I used to work in Citibank. 8.30 - 6.30, day-in day-out. Sales, sales, sales. I was never any good with targets. In April 2006, my sisters urged me to go on a detoxification holiday (whoopee) in Koh Samui. They had been to this retreat before and they thought it would do me a world of good, especially to lift me out of the young bank executive's domain of alcohol and cigarettes. It was a 7 day fast, my first experience of doing any type of cleansing. I'd always made sudden and drastic changes throughout my life, but this program began an entire onslaught of them.
I wanted a different lifestyle - I wanted healthful foods, sports, yoga.
I wanted a different partner - someone who shared more of my new desires.
I wanted a new environment - I couldn't tolerate the corporate culture anymore.
I wanted to find myself - I didn't want to be steered by emotional issues any longer.
I didn't recognize myself.
A few months before, in January, I had moved out of my father's house. It was a significant move because it was the first time I was moving out for the sake of moving out, and not for school or the army or something like that. I was moving out to get away from Dad, and more importantly, to find myself (#1 prerequisite: get away from Dad). One of the most interesting things was realising that I hardly knew me! I had a very vague idea of my own likes and preferences - so much of it was my dad's preferences, which I had adopted to gain his approval. Alot of it was also the opposite of dad's approval list, which I'd taken on in rebellious search for myself. Aimless, adolescent, searching - you might be familiar with this idea.
It would seem strange that starving for 7 days would help anybody with their search. Well, everybody starts their journey somewhere I suppose, and mine started with my health. I grew up as a fairly unwell child. I had asthma since I was 4. Since about age 8 I had chronic joint pains. I had chronic sinusitis. Since I was a child, I took an average of about 5 anti-histamines a week and at least a course of anti-biotics a year. I had the flu once or twice a year, and unless I took a course of anti-biotics, the infection would progress into my lungs, triggering asthmatic attacks. The irony of my illnesses is that my father is one of the greatest Ear Nose & Throat surgeons in the world. To cure his little boy, he travelled extensively to visit hospitals and medical centers around the world to find me a cure. He found treatments to alleviate many of my symptoms, bringing him into realms of inhalant and food allergies, but many symptoms still persisted.
Until now!!!
Hi, my name is Paul Yeoh and I am 26 this year.
I've been 100% raw vegan since 4th November and my body is finally what I've always wanted it to be.
