How I changed our diets to help heal family members

[Roundabouts]

Chickchoc I hope this helps answer your questions. Always willing to share. For others to get the start of the story I posted a comment on Episode # 824 with Dan Vamos from Homestead Dividends (maybe it was #823 seems to be a question about that). www.thesurvivalpodcast.com in search area type 824

Here is part of the comments

I have also been told I am a bad wife for telling my husband he will not be on heartburn pills for the rest of his life. I changed his diet healed him with food and now he does not even need tums.

I was told I was a bad mother because I would not put my son on Inderal a potent dangerous medication when he had migraines. I changed his diet and healed him with food now he barely has plain old headaches.

I was told I did not love my dogs and shouldn’t be allowed to have animals because I refused to give anti seizure meds arthritis meds. Instead I cook for my dogs. Now no seizures in 3 yrs . The dog that could hardly walk is running and jumping. He even can catch a mouse or mole now. Our little Boston no longer has lethal toots.

I was told that I needed anti depressants sleeping pills and meds for my fibromyalgia. I said no I don’t. I changed my diet and took a vacation. Sitting by the camp fire taking naps in the meadow & picked wild flowers every day. Sat quietly in the woods and took long hot baths with essential oils in the dark in the quiet. Just let the house and chores go for a while. Now no meds when I start to feel rundown I just take another vacation. They are free and really work.

Hows that for crazy? I will continue to be a crazy bad wife mother and animal hater if that’s what works LOL.

Here is the questions I was asked
When you changed the diets of those you love, did you go paleo or just eliminate certain items? If the latter, how did you know which items to eliminate?

No I did not go "Paleo"  I did not go to any named diet or program.  Although what I did do may seem like a coined labeled diet.     

Ok so what I will tell you next may not seem like it is important but it is.   Some have told me I am intuitive or have a gift for healing.  I disagree.  This is not magic.  I call it being aware pay attention and trusting what you see hear and feel.    Throw in a little common sense and some basic research while using the medical professionals as a tool for one source of information.

When I was little I always wanted to know what the adults were talking about.  I learned if you were very quiet spoke only when spoken to and offered to help with dishes that gave you a free pass to the adults at the kitchen table.  I could be so invisible.  So I had access to a gold mine of information.   I heard things about the farm and the animals what the vet said how the animals were doing.  All the advice that would be given on what to look for.  That held true when someone in the family had cancer too.  What I learned was that nobody had THE magic answer and you had to look at a problem from different angles.  Watch and see what would happen.  Try something watch and wait.  Waiting not my strong point.   

When I had my first child @ 17 he was born with major medical problems.  His esophagus (food tube) was connected to his lungs instead of his stomach so he was drowning  every time we tried to feed him. An  observant nurse saw this.  She was watching and listening and trusting her information.  Within 6 hrs he was in surgery.  All turned out well he is now 32 yrs old. 

When I had my second son @ 21 he was born to fast ( of course 27 hours labor I did not think it fast especially with my first it was only 2 hours from home to hospital to birth to ok i'm ready to go home)  He had breathing problems and was bleeding from the umbilical cord.  An old time nurse noticed it wasn't right and did what she had to do to save him.  Basically throwing him around like a rag doll and slapping the snot out of his feet.  Again observation and trusting what she saw.

Ok back to my first son.  He would get fevers 101-104.  They said teething ear infection don't worry.  Then when I would try to feed him apple sauce or mashed potatoes he would choke. I was told don't feed him solids yet he's to young.  But he was alway hungry and he was 6 months old.  Again the fever spike over and over. Come and go.  The Drs said I was just a very young mother who didn't know what she was doing.  Well it got so bad that he would choke on milk and then the fever.  Now I am PO big time.  So to the ER and refused to leave until they told me what was wrong with him.  I might have been young but not so stupid as to think a baby should choke on milk and then get a fever.  Well well I decided to feed him with a Dr working  behind the next curtain.  Yes he choked again. That Dr threw back the curtain and asked if that was him and I said yes now wait he will get a fever.  Well they did tests nothing and then an xray.  And there it was.  He had swallowed a penny.  It had gotten lodged on his scar tissue.  So he would eat and the food would back up to the top of his throat  and he would gag and choke.  Well after the surgery to remove the penny they told me the fever was from gangrene.  He would not have lived another 2 months.  Lincons head was all but gone from the acid and you could not read the date.  Again I was observant  I saw but did not trust what I was seeing soon enough.  But when I did I had to take a stand. 

So see what I mean?  I have story after story after story like that.  I still didn't learn to trust what I saw until about 10 yrs ago when I was working on clients / patients every day (Muscular therapist / Massage practitioner )  I would notice things about them and noticed how I felt when I was working on them.  I got a slight chest pain working on one guy.  No big deal just like an itch or a bra pinch.  But I asked him do you have heart problems.  His answer yes my meds just got changed this AM.  I told him massage over go back to you Dr now.  Yes I might be crazy better crazy and wrong than not.   He did his meds were wrong.  Again story after story.  Proof to me maybe not you that I really just had to observe and pay attention.  Don't dismiss anything!  Todays medical people have a tendency to look at just the surface and wait for problems to get so big you can't help but see them.  There are alway precursors or warning signs if we would just be willing to listen.

