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INTRODUCTION:
My name is Beverly and I am a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. My Journey to health started back in 1993 as I just began to try and understand this thing called nutrition.
This section is about my recovery from Mercury poisoning, impaired immune system, chemical sensitivities, food and pollen allergy, candida overgrowth, fatigue and more. The fundamentals of restoring health to the body are the key, it doesn't matter what the illness is. This is not medical advice or a diagnosis. This information has not been approved by the FDA or any government agency. Use of any of the information found on this site is your sole responsibility and not the responsibility of Earth in Common.
Listen to Your Intuition
The healing process involves using your intuition to guide your way. We all have an innate intelligence that speaks to us before we have time to think. This first thought is our intuition. After a few seconds, our thinking minds kick in and distort the message with fears and opinions, and a lack of belief in our own abilities. If we are mindful enough to pay attention to that first instinctual message and our gut feelings, we can take back our power in this life. Always believing that others know more than you, gives away your power. It is the art of listening to yourself; to take a chance and believe in your own higher guidance because you are unique and what may be right for one person, may not be right for you.
"All our progress is an unfolding, like the vegetable bud. You have first an instinct, then an opinion, then a knowledge, as the plant has root, bud and fruit. Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason." (Ralph Waldow Emerson)
"We are very near to greatness; one step and we are safe, can we not take the leap?" (Ralph Waldow Emerson)
No ifs, ands or buts...you CAN heal yourself.
I believe that if we feed our body, mind and spirit with good food, we can heal anything.
I am going to start at the end of my journey to health and will go backwards because I learned the best things last. It took me 10 years and we will skip over 1-8 for now. I said the "end" of my journey, but there is no "end". I am and will always be ever seeking and self improving until the day I die.
But one thing I do know...
I believe in our ability to heal ourselves...completely...
Healing Should be Simple
(a brief excerpt of thoughts from my past)
I was listening to some tapes the other day that talk about how all of
us are born with unique capabilities that are individual to us -- gifts that we have to give to the world.
Later, I was thinking about healing and its mental/spiritual aspects and it hit me, what if all disease is caused by our inability to express our uniqueness in the world?
It doesn't matter what the cause of our inability is, culture, fear, family, friends, etc., the result is still the same. Denying our unique talents, ideas, thoughts and gifts block our life force, our energy flow. And, I think we start by denying our uniqueness to ourselves.
It all boils down to lack of confidence which comes from lack of self-love.
I had had a dream once that examined the statement; "love is the cure for everything". It all is so simple ( as it should be) yet so hard to live it. But it confirms what I have always believed -- that the answers to healing should be simple, not complicated, so that everyone has equal access, not just doctors or scientists.
Implementing the answers takes time, lots of mental digging to uncover
the ways we stop ourselves, mindfulness and practice.
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Nutrition
I must preface this section with a few comments. Please consider that there is no magic bullet, no pill, no treatment that can take the place of rebuilding the body's foundations. Digestion is the place to begin, along with examining the diet to make sure it is nutritionally dense. I recovered because I opened my mind and dedicated myself to learning and change. If what you are doing now, is not working, try something different!
Most of the nutritional ideas floating around out there in our culture are misleading for many reasons; for example, marketing messages put out by the big food companies, selling something for profit, not because it is healthy for the body. Just because they claim it promotes health, does not mean its true. There is nothing like Real Food...unprocessed whole food prepared in a natural way. Food that the body can recognize, that has all its mysterious and unknown co-factors intact. Let's turn "conventional" thought about food upside down!
Don't Panic! Alternative thinking about healing gave me back my life and it can do the same for you. Start by focusing on creating health!
Years ago, I was reading an organic gardening book by the Dirt Doctor in which he talked about feeding the soil. He said if you have healthy soil, the plants and trees will be able to fight off any disease or infestation. That struck me on multiple levels. I needed to feed my body's soil! But how? I had read and tried all kinds of diets and supplements but none had ever really made me feel any better until I discovered Sally Fallon and her ideas on food.
Refer to : Nourishing Traditions, The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.
and
The Weston A. Price Foundation.
Eat ONLY Nutrient Dense Whole Food!
I heard Sally on the radio talking about fats, milk and meat and I was incredulous at what she said and decided to ignore the information. It was so different from conventional thinking that I couldn't believe it could be good for me. Then, I heard her again and decided to buy the cookbook. It is full of astonishing information about health and diet. It taps into the past, indigenous peoples and their understanding about food.
Her book has taught me so much about food nutrition and I am still learning from her. I even managed to control my hormone issues with fat. Fat? Yes, fat. I am not just referring to the fats touted in the media, I am talking about saturated fats too. The health benefits are amazing. Learn the truth about saturated fat from Sally (and Mary Enig PhD. (I forgot to mention that Sally is also a Biochemist.)
