Impromptu Travel

Trip to Seattle

Well, I finally took that vacation that my therapist was urging me to take and it was so worth it even though it was an impromptu last minute trip. My hubby and I were lucky enough to benefit from buddy passes and we decided to fly to Seattle. We had to fly stand-by and were able to get the flight we wanted on the way to Seattle, but on the way back we were bumped and ended up sitting in the airport all day. We had great weather while we were there and really had a chance to enjoy all the city had to offer during our stay. We enjoyed Pike's Place Market and a street fair near the University. We stayed at a great hotel just a couple blocks from the recently completed light rail, which made it easy to get to and from the airport. We were downtown at 6th and Pike. It was a nice long relaxing and fun filled weekend.

Traveling has its challenges when you are gluten free, but it isn't impossible and with a little pre-planning is very doable. A couple of years ago an impromptu trip and flying stand-by would have freaked me out a little when it comes to being gluten free. It is actually the airports I worry about the most. Some airports have better options than others, but you would be so surprised what you can actually bring in terms of your own food as long as it is in its original sealed packaging and doesn't include liquid or gel like substances. Lists of do's and don'ts can be found on the TSA website. Here is a list of what I actually packed because I didn't know how long I would have to be in the airport since we had to fly stand-by and I knew these items would come in handy on our trip anyway. 

several Lara Bars

several Zing Protein Bars

several whole apples

a bag of baby carrots

a bag of almonds

a bag of Rocky Mountain Popcorn

several packages of Gluten Free Oatmeal

I had absolutely no problem getting any of these items through the scanner. I also did some online pre-searching on restaurants that support gluten free patrons in Seattle. This was really just for fun because I had a pretty good feeling that Seattle would have some really great gluten free options. I was right. I had some really great seafood while in Seattle and we ate at some really great places. I learned how to make a really great Brussel Sprout salad while I was in Seattle... so tasty!

One of my favorite things to do in Seattle is go to the Public Market. If you like to cook you'll enjoy looking at all the fresh and inspirational culinary options at the Market and the flowers are gorgeous and plentiful and so inexpensive. I had only wished I had a kitchen in my hotel room so that I could have made a fresh meal from ingredients at the Market, though it was so nice to have a break from cooking.

Even though we had to sit in the airport for the day on our way back to Denver, it was okay since it was pouring rain in Seattle and we had done so much walking the two days prior we were fine sitting and reading a few books and magazines. It was good to have the down time even if it was in the airport.

Update on Lab Testing

Well, I wish I had news and I'm anxious to get the results, but my labs are caught up in a new roll-out that the lab is in the midst of launching, so they are behind on all results. What should have taken 2 1/2 weeks is now going on 3 1/2 weeks and its difficult to know when the results will be in, so I feel a bit like I am in limbo. I cannot take next steps  or protocol without the results. My hope is that the results will be in some time next week and that I will be able to meet with my doctor the following week. I'll keep you posted on the status of my current health.

Update on Support Group Launch

I'm so proud to say that I am launching a local support group and hope to have a meeting place secured so that we can have our first meeting near the end of June. If you are interested, please join / like the facebook page: BUBL

BUBL - "Better Understanding By Listening" - An organization which seeks to support others whom are attempting to live a healthier lifestyle due to autoimmune disorders that have created food allergies or intolerances, i.e. (gluten, dairy, soy...) OR just because you have made a conscious decision to avoid certain foods because you simply feel better by avoiding them. Join the BUBL and gain a Better Understanding By Listening to each other, to your "gut", to your intuition and to practitioners, doctors and health experts. This is a community of like minded individuals from all walks of life whom share a common interest in a positive healthy lifestyle.

 I don't want others to feel like they live in a bubble based on a diagnosis and necessary lifestyle changes that need to be made as a result. It took me a while, but I initially felt like I lived in a bubble and I wanted a whimsical lighthearted positive symbol to represent this group. A mirror image of sorts by joining the BUBL you won't feel like you live in a bubble. I hope to see some of you there and I look forward to supporting others in their journey.

Until next time, I wish you love and happiness!

 

 

Nat'l Health Awareness

May is a big month for all kinds of health awareness from Lupus to Arthritis to Food Allergies and more... See the following link for listings:Health Finder

I'm headed to Seattle for an impromptu trip with my hubby. Looking forward to it.

