I'm reading a really mind-blowing book called "Never Be Sick Again."
It somehow manages to confirm everything I ever suspected about the origins of disease, the shortfall of modern medicine, the destructiveness of the American lifestyle, and the resilience of the human body, as well as the possibilities of becoming completely well, despite what we've been told about chronic illness.
Unfortunately, it's going to involve giving up junk food and eating a lot of vegetables. I'm already doing that, but it's going to involve even more changes than I've already made. I already knew that sugar, nutrasweet (and other artificial sweeteners), dairy, white flour (and for me, all wheat), meat were off the list for me and for the most part I've made peace with all that.
But rice cakes? wow, it never even occurred to me that rice cakes were unhealthy. Oh well.
But back to the bottom line of this book: there is only one disease, and that disease is (drumroll); cellular malfunction.
And there are only 2 causes of this one disease: nutritional deficiency and toxicity.
There are 6 pathways back to health: nutrition, toxicity (lack thereof), psychological (a powerful one), physical, genetic (advice here is mostly to avoid harming your DNA), medical (the advice on this one being avoid medical intervention as much as possible).
We blame so much on genetics. But we are not pre-programmed to self-destruct. The good news is (now that we've heard the bad news: most of what we eat and love is bad for us, much of it having a net negative nutritional effect on our cells)--- we can make changes and positively, even drastically affect our health and no longer live in fear of getting sick and old and incapacitated and dependent on others, including a heartless soulless medical system that inflicts as much harm as it does help. OK I may be adding a little of my own opinion in here along with the synopsis, but not much...
There is so much confusing information out there about health and diet. This one book cuts through all the BS. It is incredible to hear about the isolated cultures who are free from processed foods and are so healthy they live to 120 and beyond, doing vigorous folk dances and fathering children to the day they die, which happens peacefully in their sleep. They are so healthy they don't even have words for things like dementia. They don't even get colds. Until the paved roads come in, and along with them the processed foods.
In general, when he's asked to give advice for one dietary change, he tells most people to cut out dairy. I mean really, what other species would walk up to another animal of a completely different species and start drinking its milk? Cows are kinda gross when you think about it. And for those of us with autoimmune issues, cutting out all gluten products. We've heard that one before, haven't we? I've been gluten free for a year and a half, off the diet soda for 2 years and 95% meat and dairy free for about 6 months. I am mostly sugar-free as well. It does help. I've even dropped a size in clothing. I refuse to step on the scale, because I don't want to make this about weight and vanity; this is about health and a permanent lifestyle change, the pursuit of health, vitality, freedom, reaching my true potential, being energized, feeling great. Looking great is an awesome bonus.
The subtitle is Health is a Choice. Learn How to Choose It.
Empowering. Promising. I'm about halfway through, still reading, but I'm sold on this one.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
massively humerus
OK well after all this wondering what all my shoulder pain is about, we have something of an answer. We've all been guessing at what it might be. If you're looking for a frozen shoulder to cry on, you'll have to look somewhere else. My shoulder is not frozen. i have a mass on my arm. The humerus, to be exact. The funny bone. the one that runs from your elbow to your shoulder. The only funny thing about this is what runs through the mind when you finally get a diagnosis for something you've been suffering with for years: "a HA! it's real! i told you so! Oh crap! it's real! is it going to kill me?"
A mass. that sounds so... massive. What does it mean? a mass of what? So of course I can't get any kind of game plan or more specific diagnosis until I go to an orthopedic guy/ gal. Sign. I hate limbo. I don't even like to do the limbo. But I can't go to the doctor anytime in the next couple days. I do guitar lessons and performances. I can't just cancel those unless i'm nearly dead. So I have to just get through the next few days then see if I can get into the specialist.
First the MRI. Then the XRays. Backwards, I know. Next I may have to get a catscan. What's the difference between a catscan and an MRI? Is the clanking sound more annoying? My right arm is getting so many pictures of it, it's starting to feel like Lindsay Lohan. If I don't look out it's going to start running around drunk to dance clubs with no panties on and buying designer clothes. And my left arm is getting a complex. "Hey I'm cute! Someone take a picture of me! How come the bad arm gets all the attention?"
I'm so tired of doctor appointments. where's my *&^* lollipop?
