Preface Of My Book

Who am I & why is this different?

My upcoming book will help bridge the enormous gap between the physical body's and our soul's health and what makes a person truly healthy, vibrant and whole. This gap has become so vast within disciplines that health relies almost entirely on scientific validation before it can be substantiated, and disciplines that connect our more profound, more authentic selves to our wellness receive less validation. When we live a life that marries all disciplines from all that resonates within us, we live healthier, happier lives. We live a life of true resonance and connection to the power within us. Resonance. It’s always going to come down to resonance. If you look up the meaning of resonance, you’ll get various definitions. Resonance, for me, means something vibrates internally that I align with…resonance connects our intuition to what makes sense for us internally. Many have lost this innate gift we all have within us.

Please start here and watch this documentary, Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds. I bought it, but I found it for free on YouTube here: Inner Worlds Outer Worlds Documentary.

Through many years in this wellness space, I've discovered that many of you are just like me. You look for proof to "prove" that something will work to support your health, but often find conflicting research or no research because it's not scientifically proven—yet it makes you feel amazingly healthy, happy, and whole. Or, everyone says it works and is scientifically shown to do so, but it doesn't help you.

I will share my work, practices, rituals, and belief systems here. This is a monumental task because my way of thinking and analyzing how to optimize wellness is entirely original. I have always been a unique thinker and often felt alone because I didn’t often conform deep within, but I was scared to show up differently and think differently.

In my book, I will explore options to optimize your wellness in these areas:

The Body—How to maintain the health of our physical body to be preventative and proactive with potential health risks instead of reactive. I educate on what tools are essential to utilize to be more vested in how we age and address potential bumps in the road. This is not to say we can control everything. This is where I will include what biomarkers are important to test. What supplements have worked for me. Various protocols I have tried. Never medical advice, only sharing my knowledge, education and experience to help you craft your way to be preventative. I’ll soon share how I helped my husband stop tinnitus and gain some hearing back.

The Mind—How is our brain aging? How do we maintain happiness in life without numbing drugs or addictions like food or alcohol? How can we help our mental health in a world lacking it? How do we unstress and connect to the happiness within us?

Spirit—What is God? How do you connect to God/Source/The Divine? How do we explore our connection to God while on earth? Who is our "Higher Self"? Do we have guides here on earth? What are energy and vibration, and how do we work with energy? I didn't know how to categorize energy and vibration, so I put them into the spirit category. I will explain dowsing. Intuition. And so much more.

Soul—How do you connect to your soul's purpose here? How do we know what we are meant to do here? Purpose, resonance, and life force are what make our souls sing. But how do we do this?

My book is for anyone around midlife who wants to live a healthy and enriched life. I've tried to find a book like mine, but none quite like it. I've written this mainly from the perspective of a midlife woman, but much of it may resonate with anyone who wants to figure out a healthier path.

The only book I've found that you might find somewhat similar is Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza. I haven't read the entire book, but much of what he discusses and "proves" with science; I've been practicing without proof, except that many of these practices have worked for me for over a decade. This is what I care most about, not what science says. Proving with science sometimes comes in when I need to speak about it with others. I know this sounds contradictory, but my book is somewhat complex in that I bring science into it at some points, which is when I will refer to some research.

I'll be clear at the beginning: I do not feel that science alone can ever support overall wellness for anyone.

To live healthy lives and be proactive about our wellness, we must be able to incorporate some science and some esoteric practices. Science cannot provide that true resonance within our being.

Who am I?

I am Sandy Kruse, the host & creator of Sandy K Nutrition Health & Lifestyle Queen podcast, which now has over 1.3 million downloads worldwide. At 46, I went back to college to become a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, and I am also an English Literature graduate. Since nutrition college, I've done certifications in functional lab testing, endocrinology and hormones, peptides and anti-aging, and I am a Certified Metabolic Balance coach. I've also done some mindset coaching.

I have had years of health crises for me and my family, which has helped me navigate health challenges, deficiencies of our current westernized healthcare system and how to indeed be proactive and advocate for our best health. These challenges also prompted me to return to college to do what I do now.

I launched my podcast, Sandy K Nutrition Health & Lifestyle Queen, in 2020, just before the pandemic hit, and this became my megaphone. My podcast covers various topics, including education and discussions to contribute to wellness at midlife and beyond, from a different perspective and narrative. Perspectives that incorporate a healthy body, mind, spirit, and soul so that we can all age better happily and healthfully. I've had the fortune of interviewing some of the greatest experts in these areas of health and wellness.

Our world has become unbalanced as we constantly look outside of ourselves, losing touch with our inner knowing of what optimizes and resonates with our bio-individual health in all its facets. This goes for many, from highly educated doctors to functional nutritionists like me to individuals not even in the wellness space.

Imbalance is the root of many of our health issues. Whether you look solely at whether the science says so before you believe or if you're entirely on the other end of the spectrum, believing only in one specific non-westernized method of health, it's imbalanced. You might even be that person who has become so disconnected from what you need that you have no idea whether or not it would help or harm you.