I'll post soon about my upcoming support group that will launch in June. I'm also looking forward to that as I think it will be so great to help others and to learn from others. Im sure it will provide lots of great material to blog about in the future!

Until then,
Cheers!

Set Backs are Part of the Journey

So, I’ve had a sinus infection for the past two weeks and the timing could not have been worse. It threw a wrench into my plans. I was supposed to retest for H. Pylori on May 6^th, but in order to do so, I would have had to go off all my supplements, which is required for these particular labs. Well, I was unable to do that because it would have left my immune system vulnerable at a time when it was working on over drive. My Naturopath had to talk some sense into me and tell me to wait to retest because it was best that I stay on my supplements until my sinus infection passed. I guess we all need the voice of reason when we are ill. I was glad to take her advice and my sinus infection is finally gone, but my retesting is delayed a week. That doesn’t sound like much, but when you have to wait for 3 weeks to get results back an additional week seems like a good chunk of time. Well, I’m anxious for results and they should be back around the beginning of June. I’m glad the sinus infection is gone and I’m anxious to be able to move on to healing my gut, that said I want to address a gluten free diet and my view after being gluten free for more than 2 years.

GLUTEN FREE

There was a great article this month in the Natural Living publication that is put out by Sunflower Markets. I really enjoy and look forward to this free publication. The article was called Gluten Free Upgrade and it really summed up my view on how a Gluten Free diet or any diet should be approached in order to have a nutrient dense diet. The point is that we should all be getting the majority of our nutrients from our food, but the problem is no matter how healthy any of us are with regard to proper diet, our soil is becoming more and more depleted of necessary nutrients and therefore supplements become necessary for some of us, if not all of us. In my case I have an issue with malabsorption, so despite how healthy I eat, I am very deficient in many vitamins and minerals, so it is therefore necessary for me to take certain supplements which have been recommended by my doctor based on lab results. The most important part of any diet is that we are eating a whole foods diet. For a definition of whole foods diet: Whole Foods Diet

In many cases after being diagnosed with an auto immune disease, which requires you to remove gluten from your diet or if it is because some health issue that creates a sensitivity or intolerance to gluten... many individuals start with replacing items such as pizza, pastries and breads with gluten free alternatives. This is not ideal and replacing processed items in the diet for gluten free processed items such as white rice flours, potato flours, xantham gum, guar gum… is not the way to go. When going gluten free it is important to view this as an adventure in discovering new foods. There are so many nutrient dense naturally gluten free foods in their whole form. Quinoa, Buckwheat, Amaranth, Brown rice, Wild Rice, Gluten Free Oats… As for baked goods I was an awesome baker prior to going gluten free and my friends and family always reaped and enjoyed the benefits. When I went gluten free it was a challenge and I really didn’t do any baking for almost a year and then I started experimenting. Some things were a success and some a huge failure, but I learned from all of it and I came to the conclusion that almond flour is my most favorite gluten free flour to bake with for so many reasons. It makes the most nutritious and yummy goods ever… better than baked goods that are not gluten free and they are protein packed and full of good fats. Unfortunately this may not be the best option for those with a nut allergy, but trust me there are other good options out there for individuals with nut allergies. There is a fabulous cookbook that I discovered written by a local woman in Boulder, CO. She and her son were diagnosed with Celiac disease and she felt there was a need for such a book and I agree. Check out Elana Amsterdam’s blog and cookbooks here: Elana's Pantry

As for whole foods diet, I love this cookbook, Whole Life Nutrition, because it mirrors much the way I’m used to cooking and expands my repertoire. I also like it because it was recommended by a couple of my doctors and if you are wondering if you have food allergies or sensitivities there is a great “28 day Elimination Diet” guide. Elimination diets are truly the best way to discover food allergies and sensitivities: Whole Life Nutritiion

This diet was how my doctor figured out I had parasites because I literally reacted to every food that was added back into my diet. It was a pretty good indicator, which we then confirmed by lab tests for parasites that came back positive. The parasites are now gone (see prior posts).

PSORIASIS

In addition to a gluten free diet, which usually indicates an individual has digestive issues, digestive issues can result in an auto immune disease called Psoriasis. Definition for Psoriasis: Psoriasis

Psoriasis is something I have suffered from for many years.

More information about relation between Cardiovascular disease and Psoriasis: Cardiovascular Disease linked to Psoriasis

I wanted to address Psoriasis because on May 20^th there will be a Walk to Cure Psoriasis and it is locally held at Sloan’s Lake. To sign up, go here: Walk to Cure Psoriasis

A story of a little girl, she reminds me very much of myself when I was her age, who will be participating in the walk and is afflicted with Psoriasis and Arthritis.

