Over the past few months I have learned that it only takes
one day to make changes that could last a lifetime. I completed 40 days eating the autoimmune paleo protocol, I
had noticed an improvement in sleep and I was even able to come off of two
neurotropic medications. Then as
soon as I stopped following the protocol on Valentine’s Day due to an
unexpected chain of events, I began to gain weight rapidly! I became addicted to sugar all over
again, I began drinking Reese’s hot chocolate from Sheetz and not just on a
once a week basis. I was drinking
this specialty drink and eating cookies from Sheetz regularly. During this time of going off of the
protocol, I would experience hives on a somewhat regular basis. The hives would be all over my body and
would cause an increase in heart rate.
I could never attribute this reaction to anything, no new deodorant,
shampoo, laundry detergent, etc. I
hadn’t even changed my medications recently when the hives had first
started.
Here are examples of the hives that take over my body and the weirdest part about them is they burn!
Long story short I ended up going to an allergist finally
because I was tired of these hives getting worse and worse. After not really believing me, the
allergist agreed to run a blood test for the 8 common allergens. He said we would wait to get the
results back and then we would do the skin test based on the results. Within a few days, the nurse from his
office called me to inform me I was allergic to wheat, eggs and peanuts. She also told me I had an extremely
high thyroid antibodies and high IgE levels (200 range). I knew I was allergic to wheat; I had
been able to recognize that pattern in my eating habits and how I felt
afterwards. However, I never ever
would have guessed peanuts!!! I didn’t realize how serious peanut allergies
are, you could go into anaphylaxis and here I am drinking Reese’s hot
chocolates without any clue why I was getting hives. I go back to the allergist next week to have the skin
testing done for these foods as well as several others that I could be allergic
to. After talking to the allergist
at the end of March I knew something had to change. Luckily these food allergies forced me back into eating
paleo. I feel better when I eat
paleo, but as soon as you break it once it is easy to keep breaking it and
harder to get back on it.
Okay, so eating paleo isn't all that bad!
The reason I fell off the auto immune paleo in the first
place was due to a car accident on Valentine’s Day in the ice on the way to get
ingredients to cook dinner with my Valentine. We were only a mile from my house when we slid into another
car. No one was hurt, except for my
Valentine’s car. It needed a lot
of work! The guy we hit was
extremely nice, he didn’t even take my Valentine’s information. Needless to say after hitting a car, we
didn’t continue the journey to the grocery store we headed home
immediately. Unfortunately, we had
to order take out instead of cooking dinner together. It wasn’t the end of the world because I love Japanese food,
but it took over two hours to get there and I broke my protocol. I didn’t think much of it until I could
not stop eating carbs and sugar. I
kept using the excuse I will start back again tomorrow, but in actuality I
wouldn’t because I would rationalize eating something else that wasn’t paleo
compliant. So having these
allergies are both a blessing and a curse. I need to take care of myself and if that means eating
healthy then that is what I need to do.
I have also stepped out of the ordinary protocol for lyme disease and started looking at alternative healing therapies. Antibiotics are just too
harsh on my body right now. I felt
like every time I went to swallow a handful of pills that I was no longer
killing an infection, but killing me.
I do still take some antibiotics, but it is minimal compared to the
fall! I am also going to an acupuncturist
and taking herbs that he had recommended.
I do see some benefit with the acupuncture; I think it is helping with
my anxiety and mood overall. The
herbs he recommended for me right now are the spirit pearls and the bamboo
pearls. The spirit pearls work on
mood regulation and becoming at peace with your heart; also helps sleep. Then the bamboo pearls focuses on
pain/inflammation within the body.
The acupuncturist also performs cupping on me, which entails lighting a
match under a glass cup and creating suction on your back. He then moves the cups around every
minute or so to increase circulation.
Additionally, I am hopping back on the essential oils
train! I feel like a lunatic with
all of these different protocols but at the same time if it helps me, then it
is 100% worth it in the end. I
recently started using copaiba oil for inflammation, valor and vetiver for
sleep/anxiety, and lemon for digestion.
I just started so I don’t really have any major updates yet!
Furthermore, I started drinking camel’s milk. Yes, you read that right, milk from a
camel. You can’t judge it until
you’ve been so desperate you are willing to try anything. There is a lot of research from a Dr.
