Today’s story is from a very special young woman named Lindsay. When I first read Lindsey’s story, it touched my heart and I felt it was so important to share her journey with the community. Her story is incredible and I am so proud of her for taking charge of her own health and wellness as well as being so open with us here today on the blog. I think it is important for us all to share our vulnerabilities and struggles at times, because if you are going though something, chances are someone else is dealing with a similar struggle or situation.
Lindsay and I have connected a lot over my Instagram and other social channels where she regularly comments, and I feel like we’ve forged a special bond. Please reach out to me too as I would love to help support you in any way that I can! I am here.
Please join us as Lindsay shares her very personal Beauty Detox Transformation story with you.
Meet Lindsay… 
I have been following the Beauty Detox philosophy for a little over 4 years off and on. I first found The Beauty Detox Solution in the late summer of 2011. I moved to Florida in the fall of 2007 from New Hampshire. Growing up was very difficult for me, as I have severe anxiety, ADD and social anxiety which lead me to turn to alcohol as I got older. I was leading a “groundhog day” type of lifestyle, working 5-7 doubles a week as a server and partying and drinking every night. I was extremely depressed to say the least and at a complete loss because I didn’t know how to get help.
I was pretty unhealthy at the time I found Kimberly’s book and I was looking for an answer.
So after I purchased the book, I went got home, read the entire thing and within days, started drinking hot water with lemon and making the Glowing Green Smoothie. Even though I was ingesting toxic chemicals every day from the vast amount of alcohol I was drinking at the time and also from the horrible food I was eating, I never gave up making my GGS.
At this time, I constantly ate things like Twix bars, pastas with tons of sauce and cheese, sugary sodas, caffeinated beverages, copious amounts of dairy products and food loaded with preservatives and chemicals. I barely ate fruit or vegetables. And I would probably consume 2 glasses of water a day at best. But during this time, in 2011 at the start of my Beauty Detox journey, I couldn’t get any further than the GGS. I was disappointed in myself at the time, but I now see that this journey is a process and try to remember “Progress Not Perfection”.
I moved back to Massachusetts in early March of 2013. I wanted to be with my family and live in Boston. I remember so vividly because I purchased Kimberly’s second book, The Beauty Detox Foods around this time. I was so excited for for it to come out! I thought living in the city was what I wanted back then… But that, coupling with the fact that I was drinking out of control, led me to a path that was going nowhere but down. Yet again….I never stopped drinking my Glowing Green Smoothie.
The start of a turning point
In February 2014, I realized deep down I needed help. I called my mother and she came and picked me up. She lived about 20 minutes outside of Boston. So, I went to her house and never ended up going back to my apartment in Boston. I ultimately ended up spending what would be a year and a half with her. We never spoke about it. But that day was the last day I ever drank. I have been alcohol free since 2/7/2014!
During the time I had stopped drinking, I was commuting 3 hours a day to and from Boston. I wasn’t drinking alcohol anymore, so I substituted it for coffee. A LOT of coffee. I was on Adderall for my ADD and had zero appetite and I was drinking so much coffee a day. But again… I never gave up my Glowing Green Smoothie.
When I thought it couldn’t get worse
About 3 months into me not drinking alcohol, I was getting ready for work in the bathroom and suddenly, fell to the floor in agonizing pain. I started throwing up violently and couldn’t move. My Mom brought me to the hospital. 36 hours later, I was admitted for 3 kidney stones, a 5 cm ruptured ovarian cyst and a kidney/blood infection.
This was my 3rd time back to the hospital, seeing as they misdiagnosed me the first 2 times. I had never even had anything more than a pain killer in my life and they put me on Dilaudid (5 times stronger than morphine) every 2 hours for the next week. But every time one of the 20 nurses I had over the course of my stay came in, they were baffled at the dose of antibiotics I was on. It was an astronomically high amount.
Cutting to the end of my stay, I asked the doctors when I could go back to work. I started sobbing when they said immediately. I couldn’t even stand up for longer than 2 minutes, let alone go work 40 hours in a weekend as a server in one of the busiest restaurants in Boston.
I ended up having to quit my job. Even a few weeks after I got out of the hospital, I barely had the energy to get out of bed. From about high school until I stopped drinking, I weighed in the 150’s. I never knew exactly because I didn’t think it was healthy to weigh myself. I did realize I had dropped 10-15 lbs just from not drinking alone. But my weight continued to decrease. I wasn’t drinking as much coffee anymore and I was off the Adderall. I tried to gain weight by eating entire pizzas, boxes of pastas and containers of peanut butter with chocolate chips. But I just kept losing weight. I even lost 1/3 of my hair.
A light at the end of the tunnel
One morning, I weighed myself to find out I was a mere 118 lbs. When I saw that number on the scale, I started to fear for my life. I had never been anywhere close to that weight since I was in middle school. I started to freak out. I had made gastrointestinal appointments but it was taking months. It got to the point that eating anything or even drinking water would just about make me throw up. I told this to my doctor and she told me “If it gets any worse, call me.” HOW MUCH WORSE COULD IT GET?
My appointment with a GI was months away and I was losing weight and energy by the day. The day I saw 118 lbs. on the scale, I took Kim’s books and went to Whole Foods. I asked them if they has something for acid reflux, seeing as I was almost on 4 pills of Pepcid AC a day, and it still wasn’t working.
The directed me to an Aloe Vera drink. Then I stocked up on Probiotic and Enzyme salad, veggies and anything that was a whole food. That very same day, I could swear, for the first time, I felt some sort of relief.
I never put together that when I was in the hospital, all of the antibiotics wiped out whatever good bacteria I had left.
