Nicole Cody

As a child I was exposed to a number of agricultural chemicals from visiting my grandparents. They used chemicals and pesticides liberally around their property, many of which are now banned. I began experiencing health challenges in my mid-teens, as did many of my extended family members. At the time, I was excelling academically and had set big goals for myself. I was just heading off to college when I was struck down by devastating simultaneous cases of Ross River fever and glandular fever. I continued on through University while dealing with constant fatigue and recurring infections. Undeterred, I graduated with a Bachelor's in Business and a Bachelor's in Arts.

Over the years, my health worsened. I found my ambitions curtailed by my health challenges. In the last 20 years my diagnoses have included chronic fatigue syndrome, chemical poisoning and two parasitic infections. I started setting goals based not on what I wanted to do but what I felt I could handle. It was all I could do to get up out of bed each day and a 9-to-5 job just didn't work for me.

In need of a career that allowed me to work when I was able to, I started my own business, focusing on corporate training and development programs. Fortunately, my success there allowed me to pick and choose my projects. While the business generated a lot of income, that success came at a cost. Often, I found myself working up to 20 hours a day on a project to meet an impossible deadline. I had an incredible staff, but they needed direction and guidance. After grueling projects, I was unavailable to provide that support. Then I encountered my most damaging health challenge of all - a bacterial infection in my brain that required antibiotic use for two years, most of which I spent bedridden. It permanently affected my cognitive function and concentration, and my business.

In January of this year, I visited my doctor who ran a battery of tests and sat me down to review the results. They were terrible. I had heart disease, abnormal liver and kidney function and the hormones of a 90-year-old. Worst of all, the bacterial infection that had so challenged my health before was returning - and this time not only to my brain but also to my heart. My doctor spoke of the best case scenario as 'managing' my condition. I went home finally defeated. I had gone from being a driven, ambitious person starting out in life to someone unable to continue. I was in desperate need of some sign that there was hope.

Two days after my doctor visit, I received a call from an acquaintance about a supplement that he thought might be able to help - Natural Cellular Defense. I started taking the zeolite supplement and within days noticed that I felt better. I had more energy and greater cognitive clarity. I continued taking it and continued to feel improvements day by day. I received a call from my doctor in March. I had been to the dentist and had routine blood work done and my doctor had the results. The excitement in his voice was palpable. My results had taken a dramatic turnaround and he wanted to know what I was doing. The only thing I had done differently was take Natural Cellular Defense.

I can't begin to express my gratitude for this product. It has changed my life in ways that I had only dreamed about. Before, my husband and I could only set goals based on 'one day' - one day I'll be able to travel more, one day we'll have a family. I could never dream when that day would come. Now I can. For the first time, I can set a timeline to my goals and march confidently in that direction. I can't begin to describe how wonderful that feels.

I had told some friends about Natural Cellular Defense and was surprised to receive a check from Waiora. I actually called them thinking they had made a mistake! Before Waiora, I was very anti-network marketing. I thought it was a way to lose your family and friends and not get invited to family gatherings anymore. I went to my University professors (where I'm working on my PhD in management) and they explained that it was a business model - simple and elegant in design and would be increasingly popular in the future. I then realized that my misconception was the unfortunate result of companies that had gone before Waiora. I met with Stan Cherelstein, Waiora's President and CEO and was immediately impressed by his candor and practical nature. After meeting Stan, my eyes opened to the opportunity of Waiora.

I would be nothing without my team - you can't be a solo operator in this business. By helping our team prosper, so did we. We work together - sharing our personal goals and being accountable to each other, supporting each other. It's so important to hang out with positive people. Shortly after joining, I heard about the Equity Partnership Program and set my sights on becoming an Emerald by June, as did several people on the team - even though we didn't know what it took to get there. We sought out a supportive upline and found it in Donna Valdes, Barbara Miller and Mickey Dillon. They told us what we had to do and helped us get there. And we did!

I am so thankful that Waiora brought Natural Cellular Defense to the world. But it's not just the product, it's the way the opportunity has helped people. I've seen people who were shy and insecure develop confidence and self belief. I've seen people go from being impoverished to building a business, or others who have been able to leave their jobs or go part-time. I've developed wonderful new friendships, which was next to impossible for me when I was ill. My husband, Ben Phillips, was supportive of my taking the product but unsure of the business, and now he works by my side. Partnering in the business has enriched our relationship in new and exciting ways.