Understanding the Health Benefits of Fat
Vegetable oils are stored in the body as fat and create free radicals. Virgin Coconut oil, butter and other medium chain fatty acids (fats) are used by the body as energy, not stored as fat, and help the body absorb vitamins and minerals. They help make the chemicals in the brain that prevent depression, ease muscle and joint pain, kill off bad bacteria and protect the heart from disease. They aid in the production of hormones (some of which, relieve allergy symptoms), help protect the intestine from leaky gut syndrome (which causes allergies) and kill candida and parasites. If you brush your teeth with coconut oil, you will protect yourself from cavities and plaque!
When I had a cold, I increased my coconut oil intake to 6 tablespoons a day and recovered amazingly fast. Coconut cream mixed with a tiny bit of dried coconut is incredible fiber and great for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other bowel disorders. No more diarrhea.
Butter from organically raised, grass fed cows is an amazing super food. It contains healing fatty acids that are only found in butter. It helps rebuild the lining in the intestine and contains valuable vitamins. Apparently, animal fat is where the nutrients are found. I am amazed at the muscle tone I have developed from eating medium chain fatty acids like butter and coconut oil. They also have helped me to restore my hormones. If men only knew that butter works better than Viagra!
One small-chain fatty acid called butyrate, has been shown to differentiate cancer cells. This means it makes cancer cells become normal. Butyrate is found mainly in butter.
There are a few rules about fat, they are simple; be careful with vegetable oils, (heat destroys them) and they make you fat, and clog arteries. Cook on lower heat and use coconut oil and butter. Coconut and butter are less likely to be damaged by heat while vegetable oils are very fragile.
Coconut oil and butter fell victim to a battle for market share with vegetable oils. Misinformation was spread claiming that coconut oil would cause heart disease and obesity, when it actually helps prevent it. In the 1950's coconut oil was used in all kinds of cookies and processed food. After the market share battle with vegetable oils, it was replaced with trans fats which are very dangerous. Butter was replaced by margarine, a trans fat. Virgin coconut oil is not hydrogenated, and is trans fat free. If we look back, we will find that heart disease and cancer have increased instead of decreased. We just haven't been paying attention.
A trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil--a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats.
Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils.
Trans fat, raises the LDL cholesterol that increases your risk for coronary heart disease. -Quote from the FDA
Oxidized fats and refined oils, which have been stripped of natural antioxidants, are popular in today's modern diet, especially processed vegetable oils, which have been found to accumulate in arterial plaque. We take antioxidants to counteract them but it is hard to get enough. Coconut oil is stable, does not oxidize easily, is resistant to free radical attack and can act as an antioxidant, helping to prevent the oxidation of other oils. Coconut oil protects the heart and arteries from being injured by viruses, bacteria or free radicals.
The big diet trend was to claim that fat makes you fat. That is true of vegetable oils but not coconut oil or fats containing medium chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is used as energy, the body does not store it. It even helps the body absorb Omega 3 fats that are so critical for health. That is why it is advised to take cod liver oil with butter and/ or coconut oil for better results!
Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil and Coconut Cream :
- Boosts Metabolism (thyroid) to Help Lose Weight
- Source of Essential Fatty Acids That Helps to Lower Cholesterol
- Can Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease
- Helps with Diabetes, Thyroid and Chronic Fatigue
- Great Energy Food
- Easy to Digest and Helps those with Ulcers, Colitis, Crohn’s and IBS
- Help Reduce Inflammation and Immune Responses caused by Allergies
- Promotes Beautiful Skin by protecting against the free radical damage that causes aging
- Topically Rejuvenates Skin, Prevents Wrinkles
- Less Calories than Other Fats/Not stored in the body as fat
- Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Parasitic funguses, yeast.
- Helps to Heal Wounds and Reduce Acne
- Stays 99% Fresh at least 12 Months
- Boosts the Immune System, Even Helps HIV
I was surprised that I could get strong again. I am still so amazed when spring hits and I have no allergic reactions. I can go out in our polluted world and not be overwhelmed with chemical sensitivities, I can go to the gym and work out for 2 hours when only a couple of years ago, I couldn't lift my leg to put it in my jeans! (Don't under estimate Fat: Fat is key in the production of major hormones. Hormones are essential for controlling allergic reactions, along with many other bodily functions. In the beginning, I had trouble digesting fat, (except coconut oil and butter, they are very easy on the body) but eventually that resolves itself too, because coconut oil and butter improve the health of the digestive system.
