My journey to the Nutritional Healing Center is kind of unbelievable, even to me.  My story begins in a small, impoverished town in Virginia.  There were not a lot of opportunity or career choices available there.  I had no idea what I wanted to do for a living but I knew I wanted to go to college, learn to help people with their health and become prosperous and happy.    

   Living in the rural South there wasn't much in the way of mentors to help me make my dreams into reality, but I figured a dream was a start.     

  When I was in High School my Mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a debilitating disease of the nervous system.  She saw many doctors and was put on lots of drugs and medications.  Everyone we saw believed and made us believe these drugs would save her life.    

  That's when I realized how I could achieve my dreams - I could become a Pharmacist and improve people's health through modern science and pharmaceutical drugs! I truly believed modern drugs were life saving and I could also create prosperity for myself and help my family too. I entered college as an idealist totally confident that through modern medicine I was going to save many lives. 

  Fast forward seven years, I have my Doctor of Pharmacy degree.  I am Doctor Amanda Childress! - I am ready to snuff out disease; armed with a white coat and an arsenal of pills!  

  I started practicing in a grocery store pharmacy. It was not exactly glamorous, but I knew I was going to help a lot of people and this was the modern version of a neighborhood pharmacist and I was there to help them get well.    

   It didn't take me long to realize that something was not quite right.  Many of the people I was going to cure got sicker and sicker.  Not only did their health decline, but their medication lists got longer the after they started on medication.  I saw patients picking up medications for diseases- like diabetes-- with carts full of Coke, white bread and Little Debbie Cakes!   This was crazy and even surreal.  I earned a new respect for the dangers of medical drugs as my patients  related to me all the side effects and problems they were experiencing. I heard horror stories about facial tremors from Prozac, bleeding ulcers from anti-inflammatory drugs, night time insomnia and sleep driving while on the a sleep aid called Ambien...  

   I witnessed just how damaging reliance on pharmaceuticals is for our healthcare system and the people themselves.  

  I realized that my profession was not what I thought it was, but I had no idea how to fix it or what the real answer was, but I was sure it was not more or newer more advanced drugs.     

  Then, the straw that broke the camel's back...  

  I got a frantic call from a mother of a 17 year old boy.  I'd been their family pharmacist for about 2 years and knew them well.  She told me her son was suicidal, crying and shaking uncontrollably.  After I asked a few questions I realized he was in withdrawal - from missing only two doses of a stimulant drug he was prescribed for ADHD.  

  At that moment I had to face the fact that this kid was facing a possible lifetime of drug dependence and may kill himself because of a drug I had given him... it was a crushing realization.           

  I decided to quit my job, this was not the dream career I envisioned.  I wanted to help people, not make them sicker.  

   This was a life-changing moment for me - here I was 3 years out of college, over 150,000 dollars in debt, an unemployed Doctor  and no idea what I was going to do now.  I started looking for a job doing anything but what I had worked so hard to do..   

   During my search, I had thanksgiving dinner with some friends (Rob and Jessica) who worked here at The Nutritional Healing Center, and they started telling me I could become a Nutrition Response Testing Practitioner.  

  I'd begun my own search for health improvement in the midst of my earlier revelations but had never heard of this type of approach or thought of it as a new career choice. I was unsure what to think until Rob handed me a container of sugar sprinkles and pushed on my arm.     

My arm dropped like a stone.  My exact words were "What manner of wizardry is this?"   (Yes, a little Harry Potter-esque, but I was truly amazed!)  He laughed, gave me an NHCAA orange referral card and told me to call Dr. Schmidt to find out what it was all about.     

  After talking to Dr. Schmidt I realized it was actually a very exact and scientific approach to helping people become healthy - with food and nutrition - and no drugs!  I was pretty overwhelmed by the possibilities...it just might be possible for me to help people get well.   

  I soon joined the NHCAA as a Practitioner Assistant so I could learn everything I could and shortly thereafter attended training for Nutrition Response Testing in Florida.     

  I have been at the Center for about six months now and I've done the Basic and Intermediate Nutrition Response Testing Training in Florida as well. I have been studying alongside Dr. Schmidt, Dr. Shannon and Kerry every single day soaking up every ounce of nutritional wisdom I can. 

I have arrived!  

I am trained as a Nutrition Response Practitioner and a Doctor of Pharmacy.  The produce section is my new drug store and whole food is the real medicine for my patients. I am now seeing patients Fridays and Mondays and am still assisting Dr. Schmidt and Dr. Shannon.  

  I am finally achieving my dreams of truly helping people improve their health. As a traditional Pharmacist I had only one answer - drugs, but now I'm a wholistic Pharmacist.  I can use my training and expertise to help people live healthy, drug free lives.  Because of my Pharmicist knowledge and experience I really understand how harmful pharmaceuticals can be to health and now I have a means to help people get well so they don't need or want them.    

  Of course I am also a patient and my own health has improved tremendously.  Since I started my journey here I have lost about 35 pounds.  I went from being tired all the time, with no energy to loads of energy and I feel amazing!  I look forward to helping others become healthy and begin achieving their full potential physically and mentally through whole-food supplements and Mother Nature's wholistic pharmacy. 

 Yours in Health,

Dr. Amanda Childress  

Nutrition Response Testing Practitioner  

Doctor of Pharmacy 

What was it like before you came in to see us?

I have Type II Diabetes. I felt weak and tired most of the time. And, I felt my body was slowly shutting down and dying. I felt like I was going to die in 4 - 5 years at the present rate. My feet were often cold and numb. And, I had occasional tingling in my fingers. My cholesterol was 250 and my triglycerides were above 900. My blood sugar was 195. I felt hopeless about my future.

How is it now?

My energy level is up. I'm not so tired anymore. My feet, while still sometimes numb, are no longer cold and chilled. I no longer feel like my body is dying. My cholesterol is 151, my triglycerides are 350, and my blood sugar is 145. I know I am getting better and I have renewed hope. I've also lost 14 pounds.