"Go gluten-free". Dear lord, gluten is the devil. How can you possibly eat this?

Sugar is the devil.

Everyone must intermittent fast. Science says so.

You must sleep 8 hours, or you are doomed.

We are inundated with so much health information now, coming from TOO many health "experts." While it’s great to live in a world of knowledge, at the same time, we live in a world of fakery, too. How many followers did that person buy on Instagram? Most of those you follow have likely bought followers (I can assure you I have not). Oh, and hey, did I tell you I became insulin-resistant while intermittent fasting and listening to the advice of the Maniverse? Now you're getting my drift. I am sarcastic, yes. And I do call bullshit on many of these health gurus, not because they're wrong all the time, but because they often miss the one crucial fact to what they're preaching - it may not resonate with you. But people follow their advice like the gospel, run into health issues, and say, "But I did what ____ said."

Social media has done so much good but has enabled massive egos and greed in wellness. We don’t know who is real anymore and who wants to help people live and be better. This goes from mass conglomerates, like the fact that our governing country’s health body is 90% funded by Big Pharma, to mass health gurus making millions off of your insecurities.

This book is my gift to you because I’m not telling you what is right and what is wrong and what the science says is so and what is hurtful, etc etc etc. While imperfect, my methodology is mostly suitable because it's balanced. How I live my life has become second nature, supporting all facets of my health and well-being. If our world can do even a fraction of this, we could reduce the global obesity crisis, climate change, depression, chronic illness, aging poorly with chronic disease, and so much more. It's a monumental task, but it's my contribution to help this world become a better place.

So many are talking about longevity now...quite frankly, I don't care about longevity in and of itself. I care about living longer and healthier in a life that is vibrant and full of soul. Health and happiness are what help you live an enriched life. I want to dance on that dance floor like there's no tomorrow when I live to see my future grandkids get married. The term longevity is pretty meaningless when you look at the literal meaning. Let's refer to our collective goal, as readers of my book, as improved healthspan instead, from all four perspectives of body, mind, spirit and soul; that might include some science, but optimal health comes from within us, and science is only a fraction of the equation.

If you get caught up in the traditional healthcare system around midlife, one can pretty much guarantee you won't get out without some damage control. Our western medicine healthcare system is based solely on science. I am one of those who got out of jail but not unscathed. I have learned so much in the last 12+ years since I had thyroid cancer since my family made their way through the healthcare system. I had a daughter with cancer at the age of 5, I had cancer at age 41, my father had cancer, my mother had cancer, and my husband coded from bacterial pneumonia he caught in-hospital from a scope (all very hush-hush of course, but I saw they fucked him up royally and that’s a story for another time). I get the system like no other, and I have learned how to be the biggest health advocate for me and my family. While there is absolutely a place for western medicine, the healthcare system is not there to help prevent illness and disease. What I do is all in the name of prevention.

My book is not designed to cure, heal or diagnose any disease. I wrote this book to educate from my perspective. If you choose, return to your qualified practitioner to be proactive and preventative with your wellness. Note I say qualified. Just because a physician works at Mount Sinai Hospital in downtown Toronto does not mean he is a nutrition expert. Just because you see a dietitian at The Cleveland Clinic does not make them an expert in how to eat holistically. Just because you like your family physician and you've been with their practice for many years does not make them an expert in everything relating to you. We need a wellness team to be preventative with our health. This includes experts from various disciplines. Go to the appropriate expert for your needs, and never disregard the knowledge within yourself and resonance.

You may not agree with everything in this book and this is okay. My teachings aren't arguable because they are my practices that I am sharing with you. I also reserve the right to change my mind, mainly because information changes daily in this wellness space, and I often learn more and adopt new practices. I am a lifelong learner. Much of what I write here is not wrong or right. Some of what I suggest may not be for you, and I expect you to critically analyze whether parts of this book are for you. Critical analysis seems to be one of the most significant missing pieces to health these days. One doctor will never have all the answers for you; remember this. Ever.

We must learn to critically analyze if something makes sense for us as bio-individuals if we want to age better, using reliable data that pertains to us genetically and energetically. We can learn more about ourselves through genetics, through regular and reliable diagnostic testing, and take the time to see if something truly resonates energetically and intuitively. It doesn't matter if your doctor is deemed the most prominent expert in the world; what they preach may not be right for you. We cannot paint everyone with the same brush in health, and a big part of this book is to show you that we must all be individual in our approach to a healthy body, mind, spirit and soul. Gone are the days of being gaslit by physicians. They must also learn to adapt to this world of information that almost everyone has at their fingertips.

If you find yourself triggered or offended by something I am writing here, I'd ask you to look within and ask yourself why you are triggered. Is it because you're doing the exact opposite of what I write? Look further at my article on triggers. Most don't even consider this, but triggers are essential learning moments about ourselves. Another thing to note is that clinical studies evolve and become disproven, and options for our wellness change daily. As I write this today, I do my best to ensure accuracy.