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Chelation
By now, you're probably wondering if I did chelation. I did, in the beginning. First with DMPS and alternating with H2O2 IVs and then later with EDTA alternating with Vitamin C IVs . I thought it was helpful except that in the beginning, the doctor started doing it before I had had my filings removed and I really got sick. I guess it just downloaded tons of mercury into my system (guessing) and I was overcome with Candida and developed open sores that did not heal for months.
My allergies came on stronger and I got more and more chemically sensitive. I seemed to be getting worse. Couldn't decide if the chelation was a good thing or not. I would get brutal headaches and could barely lay my head on my pillow with the EDTA. The IVs caused my veins to build up scar tissue or submerge, never to be seen again. When I lay down to go to sleep I would get this buzzing in my brain like a car just whizzed by really close and it would startle me awake. I grew weaker still. My stomach hurt everyday and I just sat on the sofa for years, too tired to do anything, but research.
Hope
In the Land of Nowhere,
Between sadness and love,
A heart beats with a promise, given before birth, that lives beyond time.
Passion drives a path,
Through the unknowing,
To find the place
Where wonder can manifest the magic of the unseen and everlasting possibility.
by Bev
The last doctor told me that mercury patients never really get well. That's when I had had enough. (He was a mercury patient too.) I thought, “maybe you won't but I am going to recover, completely.” I went home and took control of my own treatment, researched and studied my way back to health.
I restored my immune system, resolved my muscle aches and pains, allergies, chemical sensitivities, spastic colon, vertigo, and more. With the right nutrition, I believe your body can heal anything.
Note: I decided to quit getting diagnosed because I felt it was bad for my health. I did not need the negative ideas and limitations being introduced into my life.
But, I'm no doctor, just someone who figured out how to help myself.
Quote:We are never without a pilot. When we know not how to steer, and dare not hoist a sail, we can drift. The current knows the way, though we do not. (Ralph Waldow Emerson)
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Detoxification
After all the chelation, I had problems with detoxing too much. I couldn't handle Vitamin C or anything that might cause the process to start. It simply overwhelmed me. I was so incredibly sensitive. My body would detox 2 or 3 times a day making me very very sick. If I took a mixture of bentonite clay, chlorophyll and water to absorb toxins (on an empty stomach) and lots of fiber I could lighten my load.
I decided that I was overwhelmed because my organs were not healthy enough to handle the process of removing toxins from my system. I didn't realize my diet was the big issue...I thought I was eating right....(hadn't heard of Weston A. Price yet).
There was large amounts of Candida (yeast overgrowth) in my system... the doctor said that the Candida goes along with mercury in the body. I didn't realize that Candida prevented me from absorbing nutrients in my gut and that it prevented it from eliminating toxins.
This poor functioning of the digestive system eventually deprives the rest of the body of nutrients and causes allergies. It was called "leaky gut syndrome".
If I could absorb food better, all my organs could function optimally and eliminate toxins easier. Maybe that is why I was unable to rid myself of the mercury. (After lots of chelation my levels would still creep back up there.) (See Candida Section)
It was time to heal my gut. BUT HOW??
It is my firm conviction that the body's main defense is in the colon. The beneficial bacteria in the colon are responsible for keeping the colon healthy. They can be destroyed by antibiotic use. They can be knocked out of balance and overcome by Candida (yeast) which also lives in the colon. Candida gets out of balance when there is too much sugar in the diet, whether it comes from refined sugar or high glycemic carbohydrates like fruit or carrots or bread.
I decided to starve the yeast (Candida) by eliminating sugar and high glycemic carbs. That helped. But I had to go further by taking in beneficial bacteria daily.
I eat lots of fermented/cultured foods along with lactobacillus supplements. Getting the good bacteria from food not only replenishes the colon, but the fermentation/culturing process enhances the nutrition in the food, and predigests it, providing super nutrition, which is fabulous especially while the gut is healing. This fights off lots of disease and helps recreate a strong immune system. (Note: In the beginning, you may experience Candida die off, which is temporary. It can make you feel a little worse for a while. If it becomes overwhelming, don't quit, just slow down your intake until you adjust. The only way to get better is to go through this process. (I put an article on the "Healing Crisis or the Die Off" in the Whole Living Section.) (Also, see the section on "Candida" below.)
Our modern way of eating has forgotten the important role of fermented and cultured foods in our diets. (The yogurt, kefir that you buy in a store, has been pasteurized, destroying the live good bacteria/cultures and may not be helpful. )
I use culture/kefir starters and make my own kefir, cultured veggies and drink a most fabulous naturally fermented probiotic liquid. I never get sick and my allergies are dramatically reduced. I also eat lots of coconut and coconut milk (whole fat) it is antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic and I never get sick! I have slimmed down and have leaner muscle tissue.
Our bodies can heal with the right tools and food is one of the best ones.
