Feeling Good Friday: Hippocrates

Normally on Feeling Good Fridays I highlight a food or a product that can promote healing but today I am going to focus on a person. This person is not alive anymore and so he physically cannot promote healing but the principles he left behind are pretty astounding and are certainly relevant today. We Americans, who are becoming increasingly more unhealthy and sick, are s l o w l y coming full circle in understanding and applying the principles that Hippocrates believed in. (Warning there is a bit of a rant in this post.)

Since I have started on my journey of healing through education about God's gift to us in real, whole, clean food, the name Hippocrates has come up many times. I have read and heard he is the "Father of Medicine." Along with that I have seen the famous quote by him, "Let food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be food." I can attest to that in the fact that food (along with a few other pieces to my puzzle) have been powerful in healing my ailing body. I am sure that I learned about him during my schooling as well but really hadn't remembered a whole lot about him.

(picture of Hippocrates found on www.pbs.com)

Recently, while homeschooling my eight year old, we were doing history and our lesson for the day was about Hippocrates. What I read really peaked my interest in finding out more about Hippocrates as well as the Hippocratic oath that was based on his way of practicing medicine and written shortly after he died by Pythagoreans in Greece.

Hippocrates broke the mold in that he did not believe that the Greek God of Asclepius was his healer. Instead, he believed that diet, rest and exercise is what could heal. He looked for causes of disease rather than treating a symptom. When he did treat he used herbs, diet changes, and getting outside along with exercise. He believed that a doctor should be trustworthy and that the doctor should use his skills wisely for the BETTERMENT of mankind.

(some of the above paragraph is paraphrased from The Mystery of History Volume 1 by Linda Lacour Hobar)

These are all amazing principles that he practiced by. The major difference in my own views is that I DO believe my God (Jesus Christ) is my healer. If it weren't for Him then none of the foods or other things would have healed me. It is by God's grace and mercy on me that I am able to thrive and function in life.

As my son and I continued learning about Hippocrates we also found out some interesting info on the Hippocratic oath. Remember, I said this is the document that was written some time after the death of Hippocrates? The people who wrote it (the Pythagoreans) based it off of the way that Hippocrates practiced medicine and his beliefs therefore it reflects him. Oh how I wish this oath was truly adhered to in our day. Our medical system would be 100% different. I will get into that briefly in a bit.

(photo of the classic Hippocratic Oath from www.wikipedia.com)

Once this oath was written it was and has been used for thousands of years as a pledge for doctors who are graduating medical school.

What I thought was most interesting and very reflective of modern western medicine is how much this oath has changed over the last 2,500 years. In fact, only 1-3 schools use this classic oath today. The others use various watered down politically correct versions that virtually mean nothing. It has become more of a ritual rather than a true oath and promise.

Let me show you what the classic, original oath written after Hippocrates death said...

I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:

To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents and to live my life in partnership with him, and if he is in need of money to give him a share of mine, and to regard his offspring as equal to my brothers in male lineage and to teach them this art—if they desire to learn it—without fee and covenant; to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken an oath according to the medical law, but no one else.

I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.

I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art.

I will not use the knife, not even on sufferers from stone, but will withdraw in favor of such men as are engaged in this work.

Whatever houses I may visit, I will come for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of sexual relations with both female and male persons, be they free or slaves.

What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about.

If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot.

—Translation from the Greek by Ludwig Edelstein. From The Hippocratic Oath: Text, Translation, and Interpretation, by Ludwig Edelstein. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1943.

The items that I bolded really stand out to me. Doctors would apply dietetic measures to treat a patient! That means food, herbs, things that God gave us on this green earth.
They will keep patients from harm and injustice. Wow, how integrous.
They will not even give a deadly drug to those who ask for it and they wont even offer it. No assisted suicide?
This next one is the one that caught my eye in the history book - they won't give a woman an abortive remedy. Pro-life even way back then!
Even though Hippocrates and most likely the Pythagoreans were not believers in Christ, and most likely did not know God the Creator they obviously valued human life. They will do their duty for the BENEFIT of the sick, not the benefit of themselves.
There will be no injustice or inappropriate relations with patients or anyone in the houses they visit. Lastly, if they adhere to this oath they will be praised and honored but adversely if they don't then they will be defamed, lose face, and probably lose their practice. Accountability what a novel concept. Yes, there is a bit of a sarcastic tone here...)

Not only was Hippocrates strong in holding to the ways he practiced medicine against many others who didn't see his viewpoint but others followed in his footsteps adhering to this amazing oath. Certainly, it is not perfect but it is a far cry from what oath(s) we have today. I wish we could go back to these principles.

Today, except for those 1-3 schools I mentioned earlier, there is no one oath that is followed. There are several different versions. Medical students graduate now and do say AN oath but it is more a set of rote words that mean nothing to almost any of these students getting ready to start their own practices. Furthermore, some of the statements in the modern versions are not even adhered too (in my personal experience.)

For starters, there is no mention of treating patients dietetically. There is no mention about giving or not giving a deadly drug to a patient. There is no mention of not giving a woman an abortive remedy, rather it says, "I will not play God" but right before that statement it talks about the fact that the doctor has the power to take a human life. There is no mention of having any inappropriate relations either.

Here are some things the modern versions of the Hippocratic Oath does say....

"I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure."
"My professional judgement will be exercised as independently as possible and not be influenced by political pressure nor by factor such as social standing of the patient."
"I will not put personal profit or advancement above my duty to patients."
"If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help."
(taken from www.amednews.com and www.pbs.com)

They will try to prevent disease? Really? Does modern Western Medicine really prevent medical disease? My opinion is, NO. In fact, they create problems with the onset of new drugs and the money behind the drugs that are being pushed. Some diseases actually come or are greatly worsened from modern medicine and the pharmaceuticals! Is prevention really preferable? I don't think so. Prevention would mean that we Americans wont need to come back to get more medicine. It would mean we would not need to be seen again in the office which would mean less mula for the pharms and doctors.

Not influenced by political pressures, by the way a person looks are how much money they have? Ummm, Hmmmm, I don't think so. That is a whole new post in and of itself though.

Do most doctors put the welfare of their patients above their personal gain (paycheck, fame, etc.)? In my experience with many, many doctors over the years personal gain is first and foremost. They want to gain more patients because that equals more money and more payoffs from the big pharma. Patients to them are just a number not an actual person that needs true help and honest care. Are ALL doctors this way - no. However, a vast majority I can bet are in it for themselves, not the well being of the patient. When test results trump the way the patient is feeling, and symptoms that may be occurring from a cause being untreated continue without a doctor caring, this tells me that the tests, drugs, etc are more priority than a patient.

Lastly, what happened to the accountability? The statement in the modern oath(s) only talk about if they do NOT violate the oath. What about if they do? Sure there are lawsuits and various ways to find justice but not through the original "promise" that was made upon graduation. Scary.