Ok already on to the food / diet change.  See remember back at the farm oops will post this much and start again.

[LvsChant]

very interesting, roundabouts... looking forward to reading more.

[Roundabouts]

Ok so back at the farm I heard a lot of talk from my uncles about what they feed their animals and why.  Very heated topic for some reason I did not understand at the time.  Grandma was always saying eat your veggies to be big and strong.  Wild squirrels would eat some of the things I gave them and not others.  My dogs would go for different foods first when you gave them a choice.  The cows goats horses that got out would go for different foods first. 

Well all that got me thinking one day when I was sitting in the dentist chair at the age of 9 getting yelled at again for not brushing correctly.  Ugh I hated that man.  That visit I asked him well what if I chewed gum after I ate.  See I had observed that if you chew gum right after you eat it makes the gum gross and the bubbles have bits of food in them.    yuck.  Of course he said no there was to much sugar in gum.  So I asked him well don't put sugar in gum what about wax you know like wax lips the kind you get at Halloween.  I figured same concept less sugar.  I loved those wax lips.  But I was looked at as just a kid trying to get by with something and that was crazy.  Heck we were told it would help if you ate an apple after your meal.  That dentist visit was in about 1970.  Well look at what they are saying now.  Better than not brushing and it does help. 

So see for on going problems I learned there was a lot to do with food.  As an adult we have been bombarded with this and that when it comes to food.  Remember when you were told eat carbs they fill you up give you energy then you will lose weight.  Or Don't eat eggs or avocados they make you fat.  Don't drink milk when you have a cold it makes mucus.  When you have your tonsils out popsicles or juice pops.  Then I started hearing about how people from different countries eat this and that and don't have this and that disease.  Seems there is always something popping up every time you turn around. 

Back to my second son.  When he was in the 6th grade he started getting migraines.  Slow and sporadic just hear and there.  Quiet room pain OTC reliever get through and press on.  Well by the time he was in the 7th & 8th grade it got so bad.  He only was able to make it to school about 6 months out of 2 years.  We had him to every type of Dr.  had every test any one could think of and NOTHING WAS WRONG!!???  I was so worried about him.  He would be in so much pain and I knew that many drugs was going to cause their own problems.  So I started looking for answers  in the library.  If I heard someone talking about a headache in the line at the grocery store I talked to them.   Shoot if I even saw aspirin in their cart I was talking away.  I had heard that milk can cause mucus and had experienced that with my oldest and his chronic ear infections .  We didn't really have that much milk but we had cheese.  So I wondered if it really was "milk" or was it something in the dairy product or something that the cow was eating or just my son?  So many questions no answers. 

Oh lord how could I have forgotten this! Probably because so so many SHTF things happened from point a to point B if I told you them all you would swear I was making it up.  The main storm that has a point to this story had happened years earlier.  Hubby had time in the hospital.  For about 4 yrs he was in and out with high fever and migraines.  AF screwed up a surgery that was the cause of the fevers.  Migraines were a mystery.  the AF thought he was just after the drugs.  Good lord that was a fun time NOT trying to convince the military Drs he wasn't a druggie.  Which by the way if you have any pain that is not able to be seen on some sort of test that is the assumption.  At least in our experience.   he was having so many I got so that I could see them coming.   I could tell if it would be a fast ER  trip or an over night stay with IVs or even if we would need to go to the ER.  He would fight the pain for so long and when he just couldn't take it any more we would go to the ER.  Each episode would last 3 days and sometime would require repeated trips to the ER.  Well fight pain all day and night.  The hardest time to fight it is at night when you should be sleeping.  So guess when the ER trips happen.  Yes at night.  So I learned how to spot them coming.  There were always tell tale signs if you PAY ATTENTION AND TRUST WHAT YOU SEE HEAR AND FEEL.   Well I noticed that some times he would have a sagging face after he ate chicken. Humm nope just happened to be he had eaten chicken when I noticed the sagging face.  ( No one else could really see it.  They all said he just looks tired.)  Ok so it's stress.  Well we took a months leave.  To grandmas house we go.  32 hour drive with a man in pain 2 young kids a dog a cat in a dodge omni through the desert in 110 F without air conditioning.  I mapped out every single hospital along the way.   Didn't need to stop I had some meds with me.  Made it to grandmas house.  2 weeks in no migraines.  Humm.  Camping they came back.  grandmas gone On the trip home yes another 32 straight hours drive no pain.  Humm home 1 week pain.  We moved to a new apartment hmm no pain moved again pain humm.  Got out of the AF bought a house no pain humm YES What ever it was is gone!!! Nope Oct-Nov hunting season pain Hunting season gone no pain.  Camping season pain Tent camping no pain. Visit a friends house pain come home no pain.  Figured it out It was natural gas and propane.  The scent they put in it he is allergic to  and gives him migraines.   Clear from the first one it all fit.  Now 25 yrs later if he is around natural gas or propane for very long here comes the migraines.

