Shine with Mary Obana
Shine with Mary Obana
My Family's Health Journey and the Path to Purpose
To learn more about Mary's work with The Food Whisperers, please visit:
thefoodwhisperers.com
To learn more about Mary Obana, visit her website:
maryobana.com
To learn more about having Mary connect you directly to your own spiritual guidance, visit:
maryobana.com/private-reading
For more information about Mary's book "Shine: A Simple Guide to Finding Your Light and Letting It Shine on the World", visit:
maryobana.com/amazon
Mary Obana 0:05
I'm Mary Obana. Welcome to Shine. I’m all about friendly, soul-nourishing, spiritually-inspired conversations that expand perspectives and offer practical guidance so you can live joyfully and shine brightly.
I believe:
Everyone has something special within them, a unique gift—a light you are to find and share with the world. You are here to shine.
I believe:
You have a deep knowing, guidance that is ready to serve you. It is always available if you listen.
I believe:
You are here to live with complete joy and peace—nothing less. It’s just awaiting your allowing.
Ready to get to it? Here we go!
Mary Obana 00:54
Well, hello! I’m really happy you are here. It’s so nice to be with you!
It’s been a bit since my last episode release. As you know, I have been devoting time to working on something special, and I shared that I would let you know more when it is time. Well, it’s time! In this episode, I will get into everything I’ve been up to, the lessons learned, and what it means for me and you, too. So, let’s get into it!
Over the past year, I have felt a transition taking place in my life—something in motion that I needed to be open to. Maybe you can relate to this, whether you’ve experienced it in the past or it’s something you are feeling right now.
I know that each of us has a special way to serve others in this world and share our gifts. It might be your storytelling ability or sense of humor, the love and support you bring to family and friends, the way you solve problems, your creativity, or maybe you help people heal. The list is as diverse and unique as each of us. And regardless of your vocation or how you spend most of your time, it’s what you do with who you are that I’m talking about.
I think of my dear friend Mary Caprio, whom I interviewed in one of the earliest episodes of this podcast. Mary had been recently diagnosed with cancer at the time. After reading my book Shine, we talked about what it meant to shine. I know that everyone has a light within them— the way they express their own unique brand of love to the world. Mary admitted that she had spent most of her lifetime believing that what makes you special, the gift you give to the world, was inherently (and solely) tied to your paid vocation.
Once she honored her genuine inner desire to devote her life to raising and loving her family, she thought any meaningful “contribution” to the world ended when she stepped away from her professional life. I will never forget that moment when Mary discovered for the first time how her special light showed up. It was an epiphany for her. She came to understand that it wasn’t what she DID. It was who she was. And in her specific case, it was how she made others feel—the laughter and joy she brought to their lives. She admitted it wasn’t something she had thought much about or valued because it came so easily to her. I was so grateful that she finally recognized her light, treating it with its rightful reverence. Her gift had been there all along. Mary passed in 2021 after a brave journey, but I still can’t think of her without a loving smile coming across my face. So much laughter and joy. Her light lives on, for sure.
The more I learn about people who reflect on the experiences of their lives, my own and those closest to me included, the more I see that there always seems to be a path, even when it’s not readily apparent.
Our journeys aren’t always linear; we can bounce around from one thing to another—jobs, interests, personal circumstances, heartbreak, joy, and struggles. Then there are all the people we engage with along the way, whether for a moment or a lifetime. Sometimes, it all can seem so random and disconnected.
But then, we find ourselves doing something that resonates deeply, giving meaning to our days and lives. It can be something we’ve been doing all along, but suddenly, now we appreciate it for what it really is, recognizing how important it is to us and how valuable it is to others. Or, it can be something new that we are drawn to because it feels meaningful, and it’s a place we feel we can give. Something we feel called to do.
When we follow our hearts, that pull within us, it always seems to lead us to where we are to be. Beautiful things can emerge from the process of change if we allow it. And when you look reflectively at your life, it always seems to make sense. Your life somehow led you to that place. There are always dots that can be connected.
My life has been a beautiful illustration of this process in action.
Let me tell you a story.
Most people would never know this, but I have lived with eczema my entire life. For as long as I can remember, I have been in a constant, never-ending battle with my skin. Dry, itchy, splotchy… I grew up with rashes behind my knees, in the crooks of my elbows, behind my ears, and, at times, across every part of my body and face. It was uncomfortable and frustrating. I spent my life slathering my body with lotions and prescription creams and dreading the endless cycle of itchy, dry skin that turned to rashes, then peeling (more like molting!), only to start it all over again. It got better as I got older, but the battle always lurked. I was told it was hereditary. My mom had it when she was young. I believed it was just the way my skin was. I was “born” with it.