Hinkle delving into the benefits of camel’s milk in humans. Camel’s milk contains GcMAF, which is a
D-binding protein that plays a vital function in our immune systems. Viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells
release an enzyme called nagalase that affects our GcMAF levels. Previously, the only way to increase
GcMAF levels was through expensive injections, but now camel’s milk has shown
to increase the levels. What’s
even more interesting about camel’s milk is that if a person is allergic to milk,
they are not usually allergic to camel’s milk. In fact, camel’s milk can actually help a person heal from
allergies. Dr. Hinkle is currently
working with 8 universities in the United States on research projects with
camel’s milk. Additionally, the
milk has been proven to help raise immunoglobin levels, this is crucial for
individuals suffering from immune disorders. Currently this milk is only available at a limited number of
farms within the United States, which is the issue. You can’t just pick it up at the grocery store UNLESS you
live in California where it is some times sold in Whole Foods. When you buy the camel’s milk you also
have to pay for shipping, when you add the two together the price seems a bit
outrageous. But once again, people
will do anything when they are desperate.
If you haven’t read much about camel’s milk I recommend you do so!
I just had my appointment with my LLMD last week and I was
very pleased with my appointment.
For the first time I felt as though, my P.A. was listening to me and
attempting to understand what I was feeling. I explained I was way too toxic and needed to ease up on the
antibiotics for a little while. I
also advocated for more detox methods.
My prayers were answered when I saw the antibiotic protocol crafted from
my LLMD, granted there is still a lot of Rifabutin and Minocycline but I know
that is only to make sure the Chlamydia Pneamoniae is dormant. Also, I was prescribed Cholestyramine
to help bind the toxins in my body and help eliminate them! Then, I was told about an oral
glutathione that apparently works wonders for the body. I did glutathione intravenously on my
off weeks while I had my PICC still in, so I was relieved to hear there was an
oral form that was effective. My
LLMD recommended oil of oregano capsules and grapefruit seed extract capsules
to help fight this never-ending battle with Candida! Hopefully I see progress with the changes we have made at
this appointment.
As far as exciting things that have occurred recently in my
life, I got into both graduate schools I applied to for my Masters. I accepted a spot for the Fall 2015 at
University of Maryland Baltimore.
I am beyond thrilled to start this new chapter of my life and end the
one in Harrisonburg, while at the same time nothing scares me more. Harrisonburg has been home for 4
years. I am comfortable here which
is how I know I need to move on. I
think a lot of the nervousness comes from realizing I am going to have to work
harder at keeping my friendships because my friends will no longer be close to
me. I have unexpectedly been
reconnecting with friends from the past in the last few weeks and hope to
continue to work on my relationships as I prepare to move. Another part of moving is realizing I
will no longer be close to “my shadow”.
Right now she lives 3 miles from me and I see her multiple times a week,
but when I move she will be an hour and a half away. Our friendship has been one of the most positive, consistent
things in my life in the past 6 months.
Another major change since my last post is my parents have
now taken temporary legal guardianship of my cousin who is 12. This is extremely admirable of them to
do. However, they don’t have
experience raising a boy especially one that needs extra attention. The reason I included him in this blog
entry is because he was just bit by a tick and developed a rash a few days
later. Lyme is everywhere. Antibiotics are crucial in the first
few weeks of the infection.
The last weekend in March my Mom and I crafted a surprise
for both my sister, who was running a ½ marathon and my Dad who was turning
50. We road tripped to South Bend,
Indiana to surprise and support my sister. My Dad had no idea until I met my parents in
Hagerstown. My Mom went as far as
to blindfold my Dad the last 20 minutes so he would be completely caught off
guard. He thought he and my Mom
were going away for a romantic weekend, but all he wanted was to spend the
weekend with the whole family together.
His wish was granted.
Here is my sister in front of the Dome at Notre Dame after she completed her 1/2 marathon!
Dinner in South Bend in honor of my Dad's 50th!
Since my trip to South Bend, I have been working quite a bit
and am taking a medication certification class in Richmond for my job. If all goes well, I will be certified
by the end of the month. On the
horizon, I have another appointment with the allergist, an appointment with an
endocrinologist for my thyroid and acupuncture to help my system overall! I will keep everyone updated on the
outcomes.
“We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in
one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one
day.”