So back to my son.  I knew something had to be causing it.  On one of my trips to the store chatting with someone who had OTC pain meds in their cart. I made a great contact.  Similar stories.  Not from the person who had the cart but from a woman who couldn't help but over hear.  She gave me a name of a ND who sent me to an OD who sent me to another ND.  We had food sensitivity tests done on my son.  Not with blood work but with a device that reads the energy fields of the body.  He had no true food allergies he had sensitivities.   Tons of them.  So with the advice and help from all those people and reading books on nutrition and studying up on herbs foods and such we eliminated every thing  from his diet that it showed he was sensitive to.  That list was so very very long.   no apples oranges bananas beef turkey chicken wheat dairy sugar red dye blueberries oats rice broccli corn green beans potatoes nuts.  That kind of gives you an idea.  Just take corn wheat sugar dairy out of your diet and you will be amazed at how many of the things in a grocery store you can not eat.  If it came in a box can jar or package of any kind it was out. 

Try that with two teens.  Bday cake no chocolate no eggs no flour (wheat) no sugar.  By gosh he was going to have one.  I used amaranth and spelt flour  carob guar gum something that started with an x can't remember now and maple syrup.  That cake was so nasty the dogs wouldn't touch it.   I would get buck wheat and try to make bread it turned out like bricks.  Spelt worked good I would get grain and grind it myself and make flat bread so he could have a burrito with fish and lettuce he didn't like that either.  Finally I made a green soup ( To this day when he comes home he wants me to make Green soup)  That was water garlic chives squash peas cabbage chard spinach with sprouts on top.   

We learned more about food than I ever thought possible.   What one of the ND said Dr Thom was that we eat the same foods over and over and over.  We just change the form in which we consume it.  There are so many foods out there hundreds but yet it is common to eat only about 20-25 of the through our entire lives.  Our systems get so over loaded that we start to show signs but since the signs happen when or bodies are weakened because of natural occurring changes they are mistaken for some thing else.  The first signs show up around the time we start get teeth.  Oh you are just teething.  Next is when we start to mature and hit a growth spurt.  Oh its just puberty and growing pains.  Of course then we end up 35-40 and oh you are just getting old.  Then it's well you are old.   

Now I don't know how much science would back that up.  Frankly I don't care it fit and what this man was saying couldn't possibly hurt my son.  Now my cooking all that new food that's a different story.  This is where common sense comes in.  How the heck is eating an avocado star fruit kelp going to cause harm unless you have a huge major allergy to it?  The only thing I had to lose was my last nerve and my sons migraines it was worth a shot to stay this course.   

Needless to say I was one stressed out mom working full time with troubled youth going to school full time and taking care of 5 acres on top of just the plain old domestic crap we all deal with.  Plus my oldest was turning into a teen.  Still had to carry on.  I was noticing that our diets and become slowly over time more and more crap food or unfood.  Yes we still had meals but I wasn't cooking from scratch like I use to.  More boxed stuff we sliding in.   

I had to change my mind set because even though broccoli was a "healthy" food it was not good for him.   Back then we had a hard time finding things at normal stores.  Even the so called health food stores didn't know half of what I was talking about.  We did not have a garden really to speak of back then.  ( No sun to many fir trees.  Time was scarce.) 

We managed and kept him off the foods he shouldn't have for 3 months.  Then we could add 1 thing back in. He wanted Ice cream.  Opps migrane.  Yes but that was not one thing it was dairy and sugar and what ever else.  He did not want to eat just frozen cream.   When we got to 5-10 foods added back in we would start to pair the new foods up.  Like dairy and sugar to see if it was the combinations of food.  By the time he was the end of the 9th grade we had the problem solved.  We knew what he could eat and what he could not eat in it's single form and the combo form. 

This did not happen in just a few months we worked on this every day for yrs.  And to this day he eats what ever he wants when he wants.  But when he gets a migraine he knows what he has to do.  No that he is pushing 30 at 28 he has decided to really watch what he eats.  Tries to stay strong get plenty of fresh air and drink lots of water.  Sleep well he catches up when he can but hey hes young enough to still have a social life.  Although it is slowing down a tad.

So Why did I go through this very long winded story (and believe me this is so condensed) because with all the hey try this diet and that diet it seems that one key factor is left out.  OBSERVATION PAY ATTENTION TRUST WHAT YOU SEE HEAR AND FEEL. 

[Roundabouts]

Ok so now hubby has had long bouts with heart burn.  Living on tums.  Yeah honey tums is not desert even the fruit flavored kind.  Well by this time I got it I know food is the answer. Food was also the problem.  Hubby was not ready to do what was needed until they crammed a scope down his gullet.  Came back with now you have to take these purple pills for the rest of your life.