My theory is that it's arthritis caused by guitar playing. Or too many wise cracks, trying too hard to be massively humerus.
update: June 4. Geez it's a whole month later and all I've managed to do is get to the orthopedic guy (who was a jerk) and all I got from him is it's a tumor. Now I gotta go to an orthopedic oncologist. And maybe get some radioactive crap shot into me for yet another test. And/ or biopsy. Meanwhile thanks to acupuncture and massage, I am no longer in any pain. I still have yet to get my lollipop though.
A mass. that sounds so... massive. What does it mean? a mass of what? So of course I can't get any kind of game plan or more specific diagnosis until I go to an orthopedic guy/ gal. Sign. I hate limbo. I don't even like to do the limbo. But I can't go to the doctor anytime in the next couple days. I do guitar lessons and performances. I can't just cancel those unless i'm nearly dead. So I have to just get through the next few days then see if I can get into the specialist.
First the MRI. Then the XRays. Backwards, I know. Next I may have to get a catscan. What's the difference between a catscan and an MRI? Is the clanking sound more annoying? My right arm is getting so many pictures of it, it's starting to feel like Lindsay Lohan. If I don't look out it's going to start running around drunk to dance clubs with no panties on and buying designer clothes. And my left arm is getting a complex. "Hey I'm cute! Someone take a picture of me! How come the bad arm gets all the attention?"
I'm so tired of doctor appointments. where's my *&^* lollipop?
My theory is that it's arthritis caused by guitar playing. Or too many wise cracks, trying too hard to be massively humerus.
update: June 4. Geez it's a whole month later and all I've managed to do is get to the orthopedic guy (who was a jerk) and all I got from him is it's a tumor. Now I gotta go to an orthopedic oncologist. And maybe get some radioactive crap shot into me for yet another test. And/ or biopsy. Meanwhile thanks to acupuncture and massage, I am no longer in any pain. I still have yet to get my lollipop though.
Friday, April 16, 2010
not enough germs
So there's this new theory floating around amongst microbiologists about the cause of autoimmune disease (and allergies): we are overly hygienic. We're too clean. We don't have enough germs and parasites living in our body, so we are out of balance. It's an interesting theory, and I will certainly entertain the idea (although I'm not about to swallow a pound of tapeworms).
The part I disagree with is *why* we have an imbalance. Autoimmune diseases are most rampant in "developed" (a.k.a industrialized, or Westernized) countries. The microbiologists posit that what those countries all have in common is lots of hand washing, caution about germs,etc. and they think that's the issue: Kids don't play in the dirt enough, we wash our hands too often, etc.
Let me just say- I ate plenty of dirt as a kid. I played in a sandbox (where the cat sometimes pooped). We had recess at school twice a day, and no one washed their hands after. We shared a water fountain through my senior year. As soon as we got home, our parents sent us outside to play. I went to summer camp where we used a latrine. I am sure I ran into *plenty* of germs. And my mom was not hysterical about wiping them off me. And yet, I've still got not one, but 4 autoimmune conditions.
However, I will still entertain the idea that I don't have enough parasites, or microorganisms in my system because I also had *plenty* of exposure to antibiotics. And that is what I think is causing the imbalance, not soap.
Sadly, doctors were, at least in 1992, when i first got sick with lupus (but didn't yet have a diagnosis), indiscriminately giving out antibiotics, and i had 4 rounds of them in a row while they were trying to figure out what was wrong with me- and every single batch of them made me sicker. Full body rashes, vomiting, and escalation of the lupus.
I've taken them for bronchitis a bunch of times, I took them when I got my wisdom teeth cut out. I think it's pretty safe to say I've taken antibiotics between 12 and 20 times in my life, and I'm probably not unusual in that respect.
So if you're looking for a culprit, look past the bar of soap, which I will continue to use (though not antibacterial soap, just plain old normal burt's bees chemical-free soap- because I don't want e coli, thanks!), and look in the medicine cabinet.
Yes, antibiotics save lives, but there's such a thing as too much of a good thing.
Now, tell us how to rebalance our systems. will probiotics do the trick, or do we need something more gross?
Can I just go back to the playground?
PS would someone please study the connection between allergies and autoimmunity? Please?