My son Kai gratefully never suffered from eczema, but he had his share of misfortune when it came to his body. When Kai got to elementary school, we began to notice he had significant stomach issues and experienced constant joint pain. He never complained because he didn’t know any different, but it turned out he had felt like this his whole life. And his symptoms grew worse.
Then there’s my husband, Michael. His struggles began in earnest in 2015 when he experienced an overwhelming, seemingly non-stop series of random, constantly changing symptoms affecting virtually every system of his body. His skin broke out in rashes and itched like crazy; his hair started falling out in patches on the back of his head; he developed painful ulcers inside his nose that took weeks to heal. His joints and muscles ached. And despite exercising regularly, his lungs felt like those of a lifelong smoker with emphysema. Climbing stairs was like climbing Mt. Everest. Playing on the beach with Kai would leave him gassed.
He developed super uncomfortable digestive issues. He would have prolonged body temperature spikes that were so miserable he would jump into the icy Atlantic Ocean in the midst of winter to find relief. The most prevalent symptoms were his sinus issues. His nose never stopped running during the day, and at night, he would wake up multiple times to clear the mucus coating his throat. Headaches and excruciatingly itchy eyes would greet him every morning. But the most unsettling symptom of all was related to his heart. Michael experienced unpredictable episodes of irregular or missing heartbeats or prolonged periods of heart “fluttering,” where his heart would register an impossible 300 beats per minute or more when exercising. Perhaps even more unsettling, his heart rate would suddenly be abnormally high even when sitting down or lying in bed. He was emotionally and physically exhausted.
Growing up in a modern medicine world, with all the advances and skills of our medical practitioners, we naturally turned to our doctors for answers. We sought advice from specialists at world-renowned hospitals, and between the three of us worked with gastroenterologists, neurologists, rheumatologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, allergists, dermatologists, physiatrists, orthopedists, otolaryngologists… had MRIs, CT scans, colonoscopies, endoscopies, tests for Celiac, lactose intolerance, blood tests, skin prick tests, stool tests, allergy tests. Michael wore a Holter monitor that continuously recorded electrocardiogram activity over multiple days… test after test after test. We were put on prescription medications, received steroid injections, placed on supplements, and underwent years of immunotherapy. We depended on over-the-counter remedies, protein pump inhibitors, antihistamines, eye drops, lotions, and creams to manage the symptoms. Then, there were various suggested treatments for our symptoms. One was an ablation. An ablation is when they burn the inside of the heart to create scarring to break up the electrical signals that cause irregular heartbeats. It didn’t sit well with Michael because it didn’t seem this was getting to the root cause of the symptoms; it was just treating them. But, out of fear, he had it anyway. The irregular heartbeats returned.
We knew things weren’t right, and all the uncertainty made us wonder if something more serious was behind it all. We yearned to understand WHY these things were happening, yet doctor after doctor continued to report, “We can’t find anything wrong.” There were no mechanical or structural issues, physiological abnormalities, detected pathogens, or signs of disease. Just symptoms. And prescriptions.
For me and Kai, since we lived with our symptoms our entire lives without end, it was easy to slip down the “well, I guess that’s just the way my body works” path.
For Michael, it was different. He couldn’t just live with all that was going on with his body. He said it felt like his body crashed. And if his doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong, he was going to.
So, fueled by frustration, he embarked on a mission to identify the source of the suffering. He began by relentlessly tracking every single symptom: what it was, when it came on, and how long it lasted. He then started documenting where he was when the symptom appeared: what was he doing, where was he sitting, was he in bed, in his office, near a vent, were dusty books around him… I mean, it was a full-on war. For months, he was convinced he was allergic to our house, so carpets were ripped out, mattresses replaced, bedding converted to hypoallergenic versions, HEPA air cleaners were installed, HVAC ducts were cleaned, carpenters were hired to replace areas subject to mold, pollen-offending trees on our property were cut down, filters were changed throughout the house and in our cars… Still, the symptoms continued.
Next line of attack: what was going into his body? After endless hours of online research, reading medical journals, following message boards, experimenting with different diets and supplements, blood, stool, and saliva tests, and reading books on food allergies… he was his own laboratory. Incessant trial and error testing. Multi-week food eliminations. Then, precisely timed food re-introductions. As he says, he “geeked out and bulldozed his way through his anger and uncertainty.”
And then, he began to see an unexpected picture emerging.
Though he had tested negative for Celiac and negative for a gluten allergy, he was reacting to wheat, a key, sometimes hidden, ingredient in many of the foods and staple condiments he loved and frequently ate. The revelation was a starting point, after which other sensitivities were discovered. It seemed we were on the right path. He began feeling better, but still, unresolved symptoms and new challenges persisted.
