I used to think getting healthier required more discipline. Moving abroad showed me I actually needed a change of scene.

Moving to the Caribbean changed how I view my health and made fresh produce feel more accessible.

Chantel Henry For years, I dealt with symptoms related to seasonal allergies while trying to eat well on a budget.

Moving to the Caribbean shifted how I view my health and gave me better access to fresh produce.

I'm not magically "cured" by any means, but living somewhere new shifted my mindset and habits.

On the seventh morning of a $135 "respiratory cleanse," I stood in my Atlanta kitchen staring at five bottles of pills and raw vegetables.

The plan required I take pills six times a day for 21 days and eat only raw food .

I lasted a week until a friend invited me out, and the thought of ordering salad and water felt more exhausting than my congestion.

I quit that day.

Then, I was back to the drawing board again.

I felt guilty knowing I'd spent nearly my whole paycheck on organic produce, only to watch it rot in the fridge.

This was one of the many ways I'd been trying to throw money at any solution that might help me manage the symptoms of my chronic illness and seasonal allergies for years.

I've tested $40 tinctures and $50 probiotics.

I cycled through raw vegan, vegan, keto, carnivore-focused, and low-carb diets .

Sometimes I wanted to lose weight.