The part I disagree with is *why* we have an imbalance. Autoimmune diseases are most rampant in "developed" (a.k.a industrialized, or Westernized) countries. The microbiologists posit that what those countries all have in common is lots of hand washing, caution about germs,etc. and they think that's the issue: Kids don't play in the dirt enough, we wash our hands too often, etc.
Let me just say- I ate plenty of dirt as a kid. I played in a sandbox (where the cat sometimes pooped). We had recess at school twice a day, and no one washed their hands after. We shared a water fountain through my senior year. As soon as we got home, our parents sent us outside to play. I went to summer camp where we used a latrine. I am sure I ran into *plenty* of germs. And my mom was not hysterical about wiping them off me. And yet, I've still got not one, but 4 autoimmune conditions.
However, I will still entertain the idea that I don't have enough parasites, or microorganisms in my system because I also had *plenty* of exposure to antibiotics. And that is what I think is causing the imbalance, not soap.
Sadly, doctors were, at least in 1992, when i first got sick with lupus (but didn't yet have a diagnosis), indiscriminately giving out antibiotics, and i had 4 rounds of them in a row while they were trying to figure out what was wrong with me- and every single batch of them made me sicker. Full body rashes, vomiting, and escalation of the lupus.
I've taken them for bronchitis a bunch of times, I took them when I got my wisdom teeth cut out. I think it's pretty safe to say I've taken antibiotics between 12 and 20 times in my life, and I'm probably not unusual in that respect.
So if you're looking for a culprit, look past the bar of soap, which I will continue to use (though not antibacterial soap, just plain old normal burt's bees chemical-free soap- because I don't want e coli, thanks!), and look in the medicine cabinet.
Yes, antibiotics save lives, but there's such a thing as too much of a good thing.
Now, tell us how to rebalance our systems. will probiotics do the trick, or do we need something more gross?
Can I just go back to the playground?
PS would someone please study the connection between allergies and autoimmunity? Please?
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Psychosomatic, Real, or both?
well, here's a loaded topic. Psychosomatic illness.
It's amazing to me that emotional problems can cause physical ailments. Frankly, I don't think we've studied this enough.
I was listening to the radio on the way home from work today, something I rarely do, so I think perhaps I was supposed to be listening. You know, divine guidance.
The program was "The World, " a news show on NPR featuring international news, and they were discussing the health problems plaguing the people of Haiti. Now that the initial wave of injuries caused directly by the earthquake has subsided, the hospitals are seeing large numbers of people with unexplainable conditions- things with no discernible physical cause, like itching, and even a woman with partial paralysis. The doctors are saying on this program that many of these people are suffering from psychosomatic illness- physical problems caused by unexpressed emotions.
No patient wants to hear that they are causing their own illness, or that they are imagining their symptoms, or that it's all in their head, or even that it's psychosomatic, so this is a delicate issue. How do you treat someone who is suffering from physical symptoms, when you the doctor know that the root cause is emotional trauma? They are saying these people need talk therapy, but I'm saying initially, how do you even get them to agree to that if you don't first agree with them that their physical pain is real? In my mind, this is the perfect place to use a placebo. If the power of the mind is causing their problems, let the power of the mind also help them get better- distract them, and then also strongly urge them to get talk therapy so they can get at the root of their problem.
Now, once you've opened this Pandora's box, you really have to ask- doesn't nearly every ailment have an emotional component to it? 18 years ago, after watching one of my friends refuse to grieve, then die of a tumor wrapped around his heart, I realized even cancer can be psychosomatic. Doesn't mean it wasn't real. It as so real it freaking killed him. But what I mean by psychosomatic is emotionally-related. Whoever said emotions won't kill you... I disagree. maybe not this second, but they can eventually kill you.
So, after having very real symptoms that can be measured by blood tests, MRIs, and all that, and getting diagnosed with 4 different autoimmune diseases, and nearly dying of kidney failure three times now, I feel like, OK, they know it's not in my head. But what *is* in my head?
I'm really at this point willing to entertain that some or even possibly all the root of my autoimmune problem is between my ears, that my mind is powerful enough to create kidney failure, anemia, joint pain, fever, you name it. Because if I can create it, then I can STOP creating it. So I'm totally willing to explore the idea that maybe it *is* psychosomatic. And what I mean by that, again, is not that I'm imagining it, but that maybe i'm creating illness, or creating an environment in which illness can take over, by the thought patterns and emotions that I allow to habitually occupy my being.