 Story of a Little Girl

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

…And last but not least I want to acknowledge all the mothers out there and the importance of their nurturing qualities. There are so many great mothers in my life past and present and certainly there will be in the future. Although I don’t have human children, I do have two furry kids and I love them dearly. I don’t know what I would do without their unconditional love. Happy Mother’s Day! Treat yourselves well. Cheers!

BREATH, RELAX, ENJOY

Breath, Relax, Enjoy - This is what seemed to come naturally for me in the month of March and I was really aware of it. I was self aware of many positive things in the month of March. I'm grateful for having the opportunity to slow down enough to notice. I enjoyed my practitioner vacation so much, that I decided I need to make them a more regular habit. I’m not sure my practitioners will agree, but they were all so supportive of this break.  I think it was the first of many to come and I feel like my body is ready and that I will be able to handle future breaks. I really just tried my best to do what felt right at any given moment in March and to really be in the moment. I of course continued with reading and research that pertained to my health. I think that has just naturally become a part of me and it is something I enjoy more now than I did a year or so ago. It doesn’t stress me out like it used to. This is what I call progress. 

I feel the vacation gave me an opportunity to really evaluate the avenues which are best for me in the future and which ones I need less of, but also knowing that this too can ebb and flow. It created a space for me to be able to step back and evaluate. It really helped me to create balance in my life and in my marriage. As busy as my hubby and I both are, the extra time allowed me to really be able to become more intimate with my hubby and to get to know him better if that is possible after 13 years. The month was not without its challenges, but I felt proud of myself at how well I handled the few minor stressors that arose in the month of March. I really did spread my wings and I flew... and I didn’t crash. FEW!!  

I am feeling fairly good and am hopeful that when the time comes to retest (next month), the H Pylori will be gone and I’ll be able to move on to healing my gut. I feel like healing my gut will be a huge hurdle in being able to feel really well most of the time. I really may have the luxury of being able to take these breaks more often. There is the chance that my hopes could be dashed, but for now I will revel in the moment, in the hope. "Live, Love, Laugh" – one of my favorite quotes for the moment and one that came up often for me over the past month. I was able to relax enough to even put aside some of my daily responsibilities a couple times in March because I simply didn’t have to be anywhere (other than work) and I didn’t have to be on my game and constantly prepared. AHHHH, so nice to let down the guard of constantly feeling like I have to be ahead of the game so I don’t fall behind or cannot get in bed on time. I even stayed up late a few times (10:30 is late for me) and I was able to go do my workout after work because I was able to sleep in and I didn’t have an appointment I had to be at after work…. So nice to be able to do this… but it also made me realize that I do better on a schedule of sorts. 

I suppose there is part of me that is excited to see my practitioners to tell them how well I did without them in March and not because I think they will see that as me rubbing it in their face, nor would that be my intention, but because they have all put in a lot of hard work on  me and because I think they will feel the joy that I am feeling, because they were an important part to helping me get to this point. It will be very important for me to thank them for this moment. For helping me to get to this point, I am so appreciative. So, for all the daunting things that I can think of that may need to be fixed in order for me to have better quality of life, it is this moment that makes thinking about that much easier and I know I won’t be alone in experiencing the challenges and the successes. Thank you to all the great practitioners out there that really just want their patients to be happy and healthy. I’m so grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you for understanding that compliance becomes difficult when a handful of practitioners are telling you what to do. We as patients sometimes must pick and chose what seems right for the moment because we know our bodies best. Thank you for still seeing that despite the difficulty to be compliant at times, we continue to try because we don’t want to disappoint anyone including ourselves and because we do want to be healthy and because you are the experts we turn to for help when nothing else makes sense. Thank you for all your unending support.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Well, Happy March = Mental Health Break Month!  I have a few different topics I would like to address in this post.