This was when my journey with my spiritual connection began in earnest. Talk about Divine timing. We had figured out that Kai was sensitive to dairy after putting him through our own elimination testing, but there was still more we couldn’t put our finger on. Seeking help for Kai’s digestive issues, we turned to my spiritual connection to identify specific food triggers. Not only did we discover Kai was sensitive to particular dairy proteins, but there were things we would have never identified on our own that he reacted to—like chocolate extract (found in his protein powder) and citric acid, one of the most common food additives in the world and, we discovered, an ingredient in his dairy-free yogurt!
Then it was my turn. For me, it was also dairy. While I never was a milk drinker, when it came to cheese, no one could love it more. Michael and I would drive to cheese caves, spending hours with cheese mongers, sampling and talking about all things cheese. After one visit, I remember thinking, I could do this for a living! My life-long love affair with cheese was at the root of my chronic inflammatory skin condition. It wasn’t just how “my skin was,” it was my food choices! But it wasn’t just dairy. I learned there was more—at a level of accuracy and detail that amazed and helped me immeasurably.
For Michael, the guidance validated and refined what he had learned but went so much further than he could ever have done on his own. Through guidance, we identified 54 distinct food sensitivity triggers for him, ranging from specific food additives and hidden ingredients to major food groups. The detail was staggering!
Holy moly! It turned out that nearly all of the symptoms affecting our lives were directly caused or made worse by our food sensitivities. Yup, food sensitivities, things that did not show up on our allergy testing or that were detected by the countless medical specialists who had cared for us over the years. We couldn’t believe that the things we were ingesting were causing all these issues. Especially since we thought we ate well – lots of healthy, fresh foods and organic ingredients. I mean, heart issues? Hair loss? Joint and back pain? Really!?
So, we changed our diets to allow each of our bodies to begin its natural process of healing and self-repair—something it’s really good at as long as we stop throwing obstacles in its way.
For me and Kai, that meant no more dairy. No more of my beloved cheese! Within days, both of us could feel our bodies calming down. It felt as if the attacking forces on the front lines were retreating. Kai couldn’t believe what it felt like to feel good. The poor guy had never lived without symptoms. For me, my eczema finally got under control. And, with a bit of experimentation, we both found dairy alternatives that we really like, so we barely miss having regular dairy most of the time. And honestly? No diary is worth the price of giving up feeling good. And while I will still get the occasional flare-up, I now know it’s because of dairy I inadvertently ate. I’m ok with that!
And for Michael? It hasn’t been so quick or easy, but wow, it has been life-changing. And honestly, live-saving. I am so, so grateful.
Besides helping us feel so much better and removing a significant source of physical and mental strain for each of us, this whole experience has completely tuned us into our bodies and how they respond to the food we put into them. We’ve learned this is not about “good food” or “bad food,” healthy or unhealthy foods. This is about understanding the exact foods and hidden ingredients our specific body reacts negatively to. We have distinct fingerprints. Our distinctiveness doesn’t stop at the tip of our fingers! We are unique from cell to soul. When you think about it, it makes sense that our bodies would respond uniquely to different foods.
Our symptoms were immune responses or food intolerances, showing up in all different parts of our bodies. Symptoms are messages—our body’s way of communicating with us. And, when we don’t listen, the messages get louder.
When I think about how I ignored the messages my body was sending me for decades, yikes! I’m not saying I wasn’t paying attention to the symptoms – I mean, I was very active in managing them. I understood I had eczema, but I never, ever understood the ROOT cause of it.
Despite the suffering each of us experienced, while it was no fun going through it, so many unexpected beautiful things emerged because of it. For instance, I see how the experience has expanded Kai’s understanding of the way guidance works or can work in your life. When you have a tangible way your life is so positively affected by the guidance you receive, it’s hard to ignore the power of it and how it can help you.
For me, it’s been multi-faceted. First, I will forever be grateful that I have been able to use my ability to connect with guidance to receive answers to help my family end their struggles, to help them feel better, to put an end to the misery, the frustration, the mystery, and to put the control back in their hands to help them feel good again. But I also see how my understanding and connection to guidance itself has expanded.
We can work so hard to tune into the messages that come from the infinite wisdom of Divine Guidance, but guidance comes in many forms, and for years, I wasn’t tuned into the messages my own body was sending me. I know now that symptoms are our body's way of communicating with us. They are messages we cannot ignore because beneath them lie answers. To live as the best expression of our souls, we must live in harmony with our bodies.
I mentioned earlier about my feelings over the past year that something was in motion that I needed to be open to. And I’ll admit, I kept hunting down one thing or another, but each time, I knew it wasn’t it. Then, last summer, we were out to dinner with some friends, ordering food the way we do, making sure they were free of any of the things that set us off. Our friend said to Kai, “I love hearing you order. You are so good at ensuring what you order is right for you.” Kai responded, “Once you know what feeling good feels like, you want to keep it that way. Mom helped me a lot. She wonders what it is she should be doing. I don’t know why she doesn’t just do what she did for us, for others. She can really help people. She changed my life. She completely changed my life.” I remember overhearing this conversation.