Why cultured foods are so beneficial
Cultured foods contribute to efficient digestion in three ways: - by breaking down foods to make digestion and assimilation easier
- by providing enzymes to aid digestion
- by supplying and nourishing the correct intestinal bacteria
What all cultured foods have in common is an abundance of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and moulds that produce enzymes which break down and alter the original foods.
A significant proportion of the body's energy is involved in the digestion and transformation of food. In effect, these organisms predigest the foods, breaking down the complex proteins, carbohydrates and fats into more easily absorbed amino acids, fatty acids and simple sugars. This leads to more efficient assimilation and utilization of these nutrients and a reduced burden on the digestive tract. The action of the culture organisms makes the minerals in cultured foods more readily available to the body. The bacteria also produce B vitamins, providing a significant increase to the level of these vitamins in many cultured foods.
Another Great Whole Food Blood Builder and Detoxifier
Another wonderful super food, that I have incorporated into my diet, is Beet Kvass (recipe on pg 610 in Nourishing Traditions cookbook by Sally Fallon). Beet Kvass is a fermented liquid that is very easy to make. It delivers incredible nutrition and is a fabulous detoxifier. It is a blood builder and a liver cleanser. Basically it is big beet chunks + filtered water + 1 tablespoon of sea salt + 1/4 cup whey (you can order whey from organic pastures.com) in half gallon glass jar with a tight lid. Let sit out for 2-3 days (less if in a warmer environment, but longer if room temperature is cooler - it's important to allow the process to consume all the sugars in the beets), then refrigerate and drink one ounce before each meal and work your intake up slowly. It is a whole food/vitamin/mineral supplement that the body can recognize and is cheap to make!! Tastes good too. But get the real recipe to make sure it is done right. (I am always concerned that the body cannot recognize or utilize synthetic, isolated vitamins because of the lack of naturally occurring cofactors, normally found in whole foods, that are necessary for proper assimilation. Beet Kvass is whole food nutrition.)
In addition to the Kvass, I eat cultured beets with carrots. Beets and carrots are very high in sugar but the culturing process uses it up. These veggies are great for hormone issues and also provide enhanced nutrition found in beets and carrots. In other words, culturing the vegetables turns them into a super food that is easy to assimilate.
Beets help the gallbladder digest fats. If the body is not digesting, it cannot absorb the nutrients for healing.
More about beets:
Beets strengthen the heart, calm the nerves, improve circulation, purify the blood, support the liver, moisten the intestines, treat liver stagnancy and liver ailments. Combined with carrots, they help hormone regulation and menopause. I found that the Beet Kvass really helps with IBS/irritable bowel symptoms!
By the way, ever get foggy headed from too many toxins? Try this experiment.
Mix 2 cups hot water and 1/8 teaspoon of unrefined (dark grey) sea salt. Sip slowly while its really warm. Wait 15 or so minutes and if needed, do a second one. I think the hot water helps rinse out the toxins and the sea salt re-mineralizes the body (detoxing pulls out minerals along with toxins).
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Other weird symptoms for the record...in case it helps you
- Ferris wheel vertigo..I would hug the wall and sit on the floor for hours
- Major headaches
- Heart palpitations
- Occasional split second spells where I would loose all types of orientation at once. Like my brain signals scrambled.
- Trouble remembering how to type, spell and make complete sentences....forgetful.
- Chemical sensitivities
- Pollen and food allergies (lots)
- Diarrhea/stomach pain (IBS)
- Extreme overgrowth of Candida
- Sores that would not heal
- Very emotional
- Extreme fatigue and muscle pain (they tried to label it as chronic fatigue & fibromyalgia, but by that time, I refused labels on things. I felt it could hinder my recovery.
But those symptoms are all gone now!
Here are some helpful products I use.
Other products I find valuable:
Water Purifiers - get those chemicals out of your water and stay away from those plastic bottles. Showering in water with chlorine in it will cause you to absorb this toxin. There are great filters that go on your faucets, shower and bath that remove this from your water.
Air Purifiers - chemicals are out gassing from your paint, carpet, carpet pad, varnishes, stains, and more. I was allergic to the oils in the washing machine machinery! Be careful of petroleum based carbon filters. You can be sensitive to them too. I use only coconut shell carbon. It's organic. (Lots of people don't realize that they are allergic to petroleum products. It feels just like a pollen reaction.)
Note: About product brands -which brand of supplement you choose is extremely important because some have fillers and don't absorb well.
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Candida
You know, after all that, I can tell you that Candida has been a huge factor in what made my immune system falter. The more I am able to get it under control, the stronger I get. It is my opinion that candida (yeast overgrowth) is the precursor to immune dysfunction. If you have ever taken antibiotics, then you need to replenish the good bacteria in your colon. This should be done EVERY SINGLE DAY anyway.