UPDATE ON PARASITES

On February 11th I was very sick. I had severe case of diarrhea and nausea and I was very weak and had no appetite. I stayed in bed all day. I got sick again on February 14th. I immediately thought for sure we had not gotten rid of the parasites, otherwise something was very wrong if we did. It made me very depressed to think we hadn't gotten rid of the parasites. Well, I got my lab work back February 16th. The good news was that we had eradicated the parasites. YAY! My joy was short lived. The bad news was that I traded them for something with very similar symptoms. I now have H. Pylori. The ugly is that this is a bacteria in the digestive tract that is linked with ulcers and certain types of cancer such as gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer. It is a good thing we have caught this early on. I'm not currently at risk for ulcers and cancer from H. Pylori, but I certainly don't want it to hang out too long. The theory is that H. Pylori was probably hanging out in my system while I had the parasites and once the parasite moved out, the environment was perfect for the H. Pylori and they moved in. 

My lab work also indicates that my digestive health continues to be compromised and my good flora are not as balanced as they should be, but we cannot work on healing my gut until we get rid of all the unwanted bugs and bacteria. Not a huge surprise. That said, I'm in for another long 2 month protocol that I started today. I'll retest for H. Pylori after the 8 week protocol. It will take 3 weeks to get my lab work back after retesting. It is my doctors theory that I probably had a stomach virus that was going around when I got sick the week prior to my lab results. The good news is that the nausea and diarrhea are gone, but I have now had a severe sinus infection for 2 weeks. This is the first sinus infection that I've had in over a year, which is pretty good for me. I think perhaps the sinus infection and the stomach virus may be a result of the fact that I'm not currently on any antibiotic herbs and have not been since I retested back at the end of January. I believe because my gut is damaged and there is nothing protecting my immune system, I am much more vulnerable to catching whatever is being passed around. Needless to say, I'm very glad to get my new protocol started. I'm anxious to be that much closer to healing my gut.  As much as I am a proponent for Naturopathic medicine, there is nothing quick about it, but it definitely works and it gets at the root of the cause. So, once the H. Pylori is gone on the retest (fingers crossed), then we can start repairing my gut.

My entire system has been in a state of inflammation since I started the last protocol and has not remitted since. My Psoriasis is very flared and my Rheumatoid Arthritis is flared for the first time in many years. I've been having all kinds of skin reactions, but I feel confident that when the H. Pylori dies off, my system will have a much needed break and hopefully the inflammation will decrease. Here is a really great article on H. Pylori: H. pylori The good news is that I am told that H. Pylori is much easier to eradicate than parasites and much gentler protocol on the system..

Needless to say, getting my most recent lab result was bitter sweet. I definitely had a melt down… Can’t a girl get a break? It seems as soon as I get up I get knocked right back down. It is kind of the story of my life with all this stuff. I do get quite exhausted from continually battling all the issues and having been at this for more than 2 years I am really ready for a break. I cannot say that I'm feeling really great yet, but I hope that will be a different story in a month or so. As we continue to peel back the layers of the onion for underlying causes of all my symptoms related to my autoimmune issues I believe that I will experience some type of relief, I'm looking forward to that day.

I’m over my melt down now and ready to move on. The next topics of investigation will probably be Metal Toxicty and Lyme Disease depending on how I feel after the H. Pylori is eradicated and once we have a chance to heal my gut.  These are topics I don’t feel ready for yet. I’ve done some preliminary research and neither issue is easy to deal with. Most of what I’ve dealt with already will probably pale in comparison, so my hope is that they don’t exist in my body and that I won’t have to deal with either issue. 

Below is the protocol I used for getting rid of the parasites. Just because this protocol worked for me, does not mean that it will work for someone else. Every body is different. This is not in any way intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health professional before starting any kind of a new protocol.

PROTOCOL

Once my Naturopath had a suspicion that I had parasites we ran specific labs to find out if in fact I did have parasites. The labs are not cheap no matter where you have them done, but it is best to go with a lab whose testing is very sensitive to the detection of parasites or you could get a false negative. I used Metametrix and they test for the DNA of parasites. I believe it is the most sensitive and accurate lab testing currently on the market, but I suppose there could be others. It takes approximately 3 weeks to get results back. I suppose this is due to an incubation period of sorts. Once you have positive results for parasites, you have a couple of choices. Choices are the herbal approach, the antibiotic approach OR both herbal/antibiotic approach together. If you choose the antibiotic approach the lab work from Metametrix will indicate which antibiotics will be effective and which ones will not for the type of parasites that you have. I chose the herbal approach.