Ok now I have his attention.  I have also noticed other things not quite right.  So start elimination.  Slowly.  Going from 1/2-1 pot coffee a day to 1-2 cups  down to 1 c coffee 1 cup herbal tea.  That takes a few months.  Mixing the reg coffee with decaf slowly getting rid of the caffeine without with drawls.  Of course he didn't know it was happening.  After it was done I told him what I did.  Now it's no dairy and from the Paleo if you want to call it that upping the beef intake.  No onions no catsup fresh garden tomatoes ok just one per week.  So basically what I have done is eliminate the empty foods from the diet. Then get rid of the foods I suspect cause problems.  I watch very closely for about 20 min after he eats.  Did he get tired did he rub his eyes did he start to get fidgety breath funny bloat.  If that happens that food is out for a while. 
His heart burn was caused mainly by wheat catsup onion combo.  Any one say burger king ?

 Now just last night we had caramelized onions and sautéed cabbage.  No problems.  The night before went to burger king for a test.  ordered no catsup no onions.  No heart burn.  Now we have done this little test a few times and the key thing is he has to drink his WATER.  How many health issues do we have because we are all chronically dehydrated..  Or maybe a better way of putting it is not optimally hydrated. 

For the dogs I had to surf the web read books and basically ask them.  Hold chicken out and hold beef out see what one they go for.  I steam their veggies and then sometimes blend them.  These dogs love their veggies and fruit.  they don't really care for pasta or crackers (wheat based)  but they do like oat meal.  And will go to the pasture to chew on oats.   Just observe

Know that it wont happen in a day or a week or a month.  It is an on going process.  Seek help from others surf the web and keep your common sense in check.  I am not against meds but do feel that they should be used with extreme caution.   Also I am not a DR.  I am a mom who has been down the crapper more than once.  I share because it took me years and years to learn to trust what I see hear and feel.  I took me years and years to realize that no little sign should automatically be dismissed.  It took me years and years to realize that when I pay attention and use common sense I will find an answer even though it may not be the answer I want.  But I will never ever give up when it comes to my family.   

I have also learned that some times you can not keep quiet.  Sometimes you have to shout to be heard.  I don't care if you are a ND MD OD DC or 5 star general I will not keep my mouth shut while I am being told I don't know any thing. 

My views on eating healthy are simple if it grows that way eat it ( ok I don't have to say if it's edible do I)  limit the amount of ingredients you can't pronounce.  Have variety. Keep learning.   When I come across a diet that forbids a natural food that is an automatic red flag.  My question o meter runs crazy.   Hope you find some of this helpful I suspect that since prepping is key on this site and what gets us prepping is observing and paying attention to what is going on around us that you will understand what I am saying when I say apply that to your health and what you eat.  Of course I will never ever give up M&M's they are magically delicious   sorry for typos and such have to run to take care of ill dogs

[Roundabouts]

So think back over your life and try to remember things about food.  Any thing what your fav food was when you were 10 8 5 2 what ever.  What were you told about food.  What foods do you like to eat? I suspect if you are having a craving for some kind of food that you eat often you are experiencing a food withdraw.  I would suspect that you may be addicted or sensitive or allergic to that food.  All of this will help you know what you should or shouldn't eat.  Where to start if you want to redesign your food lifestyle.

 If you need to take care of an acute issue find a ND OD MD or some one that you can work with.  Just remember you are hiring them to work for you and with you for your best interest.  If they don't work out you can fire them.    When it comes to our food and diet we have so much to learn.  Science is no where near knowing even 1/2 of what there is to know.   

I also believe that if you live in different areas you have different nutritional needs.  I also believe that you can't just pick one part out of a cultures diet and say wow that's why they don't have xyz.   Every thing has to be in balance. 

Even Paleo.  ancient man was also physically active and out side a lot.  When I am out side working hard manual labor I eat a steak and 2-3 eggs about 3 hours into my day.  That fuels me up and keeps me strong.   but when I am just having a low key day not moving much and I try to eat that way I feel sick and my heart rate goes up.   So I just have a piece of cheese and some raw fruits and veggies.  Or a bowl of oat meal.  That keeps me calmer and I don't get the fuzzy head.    Now if I eat a box of mac n cheese in the blue box well I am out like a light. sleep for 2 hours and wake up feeling hungover. 

 I am not against any way of eating that is right for you.  Who am I to say what you should and should not do.   I think inside if we really listen we all have the correct answers for us we just get to easily distracted and stop paying attention.

[LvsChant]

excellent points. Thanks, roundabout +1

[archer]

+1! thanks for explaining all this to us.