From the mouths of babes.
As I said, Guidance comes through in many ways… messages can come through people, too. And when you know, you know, because they hit you in a way that you cannot ignore.
So, I’m listening. I’m taking my own advice and following that guidance.
Last fall, Michael and I began helping others the way guidance helped us overcome our food sensitivities. And let me tell you, no one understands what it’s like to suffer from food sensitivity symptoms and the massive shift your life can take when you manage them more than Michael.
After helping others identify the things their body is uniquely sensitive to, guiding them on what to do with that information, and seeing its impact on their lives, we knew we had to spend our time doing this. There are so many who are needlessly suffering, and we can help put an end to it.
The feedback has been humbling and reaffirming. As one person recently told us, “I didn’t think I’d ever feel good again. I thought I was dying.”
Wow. So yes, a change is upon me. A transition had indeed been in motion.
I am excited to share that I will now focus on helping people struggling with food sensitivities get the answers they need to feel good again. It’s a calling I cannot ignore.
Michael and I will be combining our gifts to do this work. Our methodology for determining each body’s specific food sensitivities is unique. We combine detailed food science research, our own experience as long-time sufferers of food allergies and sensitivities, and, most of all, my ability as a spiritual medium to connect with Divine Guidance to reveal answers. How it works may be hard to explain, but why it works is simple. The Universe wants and needs us to live as fully as we were meant to. Helping people tune into their bodies to remove the obstacles that stand in the way of feeling their best is one way to do that.
Our service is called The Food Whisperers.
We are not medical doctors; this is not a replacement for doctors. As one with multiple surgeons in the family, I am a big fan of medicine. If you suffer from health issues, simply think of us as one more option that may get you to the root of what ails you as it did for us.
But if you or someone you love has taken the medical route and still have no answers, if you feel like your body is reacting to something that feels out of your control, with chronic symptoms that don’t go away, and you’re tired of fighting through it, let us help you. We know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed and exhausted.
Michael and I are excited about this new chapter and the opportunity to serve others in this way. We know it's where we are to be. It’s incredible how your life experiences, even the most unsuspecting, can lead you to your work… dots connecting.
So, I have been asked what this means for my readings, teaching, coaching, and this podcast. To start, I will be putting my Shine podcast on pause for a while. While I love the ability to connect with you in this way, The Food Whisperers is calling for my energy and attention right now. And if there’s one thing I know for sure, when we receive guidance and a call, our job is to listen. And I am. I am.
As for readings, I cannot let go of the chance to convey messages of spiritual guidance to people directly through personal readings, so while I will be cutting back, I will continue to do this work when I can. You can reach me through my email at mary@maryobana.com or my website, maryobana.com, if you ever need me.
As for teaching and events, Michael and I will be making some Food Whisperers appearances, educating people on connecting to the messages of their bodies. If you want to know where we will be, sign up for The Food Whisperers updates on our website, and we will be sure to keep you posted.
To learn more about The Food Whisperers, head to TheFoodWhisperers.com. There’s a bunch of information on what we do and a whole section devoted to helping you determine if this is something that can help you.
If you have a family member, friend, or colleague struggling to find out why they aren’t feeling the way they want to, and you think we can help, please share this episode and our website with them. We want nothing more than to help people feel like themselves again.
While I am away from this podcast, I want you to know that It has been an honor to share these past few years with you. I have grown so much with you and because of you, and I hope you have enjoyed this, too. Thank you for inviting me into your homes and cars and on your walks and runs. And please know you can always access over three years of episodes if you want to re-listen to them. You can always find them at maryobana.com—they will always be there for you.
Before I go, I’d like to share some final thoughts that I hope find a way into your heart. Thoughts that Guidance has used me to convey to you through many of my podcasts over the years.
First, I hope by now you know that you have something special within you, a unique gift—a light you are to find and share with the world. You are here to shine. Please don’t keep yourself to yourself.
You also have a deep knowing. Listen to the messages in all their forms—it’s guidance ready to serve you and it is always available if you listen. Follow your heart. It always seems to know.
You are here to live with complete joy and peace, nothing less. It’s just awaiting your allowing.
And lastly, please know you are NEVER alone. There is a force beyond your imagination, an energy of love, light, truth, peace, and infinite wisdom. And it is FOR you. Trust in it.
Keep shining, dear friends. Keep shining.
I look forward to staying in touch and being back, because I know there is still more. Until then, thank you, and take it easy.