I do not believe all doctors are in this sad and corrupt state but I do believe that we can see proof of this watered down oath due to the awful state of health that our nation is in. I know it is due in part to our S.A.D diet and sedentary lifestyles and do not solely blame this on doctors. However, if the majority of our modern day doctors were following the principles and ideas that Hippocrates practiced I do believe that our world would be in an entirely different state of health. Medicine would truly would be about treating the cause not the symptom. It would be about using remedies that actually helped the root cause and healed rather than caused new problems. Patients would not just bee looked at a number. It would be amazing!

I am grateful for Hippocrates' courage in a time that what he believed wasn't widely accepted. I am grateful that there is a movement happening now in our nation that people are returning to these healthy principles. I am also thankful that there are doctors springing up who may not say this Hippocratic oath exactly, but truly adhere to the principles laid in Hippocrates foundation. It is wonderful. I am also blessed because in the past year I have been able to find a few doctors who treat the cause and not the symptom and look at the body as a whole not in pieces. They also take lots and lots of time with me getting a good picture of my health history. They genuinely care for me. Praise God!

If you are discouraged about your health I would suggest seeking out a Functional and Integrative Medicine doctor or an Investigative medicine doctor. Even some chiropractors practice Holistic Medicine (the Hippocrates Way.) There are good ones out there but it takes some searching.

If you would like to learn more about the Classic Hippocratic Oath, I found this site to be a informative one:
Western Fictioneers

Even if our doctors wont help us or treat us with no genuine care, let's start applying the principles that Hippocrates believed in about letting our medicine be our food and our food be our medicine. God gave us a wonderful gift in the clean, unadulterated foods that he gave us here on earth. Let's educate ourselves and look at modern research and testimonials as proof of the healing power in the gifts God has given us.

~Blessings~

365 days of change: New products we use for better health and less of a toxin load

Last year was a year of change - big time. Not only did our eating habits change but almost every other facet of our lives changed too. We changed everything from pots and pans to make-up and cleaners with the goal to get as many toxins out of our house and cleared from our bodies. We want to stay healthy as a family and we want to give our kids a fighting chance in this polluted world.

It has taken time for the changes due to research and financial constraints but overall we have made some pretty dramatic lifestyle changes.

This is a lengthy post but you can read it in sections if needed. I start with kitchen items then household items and some miscellaneous. After that I talk about toiletries and cosmetics. At the end there are links to all my pinterest boards in various categories.

I am not going to talk about food in this post but a quick note of change is that my family eats Paleo along with me now. The kids always eat gluten free and eat mostly Paleo. My husband eats mostly Paleo but is not fully GF. When there is that occasional pizza or cookie at work he partakes. Baby steps... He has seen many health improvements from eating about 95% Paleo though. I have seen positive health changes in my boys too and you all know my story. If you don't, search GAPS labels at the right side of my blog.

I will share the rest of the changes in random order. I pray that this post is a great resource for you if you would like to make some changes too. *Please note that we have not "arrived" or are not completely there. This is a journey like everything else in life. These are things that we use regularly but we are not perfect in lack of contaminants in our home. Personally I don't think anyone can ever be that way in their life on this earth in these days.

~1~ We no longer heat our food in plastic or serve heated food or drinks in plastic containers or serving dishes. When heat is applied to plastic it actually sends toxins that are harmful to our health into our foods or any item that comes in contact with it. Drinking hot drinks from a plastic straw is also a big no, no. We prefer to have the least possibilities of BPA contamination in our home. We use Snapware glass dishes for hot food storage now. I would like to get another set eventually. On my next Amazon order I will be ordering these stainless steel straws too. They also make glass ones but I think I will pass on those with my boys. I'd prefer they didn't drink broken glass after they broke their straws!

~2~ We all used to drink out of plastic water bottles too. We ditched those and use Life Factory Glass Water bottles now. We love them so much! They are nice too because you can use essential oils in your drinks (which I will talk about it a bit) and they wont react since they react with plastic (actually breaking it down) because of their potency.

~3~ We purchased a new set of stainless steel pots and pans this year. I have to be honest and say I have not gotten rid of every single piece of my nonstick set, I have two left because I like their size. When I find stainless steel ones that compares I will get rid of my nonstick ones. Anyway, we got an amazing deal at Kohl's on this Cuisinart Pot and Pan set and we had been looking for a while to make the switch. We did add two pieces to this set - a big deep dish dutch oven and a bigger saute pan than comes in the set. Also, we received a free set of stainless steel bowls. It has been nice because I rarely use my plastic mixing bowls now and of course I never use them with hot foods. Stainless is wonderful. I had to get used to using them a bit but low heat and good cooking fats are your friends with stainless.

~4~ Something else we have implemented is juicing. While most of my family still really gravitates towards the really sweet juices like apple, carrot I have noticed that Cody really likes my juices. I make my juices with one or two carrots but the rest greens and cucumber so it is generally less sweet and more on the bitter side. Once in a while I will add a small piece of fruit to mine but I tend to stay away too much from the overly sweet because the blood sugar spikes for me are terrible for my immunity. I love our juicer because it extracts the juices full of vitamins and minerals and gives my family a way to absorb these vital nutrients very easily. I would like to experiment more this year with different kinds of fruits and vegetables for making juice. There are many options to try! I also love our juicer because it makes nut butter and baby food too! A VERY generous good friend just gave me this juicer because she was not using it! Praise God. If you want a juicer I highly recommend the Champion 2000. It is wonderful and the juice is excellent.

~5~ The last kitchen item I wanted to mention that has aided in some changes we have made is my yogurt maker. Each week I make a quart of homemade 24 fermented raw milk yogurt from cow's milk we get from our farmer. GAPS side note * when you ferment yogurt for 24 hours the good bacteria eats up all the lactose which is what a lot of people can't digest and have an intolerance too. Any less time and there will still be milk protein (lactose) present in the yogurt. * My family eats this served with nuts, fruit and raw local honey. Sometimes we put homemade Paleo Granola on it (which is grain free.) Sometimes I allow my kiddos to put GF granola on it too but I hate doing that because I know grains give them adverse reactions. I always serve yogurt with a protein and a fat. Yogurt spikes your blood sugar because it has a lot of sugar naturally occurring and then you add fruit and honey and the sugar levels rise. Protein and fat help the body to metabolize the sugars slower and not spike your blood sugar levels. An example would be a piece of sausage and/or bacon or side of avocado with the yogurt.

This yogurt is so easy to make and the yogurt maker makes it even easier. All I do is put a quart of milk in a ball canning jar then add 1-2 TLBS of Nancy's Organic Plain yogurt (for a starter.) I whisk it up and put it in the yogurt maker. It turns out great. The Yolife yogurt maker is great because it comes with a high lid to be able to make big amounts of yogurt. It also comes with 7 glass yogurt sized jars to use. We love this because it is such a good way to get natural probiotics into our bodies and it tastes good too! For natural probiotics I have also started making my own sauerkraut this year. I have enjoyed the end result with that.

~6~ Our household cleaners have changed too. Although I still own some of the nasty ones with terrible and harmful chemicals in them I very rarely use them now. To clean our kitchen and counters I use a mixture of vinegar and water along with some doTerra Lemon and doTerra Onguard essential oils. It smells good, cleans well and sanitizes all at the same time.