Feelings are real. Feelings are powerful. Feelings can be destructive. They can also be healing and creative.
I recently got involved in co-counseling, a somewhat obscure movement wherein people counsel each other as peers. There are guidelines and workshops, its' not a free-for-all, and generally it's anonymous; you don't socialize with the people you see in these groups. The idea is to release your pent-up feelings and to break old patterns of feeling, thinking, and behaving.
I heard about this movement via an obscure self-published book called "healing lupus" by waverly evans. She claims to be completely cured of lupus through co-counseling, since 1978. that's a pretty long time to be symptom-free, and she was *really* sick. Same disease as me, just as sick, now symptom-free. Frankly, I think I'd be pretty foolish to not look into what she did and give it a try. So I'm doing it, once a week, and I feel really good about it so far. And the weekly groups cost nothing. My favorite price. It also goes by the name reevaluation counseling, in case you want to google and look for a group in your area.
OK, friends, time to sign off for now. I'm still struggling with insomnia, and have now watched every single episode of Law and Order: Criminal intent, seasons 1-7 via netflix. there aren't any more L&O episodes of any kind available for instant play on netflix, so now I'm watching... Columbo.
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed this controversial topic! Chime in!
It's amazing to me that emotional problems can cause physical ailments. Frankly, I don't think we've studied this enough.
I was listening to the radio on the way home from work today, something I rarely do, so I think perhaps I was supposed to be listening. You know, divine guidance.
The program was "The World, " a news show on NPR featuring international news, and they were discussing the health problems plaguing the people of Haiti. Now that the initial wave of injuries caused directly by the earthquake has subsided, the hospitals are seeing large numbers of people with unexplainable conditions- things with no discernible physical cause, like itching, and even a woman with partial paralysis. The doctors are saying on this program that many of these people are suffering from psychosomatic illness- physical problems caused by unexpressed emotions.
No patient wants to hear that they are causing their own illness, or that they are imagining their symptoms, or that it's all in their head, or even that it's psychosomatic, so this is a delicate issue. How do you treat someone who is suffering from physical symptoms, when you the doctor know that the root cause is emotional trauma? They are saying these people need talk therapy, but I'm saying initially, how do you even get them to agree to that if you don't first agree with them that their physical pain is real? In my mind, this is the perfect place to use a placebo. If the power of the mind is causing their problems, let the power of the mind also help them get better- distract them, and then also strongly urge them to get talk therapy so they can get at the root of their problem.
Now, once you've opened this Pandora's box, you really have to ask- doesn't nearly every ailment have an emotional component to it? 18 years ago, after watching one of my friends refuse to grieve, then die of a tumor wrapped around his heart, I realized even cancer can be psychosomatic. Doesn't mean it wasn't real. It as so real it freaking killed him. But what I mean by psychosomatic is emotionally-related. Whoever said emotions won't kill you... I disagree. maybe not this second, but they can eventually kill you.
So, after having very real symptoms that can be measured by blood tests, MRIs, and all that, and getting diagnosed with 4 different autoimmune diseases, and nearly dying of kidney failure three times now, I feel like, OK, they know it's not in my head. But what *is* in my head?
I'm really at this point willing to entertain that some or even possibly all the root of my autoimmune problem is between my ears, that my mind is powerful enough to create kidney failure, anemia, joint pain, fever, you name it. Because if I can create it, then I can STOP creating it. So I'm totally willing to explore the idea that maybe it *is* psychosomatic. And what I mean by that, again, is not that I'm imagining it, but that maybe i'm creating illness, or creating an environment in which illness can take over, by the thought patterns and emotions that I allow to habitually occupy my being.
Feelings are real. Feelings are powerful. Feelings can be destructive. They can also be healing and creative.
I recently got involved in co-counseling, a somewhat obscure movement wherein people counsel each other as peers. There are guidelines and workshops, its' not a free-for-all, and generally it's anonymous; you don't socialize with the people you see in these groups. The idea is to release your pent-up feelings and to break old patterns of feeling, thinking, and behaving.