My theory is that Candida overgrowth in the colon starts interfering with the body's ability to absorb nutrients which leads to organ system MALNOURISHMENT resulting in dysfunction. Then the body is not able to eliminate toxins as well and the compromise snowballs. Let's say then you develop mercury toxicity because you are less able to eliminate toxic substances. It is my opinion that Candida imbalance in the body may be the precursor to immune dysfunction causing all kinds of illness and allergies. What if this is the place you should start your healing?
Candida Overgrowth and Symptoms
Candida overgrowth in the body may be the precursor to immune dysfunction causing all kinds of illness and allergies to food, pollen and chemicals. Antibiotics, sugar and refined carbohydrates create and grow this problem.
Candida lives in balance with beneficial bacteria in the colon. The colon is vital for nutrient absorption and toxin elimination and one of its key contributions is the ability to break down the foods we eat. It is the first line of defense for the immune system.
Food is broken down in the colon with the help of enzymes, yeast and beneficial bacteria that live there; they help keep the colon healthy. Antibiotics kill germs but they also kill the good bacteria in the colon. This results in less beneficial bacteria creating an imbalance, allowing Candida (yeast), to dominate. Candida continues to grow out of balance when there is too much sugar in the diet, whether it comes from refined sugar or high glycemic carbohydrates like fruit, carrots or bread.
Candida overgrowth in the colon starts interfering with the body's ability to absorb nutrients, resulting in less than optimal functioning of the organs and the immune system. In addition, a poorly functioning colon is not able eliminate toxins as well and the compromise snowballs.
Eliminating sugar and high glycemic carbohydrates is crucial and will help starve the Candida.
Adding beneficial bacteria (probiotics) and fiber to the diet are very helpful. Cultured foods like kefir, cultured vegetables and naturally fermented B.E. Wholegrain Probiotic liquid and Lemon & Ginger Probiotic Liquid are very effective at delivering the beneficial bacteria to the colon intact. Getting the good bacteria from cultured food not only replenishes the colon, but the fermentation/culturing process enhances the nutrition in the food, and predigests it, providing super nutrition, which is very helpful especially while the gut is healing. You can make it yourself with kefir starter grains and vegetable culture starter.
Another Famous Candida-Fighting Food
Caprylic acid, one of the fatty acids found in coconut oil, has been used in fighting candida yeast infections and is recommended by physicians.
Besides caprylic acid, two other medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil have been found to kill Candida albicans.
A study done at the University of Iceland showed "capric acid, a 10-carbon saturated fatty acid, causes the fastest and most effective killing of all three strains of Candida albicans tested, leaving the cytoplasm disorganized and shrunken because of a disrupted or disintegrated plasma membrane.
Lauric acid, a 12-carbon saturated fatty acid also found in coconut oil, was the most active at lower concentrations and after a longer incubation time."1" This study shows great promise that all the medium chain fatty acids in
coconut oil work together to kill Candida albicans.
1. Gudmundur Bergsson, et. al., In Vitro Killing of Candida albicans by Fatty Acids and Monoglycerides, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, November 2001, p. 3209-3212, Vol. 45,No. 11
Symptoms of Candida Overgrowth
Allergies and allergy symptoms, chemical sensitivities.
Anxiety, Hyperactivity, Attention Deficit Disorder.
Avoiding food helps to alleviate symptoms.
Chronic inflammation and irritation of the eye and conjunctivae.
Diarrhea, chronic gas, and abdominal cramps alleviated by bowel movements, Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Extreme lethargy.
Eye fatigue.
Facial rash.
Frequent urination.
Frequent yeast infections in women.
High sugar or mold foods drastically increase symptoms.
Hives.
Inflammation of the hair follicles (candidiasis folliculitis) of various parts of the body (feet, legs, arms).
Lactose intolerance.
Muscle weakness and bone pain.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Panic attacks.
vPsoriasis/seborrheic dermatitis/dandruff, dry, itchy skin.
Rectal itching.
Sinus problems.
Swollen lips/face.
Symptoms worse after waking.
White tongue and a white coating.
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Mental Healing..Time to Address My "Issues"
I was sick and wanted to get well. First, I had to ask the hard questions. Can I let go of this illness? I'd say to myself, “What a stupid question, of course I can let it go.” But I had to look deeper. I believe that everything in our lives is there for a reason. In some way, we derive benefit from it, even if it is not obvious to us. We must examine ourselves, ask what clues or issues surround the illness and be willing to understand them in order to let the illness go. It\’s not hard and is the first key to unlocking the door to health. Illness was my body, mind and spirit's cry for help. And it wanted my attention...now!