Anything I purchase as a household item like dishwashing detergent, hand soap, dish soap as well as cosmetics and toiletries (which I will get into later) has to clear the EWG site first. Environmental Working Group is a site that rates thousands upon thousands of products for their toxicity. It defines what is toxic in the product and why. It then rates them from A-F and some of the items get a number rating with 0 being the best. I swear by this site and am so thankful for it. Nothing new comes into our house that does not have a low rating like between 0-2 and A or B. They also have pocket guides for the clean fifteen and dirty dozen foods and many other resources. I love, love, love this tool.

For our dish detergent I use Ecover
For our dish soap I use the Ecover brand too.
For our laundry detergent I use Ecover as well.
For our hand soap I use Dr. Bronners. I get the big containers and fill our soap dispensers all over the house.

I feel like every little bit counts. As we continue to purge our house of toxins the load lessens and lessens and gives our bodies a fighting chance. It we are always trying to detox big loads of chemicals from our bodies, sometimes more than our bodies can handle, then our immune systems will continually be compromised and we will get sicker more often. Obviously we don't want this!

~7~ Last year I also started to take a look into my thyroid medication as well as the supplements that I take. It was imperative to me to get any and all potential products, ingredients and chemicals out of my body, off my body and out of our house. My medication and supplements were a hidden source of contamination.

I now have my T4 and T3 created specifically for me at a compounding pharmacy. I didn't know until I researched that Synthroid which is what I was taking contains SUGAR, CORNSTARCH AND FOOD DYES. Different colors for different dosages! All those ingredients go directly against GAPS and Paleo diets and would have been a detriment to my healing. Cytomel which is another one I was taking (T3) has starch in it. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride says in her GAPS book that you don't want to hinder your progress by taking a pill and I wholeheartedly agree with her. That is when I started having my prescriptions made for me. The only ingredients in mine are the levothyroxine and/or liothyronine and microcrystaline cellulose. Much better than all those other additives! The goal is that I will eventually be off these but I am glad I have an alternative with ingredients that wont hinder healing in the mean time.

This discovery in my medicine made me take a better look at the supplements I was taking as well. A lot of them had dairy, starches like rice bran filler or cornstarches as well. Usually I would see maltodexterin which could be gluten too. There were also a lot of ingredients that I couldn't pronounce which was a red flag to me as well. I have revamped my supplements and only take safe ones now. I wont post these individually because we all take different supplements but if you have a question or want to know something I take, or the brand please comment and I will let you know. Please take a look at ALL labels of products that come into your house - supplements and medications being two broad areas!

~8~ Here I will be talking about our toiletries that have changed. Really each one of these could be a whole post in and of itself but I will keep it brief by just sharing what I use. I unknowingly was using preservative filled, chemical laden toiletries and cosmetics on mine and my families skin daily. This was so unhealthy. Here is what we changed over the coarse of a year...

Toothpaste The ones we were using had triclosan in them (among many other harmful ingredients.) Tricolosan is used as a pesticide and an antibacterial and can cause skin irritation, endocrine disruption, and antibiotic resistance. Also, another harmful ingredient was sodium lauryl sulfate which was one of the things causing my kiddos to get frequent canker sores. It is also an ingredient that is harmful to us. We use Nature's Gate toothpaste now. (Not everything this company makes is safe but overall this toothpaste is. If I had my druthers it wouldn't have carrageenan in it either though.)

Hand Lotion The previous lotion I was using from a well known direct selling company touting safe skin products you can even eat. Well, among other bad ingredients they put dimethicone in their body lotion. Dimethicone can cause skin irritation and allergic reaction. Kind of ironic for a "safe" skin product, huh? There were other ingredients too but for the sake of time I wont go into them. I discovered a company called Salon Naturals and they offer quite a few products that are safe and have health promoting ingredients in them. They also have a section on their site highlighting Gluten Free Products they make. One of the lotions we use is their Organic Rooibos tea Hand and Body Lotion. It works well and I feel good about putting it on my skin. We mainly use if for our hands. If you would like to get some comment to me because I can get you a discount. I am not affiliated with them though.

Face Lotion I also had a hard time finding a moisturizer that actually worked and didn't have unhealthy ingredients in it. As of right now I use pure Shea Butter and Pure Cocoa Butter with jojoba oil. I plan in the future to make my own using those ingredients along with some essential oils. For now though I use these. They are probably not for everyone because the shea butter especially tends to be a bit greasy. It soaks in quickly and works for me though. I love the cocoa butter because it smells like I am putting chocolate on my face!

Face Soap For a long time I could only wash my face with a wash cloth and water. Anything would irritate it. As soon as I started healing internally (search GAPS label on this site for more info) I was able to start using a mild soap on my body. Finding the right one took a while. This was actually recommended by a friend and it has proven to work well and clean well. I use Tilvee Shea Butter Beauty Bar for my face. It has all clean, wholesome ingredients in it. I also use the mandarin remedy balm stick (not on my face but any dry patches like lips or neck. It is soothing.

Body Wash In this category my family was using products that were so harmful to our health as well. My husbands body wash was the worst. Every single ingredient was bad in his body wash! He now uses Dr. Bronners Citrus liquid soap and the boys do too. Sometimes I use Salon Naturals, the company I mentioned above and mostly I use a bar soap made by One with Nature. I like the lavender kind but they have a variety of choices.

The other thing I implemented last year (at first by force and now by preference) is Epsom Salt Baths. I really have never been a bath person but these are wonderful. I put epsom salt and certified pure therapeutic grade Lavender Essential oil in to my bath. It is so relaxing and a great way to get magnesium which is a mineral that almost everyone if deficient in. The epsom salt and lavender oil take away aches and pains as well as headaches and general tensions in our bodies. I have grown to enjoy these baths especially when my kids aren't knocking at the door!

~9~ Since my face was one of the parts of my body with the worst symptoms the first thing I had to change was my makeup. Actually, for a while I didn't even where any. I wasn't going out of the house anyway.  I was previously using products that had many harmful ingredients in them although they were marketed to be "all natural." I found Ava Anderson Non Toxic make-up for my foundation, blush, lip gloss and mascara. They sell other things too but I haven't tried them yet. I use Gabriel Cosmetics ZuZu for my eyeliner and lipstick. I can't say ZuZu is all pure though. It still has titanium dioxide in it but compared to what I was using this is a breathe of fresh air!  The mascara from Ava Anderson has titanium dioxide in it as well.

Cosmetics are a really big area to be sure you are checking your labels. If you are putting something on your skin essentially you should be able to eat it. It is the largest organ we have and a barrier to our insides. If we are putting toxins on it that absorb inside (which they all do) then we are increasing our toxic levels.  Be very careful with what you choose to put on your skin, especially your face.  I have a pinterest board linked below that has many different companies that sell safe cosmetics. I hope you check it out and start following. I update it each time I find a new company that is truly pure.

