Nearly 20 years ago, Susan had breast implants after a doctor recommended them to lessen her fibroid cysts. Her insurance paid for it, and few dangers were acknowledged. The original saline implants ruptured after a few years, and her doctor recommended replacing them with silicone implants, known for their durability. She got the implants and went on with her life.

About four years ago, she started to get sick. It was sudden and noticeable: she became easily fatigued, and her lungs began to ache. She began taking mega-doses of supplements to bolster her immune system and would bounce back for brief periods, but the symptoms ultimately worsened.

After a year and a half of a physical and emotional roller coaster, she began to make the connection between her lung pain and her breast implants. But getting the silicone implants removed proved to be a more difficult proposition than she had imagined: surgeon after surgeon warned her that her breasts would be hideously deformed unless she replace the silicone implants with saline implants.

The next six months were marked by equal measures of practiced diligence and blind faith. Right after the surgery, Susan began putting endless castor oil packs on her chest and back to pull out any remaining toxins. She listened to meditation tapes in the bath tub and envisioned the toxins as black lumps floating out of her body. She used essential oils to restore her energy levels. Her diet changed, as she began eating fish and organic meat and eggs to strengthen and ground her body.

Her recovery was rapid - other women had told her it took upwards of two years to get back to normal, but Susan was seeing substantial improvement after only a few months. Confident that she was over the worst of it, she moved and jumped into life again with both feet, taking on several ambitious projects at once. She pushed too hard, and she started getting sick again - a painful experience that taught her a valuable lesson in true healing.

After a few months of ups, followed by harrowing crashes, she got the message: if you don't stop, you are going to die. "Here's what I learned: if you think supplements are going to take the place of stillness and gentleness, you are wrong," she says.