Overwhelmed Yet Hopeful

Wow.  I had my appointment with the Naturopath today.  It took an hour and a half and I’m overwhelmed.  I don’t even know where to start.

I guess I’ll start with my blood work and what’s not normal.  I don’t feel comfortable sharing the numbers but I will share what is either high or low.Are you ready for this?

Blood Test Results:

Glucose, Serum=Low
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)=Low-evidence of malabsorption in digestive tract
Creatinine, Serum=Little Low
Calcium, Serum=Low
Phosphorus, Serum=Low
Protein, Total, Serum=Low
Albumin, Serum=Low
Globulin, Total=High
A/G Ratio=Low (evidence of anemia)
GGT=Low
Total Cholesterol=Low (I didn’t even know that was possible)
Triglycerides=Extremely Low
Thyroid, TSH=Slightly High
Thyroxine (T4)=Low
Triiodothyrine (T3)=Low
Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy=Extremely Low
White Blood Cells=Low
Hemoglobin=Low
Hematocrit=Low
MCV=High
MCH=High
RDW=High
Neutrophils=Low
Lymphs=High
Monocytes=High
Neutrophils (Absolute)=Low

Diagnosis:

So yeah, there’s a reason I’m not feeling well.  She thinks that I’m having malabsorption issues-meaning I’m not getting the nutrients from my food.  The low protein is really evidence of this since I’m eating more than enough protein.  There are also issues with my thyroid, glucose, and issues with vitamin B and vitamin D deficiencies.  I have anemia but not in the way that you usually think of anemia, my iron is fine but my hemoglobin isn’t.   

She mentioned the possibility of Hashimoto’s Disease, which is a type of hypothyroidism that I’m almost 100% positive that my Mom has.  She also thinks that I may have a parasite.  I’m taking samples (oh JOY) for the parasite and this test will also tell us if I do in fact have an allergy to milk, gluten, soy, or eggs. 

It’s alot to take in.  The good news?  There are things that can be done to help.

Treatment:

-Diet-GLUTEN-FREE (sad face) Anti-Inflammatory Diet. 

  • No restriction on the amount of food I can eat but I should try to compose my meals of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% healthy fats.
  • Vegetables need to be steamed (except lettuce) and NO tomatoes (sad face) or potatoes.  Artichokes, parsnips, green peas, squash, carrot, and yam should be eaten on a limited basis since they are high in carbohydrates.  I should eat something green everyday.
  • Grains:eat 1-2 cups of cooked grains per day (excluding gluten and corn)
  • Legumes: eat a variety of legumes but make sure to soak them for 48-72 hours, changing the water frequently
  • Fish:deep-sea ocean fish are okay (no farmed). NO SHELLFISH.
  • Poultry:free-range organic and do not eat the skin.
  • Red Meat: 100% free-range, grass-fed including lamb, buffalo, venison, elk, and beef
  • NO PORK 🙁
  • Fruit:1-2 servings per day and try to eat them steamed or baked. Limit apples, blueberries, cherries, grapes, mango, pear, pineapple, pomegranate, bananas, figs, and prunes as they are high in carbohydrates.
  • Sweeteners: Use maple syrup, rice syrup, barley syrup, raw honey or stevia-ONLY with meals.  Absolutely no sugar, NutraSweet, AGAVE NECTAR, or other chemical sweetener is allowed.
  • Seeds and Nuts: Grind flax, pumpkin, sesame, or sunflower seeds to add to food (more on this later).  Nut and seed butter such as almond, brazil, cashew, sesame, etc is good.  NO PEANUT BUTTER (it’s not actually a nut rather a legume)
  • Oil: Use butter mixed with extra virgin olive oil, just extra virgin olive oil, or coconut oil.
  • Spices: whatever floats my boat
  • Nut milks: use sparingly and only on cooked grains or in cooking.
  • Foods to avoid: all animal milks, all animal cheeses, all corn products, commercial eggs (organic okay), potatoes-red or white, tomatoes, citrus fruits, all fruit juices, all dried fruits, peanuts/peanut butter, any processed foods, fried foods, pork, caffeine, alcohol, GLUTEN.

In addition to the food, there are supplements and things.

-Add 1-2 tsp of organic apple cider vinegar to 6-8 ounces of water and drink 15-30 minutes before meals to help with absorption. Minimum 2x/day

-Add 2 TBSP fresh ground organic flax to meals 1x/day, Day1-Day 14 of cycle

-1 TBSP EFA liquid (fish oil), 1x/day, Day1-Day14 of cycle

-2 TBSP fresh ground organic sesame or sunflower seeds 1x/day, Day 15-Menses

-3 capsules of Evening Primrose Oil 1x/day, Day 15-Menses

-Probiotics (she recommends HMF Superpowder), 1/2 tsp, 2x/day taken with meals.

-Take 1 TBSP liquid B 1x/day in the morning.

-Take 1/2 sachet of Magnelvures each in the morning and evening (1 sachet per day)

-Take 3 capsules of Biotone EFAs at bedtime.

-Take 5000 IU/Day of liquid Vitamin D3 everyday.

-Drink at least 80 ounces of filtered or spring water everyday.

Now we move onto things that don’t have to do with eating or ingesting.

-Hydrotherapy:End my shower with a cool water spray, starting with my extremities and finishing with the low back.

-Dry Skin Brushing-using a natural loofah, before bed, thoroughly brus all of my skin, using short, very light, frequent strokes towards my heart for 45-60 seconds.

-Castor Oil Packs-Soak flannel with castor oil and place on my belly, covered with a towel, and then a hot water bottle or heating pad for 30 minutes.  Relax and do something enjoyable. (She said to try and do this at least 4 days in a row but every night is preferred)

-Deep Breathing-take at least 100 deep breaths per day.  This can be done in conjunction with the castor oil packs.  Breathe out for twice as long as you breathe in.

-Sleep-try to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday. Sleep at least 7 hours and the hours BEFORE midnight are more beneficial.

-Movement-try to exercise/move everyday.

-Go outside for at least 30 minutes everyday.

-Play and laugh EVERYDAY.

-Take my temperature at noon before I eat 10 times over the next month.  Low body temperatures (which I have) have been associated with several conditions including weakened immune systems and poor digestion!

-LASTLY, Warming Sock Treatments. Soak my feet for 5-10 minutes in hot water. Next take a pair of cotton socks and get them wet with cold water, then place the cold wet socks on my feet and cover with thick wool socks, go to bed.

And that’s it.  WOW.

If you stuck in it this long I applaud you!!!

I can’t start with the supplements until after my stool test is done (Sunday).  Everything else should start pretty immediately.

Overwhelming, huh?

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