Rebuilding

Six months before Hurricane Maria, I faced a storm of my own.

On New Year’s Day, I collapsed—covered in hives, gasping for air. It wasn’t allergies. It was complete cortisol depletion after years of chronic stress, poor sleep, and ignoring my body while building a healthier world.

Despite my public health training, I was lost in the system.

Healing didn’t begin with a prescription—it began when I finally listened to my body. That choice—scary, slow, and deeply unfamiliar—changed everything.

I rebuilt my health, my habits, and my life.

And I emerged stronger, more aligned, and truly well—for the first time.

Marifé Levis, San Juan, USA

Tiny Health Stories - a project of the Global Positive Health Institute