In my case, my illness had many advantages, like stopping me from taking care of everyone else and to pay more attention to me. It gave me a time out , a reason why I could not perform as usual and forced me to explore avenues that I normally would not take time for. It changed my focus from external to internal. It made me open my mind, examine my fears, my traumas and understand my vulnerabilities. I had to look at all those little things that were bugging me that I had shoved aside. They were the clues.
Sound complex and daunting? It is and it isn't. I knew in my heart what I had to do. What's bugging me, what I struggled with, what makes me not like myself. Sometimes its not real clear and the clues can come from other people like when I find someone that really annoys me, that usually means there is an aspect of their personality that is reminding me of an aspect of mine....something that I don't like about myself. If I dig around enough, I'll find it.
I just have to be attentive, take it one step at a time and before I know it, change comes about that makes me physically healthier. Last year, I had this boss that was driving me crazy and it took lots of guts for me to see that I had similar bad habits. It reflected back to me something that I had a bad habit of doing, but was not consciously aware of, and how it affected those on the receiving end. And I hated that I was like that. I was stunned by this discovery. I look at those as wonderful clues.
Then I had to ask myself if I had begun to identify myself with my illness. I had to learn how to not identify with it and reclaim my ability to get well. I had to realize that I am not a victim here. This problem is here to teach me things...things so valuable that my life will be transformed and enriched by what I would discover. This is a gift in disguise. Yes, a gift. I had to look for the buried treasure, then I would no longer need the illness and will be able to recover.
I did this for myself. I was my own best guide. A list of books that helped me are:
And, most importantly,"Seth Speaks" and "The Nature of Personal Reality" by Jane Roberts. The Seth books actually started me on my path to understanding how I create my reality. They were and are a huge influence in my life. I have since picked up the Abraham-Hicks material and am continuing my evolution, www.abraham-hicks.com. These books have helped me more than words can express!
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Minimize Your Chemical Exposure
Note: If you get overwhelmed with all the information, please remember, take it one step at a time. Any change we make has some effect.)
We need to pay attention to the chemicals in our environment and minimize exposure as much as possible. From food to household cleaners to the paint on the walls and perfume...all of us are affected by chemicals...some of us more than others, but no one is safe.
Where to begin.....
Household cleaners are full of hazardous chemicals and are easy to replace with safer products. Doing so will make a huge difference for your whole family. You can clean with vinegar, water, and soap or buy safe cleaners at your natural food store or online. Hydrogen peroxide powders are good for laundry whitening and toilet bowl scrubbing. Remember, children are smaller and more vulnerable to toxins.
Your skin absorbs chemicals so be informed about what is in your water, (I was allergic to chlorine) use filters, and get to know the ingredients in all body care products.
Body care products can contain lots of chemicals that can be replaced with safer versions. Yes, I mean your makeup, lotions, shampoos and hair dye. Lipstick on your lips...think about it. I found out that no hair dye is safe, except henna, as far as toxins go.
Tampons inserted internally can contain lots of chemicals that your body will absorb. (Cotton is one of the most heavily pesticide-sprayed crops.) Organic tampons and pads are much better and are very similar to the ones that you are familiar with.
Did you realize that indoor air can be extremely polluted? Be careful when you paint or varnish in your home. Use non-toxic versions that don't outgas (emit chemicals into the air).
Carpets and padding also outgas unless they are a natural fiber. A contractor once told me that carpet padding is pure chemical foam and outgases forever. When I lived in apartments, I used a coconut charcoal air purifier to protect me. The charcoal, made of an organic substance vs petroleum, absorbs chemicals from the air in your home (some people are allergic to carbon made from petroleum).
Did you know that they use formaldehyde in sheets and shirts to keep the wrinkles out? It can keep you awake at night. Particle board on your shelves has it too. Not to mention all the chemicals in mattresses. Get an air purifier in the bedroom and eventually replace the bedding and your PJs with more organic versions.
If you park your car in the garage or store toxic paints, insecticides, etc. in there, beware. When a garage is attached to the house, the fumes from everything, gasoline included, will pass through the walls into your home.
Let's talk yard & garden fertilizers and insecticides/fungicides. I read once that women who use chemicals in their yards have a higher rate of breast cancer. Lots of these chemicals are hazardous at best and may have not been tested for safety. Labels are not necessarily dependable. Organic and biodynamic gardening provides interesting and nourishing alternatives. The squirrels, birds, earthworms and beneficial organisms in the soil will thank you for it. So will your body. Remember, your food is only as nutritious as the soil in which it was grown.
The pollution from leaf blowers and gas mowers is many times higher than an automobile and creates a real hazard with every breath you take. Sweeping is good exercise and there are electric or push mowers.
There are natural ways to prevent insect infestations in your home. From diatomaceous earth, to citrus oils, there are many good preventatives that are safer than chemicals.