One thing I did want to say about Ava Anderson Non Toxic is the foundation is a sheer coverage which is fine for me now but before when my skin was horrible I couldn't have used it. Also, they need to add more foundation color choices. I hear that is in the works though.

~10~ The last item I want to highlight other than my pinterest board links is our usage of essential oils. My husband, kids and I just started using these this year and absolutely love them. We use them in cooking, cleaning, topically on all of our bodies, internally and in a diffuser for aromatics and to get the benefits of them by breathing them in. The possibilities are endless with them and they are powerful. They have the ability to do thousands upon thousands of things in our bodies for our overall wellness. They can relieve headaches, help you breathe better, help with allergies, stave off colds, disinfect, help with arthritis and asthma, kill parasites, make you sleep better, detox you, reduce and eliminate tumors and I could literally go on and on. The best part is that they are 100% pure! Not all oils out there are pure. A lot of them have filler oils in them mixed with some essential oil. Those are not safe for your body. The ones we use are all safe enough to eat and safe enough for our skin. That being said though, you need to know how to use them because they are so powerful. Some of them have to be diluted a certain way before applying topically or used on kids. It is really like an art to use Essential Oils properly. However, we are learning so much about them and how to use them. It is so much fun. In fact, I just used them on my little one who was coming down with a sickness and he was better the next day! Please comment if you have any questions or would like to get some or find out more about them.

We use doTerra Essential Oils and swear by them. I highly recommend them. They can literally replace EVERYTHING in your medicine cabinet. Wow! One of them that we use often during sick season (as well as in our household cleaners is OnGuard. It is amazing. Not even MRSA can withstand this oil blend.

For now that sums up my post on changes we have made over the past year. It truly has taken time and please don't think any of this happened quickly. It has been worth it though because we have seen less sickness and better health overall due to these changes. Plus I feel good and not guilty about the products we use and what my kiddos are going to grow up with. If at all I can help it I don't want them to have to fight autoimmunity like I have had too.

Below you will find links to all my pinterest boards. I would love it if you followed me on Pinterest or became a follower on my blog. I know I have readers because my stats say so I just don't know who most of you are. Please feel free to say "Hi" in the comments!

Pinterest Boards:
Safe Cosmetics and Skincare
GAPS, Ai Paleo and Paleo
Fermented Foods
Clean, Whole Food Facts and Info
Canning With Honey
Healing with Herbs and Spices
Homemade Toiletries and Household Products
Safe Gluten Free/Paleo Whole Food Resources
Excellent Articles and sites on Thyroid Issues and Gut Health
Book I Want to Read
Essential Oil Info and Ideas

I pray you are able to make some changes this year to help yourself with better overall health! Remember it takes baby steps. None of this happens overnight.

~Blessings~

**Except for doTerra, I am not affiliated with any of these companies and do not make money for promoting any of these products. I just like them and use them.

One year since my rock bottom: GAPS update and a summary of my healing

Today marks 365 days since I was as sickest I had ever been in my life. This time last year I was not functioning at all. I was literally in bed (after my pointless visit to the ER that day), able to do nothing and almost without hope. My face was swollen beyond recognition, red, burning and itchy. My arms were covered in itchy, bloody scabs. I had lymph nodes popping out all over the place, some of which were the size of eggs. They were very tender and painful. I had been diagnosed with Mono (EBV Virus) and was also dealing with adrenal fatigue, low progesterone and the autoimmune condition I had had essentially untreated for six years - Hypothyroidism with Hashimotos. There were a lot more symptoms too. To see more of an extensive list you can scroll down to the blue card with bullet points of all my symptoms and diagnosis before GAPS. That list isn't exhaustive either.

I was reading through my GAPS posts and it brought back so many not so distant memories of where I was at and how I was feeling. It also made me grateful for where I am now just one year later. Praise God!

If you want to read about my journey click on the following links:

60 Days on the GAPS Diet: Reflections including a progress report
90 Day GAPS Summary: A piece to the puzzle (part one of three)
90 Day GAPS Summary: A piece to the puzzle (part two of three)
90 Day GAPS Summary: A piece to the puzzle (part three of three)

I found and implemented the GAPS diet about a week after I hit the bottom. I ended up having to stick with GAPS very strictly for 7 months. I had to stay on the intro (stage 1-2) GAPS for almost 3 months! Hard is an understatement. I kept searching the web and seeing people only on intro for a couple of weeks. My body was just not handling that. It was frustrating. I got through it though and have seen amazing healing. I have also learned SO much over the past year. I have probably learned more about our bodies, health and nutrition this past year than I have my entire life combined.

Since this post is a look forward, let me tell you where I am at now. I am grateful, in hindsight, that I only had to be on GAPS for 7 months. Some people have to do it for years. My goal was to finish out GAPS and transition to eating Paleo or AI (Autoimmune) Paleo. Within 7 months of GAPS I was able to start transitioning to eating more Paleo foods. I eat full Paleo now and weave in some GAPS basics like 24 hour fermented raw milk yogurt and bone broths everyday. I am able to tolerate more of a variety of foods and it is such a wonderful feeling. I went from being so sensitive to any foods and not being able to eat things like onions or garlic because of the sulphur content, antioxidants and detox affects to being able to bake with coconut flour and eat all vegetables - even sweet potatoes! It is truly glorious. That transition didn't happen overnight though. I still had to trial each food to make sure I didn't react. Sometimes I was more diligent than others about only doing one thing at a time so I could pinpoint where the reaction came from. That was one of the hardest parts though. Cheating was not really an option ever for me because it would cause such sever symptoms that would affect my entire family because I couldn't function again. I would feel like I was on my death bed again. I really didn't cheat. Now I do occasionally have too much honey or Paleo treats and regret that but my symptoms are nothing like they used to be.

Even though GAPS allows lentils, I still have never had those. They would be too hard on my digestion because I am still not fully healed. I also do not eat nuts. Through trial I realized that nuts were certainly a food that caused my immune system to attack itself. I would get cracked, bloody and itchy knuckles. I pray this is temporary because I do hope to enjoy some nut butter again someday. The Paleo Mom has a good article about nuts and the components that can be good and bad for autoimmune conditions. To read it click here. I can eat 24 fermented GAPS Raw Milk Yogurt and seem to tolerate that well. It is not something I can have everyday though or I start to get symptoms. Once in a while I have a piece of Raw Milk cheese but it doesn't sit well with me so it is not something that I would continue to eat. I have been able to have two small cups (total) of organic decaf coffee in the past two months. I use coconut milk and honey in it and it satisfies me. I would like to try a little ghee in it since having it with coffee is beneficial in certain ways.

Since I have been able to transition into full Paleo now it has been freeing. When I feel symptoms rising up a bit I get a bit more strict and eat the Autoimmune Protocol for Paleo and I still do not incorporate tapioca starch in my diet because of it's gut irritability. I do love to eat this way though. I feel satiated and healthy. I don't feel deprived at all. I did have to go back on intro GAPS for two weeks around the holidays. I thought I was going to be back in the same boat as last year at that time because some wacky symptoms were coming back but it turns out I was having a reaction to Cod Liver Oil after reintroducing it for four days. My body rejects it and I cannot have it. I have tried Blue Ice Fermented, Carlson and other brands and it doesn't work for me.