My protocol for one month was to take a high concentrated clinical dose of a complex formula of herbs that are effective at killing parasites. Some of those herbs included Wormwood, Black Walnut and Clove among others. In addition, I ate 2 Tbls of pumpkin seeds/day with the shell on. Pumpkin seeds and Pineapple are also effective at killing parasites. I also took a dose of Saccharomyces Boulardii every day. This helps to balance the good gut flora, which in turn helps to crowd out parasites and other unwanted guests. I also took a complex of digestive enzymes called Interface and a homeopathic remedy at bed time called Cina. I took buffered vitamin C as needed for nausea...

After 30 days of the above I had 2 weeks of a Mega ProBiotic formula that I took in addition to getting 3 colonics. The MegaProbiotics help to replace the good flora that are lost during a colonic.

After all that it was time to retest.

The protocol was tough on my body (lots of nausea, fatigue...) and it was also a strain on the wallet.

My protocol above was based on the advice of my Naturopathic Doctor. I greatly respect her. The Naturopathic approach seems to be one that works better for me in most cases.

If you think you have parasites, you should consider getting lab work done.

I hope my comments are helpful.

AARDA

I also wanted to tell you that March is National Autoimmune Awareness month. Please visit The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) at: AARDA

I was bummed because I missed the lecture presentation in Denver by one day, but there are ways that we can all support the organization. Support is important because AARDA is the only national nonprofit health agency dedicated to bringing a national focus to autoimmunity, the major cause of serious chronic diseases. Please look at some of the very real stories from "We Are 50 Million" that will touch your heart:  We Are 50 Million

Donations as minimal as $5.00 can be made to support AARDA at: Contribute

Or stay current with advocacy issues and write to your Senator at: Advocacy

This spring AARDA is organizing an AutoImmune walk in many cities across the nation. Consider organizing a walk in your city that will support AARDA. Link together for a cure and raise awareness: AutoImmune Walk

Support of organization like AARDA is so important if you or someone you know is suffering from an AutoImmune Disease. Research is so necessary as some of these diseases are so devastating and can be life threatening. Having one AutoImmune disease increases the risk of yet another one. If you are female the statistics show that risk is even higher.

Thanks for your interest and staying tuned in. I welcome any feedback or comments. I will certainly keep you posted on my progress. Enjoy the month of March as we embark on Spring and all things new/renewed. To Life!!

Just as a reminder the information on this blog does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with your own health care professional regarding any changes you would like to make to your own health care plan. None of the information on this blog is the expressed interest of or a recommended course of action by AutoImmune Girl. AutoImmune Girl shall have neither liability not responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information presented in this blog.
 

Practitioner Vacation

So, I have been giving a lot of thought to what my therapist recommended several months ago and that was to take a vacation. Since a vacation in the traditional sense is not possible at this time I starting thinking about alternatives. I'm at the point where I feel that a vacation from all of my appointments and practitioners is overdue and necessary. I'm so used to filling my free time with appointments that are geared toward maintaining my health. It takes an army at times and some of you may well be able to empathize with the craziness this can cause. It is not that I'm not thankful for my practitioners and their invaluable advice. It becomes exhausting from time to time to have at least a half dozen or so people telling you what you should be doing to maintain some aspect of your health. That is all good and well, but suddenly you may find yourself not only going to daily appointments, but also carrying out the homework assignments that those practitioners dish out for self care and then there is no free time even though your time primarily is spent on taking care of you. I've had times I've wanted to get away from me and all that being me entails. I have wished that it would not take so much effort just to function minimally. Granted I'm not in that frame of mind right now, but it is easy to get there and so it is time for a mental break from the practitioners. A much needed reprieve, so the Month of MARCH = MENTAL break/vacation. My therapist asked me what I would do with my time in March, my self imposed "Pracitioner Vacation." I simply responded, maybe nothing, maybe I'll just be or maybe I'll fritter my time away. I suppose it will give me a sense of space that I have not had in about 2 years. The past two years have been filled with so many appointments every week. I don't think I'm going to know what to do with the extra time, but I'm soooo going to enjoy it and I deserve it. That is not to say that if I have some sort of emergency in March I will certainly see my doc, but I don't think that will happen. It is time to spread my wings and fly. Time to see how I manage without all the constant care. I think I will be just fine and I'm really looking forward to it.

If you are just starting your journey for wellness, I'm certainly not suggesting that you stop any necessary care, but you may reach a point when you will feel the time is right for you to take a practitioner vacation. Trust your gut. It is important to have balance and this break for me will help with the balance in my life. You may find there will come a time that a break is necessary in order to keep the balance in your life.