[Nate]

I agree with a lot of what you said.  My wife being from another culture and country (Chinese Malaysian) she has a wealth of customs regarding what foods to eat when and what foods not to eat when.  We both believe a lot of issues can be solved or mitigated with diet.  Her mother for example is 75, did manual labor all her life, raised 12 kids and has helped raise 20 grandchildren.  She had issues with her BP being too high and she started getting a hunch back.  Docs told her to take pills for the BP and there wasnt much they could do for the hunch back.  Instead of the pills she made a drink from cilantro and celery and drank it every day.  Her BP is now under control.  For her back she stands on a 45 degree ramp her back supported by the wall.  Her feet are bent up from the 45 degree ramp and she stands on this for 15 minutes a day.  Gradually she has moved to steeper angles and no longer needs the wall for support.  After a few months her hunch back improved and now several years later has no hunch back.

So there is a lot to be said about diet and observing signs and symptoms.  Most MD's are so strapped for time because they have to see X amount of patients per hour that they do not have time to really observe.  Quick fix and a bandaid seems to be the norm. 

I really like what you said about sometimes you have to shout to be heard.  I am in a similar situation with a medical issue.  I don't want the conventional treatment so I am trying to find an alternative through diet.  So far I havent found anything but I will keep looking.

[Roundabouts]

Like I have said I am not a Dr.  How ever after spending years decades doing research trial and error on myself and own family / spending on average 1 1/2 hours at a time with clients 1/2 hour just chatting and assessing and an hour with my hands on them doing that for over 12 years.  I have been through so many aliment diseases syndromes illnesses and have thousands of hours working with people.  Some directly some indirectly.  Some I saw heal some passed on I have worked with people 10 min old up to 98 yrs old and everything in between.  People missing hair to missing a limb or internal organ.  From the couch potato that breaks out in hives at the mear mention of movement to the iron man.  I have worked with pro boxers race car drivers dancers.  From peoples goals that are to make it that extra mile or to lose that last bit of cellulite  to just being able to  have one last dance with there wife / husband before they die and everything in between. 

I never give out names and have always always respected privacy. Man the stories I could write a book. You would be amazed at how much things are not as weird or crazy or just you as you might think.    My point is that I have seen so much and am willing to help any of you if I can.  Refer you to a book a type of medical professional or give you first hand what I have done or seen done.    If you are facing an illness or other health issue it is a call to war.  You must lead the battle.  Get your army of knowledge and support behind you.  the more the better. 

With that if I can Help I will just PM me if wanted or share.  If I don't know any thing I will tell you. I can even help when I can with research.  If nothing else I may have heard about some BS treatment where some scum bag just wants to take your money lord knows there are a ton of them out there. 

For those that don't know you may be asking how would I have time to do this why would you want to.   Easy I am home all day and board out of my mind with cabin fever.  I need to be helping people and solving problems and figuring out puzzles and I really really love food plants and animals.  I had to let my clinic go and my entire practice.  I have blown out both thumb joints broke my back thrashed my hips in a car accident  have flare ups of fibro and am having some feet issues.  It's winter  and I am limited to what I can do out side.   Come thaw time I will be out putting up fence building clearing brush gardening ……  on and on and on can't wait.  So pick my brain while you can. Just so you know DO NOT GET A CASE OF THE STUIPS and think I can replace a medical professional  that I can not do nor do I have a magic wand to poof make you 100% healthy painfree and 18 again.   Just saying cuz it comes up from time to time when someone new calls for info.  My old clients still keep in touch and have people call me to see what I can do.   Or what I know.   But shoot that has been going on for  30+ yrs.

Ok done rambling again sorry   May you all be
HAPPY HEALTHY WEATHY AND WISE 

SO SO SORRY IF THIS IS NOT OK DELET LOCK DOWN WHAT EVER  Just trying to extend a helping hand.

[chickchoc]

"Most MD's are so strapped for time because they have to see X amount of patients per hour that they do not have time to really observe.  Quick fix and a bandaid seems to be the norm.  "

Ain't it the truth!!  I have not had much success with the docs here in tracking down what the cause of my infertility and arthritis may be or might have been.  Everything I've learned has been by the same methods roundabouts used/uses. 

I totally agree that we all have to be aware of our own bodies' signals.  For example, when I was about 8 weeks pregnant, before I knew I was pregnant with our only child (we had tried for 12 years and gave up), I had an intense craving for avocados.  Research later showed that avo's have the highest B vitamin levels of all veggies.  This nutrient is essential for nerve development.  Our son is graduating HS this year, has been accepted by 6 "name" colleges for engineering, and (as of yesterday!!) received a merit scholarship for 4 years at one college.  What if I hadn't heeded my body's signal?  Who knows?

Also, Roundabouts, what you described concerning your physical sensation when working with the man with the medication glitch sounds a lot like reiki.  I took a class in this and can attest to the strange "warmth" or "energy" I felt when someone I was in physical contact with had a medical issue.  In the class, this feeling was likened to my body performing like an electrical conductor between the damage and the person's energy center.  Just like the wires in a toaster heat up with the force of the electrons trying to squeeze through dense metal in the wires, apparently a person's "energy" can do the same thing.  Strange, huh?

