By Jacqueline Alnes.
Jacqueline Alnes once a Division One college runner, faced a sudden and mysterious interruption to her athletic career. Beginning with an innocuous cough, her condition rapidly deteriorated, culminating in her collapse on the track and months of unexplained episodes that robbed her of her ability to walk and speak.
Two years after leaving her team to recover, Jacqueline Alnes's debilitating symptoms returned, confining her to a wheelchair for months. Medical experts at an epilepsy centre couldn't pinpoint the root cause of her affliction. In desperation, she turned to an online community advocating a strict, all-fruit diet, claiming to cure various ailments, from depression to eating disorders.
She wasn't alone.
Around the world, individuals enduring unexplained suffering, dismissed by medical professionals, or seeking a miraculous dietary solution to escape societal body expectations, turned to fruitarianism in the hope of freeing themselves from perceived bodily inadequacies.
As a nurse, I'm always intrigued by alternative healing methods that have made a difference in people's lives. Jacqueline Alnes's courageous decision to share her narrative with the world is truly commendable, especially in circumstances where many might opt for silence. While I did skim through certain sections of the book, which could have been more concise, I found the overall content to be profoundly personal and intriguing. It offered a unique departure from my typical reading preferences.
Thank you so much to the author - Jacqueline Alnes as well as the team and Nikki at Melville House for the ARC.
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