In my next post I will have the results of my lab work from re-testing for parasites. I will follow-up with next steps and additional information.

What BUGS You?

It is definitely a time for reflection at the new year. Isn't that something we all do naturally at the beginning of a year? Well, I opened this "can of worms" almost two years ago in January of 2010. The diagnosis of Hashimoto's didn't come until March of 2010, but I had started a new journey in January with a doctor (student intern at the time) who really understood what was going on with me from the get-go and she took the time (2 hour initial visit) to really look at the whole picture or whole person. This to me was a new experience and I wanted to provide her with more than enough information to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I was committed to at least trying whatever she asked me to do because I knew there was something different going on and it was the first time I felt like I wasn't crazy. There really was something wrong with me and there was a reason why I felt so crappy most of the time. Unfortunately her time with me was short lived because she moved to start her practice in Atlanta, GA. It was bitter-sweet because I knew there were many more people who could benefit from her help and I knew she was going to be an excellent doctor. To this day, much of what she said to me still sticks in my head and for a very good reason, she was right about her intuitions about my health status and her recommendations. It just so happens that she, Rachel (Dr Marynowski), is still slightly involved in my case today, only from the standpoint that she happens to be a Naturopathic doctor on staff where I have had some of my lab work done over the past year. It gives me peace of mind to know that she is there as a resource with regard to my lab work for my current Naturopathic doctor, whom I also think is wonderful. I will share one of Rachel's blog posts today with regard to the importance of gut health.

The importance of gut health has been a consistent message from all my practitioners that has been hammered into my head over the past two years, though it is not a new concept to me. I had a mother who was a health nut before it was entirely cool to be so. I sort of pride myself on knowing a good deal about good nutrition, just because I've been around it most of my life. I continue to enjoy learning about good nutrition and I grew up in a rural area that afforded us that ability to raise most of our own food. I'm one of those unique individuals that actually knows where my food comes from. That doesn't mean that I haven't had my fair share of eating things I know I should not be eating, but that is what makes us all human. We need to allow ourselves that on occasion instead of constantly overindulging and feeling guilty about it.

Gut health is important especially for an auto"immune" individual because 70-80% of our "immune" system resides in out gut.  I recently had lab work done that indicates I have 3 known parasites and 1 unknown. YIKES! The first question people ask is if I've been out of the country recently. No, but I wish. The next question is how does that happen? My philosophy is that I am possibly Celieac (no formal diagnosis) and that even though I no longer have gluten in my diet, I ate it for 30+ years and it probably did quite a bit of damage to my intestines. It is highly possible that I have what is called a "leaky gut." meaning there are tiny perforations in my intestines which allow things to cross my intestinal barrier that should not be there. This creates a toxic situation and also leaves the intestines vulnerable to parasites, bacteria or who knows what. I also believe that I am more suseptible to invasion because my immune system is compromised. The truth is that parasites are on the rise in the U.S. This is no longer a third-world country issue. It is a global issue. See the following article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125090339313750961.html Parasites can live with their host up to 30 years, so it is possible that I have had these unwanted guests for quite some time. I will discuss in future posts how I take care of my gut health through food, supplements and lifestyle changes. Here is a post from Dr. Marynowski on the importance of gut health: http://www.metametrixinstitute.org/post/2010/08/02/Heal-that-Leaky-Gut!.aspx

I can say that there is something that clued my doc in on the fact that I could potentially have parasites prior to testing for them. I began an elimination diet in hopes of finding 1 or 2 offending foods that were exacerbating my symptoms, but what happened is that I reacted to everything we added back into my diet and I also reacted to some of the hypoallergenic foods. This is not normal and was a big clue that something deeper was causing the problem and sure enough the test results came back positive for parasites. So then came time to go on a killing spree and let me tell you, getting rid of parasites is not fun. It is very draining on the body and I experienced a ton of nausea. I will discuss in further detail the protocol I utilized to get rid of parasites. I will have to re-test at the end of the month and will have results by mid-February. I will provide an update and more information.

In reflection of the past two years, the discovery of parasites is a huge revelation. Another "light bulb" like the diagnosis of Hashimotos. I feel hopeful that once I am rid of these horrible guests that my health will improve significantly. They have been robbing me of my nutrition and creating a toxic environment that has likely gotten in the way of making larger strides with my quest and efforts toward wellness.

Please feel free to ask questions about any of the information posted in this blog. Until next time... Happy New Year!