growing up, “big-boned” and “husky” were the words used to describe my appearance.

I was always active though, participating in sports such as ice hockey, golf, swimming and mountain biking.

As a young adult I added weight training and conditioning to try to lose the weight. I was constantly out doing something – rarely would you find me at home.

You could even say at one time that I was “addicted” to exercise. I was in the best shape of my life – still heavy – but muscular and fit.

After 2 long years, the pain had finally subsided, my body strength was returning and so was my weight issue.

Looking back now, I realize I was one of the lucky ones. My body healed itself and I continue on with my life now relatively pain free.

Wisdom really does come with age and I now understand that it was my North American diet and poor food choices that were dictating my weight and causing me to become obese.

The words “fruits and vegetables” are now back in my vocabulary (and in my diet) along with some new words – antioxidants and nutritional supplements. Water is now my beverage of choice.

My high blood pressure is once again normal and my allergies seem to have disappeared.

After being made aware of the connection between chronic inflammation and the concerns that affect my health – obesity, high blood pressure, allergies and pollutants – I set out to learn everything I can about this illness.

I consider myself a continual learner and being able to reach others and share what I have learned about chronic inflammation has become a part of my life. I believe I was given a second chance and I owe it to myself to create healthier habits to reduce the risk of this disease controlling my life again.

Della's Story

Like Lee, I too was always referred to as being “big boned” and “chunky”.

I also was fairly active most of my life, enjoying swimming, cycling, volleyball and softball.

The first time I broke a bone playing sports was in grade 8 – a finger. Since then I broke 2 more fingers and then my ankle – all from playing sports. The ankle is what finally did in my more active sports life – I had a plate and 7 screws surgically implanted. Then when it was discovered I was allergic to surgical steel, I underwent another operation to remove all the hardware. Unable to do much with my foot in a cast, I started gaining back all the weight that I had struggled to control most of my life.

Even with a nursing background and the knowledge that lack of exercise, poor nutrition and eating habits can lead to serious illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, I had the belief that it “wouldn’t happen to me”.

Then my mother who was overweight most of her life, died just 6 months after being diagnosed with cancer. She had just turned 63 and never got to do all those things she was going to do when she retired.

Two years later a good friend died from heart disease at the way too young age of 43 and the next year another friend who had not yet reached his 40th birthday died from diabetes-related complications.

I realized that I was doing exactly what most people do. I take preventative actions in many areas of my life – I see my dentist regularly to ensure I have healthy teeth and gums, and I visit my financial planner annually to make sure I have enough money for retirement. But I wasn’t doing anything to proactively prevent diseases that are related to aging.

That is until I began to reflect upon these tragic events and realized it is closer to me then I would like to believe. I have made the commitment to start doing something now to make sure I stay healthy and reduce my risk of the diseases associated with chronic inflammation.

We have extensively researched all the topics within these pages and sincerely hope you find the answers so that you may go out and live your life to the fullest!

To your health!

Lee and Della Credicott

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