I am able to socialize and not feel left out with food now. I can have food to eat (that I bring) and I get to introduce people to new foods and ways of cooking. It is so much fun. I also get chances to indulge in Paleo treats that are nut free. There are so many wonderful recipes out there. Here is a link to my Pinterest Board for GAPS/ AI Paleo and Paleo. I will do a post sharing some other recipes in the future.

Quality, clean, whole food has literally saved my life. If you clicked on any of my "journey" links above you will know that food is only a piece to the puzzle BUT it is a very big piece.

Personal Suggestions for those looking into or starting GAPS: GAPS is a diet you have to be wholly committed to. You have to be determined to heal and have the willpower to stick it out often when it is unbearably hard. You have to be your own advocate and do your own research. First and foremost rely on God and His Power to heal you because he certainly can. He is bigger than our health issues. Be sure to form a support system of those that are knowledgeable in GAPS and will encourage you to stick with it, not cheat. God puts people in our lives for many reasons and he does not want us to be alone in the things we deal with. There are a lot of people out there going through the same thing and can relate. There is a lot of support on the net and I have many websites linked up at the right side under "GAPS/SCD and Grain Free websites." Check them out. In this endeavor you MUST be assertive NOT passive if you want to heal. The choices YOU make will either affect you positively or negatively. It is up to you.

This Friday I will have a post highlighting other things that have changed in our lives. We have literally revamped almost every area of our lives. From pots and pans to cleaners and even make-up. I will be sharing what I use and why we changed to certain products as well as all my pinterest boards with some very resourceful links.

Stay Tuned....

~Blessings~

Reflections

It is the last day of the year and it is inevitable that we take inventory of the year past. What worked and what didn't. What was hard and what was easy. What we learned and what we did or didn't accomplish. Then, usually, we make plans or goals for next year. This year, instead of sharing my goals and plans I am going to share with you my reflections of 2013. At the end of this post I am going to highlight four books that I read this year that were perspective changers for me.

Here are six words that describe my 2013~
Healing
Trust
Growth
Discipline
Determination
Grace

The following are things that in no way have I mastered. These are convictions, challenges, motivators and good things that have come from my past 365 days.

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Keeping a Thankfulness journal is therapeutic. There were so many days in 2013 that I woke up feeling awful. Feeling like I didn't want to get out of bed. Physically in pain not wanting to move. Depressed at my life's circumstances. Wanting to give up at times. Getting up and coming down to read my bible, do a devotional and write in my thankfulness journal almost always changed my perspective. There were always things to be thankful for. In fact, I live quite a blessed life in spite of autoimmunity and health problems. Those mornings it was challenging to make the choice to be thankful but when I did it forced me to think on the good things.
Philippians 4:8 says Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
There is a reason why God tells us to "Think on these things." They have power to change your mind and thoughts. I really recommend keeping a Thankfulness journal. Record a few thoughts or sentences each day of the things you are blessed by, what you are thankful for, or what you are grateful for. You can also record answered prayers which is a faith builder in and of itself!

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My family eats 100% different from the way we did at this time last year. What we eat (or don't) is radically different. This was not by choice, but in hindsight and presently I am grateful for the change. It has been a very long, hard journey (really that started almost three years ago) and there were many days when I didn't want to eat this so different. It can be inconvenient, time consuming, expensive, frustrating and require a lot of self-control. However, rewarding times in our life are never easy. They are always hard. We have seen major rewards from this change of eating an organic diet without grains, legumes, dairy, processed foods and refined sugar. I always eat full Paleo (and started on Intro Gaps early January) and my boys almost always eat Paleo and occasionally have Gluten free items (which include GF grains.) My husband eats Paleo except at various social times. The rewards have been major weight loss, lower blood pressure (in a family history of high blood pressure), great cholesterol labs, spinal inflammation in my husbands back is gone, healing in myself so that I can function daily with a above average energy level most days, & a lot less sicknesses from flu's and colds in our house. These things have made it all worth it. The rewards far outweigh the hardships and inconveniences.

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Daily time spent in God's word (The Bible) is vital to my life. This year I have developed a deep hunger and thirst for The Word and for God. I desire to know Him better, to learn from Him, to learn about Him, to trust in Him, to follow Him and to wait in Him and on Him. My desire has deepened - dark valleys do that. The valleys of the past 6 years have been dark, lonely (at times) and depressing but over time, through refinement by God, I desire to earnestly seek Him. I certainly fail still at times but my heart has started to become molded and crafted by His hands. This will take a lifetime and is painful but necessary. Through seeking Him daily, by spending uninterrupted time in His word and praying, I have deepened my relationship and understanding of my best friend- My Lord Jesus.

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I learned (once again) not to put anyone pedestal. Family, friends, celebrities, anyone that is a h.u.m.a.n. If we do this, we will always be let down. Always disappointed. We are human. Fallible humans. Not one is better than another. Acts 10:34 says God is not a respecter of persons. Status or worldly success or talents don't matter to Him. Galatians 3:28 says- There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. In other words, we are all equal in God's eyes. God created us equal and sees us that way so why should we hold up and create various "levels" for the human race?

It is not wrong to look up to someone or admire someone but know they are fallible and check your heart as to where you place them in your life. The only person infallible, trustworthy, worthy to be idolized and placed "above" is Jesus. Live for Him. Let Him be what motivates and guides you - not h.u.m.a.n.s.

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Don't miss relationship and special moments because of being sucked into a screen. Email, Facebook, blogs, pinterest, surfing the net and time spent with technology which is always ALL around us can be a HUGE distraction and opportunity killer. Balance must be found. Our families lives can fly by (unnoticed) while we are enveloped in technology. Relationship becomes void. Actual time spent is priceless and where relationships are built. Virtual time is so empty and ultimately SO lonely.

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Following mainstream societal ways can be a big detriment to our well being (in many ways, but I will be focusing on health here.) Following God's path as opposed to the worlds is what God calls us to do. That means we have to be different. Romans 12:2 says - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

If I followed my full Western Medicine MD Doctor and her advice (or lack thereof) I would be dead this year. Literally. Either that, or I would be on ten different drugs that would be a mask to the cause of my health issues. These drugs would eventually give me other symptoms that if they didn't kill me then, they would later. A slow death. A life of unnecessary suffering. God did not make our bodies to be pumped full of daily drugs, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. God made our bodies to heal naturally with the good things He has created and given us. So how do we not "conform?" We ask God for direction. Just because it is easy to go to the doctor and get a pill doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. Just because we can call up a friend for advice and it is easy doesn' tmean that is what God wants us to follow. Ask God what His will is for your life, for your health? Ask Him in what direction you should go to feel better? He will make it clear. If I didn't do this I would never have found GAPS. This is what God used to get me on the path to life and vitality rather than a life of merely surviving and going from one ignorant, greedy doctor to the next all the while medical bills piling up higher and higher. (Sorry if you are a doctor but this is my personal experience.) I do have two doctors (who are investigative and functional medicine doctors) that I highly respect and do help out. Anyway, follow God's ways rather than what society or mainstream media or your friends say to do. Pray, Pray, Pray. God has the ultimate wisdom and knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our past, present AND future. What better person is there to seek wisdom from? Please don't get me wrong here. I am not saying that since I use natural healing I am more holy or "better." I am merely saying don't just do something or follow a certain way because someone else is. Our actions in our lives should reflect the beauty of the Lord and His good and perfect will for our individual lives. Seek. HIM. Daily. That is what it means to be "different."