Perfume is a huge offender for me. When I was ill and chemically sensitive, it would turn my world upside down, literally. After being around it for any length of time, I would become forgetful and experience vertigo. Some fragrances affected me more than others and probably were chemical in nature.
You know that “new car smell”....... it comes from plastics, oils and chemicals that make up your car. They are out-gassing. Roll down the window, get a car air purifier and remember to stay out of heavy traffic to avoid additional exhaust fumes.
Now that I am well, I don't have to be as careful, but am always aware. I live in a house surrounded by plants and trees. Plants soak up pollution both indoors and outdoors and are very, very helpful.
I had the opportunity to buy a cottage and remodel using safer, non-toxic materials. I researched everything to make sure I was using safe products. Remember, there are alternatives for everything. There are lots of companies on the Internet that supply natural products for home building and remodeling.
Dyes and preservatives in foods and supplements can be another problem. I was allergic to Yellow Dye #5. Try to stay away from processed foods. The labels aren't required to tell you ingredients that fall into a minimal percentage level of the product. Get familiar with reliable manufacturers.
Food should be organic or biodynamic, only free range meat and eggs, as fresh as possible. Look for local farmers to buy from and go to farmers markets. Question their farming practices before you buy.
Locally grown fruit and vegetables have a higher nutritional quality since they are not picked before they are ripe and get to the market fresher. Some say there is a special energy to do with eating food grown where you live, and in season, especially out of your own backyard.
One last thought. I have recovered from mercury toxicity that apparently came from my dental fillings. Knowing what I know now, I question anything that anyone suggests putting in my mouth.
Look for a biological dentist and be active in your health care. Don't take medications without knowing all the side effects. Get your information from a pharmacy or the library.
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Exercise, not a trivial thing.
As soon as I got to where I felt better, I started reintroducing exercise. Slowly at first and then more aggressively. I had lost a lot of strength and I did not realize that some of the pain was due to weak muscles. I got a trainer to help me and was surprised at how much exercise helped my pain!
As I work out now, I get new inspirations as if I was meditating. I now believe in the power of exercise. Its makes a huge difference. Use it or lose it is not a trivial message. I almost lost it and pulled myself back from the brink. I never dreamed I could actually be strong again, but I am, and my metabolism is kicking in helping me advance my health even
further.
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Don't forget Water
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to help the body function optimally and remain disease-free is to keep it well hydrated with water. By drinking sufficient water throughout each day, we assist our body's ability to flush toxins and metabolic waste.
Chronic dehydration is thought to be a cause of many conditions including bowel and bladder problems, anxiety attacks, food intolerances, acid stomach, heartburn, muscle and joint pain, poor brain function, hot flashes, asthma, allergies, arthritis, angina, migraine headaches, hypertension, raised cholesterol, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, depression, and diabetes in the elderly. With prolonged dehydration, brain cells actually begin to shrink.
Water can also slow aging, kidney stones, constipation, arteriosclerosis, obesity, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes, hypoglycemia, lung problems and many other diseases.
You can feel a difference immediately, but you must drink a full 8 to 10 glasses daily.
Do not to confuse water consumption with fluid consumption. Caffeine, acts as a dehydrating agent. Tea, coffee, and sodas are not good substitutes for water.
When your body cries out for thirst, you're likely to over feed it with food instead.
A dry mouth is not a reliable indicator of your body's water needs.
The sensation of thirst and hunger are generated simultaneously to indicate the brain's needs. If you're not getting plenty of water, you'll likely eat more to satisfy your body's urge for water. When you feel hungry, try drinking a few glasses of water first. You may not be as hungry as you think.
Drinking a little to soothe a parched throat is not enough. As we age, the sense of thirst becomes dulled. We also have less reserve body water than we did when we were younger.
Filter your water
City tap water can contain chlorine, fluoride, arsenic, metals, other chemicals, bacteria, viruses and parasites, so drink filtered or purified water.
Add a pinch of Sea Salt
Add 1/4 teaspoon of unrefined Sea Salt to every quart of water for better hydration and detoxification. Most of the salt that is available in the grocery store is not a complete salt and has had many of the vital minerals removed, leaving a sodium chloride form that can be harmful to the body. Unrefined Sea Salt is a non-processed sea salt that has a full compliment of natural trace minerals. The color will be gray and it is moist. It works best dissolved in food juices and water, sprinkled and dissolved on fruit and vegetables. Remember: regular grocery store salt is not the same and can be harmful. Sufficient water intake (8-10 glasses a day) is an absolute necessity in this process.
Detox the body
Lack of water causes toxins to build up in the system. Without water, we would poison ourselves with our own metabolic wastes. The kidneys remove waste products such as uric acid, urea, and lactic acid that must be dissolved in water.