I heard about this movement via an obscure self-published book called "healing lupus" by waverly evans. She claims to be completely cured of lupus through co-counseling, since 1978. that's a pretty long time to be symptom-free, and she was *really* sick. Same disease as me, just as sick, now symptom-free. Frankly, I think I'd be pretty foolish to not look into what she did and give it a try. So I'm doing it, once a week, and I feel really good about it so far. And the weekly groups cost nothing. My favorite price. It also goes by the name reevaluation counseling, in case you want to google and look for a group in your area.
OK, friends, time to sign off for now. I'm still struggling with insomnia, and have now watched every single episode of Law and Order: Criminal intent, seasons 1-7 via netflix. there aren't any more L&O episodes of any kind available for instant play on netflix, so now I'm watching... Columbo.
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed this controversial topic! Chime in!
Monday, March 29, 2010
raw paleo diet cures lupus? discuss!
http://www.myhealthblog.org/2010/03/26/lupus-treatment-success-rate-100-via-paleo-diet-in-france/
This guy says we should all be eating all raw, including raw meat (ew!)
I totally agree that diet has an incredible impact on health, and that we should avoid dairy and processed food.
I've even heard you should avoid the nightshade family of food (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants), and i don't eat these foods much at all. They all give me heartburn anyway.
After I learned what margarine was made for- to fatten up turkeys- I gave that up as well. Anything buttery that won't melt? gross.
Eating loads of fresh veggies and fruit? I think everyone agrees with this, even our government, and they're not exactly cutting edge with nutrition.
I'm not so sure i'm ready to give up rice or nuts and seeds, but I will entertain the idea.
And this I know: I darn sure am not eating raw meat.
That just doesn't make sense to me, because I read elsewhere that 100% of lupus patients have low stomach acid. How are we supposed to digest it? And secondly, raw meat is filled with pathogens, and we have suppressed immunity; how are we supposed to fight off things like salmonella- and worms? ew, ew, EW!!!
All the same I am pleased to see someone doing some research on the impact of diet on lupus, because it is something we can control it's not drugs, and it is an affordable cure.
As for my feelings on raw meat?
Well, feel free to disagree.
In fact, discuss.
note: rebuttal article:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=evolving-bigger-brains-th
Well wishes to you all-
Carla
Carla Ulbrich
The Singing Patient: Author, Speaker, Humorous Songwriter and Entertainer
www.thesingingpatient.com
www.facebook.com/TheSingingPatient
www.twitter.com/singingpatient
www.youtube.com/user/carlaulbrich
www.linkedin.com/in/carlaulbrich
http://tinyurl.com/348hroc - Carla's book "How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?"
This guy says we should all be eating all raw, including raw meat (ew!)
I totally agree that diet has an incredible impact on health, and that we should avoid dairy and processed food.
I've even heard you should avoid the nightshade family of food (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants), and i don't eat these foods much at all. They all give me heartburn anyway.
After I learned what margarine was made for- to fatten up turkeys- I gave that up as well. Anything buttery that won't melt? gross.
Eating loads of fresh veggies and fruit? I think everyone agrees with this, even our government, and they're not exactly cutting edge with nutrition.
I'm not so sure i'm ready to give up rice or nuts and seeds, but I will entertain the idea.
And this I know: I darn sure am not eating raw meat.
That just doesn't make sense to me, because I read elsewhere that 100% of lupus patients have low stomach acid. How are we supposed to digest it? And secondly, raw meat is filled with pathogens, and we have suppressed immunity; how are we supposed to fight off things like salmonella- and worms? ew, ew, EW!!!
All the same I am pleased to see someone doing some research on the impact of diet on lupus, because it is something we can control it's not drugs, and it is an affordable cure.
As for my feelings on raw meat?
Well, feel free to disagree.
In fact, discuss.
note: rebuttal article:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=evolving-bigger-brains-th
Well wishes to you all-
Carla
Carla Ulbrich
The Singing Patient: Author, Speaker, Humorous Songwriter and Entertainer
www.thesingingpatient.com
www.facebook.com/TheSingingPatient
www.twitter.com/singingpatient
www.youtube.com/user/carlaulbrich
www.linkedin.com/in/carlaulbrich
http://tinyurl.com/348hroc - Carla's book "How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)