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Memorizing Scripture and storing it in our hearts (especially as parents raising children) is imperative. There are so many reasons that memorizing scripture is important. This is how the Holy Spirit can speak to us. Since the Word is truth we can speak truth to our children when needed like in times of discipline or encouragement. We can share the Truth with others. We can help bring unbelievers to the sweet Grace of God. (Hebrews 4:12) The Word is active, it is sharper than any double edged sword. It pierces our hearts. When we store up the scriptures in our hearts, it challenges, convicts, encourages us and give us hope. What if someday we don't have the luxury of having a bible? What verses will you have stored up in your heart?

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This last one is the deepest reflection of them all! Always, always, always have bacon and bacon grease on hand! They are the building blocks of life. They are joy. They are love. They are tasty. Bacon makes everything better!

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Here are four books that changed my perspective this year and I wholeheartedly recommend to you to read:

This book is written by a former shepherd named Phillip Keller. He has an amazing, eye-opening look at the relationship between a sheep an their shepherd and how it parallels our relationship with Christ (since we are His sheep.) He walks you through Psalm 23 in ways that I have never even understood or considered before. It is a small book and relatively quick read but there are many places you will want to stop and ponder and think on the the thoughts and insights he shares.

This book is written by Phillip Keller as well and is an even smaller book than the first. I literally read it in a few hours. Phillip talks about his relationship in training this wretched outcast of a dog to be an amazing sheepdog. He parallels the training and discipline Christ gives us in our lives and the refinement it brings as well as the discovery of what our true purpose is here on earth. When my oldest gets a little older it is a book we will be reading together. It truly helps the reader to see their relationship with Christ in a different light, through different glasses - through the lens of love.

We read this book by Sam Wellman together as a family this year. It was a life changer for me. I literally found myself thinking about Corrie's life and her faith for weeks and months after we finished reading the book. Corrie's faith in the worst possible conditions of World War II Nazi concentration camps is astounding. You will learn about her family growing up, her sister Betsy who is also an amazing hero of faith, and their victories and trials in their walk with the Lord. Once you have finished the book, I recommend watching the movie The Hiding Place. In the movie you actually get to see her in real life and hear her faithful words. Don't watch the movie first though! The book has way more detail. Corrie's understanding of the Lord will challenge you and at times bring you to your knees. Her endurance and courage are incredible. She is certainly someone to admire and glean from.

This last book by Pam Forster is really more of a devotional or a checklist. It is only about 20 pages long. It is meant to be a continual resource to come too and get back on track with the biblical and Godly way of parenting. There are six areas of focus: Love, Prayer, Instruction, Protection, Provision, and Example. In each section there is a bible verse describing the topic, and a checklist of questions followed by verses to evaluate how you are doing in this area of parenting.  I took a verse each day and read it in the Bible in context, journaled about it and wrote my thoughts and convictions on it. It was a very fruitful time. It is a book I have come back to time and time again for the gentle reminders through scripture of my calling and the Biblical guidance of "how-to" when it comes to my ministry as a parent.

I pray you have a blessed new year and that you might be able to think back on your year personally and reflect on the triumphs, valleys, victories and challenges that came along!  Cheers is too many more reflections to come for the next 365 days!

~Blessings~

Feeling Good Friday: The Benefits of Raw Milk

Do you drink milk? You might say, "No, I am lactose intolerant." or "No, I can't have dairy."

Dairy is one of the biggest "allergens" in our country at the moment. There are many reasons for this, some of which I will get into in this post. First, is that the dairy products that are available to our society in the USA at the moment are actually dead. Yes, I really mean that, dead. When we purchase dairy (even organic) at our stores the end product has gone through a pasteurization process. Milk is pasteurized, cheese is pasteurized and butter is as well. Actually, there are many food and drink products that go through this process to make them "safe" to consume. Pasteurization is a process of heating up the dairy to over 145 degrees to kill off e.Coli or Salmonella bacteria. The problem is that when this is done is also kills everything else good in the product.

Let me start by telling you about the living parts of raw (unpasteurized) milk. Yes, raw milk is actually a living food! God made it this way because he made humans and he knows how our bodies work and what we need to properly function and digest.

• Milk, in its raw state, is a perfectly balanced food. This is the way God made it. A WHOLE food. 
• It has a high nutritional content. It is naturally higher in vitamins (A and D to name a few) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus and more) than its pasteurized counterpart. Raw milk also has a higher level of Omega 3's and Essential Fatty Acids.
• It also has high levels of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which helps with metabolism, abdominal fat, muscle growth, insulin resistance and more.
• Raw milk has many beneficial bacteria in it that helps us in a plethora of functions in our body. **Side note: did you know that you have literally trillions of beneficial (and not so beneficial) bacteria in your intestines that thrive everyday making up between 70-90% of your immune system? One of the beneficial bacteria present in raw milk is called Lactobaccili. This particular bacteria helps to digest (or eat) lactose. Do you think with all the "lactose intolerance" in our country that we need help digesting lactose? I do. Lactobaccili is good for this. This good bacteria is killed through pasteurization.  A lot of the other beneficial bacteria in the raw milk actually help kill off any bad bacteria that may be present in the milk and they perform dozens and dozens of other functions that are helpful to our bodies. I want to write more on this but it is really a whole new post topic in and of itself.
• There are also over sixty live enzymes present in raw, unpasteurized milk. These enzymes are necessary to remain alive because they aid our body in digesting the milk. Without them our bodies are incapable of properly processing the proteins, vitamins and minerals that are in milk. These live enzymes can also help protect our bodies against asthma, allergies and immune diseases.

Raw Milk is truly a health promoting food.

Pasteurization kills all the enzymes, lowers the vitamin and mineral levels and actually changes the molecular make-up of the milk. When humans come in and alter something that was created perfect generally the result isn't so wonderful. That is the case with pasteurizing milk.

One of the reason why there is so much intolerance to dairy in our country is because most people drink (or try to drink) dead milk. It doesn't have the necessary components in it to properly digest in our bodies so therefore an intolerance presents itself or a reaction happens. I do believe there are true dairy "allergies" but I am talking about "intolerance" not true dairy allergies in this post. There is a significant difference. Milk is fragile and the living properties can be destroyed very easily. This is why I believe only raw milk should be consumed for those who have dairy as a part of their diets.