I, too, have acid reflux disease and was told to take Nexium forever.  When I don't eat wheat, I don't need it; when I fall off the wagon, I take the stuff.  By the way, I read a study that indicated Nexium could actually CAUSE the very symptoms it's supposed to treat.  Go figure.

How many "maintenance' meds do folks take that only treat symptoms rather than cause and might even be addictive?  For example, I read that at least 20% of ALL Americans have mental issues that require medications, mostly for depression.  It's common knowledge that most (if not all) of the psychotropic drugs are addictive to some degree.  How's that for replacing one problem with another?  I know some folks have brain chemistry differences that require meds to balance out (like me), but ADDICTION as a cure?!?  sheesh

Roundabouts, it looks like you are not the only one who rambles!

[Roundabouts]

Chickchoc congrats on your son    Yes I had someone training me in Reiki and gave me all the symbols.  They said that is what I was doing any way.  Also have studied Polarity.  Have had some say I am ' laying on of the hands'  not sure what that means exactly  have had some that just say I am a healer or witch woman. 

Naaa not really I am just very observant.  had yrs of practice noticing things It was how I was able to survive childhood.  We all feel and notice things once we become aware of it and start to look and believe what we are seeing. 

It was put to me this way.  Do you think a fish notices water. Do you think a fish will notice if it isn't there.  Do you really notice the air you breath.  Or when something changes is that when you notice it.  That is the same way with things that go on around us especially on the energy level or bio magnetic energy field or chi or life force what ever you want to call it.  Same with organs and so forth. 

We usually don't notice things until they scream at us loudly.    Of course not listening to your back is why I could make a living LOL.  How many time I was told yeah I threw my back out spitting out tooth paste.  Good lord how hard were you spitting.     Dig a tad deeper and you always found out about the warning signs and precursor to the back going out.  Um shoveling 5 yard bark gravel after sitting at a computer for 8 hours or more no water lifting a toilet out then playing horse with the little tikes.   Always something. 

Also studied Myo Facia Release MFR  Lymphatic drainage Deep tissue ( that is tissue deep in the body not just hard pressure) Lypossage and alternative to lypo suction. Sports massage SRT or Structural Relief Therapy. Swedish of course the old stand by pregnancy  there where some other secondary dabbling training  I think in all there was about 22 different styles some that DC and  OD use.  Also some herbal and aroma therapy with flower essences.   The food things was all self study. 

[dani3077]

OK, I have a question for you. Normally during 'that time of the month' I am very irritable just before. During I am very fatigued, some days I don't want to get out of bed. I drag myself around doing everything all day. Well this last time on the day I started, Hubby brought me home a steak. We had that and a baked potato for dinner. The next day I was not as tired as I usually am. The next night I decided to load up on protein. Namely meat, as that is what I crave. I had 2 hamburger patties and 2 eggs and a baked potato. Again no fatigue the next day. In fact I had lots of energy. More than usual.  The next night same thing-I loaded up on protein-a tin of fish steaks in Tabasco sauce with 12 club crackers . Again it worked. I did this for about 4 days. Why am I doing this? I cant keep eating this way without gaining 100 lbs, but I really feel so much better when I have lots of protein.  Here is what I crave-if I cant get it I go to the next thing on my list...Steak, beef roast, anything beef (except hamburger), Pork chops, pork roast, hamburger meat, chicken, fish, then anything with lots of meat like corned beef hash in a can. I hate corned beef hash in a can, but I crave it if I can't get any other meat products.

Medically I have not found a doctor to take me seriously on my health problems. They said mental. So I got a therapist. The shrink said he has never heard of the problems I described as mental ones-they sound physical to him. I have spells where I get dizzy and fall down. Have lost feeling and not been able to move my legs. Weakness in arms/legs. I suffer from extreme fatigue most of the time. Headaches 3-5 times a week with at least one of those being a migraine. Pain throughout most of my body. Lots of other stuff. My family has offered these suggestions as most of them have these and they say it sounds like what they have (none of them are doctors) Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue syndrome, Lupus (both sides of my family 5 out of 6 aunts/uncles on one side - 2/6 on the other side). A neurologist tested me for Multiple Sclerosis, he said no because of my mri, but I found out he got fired/replaced at that hospital, he had messed up several cases. One woman I talked to does have MS. She had to be retested all over again. Her new doctor told her that hers was an easy case to diagnose. The old doctor just messed up most of her tests and basically read them wrong. So that could also be a possibility.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Should I just buy a bunch of protein drinks?

[Roundabouts]

Wow Sounds to me like you are working real hard at not listening to your body.  I don't say that to be rude.  If you feel better eating meat for gosh sakes eat it.  Maybe you could look into Paleo or anti fungus  diet   Doug Kaufman from know the cause tv show / informercial.  I take what he has to say with a grain of salt but he does have some good points on fungus causing several illnesses.   

I might also suggest that you keep a simple journal very simple.  What you ate how you feel and what symptoms you are showing.    I encourage you to not give up in your quest for health. 

