Brandon Burell thought he would live the rest of his life worrying about suffocating. His allergies and sinus congestion were so severe, he couldn't breathe or sleep without interruption, and took Afrin allergy medication daily. When he forgot it at home it caused him to have a panic attack. He tried every possible treatment, including surgeries, medicine, and holistic healing, and nothing worked. Until he changed his diet.

As a New Yorker working on Wall Street, Burrell could handle almost any kind of stress and pressure, except the anxiety he felt from his health condition which he had had since childhood. When he left Wall Street and for a job in the travel industry and began to witness how different populations and cultures around the world ate, in Africa and Asia especially, he naturally switched his own diet and gravitated toward a plant-based diet, which ended up curing his extreme breathing issues. The more he ate what he now knows is an alkaline diet rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes, and devoid of meat and dairy, the better he was able to breathe. He also lost 40 pounds along the way. He lowered his blood pressure, learned to meditate and vegan to find patience and calm. It basically changed his life.

Business meetings were anxiety-provoking

When Burell attended financial meetings, he couldn't help but be preoccupied with the anxiety of what might happen if he broke out in coughing or sneeze attack, or worse, gasping for air. a full-on panic attack. "I didn't want to live in fear anymore and sought professional care, from some of the best doctors in Manhattan."

Burell underwent two nasal surgeries to try to help clear passages in his nose, and both failed. He decided to get back on his feet and try another surgery from one of "the best doctors in New York City," with high hopes that the third time would be a charm. But unfortunately, there were no lucky charms and Burell found himself dependent on Afrin which he took daily.

"I was addicted to Afrin, I couldn't leave the house without it or else I would have a panic attack." He was 40 pounds overweight, lethargic, couldn't sleep or focus, and barely had enough energy to get him through the long work hours. So he decided to change careers. "It was not a good way to live," said Burell.

Burrell left his job and began to change his lifestyle

Burelle moved to Fort Lauderdale and began working for a cruise ship company and traveled around the world, a move that would change his life forever. The cruise line sent Burell to Asia and Africa where he learned to embrace the culture by diving headfirst into the cuisine and was fascinated by the unique ingredients in some of his favorite dishes. “I love fonio, an ancient grain that's high in fiber,” he said.

Slowly, Burell's diet went from animal-centric meat and dairy to mostly plant-based, since the ingredients he loved were completely animal-free. On one of his trips, Burell felt that he finally understand the connection between food and health, since he had time to slow down and care for himself. As he de-stressed he also stopped needing to stress eat and the weight dropped off.

Burell researched the foods he ate in Asia and Africa and read about their health benefits, finding out that some of the ingredients were clinically proven to help alleviate allergies. He also found that dairy was aggravating his allergies, so he eliminated cheese and milk. Then, he came across the alkaline diet, which promotes eating whole plant-based foods and no animal product or anything processed.  Burell was desperate for answers and decided to follow the alkaline diet figuring, it couldn't hurt. 'Everything I was doing before wasn't working so why wouldn't I give it a try?"

Burell treated his severe allergies with the alkaline diet and ditched medication

After seven days of following the alkaline diet, Burell's health dramatically improved. His allergies went away, the inflammation in his nasal passages was gone, and he was able to breathe clearly. For the first time in 15 years, he didn't need to reach for Afrin. He felt like his life had just started a new chapter.

A typical day of eating on an alkaline diet

Burrell eats a healthy diet of all alkaline foods: "In the morning I make a shake with kale, berries, dandelion greens, sea moss, ashwagandha, mangoes, and burdock root.

"For lunch, I either have a soup or salad. I love arugula, so I'll make a big salad with cherry tomatoes, avocado, and a homemade dressing with oil and fresh herbs.

"For dinner, I like to eat some type of alkaline grain whether it's spelt pasta or wild rice. And, I like to drink lots of different kinds of tea."

Burell lost 40 pounds and lowered his blood pressure

Alongside the allergy abatement, Burrell saw dramatic health benefits to his new lifestyle: His blood pressure went down, he lost 40 pounds, and now walks and runs 16 miles a day on the beach–something he could never have done before when his allergies ruled his life. "I can focus and think better," he said, "and my stress and anxiety are both under control." Burell's now able to sleep through the night without waking or snoring. "I feel brand new."

In order to spread awareness about the alkaline diet, Burell has now launched a company called Alkaline Certified, which adds labels to alkaline foods in the stores, so that consumers can understand what is and isn't an alkaline food.

Burrell has also launched Alakine Fresh, a meal delivery service set to launch in July, 2021. It will be the first-ever alkaline certified meal delivery kit aimed to help adults and children eat healthy foods, he says. "Everyone can do an alkaline diet," says Burrell. "It’s not that difficult, it’s just a mindset. It’s fun when you explore a lot of new foods," and feel so much healthier when you get it right.

Burell has advice for anyone who wants to change their health or their life: "If you want to see a change in your life, take a chance. An alkaline diet worked for me, it can work for anyone. I thought I would suffer from my health problems for the rest of my life."

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