It can be more expensive and hard to find but I venture to say that the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience. Not to mention, when you actually get your milk from a farmer your kiddos will know that milk actually comes form a cow (or goat or other mammal) not from a factory or a store!) Also, if you get it straight from a farmer you will pay less money than if buying raw milk from a store front.

My youngest son was born with lots of rashes, pretty bad eczema and would physically swell sometimes when he would have milk. This was before we were drinking raw milk. I hesitated to give it to him because it was clear it caused a reaction. It wasn't an anaphylactic type reaction but it was a reaction nonetheless. After a couple of years of giving him milk that was pasteurized I started giving him organic thinking that would help. I really did not notice a difference in him so I started to just have him stay away from milk as much as possible. Then I discovered raw milk though the GAPS diet because of my own health problems. I found a farmer and now we purchase our milk once a week through him. I love getting the milk and being able to skim off the cream and do what I want with it. I have tried my youngest son on the raw milk and I have not seen a reaction in him at all after drinking it. I believe this is because this raw milk has the proper balance of enzymes and beneficial bacteria in it so that my son can properly process it. Both of my boys love milk!

If you do decide to find a farmer who owns milk cows or goats for milk I would recommend going to see the farm and meet the animals. Check out how they milk the animals and their sanitary practices. Make sure that they take some precautions in how they do their milking process. Our farmer actually gets inspected every month to ensure that they are safely obtaining and storing their milk.

Here are some links if you want to read more on the benefits of raw milk.:
From my doctor, Chris Kresser: Click here
Raw Milk Testimonials: Click here
An Excellent and thorough overview of raw milk (some of where I got my info from): Click here
An interesting article by Dr. Mercola on Raw Milk: Click here

Feel good this Friday and try some Raw milk!

~Blessings~

Natural remedy to prevent and relieve colds, sinus infections and bronchitis

I have been wanting to post this for about a year now. Ever since last year when we used this remedy several times to help us not get sick or help us to heal if we did get a cold or sinus infection it has been on my "to post blog list". I remember one time last year my boys and husband got sick and were sick for 9 days! I knew I was doomed. I started doing this remedy right as I started to feel any sign of a symptom and I continued for three days. I ended up never getting their sickness full blown and all of my minor symptoms were gone in 3 days compared to their 9 days of awful sickness! Since sick season is fast approaching I figured this would be a good time to share this helpful natural remedy. It is also really good for seasonal allergies and can be used for children (if they tolerate a Netti pot) as well.

You will need two items:

The first item is Manuka Honey that is Active of at least #12. Manuka Honey is from New Zealand from bees who get pollen and nectar from the Manuka bush flowers. It has exceptional and superior antibacterial qualities even over regular raw local honey. We use it as a replacement for cough syrup in our house too. It is more expensive than honey but usually one container lasts us 9-12 months because we only use it for ailments. You can even put it on cuts or scraps and it heals them very quickly and keeps away infections!

Here is an excerpt from WebMD on some of the superior qualities of Manuka Honey:

The major antibacterial component in manuka honey is methylglyoxal (MG). MG is a compound found in most types of honey, but usually only in small quantities. In manuka honey, MG comes from the conversion of another compound -- dihydroxyacetone -- that is found in high concentration in the nectar of manuka flowers. MG is thought to give manuka honey its antibacterial power. The higher the concentration of MG, the stronger the antibiotic effect.

If you want to know more details as to why to use only Manuka Honey for this please click here.

The second item you will need is a Netti Pot with the little salt packets that it comes with. You can get Netti Pots at your local drug store for an inexpensive price.

The procedure is quite simple but there are some very important instructions to pay attention too.

When you use a Netti pot you MUST use filtered water. You don't want to be introducing any chemicals or bacteria into your sinuses via contaminated water. You will also be heating the water to kill any bacteria. Get a big mug and fill it with filtered water and heat it in the microwave. I usually use a big Starbucks mug and heat it for a minute or a minute and five seconds.

**VERY IMPORTANT** Do not heat your water too hot. There are two reasons for this. One is that you will burn your nose (ouch) and two is that you will kill the active parts of the Manuka Honey defeating the whole purpose of using it.

Once your water is heated (essentially warm) then you need to follow the directions on your Netti pot. Usually you pour half the salt packet into the pot and fill it with water.) Once your Netti Pot is filled with water and ready to go take 1/8th - 1/4 tsp. of Manuka honey and stir it into the salt water in the Netti Pot.

Make sure to stir the water until all the honey is dissolved. Proceed with the Netti Pot by rinsing one side of your nose out.

You will need to do this same process on the other side. It is also best if you let some of this warm, honeyed, salt water run down the back of your throat and out your mouth. It helps soothe your throat and kill any bacteria in there.

The Netti Pot can be a bit messy and kind of gross so keep some Kleenexes nearby. Even though it is not the most glamorous thing to do it is well worth the effort and inconvenience because it truly will heal you and if you have already gotten sick it will lessen the time you are sick.

If you are fighting something off or keeping it at bay it is recommended to do this process 2-3 times per day until your symptoms are gone.

Happy Healing!

~Blessings~

90 Day GAPS Summary: A Piece To the Puzzle (Part three of three)

This is the third post in my three part series on my GAPS journey.  If you would like to read post one about what my GAPS day looks like, click here.  If you would like to read post two about what symptoms and issues I used to have and how I have healed after 90 days click here.

In this post I will address a few big pieces to my puzzle, my Hypothyroidism, Hashimotos Thyroiditis and getting enough sleep and how they affect my progress in healing.

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and Hashimotos almost 7 years ago. Having the autoimmune condition Hashimotos has negatively affected my health for a number of years.  It didn't have to be this way but I was deceived into thinking it was nothing to be dealt with and that the thyroid hormone T4 could make it all better. It is just "no big deal," as my old Endocrinologist used to say.  That was SO far from the truth.

Fast forward to the present. I now know that Hashi's is definitely something to be dealt with.  In fact, 80-90% of people with Hypothyroidism have Hashi's and don't know it.  That is crazy! It is crazy because treating Hashimotos Thyroiditis is different than just treating a Hypo-thyroid. Having a thyroid dysfunction impairs every other part of your body on a cellular level. That is because God designed our bodies to run synergistically.  All together.  Everybody works together as a team to make a working, functioning and thriving body.  When one part is off, other parts will be too.  If one part is off for a LONG time (in my case) all other parts get worse and worse along with the main dysfunction. This in turn can cause more infections, more autoimmune conditions and in my case leaky gut. 

It wasn't until recently that I learned that I could actually cause my Hashimotos Thyroiditis to go into remission and that my thyroid could actually heal itself through proper nutrition (whole, non-processed, unrefined foods, rest, and exercise.)  Wow!  This makes sense because God did design our bodies to heal themselves if in the proper balance.

What does all this have to do with GAPS you ask? Well, in my opinion, even though I wholeheartedly believe in GAPS and it's healing abilities there is more we have to address in healing our bodies than just a diet change - especially if you have an autoimmune disease.  Autoimmunity of any type stems from gut dysbiosis and bad pathogens and significant diet changes are a big percentage that can lead to healing but there are other factors to consider.