I would advise that any MD that says oh that is in your head your response should be "YOU ARE FIRED"   When I was much younger I had problems that I couldn't get out of bed when I cycled.  Meaning I could not walk.  I was in so much pain my mom took me to the ER.  They told me young lady women go through this and you just need to learn how to deal with it.  For years I would have problems and no body believed me.  I could be at work and just fall down and pass out for no reason?  OK yeah right I am faking it.  OH BS!!  So I did some research at the library and after 1 1/2 years found what I thought could be the problem  Endometriosis.  I contacted the worlds leading authority on that condition at that time Dr. Redwine.  I was in luck he was only 8 hrs from me.  Let me tell you that man gave me my life back.  It was wonderful.  The hospital staff everything I never felt so well cared for in my life.  That man knows his stuff. 

My point is if I had given up I wouldn't have found the answer that gave me such relief.  It wasn't easy at times but very well worth it in the end. 

I am not a Dr so I can't say for sure but several of the things you have mentioned could be the problem as well as endo or vit deficiency who knows.  So start with what you do know eating meat makes you feel better.  Gives you more energy plus its real food.  I most defiantly would stay away from protein drinks.  In my eyes I do not see them as real food.  Don't stress about gaining 100 pounds.  Focus more on nutrition and feeling better.

So recap
research  (paleo diet, fungus, medical conditions)
journal day and time of your symptoms plus what you ate and how you felt
trust your internal wisdom a little more.

I hope that helps  I would also add spinach broccoli to your meal take out the white potato change to baked sweet potato or yam would be even better.  COLOR UP THAT FOOD YUMMM AND DON'T FORGET THE WATER

[Dainty]

+1, lots of great info here for those unfamiliar with the concept of living this way.

One thing I have to add is besides allergies and sensitivities, there are also intolerances, and sometimes the preparation of the food can make a big difference for the latter. For example of someone notices their body has an issue with corn, it's possible that traditionally prepared hominy might be acceptable. Fermenting can make a difference, cooking longer or hotter can make a difference, particular parts can make a difference (example: tolerating the "meat" of an apple but not the skin) and I've found that even different varieties of the same kind of fruit or vegetables can make a difference in my body's reaction to it.

I've found it's very important to live this way not only with regards to diet but also with anything else your body is exposed to. You might notice that you always tend to feel crummy after an hour or more in certain buildings. Or that you feel worse after a shower. Or sleeping on different beds gives you better or worse rest. Once you identify something that causes a problem for your body, you then play "detective" in attempting to figure out exactly which aspect of it is the troublemaker. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out, but it's worth it.

An amusing story, I once began having problems with some fruits that I had previously been fine with. As day after day they caused problems right on cue, I finally mentioned it to my caregiver, rather frustrated that these, too, would now have to be eliminated. She then informed me she had switched from organic to conventionally grown, curious to see if it made a difference. It had. Thanks to that blinded test I'm now confident that for me, the extra price is worth it.

I once nearly died as a result of ignoring my body's reactions. It was not to food, but rather to the common medication Benadryl. It appeared I was having an allergic reaction to it, but when the reaction continued even to the single active ingredient - pure diphenhydramine - I told myself it wasn't possible to have a histamine reaction to an antihistamine. Even after I got an inch wide welt from applying a few drops to a fresh scratch I still doubted it. Long story short, I once decided to take a prophylactic dose, and I immediately suffered an anaphylactic reaction, the first and only I have ever had in my life.

I now carry a signed note from my doctor stating that under no circumstances am I to be given the drug with a mention as to why. I'm questioned on it every time, later watching as the information is relayed with "she claims..." and plentiful eyerolls.

The common sense of avoiding stuff that makes you ill trumps book knowledge. Doctors are great, but they don't know everything and a lot of the time what we can discover just by paying attention is worth a lot more than a trip to their office.

[dani3077]

Thanks roundabouts! I guess if it gives me more energy I really should not be worrying about gaining weight. After all if I have more energy, I can move more, walk more, and burn more calories.

I know you are not a doctor, but I am glad! Around my area they are quacks. I went to the emergency room once 10 years ago. (4 months after having DD #1). I told them I was suicidal and going to kill myself. They offered to do a pelvic exam. My hubby was there, he told them they are checking the wrong end. That is was in to way connected to my problem. They said I could have an infection. Needless to say we left. I went to my OB as soon as he was open. I had postpartum depression. I was on meds and worked through that after a couple of months.

I will add some color. I love broccoli and spinach anyway. I was thinking about adding it. The only reason I added the baked potato the second time was I thought I should probably have some carb/veggie type things and not just go for the meat! I also have some sweet potatoes I have been meaning to use! I will let you know how it goes.

[MaddoginMass]

Until recently I never realized how much food had an impact on my health.  I suffered from regular sinus issues, headaches, heartburn, and bloating (didn't realize the bloating until it was gone).  I was not listening to my body.

