A Few Updates When I decided to do a post on reversing cancer naturally, I had no idea I would find so much information on the topic. Here is yet another article of a test which inadvertantly uncovered that chemotherapy makes cancer more aggressive. Oops... wouldn't want to let that cat out of the bag! Take the time to read it - very interesting!
I follow a site called nutritionfacts.org. The man who heads it up is Dr. Michael Greger, MD. One of his recent posts is Cancer-Proofing Your Body. Excellent article and video (Ex Vivo Cancer Proliferation video only 3 minutes long)
Recently, I walked into Roots, my health food store. Just outside of the store was an easel advertising a health lecture with Dr. Michael Greger. I just about fell off my rocker! It will be held at my favorite restaurant Great Sage in Clarksville, MD. The title of the class is, "The Role of Diet in Preventing, Treating and Reversing the Fifteen Leading Causes of Death" It will take place Monday, February 25 from 7 to 8:30. You know where I'll be!
My Roller Coaster Ride of Healing
There are times when I don't particularly enjoy sharing things about myself. I don't mean sharing fun stories from my childhood or things of that sort. It's the more personal stuff that I find hard to share. However, I do go against my natural inclination to keep things private when I believe that what I share might benefit someone. If I can inspire someone or help someone along in their quest for healing, then it's worth it to me. This past August I took off on a road trip with my family across the country. Little did I know that it would also take me on a roller coaster ride of emotions, crippling pain, frustration and finally, after some time, healing. I endured this for four long months. December is when I got better. It has taken me a while to muster up the will to write this post.
When I go on vacation I find it difficult to eat as much raw food as I normally do at home. In that case, I decide to eat as healthfully as possible and just eat what my family eats. For the trip I kept a cooler of sandwich ingredients ready for meals on the go. At our first stop in Michigan I began to notice a rash on my elbow. Up until the trip I had been running trails in the woods and it looked like poison ivy, so I didn't give it much thought. At about the same time I began to notice pain in my hip. By the time we got to the Mall of America in Minneapolis, I was in so much pain I could barely even walk. My husband had to push me around in a wheelchair at the mall. I am very physically driven and being pushed in a wheelchair was quite unsettling for me. I just chalked it up to my body being out of alignment. I would simply make an appointment with my DNFT chiropractor when I returned home to fix the problem.
We got home, I made my appointment to see the chiropractor and I researched herbs that helped skin rashes. Weeks passed and I couldn't fix the problem. As a matter of fact, the rash continued to spread over my body. By this time I was in tears and emotionally leveled. This wasn't supposed to happen to me! Not with the way I eat and live! I went to the doctor to appease my mother. As expected, I received a prescription for my skin which I just crumpled up and tossed. I can be a rebellious patient when it comes to conventional medicine. In desperation I began talking to friends about what I was dealing with. Two friends helped me to figure out what I was dealing with and I can't even begin to express my gratitude for their help and intuitiveness. The first is my friend Michelle Ross, the nutritionist I've mentioned before in this blog. Second was my friend Bodil who is a nutritionally trained nurse practitioner. Michelle mentioned to me that it sounded like it could be an auto-immune condition. Those words took a few days to register in my brain but eventually a light bulb went off in my head.
The Apple Does Not Fall Far from the Tree
My father was obsessive about fitness and in his prime was running up to 70 miles a week. His running came to a screeching halt when he began to have symptoms of a certain condition - he was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. This type of arthritis affects the joints as well as the skin. I also discovered that this type of arthritis runs in my father's family. Bingo! My Dad is taking medication for his conditions and is doing well. (I attribute his uncommonly healthful condition to his clean diet, juicing and green smoothies. The doctors are baffled at how well he is doing.) Being the person that I am, I wanted to avoid the medications at all cost. I made an appointment to see my friend, the nurse practitioner. She ran blood work for me and told me to go on an elimination diet. I asked her if she thought I would need to go on medication. I wanted to see how she responded. Her answer was the most melodious sound to my ears, "That is up to you!" I felt so empowered by both of my friends to pursue my healing without drugs.
My diet was stripped down to the basics: She put me on 100% organic rice and some vegetables. Every three days I would reintroduce another food into my diet. To make a long story short I have had to eliminate certain foods from my diet. I can no longer have gluten in my diet. All the gluten in my sandwiches on my trip probably triggered my condition. Also, I had my cheat meals at church potlucks which I'm sure contain GMO's. GMO's are ultimately responsible for so many autoimmune conditions and food sensitivities. I have become allergic to certain nuts. As long as I can be strict with my diet, I do not feel any symptoms. My skin which was so raw, bloody and paper-like from scratching so much is soft again and completely healed. My hips that caused me so much pain, are no longer causing me trouble. It has been months since I was running and have resorted to spin classes to maintain fitness. (I'm looking into getting a mountain bike just like my dad did when he dealt with his arthritis.) I have recently been getting back on the treadmill and I haven't had the horrible recurrence of pain. I've lost a lot of stamina but, thank God I can walk without pain and even run a little! (I am very tentative in regards to running, but I feel like I just might be able to return to my trails again.)
A New Way to Eat
It has been such a challenge readjusting my diet and finding equilibrium that is right for me. For a couple of years I had been eating 90 to 95% raw. I can no longer maintain that. In speaking with Michelle Ross, she said that some people can thrive on a 100% raw diet, but not everyone can. She says it is excellent for the purpose of reversing chronic disease, but then you have to reevaluate and readjust. My goal is maintaining alkilinity and so I now am eating 75 to 80% raw and have added some more cooked food back into my diet. Since doing this I noticed that my energy levels have shot through the roof.
This whole experience has been very humbling for me. I struggled so much with feelings of failure. I also felt a responsibility for being honest with my readers. I would much rather disclose the truth than try to save face. Pay attention to the cues your body is telling you. Use your symptoms as a guide and don't mask them with medication. Find a naturopath, nutritionist or a nutritionally trained doctor/health practitioner! (The standard four hours of archaic nutrition most doctors get doesn't count for me) Be relentless until you fully arrive at the health you want to have. Easier said than done, I know. But yes, it can be done! I plan to do a cleanse using products from Dr. Schulze. I want to see how my body will respond. His cleanses are powerful for restoring optimal health. (Check out his latest blog post) I'll be sure to let you know how that goes!
Enjoy the Journey!