Water carries nutrients and oxygen to cells through the blood. It keeps the lungs moist and is essential for breathing. If you don't take in enough, every bodily function will be impaired.
Water transports hormones, chemical messengers, and nutrients to vital organs of the body. When we don't keep our bodies well hydrated, they may react with a variety of symptoms, some of which, we would never think are related to our poor drinking habits.
Our bodies use many hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters to complete the digestion process. Without ample water intake, the pancreas is less efficient, acids in the stomach are not properly neutralized, and the functions of the intestine are inhibited. Over an extended period of time, this can lead to constipation, colitis pain, and false appendicitis pain.
The body is 75% water and 25% solid matter, and your body needs to stay well hydrated to operate at it's best. Not only will your body function more efficiently, but you also may avoid many health problems. And, since your brain tissue is 85% water, your brain functions rely heavily on an ample water supply.
Maybe you're not really getting old and forgetful; you just need more water.
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Make Yourself Happy
I think if we were to do at least one thing every day, that we are passionate about, healing would just naturally happen at a faster pace. Something that is fun, something that makes us sing inside.
I read once that a movie can change body chemistry. I know it can change my attitude! Studying nutrition, learning new things, talking with people, going to movies, watching TV and gardening are all fun for me. What's fun for you?
My Refuge
I hope I haven't overwhelmed you, its second nature to me now. I live in this alternative world full of fantastic people who care about our environment and quality of life. They are working hard to change the world into a less toxic place and I would love to be able to give back to them someday. Their work saved me and gave me refuge. It is like moving from a toxic landfill into an oasis. It is the path to a better life. I will provide links of appreciation on a page of this site until I can do more.
Its weird, previously, I had just wanted to forget all that happened, live my new life and move on. I did not think anyone was interested in what I had learned anyway. But writing about it and sharing it is such a release and I hope, in someway, helpful to you. Best wishes. -Bev
I realize now that I live in a breath between events.
Between now and next.
Grabbing happiness moment by moment.
And nothing can touch me there.
And Remember, Everything is Temporary.
I learned this, at least, by my experiment;
that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams,
and endeavors to live the life that he has imagined,
he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
(Thoreau)
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Update September 2006
I wanted to share with you how I am doing now, a few years later.
Even though I have completely recovered from my health problems, I continue to refine my diet and educate myself on nutrition and the body. As a result, I continue to get stronger and stronger. I never dreamed I could feel the way I do now. Whole foods and fats along with the water and salt, seem to be helping me build and retain muscle tone much easier and have done wonders for my mental well-being. My transformation continues!
Staying physical is very important to me. Generally, our daily lives at work and home may not be physical enough for us to be fit and vital. Our bodies are supposed to be used, they were built to be physically active. Going to the gym is not enough and using the body in everyday activity is important. People who have healthy active lives in old age were probably very active when they were younger but just being physically active holds the promise of a better quality of life at any age.
I believe in the power of good nutrition more than ever before. I have watched it work miracles and have come to believe that conventional medicine just does not understand this way of healing. It is too narrow and unrealistic to think that a synthetic substance like a drug can heal a physical problem. Illness is more than its symptoms and requires a life change that no pill can provide. Our bodies are built to understand basic natural foods, thoughts and feelings. In order to heal, we have to work with it through these channels. If we have a sick plant, we need to treat the soil with nutrients so that the plant, complex as it is, can begin to use its own immune system and defenses. If instead, we just treat the specific problem, the plant will still be unhealthy and vulnerable because the nutritional deficiency that allowed it to be sick, has not been resolved. Magic bullets do not provide long-term health.
Healing with nutrition and exercise is the physical part, healing with our mind/spirit is the rest. Just being happy raises our vibration on an energetic level and creates health. Healing IS simple and not just reserved for doctors or scientists. It is available to all of us and our feelings and intuition are our guides. In our culture, we are not encouraged to respect what makes us happy and until we do that, we cannot heal ourselves or help others as easily. We need to slow down and pay attention to how we feel and what we need. Going slower allows time and space to use our thoughts and feelings for creating better quality of life and is so important to our well-being. Believing in and guiding ourselves with our intuition it is our best tool because we are each very unique individuals. What is right for one person is not necessarily right for another.
I am going to get my nutrition certification over the next few months and will always actively continue to learn. It will be interesting to see just how much I can evolve from this perspective. For me, every daily event, conversation or encounter raises more opportunity for further self-exploration, learning and healing. Being mindful and alert to these possibilities, moving along with the ebb and flow of life and listening to the universal intelligence that is my intuition is my goal.
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† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product/information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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, by Bruce Lipton, Ph.D.
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