This book is designed to help you gain some self-mastery in this crazy world that just seemed to become crazier post-COVID. I want it to become a guide for you to follow in your journey to wellness, vitality, and happiness. You may skip some parts that don't resonate, take a shortcut, or soak it all in.

I am not far left. I am not far right. I critically assess everything I need to, notice the word need to, and decide if this is right for me. The term "conspiracy theorist" was created by fear-mongering individuals who chose not to critically assess all of what was coming at them. Too many were critical of individuals like me (some still are!), saying that we promote dangerous things in this holistic wellness industry. This is genuinely laughable for me. Meanwhile, I had a tooth pulled and was prescribed an opioid that was eight times stronger than oxycontin, with not even a conversation about it. The pharmaceutical world is much more ominous and dangerous. Trust me; you’ll learn more about my journey soon and some of the damage done along the way.

Let me set this record straight. When you do things more naturally or holistically, preventatively, and proactively, the risks are far less than if you choose a pharmaceutical route. This statement may not be true if you genuinely need western medicine intervention, and refuse it to take a more holistic approach. It is rare for toxicity in natural health products unless there is an obvious overdose and disregard for how to take it or unethical company practices. Another complication may occur if there are interactions between natural health products and medications you might be taking. I am not anti-western medicine, and there is a place for this, but I have always been a promoter of free will, choice, and accessibility.

Health prevention takes care, patience, and work, and it's about creating habits that become second nature so that they don't feel laborious. I do everything in this book to maintain my wellness and remain balanced. My practices never stop; they're fluid and change with the ebbs and flows of life and new discoveries. Wellness isn't about reaching a summit, and then you're done. You're never done. Life will continue to throw curveballs at you despite all the work you do to predict and prevent. This book isn't meant to be about control. It's intended to help guide you in life, and life still has many unknowns and aspects that cannot be predicted. I've written this to help increase self-awareness and do your best to thrive within this body you are given during this time here on earth.

I've often been asked about my practices, rituals, and more because what I do doesn't fall into the specific category of a holistic nutritionist. The label "nutritionist" is useless because wellness is never just about food. Wellness, to me, is about being whole. Thus, "Wholistic Health Practitioner" suits me much better. This book contains most of my little secrets and rituals. I love that I've been called "unique" in my approach to wholistic health.

You'll notice that I don't use uppercase letters for any diseases or anything I don't want to give power to, so these are not typos. This is one of my practices that follows an age-old theory—energy flows where attention goes. I believe Michael Beckwith first coined this phrase, and now many big names are using it without giving credit.

I use lowercase for anything I don't wish to give power to, whether it's grammatically correct or not. I will not refer to any disease as "mine." My thyroid cancer. My sickness. You get the idea. None of it is mine. I may have to address it temporarily, but it's not mine. For those of you reading this book who may have "battled" a "lifelong" illness and consider yourself a "survivor," this may be the first time to assess the language and energy you're putting towards "your" disease. I think you might get my point…

I've written this to help you feel more at ease in your life, as I had to do when I felt nothing in my life was going right and I couldn't find any guidance until I met a shaman. This might help you gain clarity when life gets hazy or, at the very least, help you process your emotions during difficult times.

We don't have control over many things; my book isn't about entirely controlling your life. I've seen many, especially within this biohacking industry, try to control every morsel that goes into their mouths; every movement is calculated, almost as if we are robots living in this world. I've seen individuals who treat their bodies as though they are robots. And yet, health issues often persist, and I often wonder how enriched their lives are because their lives become about controlling everything.

This is life when you follow a science-only approach.

Some things will always have to be left to the unknown. It's more about controlling the controllable and trusting that the rest is happening for a better reason.

This is my permanent footprint on this planet, my legacy. It's to help you master your own life, using this book as a guide with practices that have made sense to me for over a decade and might also make sense to you. Aligning with my podcast, this book is designed to help you age better and live an enriched life filled with vitality, preferably without disease.

My history doesn't define me, but it certainly sets the course for my life today. While many who have experienced cancer go on and do great things to help others with cancer, I chose a different path, as I always seem to do. My choice wasn't to become the face of cancer or be identified as such or to wear t-shirts that say fuck cancer. This isn't the vibe or energy I choose to put out there, but if this is you, I don't judge you for it, as there is a place for everyone to share their message. Today I am a happy, healthy, vibrant 54-year-old woman going through menopause without a thyroid and loving life.

My story isn't the worst one out there. Our family had a shitty stroke of luck in the health department, but many have it worse, and perspective is everything. Most people have a story to share or many to share and have varying traumas in their lives. Think of these stories, not the good ones, but the hard ones, as breadcrumbs guiding you on the trail that's your life. I never realized this until I met with a shaman who shook things up for me and showed me the way. Many walk through this life without even looking down at those breadcrumbs. Or they see them and walk right over them like they don't exist.

How do you know where you're meant to go if you never stop to examine the path you're on?

If you want growth, you must let go of what no longer serves you and keep walking ahead. You can only see so far ahead. The face of cancer served its purpose. Now, I'm serving mine. Thank you for being part of this and joining me in my tribe to help make this world a better place overall.