For instance, I am healing on GAPS but notice that when my thyroid hormones are off I can have some of the same symptoms I have when I am detoxing or have eaten a food I am sensitive too. It is a tangled web to figure out sometimes and that is when I am thankful for my faith in the Lord.  I can't figure it out all the time.

Here is an example: during the first quarter of this year I found out that my Reverse T3 was extremely high.  Have you ever been tested for that?  I can almost assume the answer is no.  Most conventional docs only test TSH.  That cannot, I repeat, CANNOT properly diagnose a thyroid problem OR Hashimotos.  In doing a little experiment with my Naturopath (once we found out about my high Reverse T3) we realized that part of my rashes were occurring because of the high level of this hormone!  I thought all along it was solely from food sensitivities.  Once we remedied the RT3 a big amount of my (rashy) inflammation subsided.  Once the RT3 was low again my TSH shot up though (we knew this could happen) and because of that my Hashimoto's antibodies also shot up.  This rise caused inflammation as well and has affected me in other areas (fatigue, extreme dry skin, hair loss, etc.)  As you can see thyroid balance is delicate.  It is tough to get the right medication dosage while healing through your diet.  The right medication AND right dosage can make all the difference in the world in how you feel though.  For me, maintaining a proper thyroid hormone balance ALONG with sticking to the GAPS diet is crucial in how I feel day in and day out.

I don't just take T4 (like I did for 6 years, making myself sicker unknowingly.)  I take T3 and T4 AND they are compounded. Compounded means that I get them specially made so that there are no dyes or fillers in them.  Did you know that commercial Synthroid has dyes in the tablets in all but one dosage? Yep, it's true. Dyes can affect your healing and health as well. Some of our medications also have gluten in them.  Gluten is very bad for someone who has Hashimotos Thyroiditis. (Notice I didn't call it Hashimotos "Disease?"  It can be healed therefore in my book it is NOT a disease.)

Thyroid is a enormous topic in and of itself and I don't intend to get too deep into the subject here. I just wanted to paint a picture for you that our health is multi-faceted.  Usually, we have to address many different areas of our lives for ultimate healing.  Right now as I heal my gut through the GAPS diet I also have to take thyroid medication (hopefully temporarily) and work closely with my doctor to maintain the proper hormone balance so that my hormones work synergistically with all other parts of my body.  I have to ensure balance so that the gut healing I am doing is not hindered by an imbalance in my thyroid hormones. Make sense?

For me the other facet is sleep.  I am a type A personality.  All or nothing.  Dive in with all I've got.  This can be a blessing and a curse.  I just don't do things half way.  So rest for me is something I am learning.  I like to be "doing," creating, thinking, and contributing.  Down time is new.  I notice that when this aspect of my life is off balance I also start feeling bad. When I stay up late and don't get enough sleep my lymph nodes in the back of my head get swollen and tender again (due to the wonderful Epstein Barr Virus I have that gave me Mono at the beginning of the year and my autoimmune issue.) When I get too little sleep my body starts getting so fatigued that I ache.  I get moody and irritable.  It affects my family and more.  Again, as long as I am addressing my gut health with GAPS, I need to be sure to be getting adequate sleep (9-10 hours a night for someone with an autoimmune disease) otherwise I am hindering the healing that is possible. 

Did you know that between 10pm-4am is when our body does the most clean-up and repair?  It is when we are rested enough (or we should be) that the cells in our bodies start the detox process and fix all the damage so that we can get up and function the next day.  If we don't give our bodies ample time for this restoration then we impede the healing process and we keep feeling worse and worse.  It is another piece to the puzzle. 

This is specifically my puzzle.  Everybodies puzzle pieces are different. It does take a lot of trial and error to figure out how our individual bodies work the best and what we need but I will tell you from personal experience that it is well worth it to commit to figuring it out.  Feeling better and thriving in life is much better than just surviving (as I was doing for quite some time.) It also takes a lot of patience.  The waiting game with labs, finding the right doctor, challenging sensitive foods are all what require this virtue of patience.  For me it has taken great faith in My Lord Jesus to heal me.  I could not be going through this without him as my refuge because there are tough times and discouraging times. He comforts me and is my Shepherd who guides me where I need to go.

I hope I have helped you to understand that we need to address our health issues from many levels.  This is where "Functional and Integrative Medicine" comes in.  This kind of medical practice addresses your WHOLE body as well as your WHOLE health history, not just ONE symptom with a quick pill fix. Our bodies are intricately designed and need a holistic approach to heal. Our puzzles are each unique because we are all specially made and different.

In a future post I will address one other piece to the puzzle and that is what we put ON our bodies.  Make-up, lotions, soaps, shampoos and more. It can affect our healing as well.

For those of you with Hypothyroidism and/or Hashimoto's Thyroiditis I wanted to leave you with some incredible websites that address this topic (way better than I ever could.)  Please see below for links.  For those of you on GAPS or with any health issues that you think I may be able to help with please feel free to comment with any questions or concerns and I hope I can address your needs.

Excellent links for learning about Hashimotos and Hypothyroidism:

Hope for Hashimotos I HIGHLY recommend reading Dr. Haskell's ebook it was THE BEST Thyroid book that I have ever read. It educated me SO  much. I still refer to it to this day.

8 Series audio about Hypothyroidism and Hashimotos A great way to educate yourself on Hashi's by Dr. Alexander Haskell. There are also several other videos on you tube with him as the educator.  Just search his name.

The Paleo Mom This site is a wealth of info. Literally you could read it for hours  If you click on the link search "thyroid," "Hashimotos," or "Autoimmunity" and you will find some amazing facts and information from this Ph.D stay at home mom. She has a book coming out in October 2013 that I literally cannot wait for!  It will address autoimmune conditions as well as eating the Autoimmune Paleo way (AIP.)

Chris Kresser He uses many facts as well as the latest research to help guide you through Hypothyroidism and Hashi's.  I highly recommend spending some time reading the posts on this site.

Dr. Datis Kharrazian Dr. K. wrote an excellent book called Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? When My Lab Tests are Normal You can search around his site and learn a lot as well.  He is a very knowledgeable doctor in this arena. You can also find a practitioner on his site (for your area) that is well versed in thyroid conditions.

Stop Thyroid Madness This site addresses a lot of the commonly occuring problems with thyroid that aren't addressed by conventional doctors and has recommend lab work that you need to have if you have a thyroid condition. This is also a site worth spending some time on.

Hashimotos 411 There are so many resources on this website from book recommendations to how to avoid gluten, what supplements to take and more. Please take time to check it out! There are also forums on this site that allow you to chat with other people going through a similar trial.

I hope somehow you are encouraged or find some help through this post.  Please remember that our bodies literally are puzzles and all the pieces fit intricately together. Through much research, trial and error, and support you can and will get better and could potentially heal your thyroid!

~Blessings~

Please note - I am not a medical doctor.  What I say on this blog is based on my own research along with my own personal experiences.  I assume no liability and my advice, ideas or suggestions should not replace those of your own practitioner.