With daily probiotics, digestive enzymes, my GGS, eating your recipes from your books and slowly and cutting out the coffee, I started to gain weight. I made huge salads, filled with the beauty foods you talk about in Beauty Detox Foods. I thought about the whole Beauty Detox concept. I tried to make the best decisions I could with the money I had.
A transformed women
Today, the person I am isn’t even comparable to who I used to be. I haven’t had a drink in over a year and a half. I am back to 135 lbs. ( I don’t weigh myself everyday; just to see if I’ve gained weight). I am now a vegan! I no longer eat meat or any dairy or eggs. Thanks to reading your books, I got myself tested and actually found out, at 30 years old, I’m severely lactose intolerant!
Lindsay’s daily regimen
My regimen can vary based on schedules and such, but I try to keep it as balanced as possible. I tend to get up pretty early, so I always start my hot water with lemon followed by the GGS. I love having hummus for snacks and love eating things such as butternut squash and sweet potatoes as well. For dinner, I eat a lot of salads, a classic being the Dharma’s Kale Salad. But I do not eat meat, consume dairy and I stay away from sugar and gluten.
I have my hot water with lemon every morning, followed by the GGS. For lunch and dinner I will always start with a salad, or just make the salad big enough to be my dinner. I don’t put anything in my body that’s toxic because I feel like I can feel it affecting me in some way, whether it’s my mood or stomach.
I eat probiotic and enzyme salad every day. I take my digestive enzymes with me wherever I go. I make sure to try to have a morning routine and a night routine, where I can get some time to myself.
I enjoy doing yoga in the mornings and evenings. And I love just even going for brisk walks. I am in the best relationship of my life. And it’s largely due to the fact that you taught me authenticity. When my boyfriend and I came together, we told each other our good sides and bad. We were completely authentic.
Her favorite recipe and why
The changes that I feel after adopting the beauty detox concept into my life are almost indescribable. In the best way possible. I was so unhealthy before and didn’t wake up looking forward to much. I now have such a massively different outlook on life, spiritually, I found myself. I have more energy than I ever thought was possible. I started to not only not hate myself, I’m continuing to love myself more every day, no matter what happens. I’m in the best relationship of my life, etc.
“Honestly, my favorite recipe is the GGS because it saved my life.”
Words of inspiration for the community
So, in conclusion, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know the information is there if you take it. But you have been the most wonderful person, teacher and dare I say, friend. You have been with me since 2011. I wanted to have this amazing, abundant, beautiful lifestyle, but I just couldn’t get there.
Maybe it wasn’t time. But the timing sure did come. I truly believe that, from the time I purchased your first book to when I ended up in the hospital, drinking your Glowing Green Smoothie saved my life. It was the only honest source of nutrition I was getting at that point.
My body was malnourished except for what the GGS was giving it. If there is anyone in the Beauty Detox Community that is scared or not sure what might happen when they make this change, I sure can understand that. Change is so scary. I love my comfort zones. But in those comfort zones, nothing magical and out of this world can happen.
If I had known what was in store for me, I’m not sure I would have done it. But that’s the beauty of the unknown. You don’t know if you can do it until you try. On this day, I cannot imagine my life another way. Not living authentically, not being conscious of myself. I love the life that was waiting for me.
Kimberly Snyder, THANK YOU. I feel you are an angel that was sent to come into my life. I will never know how to truly say thank you. I know this is crazy long, but honestly, it’s the short version. The message you spread is so authentic, real and honest. You have so much to offer this world. I don’t know if I’d be here had you not followed your passion. You are so easy to learn from.
I was meant to find your beautiful green book (The Beauty Detox Solution) on the shelf that day. I know it. What can I say? I just feel it in my gut.
Thank You Lindsay!
Thank you so much for sending your beautiful and authentic story Dear One. You are an amazing and beautiful person- inside and out. I – and we- love you!
Thank you for being so vulnerable and pouring your heart out. So many will be inspired by your incredible journey. You should be very proud of yourself and know that you are far stronger than you have ever thought, as you have proven with all your accomplishments and progress. You will just keep evolving and blossoming in the future, which will be very bright as you have so many gifts to offer the world. Trust in your light, and let it shine!
I hope everyone is feeling inspired after reading this! Lindsay, you are a true inspiration and blessing and a very special soul. Remember our sacred mantra – progress not perfection. Do your best, but if you slip a little don’t worry and just get back to what you know is the best for you and your overall wellbeing. I am so proud of you.
If you too want to share your story, please contact Katelyn, our community manager, at Katelyn@kimberlysnyder.com — we’d love to feature you! (And send you love and support!).
See you back here soon.
Lots of love and gratitude for you,
Kimberly
Thank you so much for sharing your story Lindsay!!! I am so proud of you and I don’t even know you personally. Just reading your journey it’s as if I know you. Keep up with the Beauty Detox lifestyle!!! :-)
Thank you for your comment Natalie! It is so wonderful to see all the love and support for Beauty Detoxers in the community! :)
What a awesome story makes me want to open up and share my beauty detox story I lost 105 pounds and became the mother I was born to be following Kimberly Snyder’s advice it was a long hard road.Thank you Kimberly.
What a awesome story You are so brave and strong Lindsay. makes me want to open up and share my beauty detox story I lost 105 pounds Half of my body weight and became the mother And person I was born to be following Kimberly Snyder’s advice.Thank you Kimberly. You touch everyone’s life you come in contact with.
You are so welcome Sherry! That is so amazing. I would love to hear more about your story. If you are interested in being featured. Please email Katelyn our community manger :) She will get your story over to me. Katelyn@kimberlysnyder.com
What a beautiful story. Love it. Congrats to Lindsay for making it through the tough times.