After listening to the couple shows that Jack did on Paleo, I decided to give it a try.  The only thing I have really done is cut out grains and carbs (wheat, potatoes, rice, etc.).  Every one of the frequent issues that I was previously suffering have either disappeared completely or are very infrequent.  I can't remember the last time I had heartburn.  As an added benefit, I simply feel better, have more energy, and I've dropped weight.

If I had gone to the doctor for the above issues, I am pretty sure I would be on 4 different prescription medications by now.  I have very little trust in doctors, you need to be your own advocate and not totally rely on them.  Now if I could only convince my wife of this........

[Roundabouts]

Thanks roundabouts! I guess if it gives me more energy I really should not be worrying about gaining weight. After all if I have more energy, I can move more, walk more, and burn more calories.

Great job!! I was hoping you would pick up on that.  The other part is if you gain a few pounds you will notice it right away because you are paying attention.  I would also suspect that you might not to feel as good so you could change things up again.   


I still have to watch and pay attention.  Yesterday on the way home from the vets office we stopped to get a philly cheese steak  at a local shop.  I ate 1/2 man I was so hungry.  When I got home I ate about a 1/2 of the other half.  20 min later I was so so sleepy.  Like I had taken a sleeping pill.  I crashed on the couch for 2 hours.  Woke up and had a slight head ache felt hung over.    Later that afternoon I grabbed a slice of bread and ate it without thinking about it.  15 min later I had heartburn.    I know better than to eat that stuff    So I had to say get it together girl and cook something good.  I did green soup with carrots.   I put in everything that was green.  Green beans green onions broccoli celery spinach peas and even some leaf lettuce added in after I dished up.  Oh and some bell peppers and green olives just a few some parsley and basil I also added some carrots needed to have some color    Man was that good.  I slept like a baby no heartburn and have more energy this AM.   Nope I didn't need to add meat not this time.   This AM the dogs had some for breakfast and were begging for seconds.  They like green soup too. 

Maybe today I will make red/purple soup never tried that.  Nope red purple salad that sounds better with steak added to it or maybe a pork chop.  oh yes and mandarin oranges and carrots ok  red/purple and orange.  Now I am hungry. 

[chickchoc]

I'm learning a lot from this forum.  Thanks for starting it, Roundabouts! 

Concerning gluten:  Humans can't digest this protein AT ALL.  Some of us have "tight" intestinal linings that keep the molecules contained, but MOST of us don't.  What happens to the rest of us is that the whole gluten molecule passes into the bloodstream.  Our immune systems see these foreign molecules as pathogens and crank up a response to destroy the invaders.  Unfortunately, this same heightened immune response then takes a wrong turn and attacks healthy tissues.  These can be located anywhere in the body. 

Gluten sensitivity or allergy has been linked to all kinds of autoimmune disorders.  The average time to discover the cause of vague or seemingly unconnected symptoms is 5 - 10 YEARS. 

I read online that some folks think SUGAR (I assume they meant sucrose, since there are many different kinds of sugars) should be regulated just like other toxins.  What about GLUTEN, a proven toxin?  No mention of that...

I would recommend those with mysterious symptoms that docs claim is "in your head" might consider eliminating gluten for a few weeks (at least 2 - 3 to notice effects), then go for a standard allergy elimination diet.   Especially eliminate the waxes and shellacs with which much of our "fresh" food is coated.  I found that was one of my problems, too. 

[Roundabouts]

Great points.  Funny how knowing and doing are two totally different things.  I know better than to eat wheat and such.  I know even better don't buy it and bring it into the house in the first place.  Duh.  I have found that when I get a huge craving for bread if I eat radishes they seem to knock out the craving.  Haven't figured out  why.  Just know that it works.  I just have been lazy at planting them or even buying them.  Time to take responsibility and get back to it.  Thanks for the input

[Kayzonara]

I love this thread.  I was able to pinpoint the cause of one of my son's issues and solved it naturally.

Listen, listen, pay attention.  It's so true.

[Roundabouts]

Great fantastic job I am so happy for you!! dance for good health!

[KellyAnn]

dani3077
Has your doctor checked your iron levels?
I know a day or two before my period (and sometimes during) I crave red meat like crazy.  (One week out from Aunt Flo today, and I'm already jonesin' for a burger.)
I also have borderline anemia, which my doctor wishes I'd take iron pills for (but my stomach can't handle iron in pill form very well).

My 2 cents, is try to make sure you're eating leaner meats (if you're worried about gaining weight).
My other suggestion is to try cooking in cast iron, somehow the iron from the pan gets into the food and then into you.  I don't entirely understand how, but I know it's been proven to work.

[Kate Change]

I love this thread!  Dh could stand to loose a little weight.  (Worried about heart health).  How do you sell your family on the healthier food?  Dh is trying, but not very hard.  My only idea is to try to cook healthy food so that it tastes good.  (Now, for step two, learn to cook.   )  How did you convince your family?

[Roundabouts]

Well to be perfectly honest I don't think I had to "convince" them.  See for the most part I am the one who shops for food, I am the one who cooks the food.  So if I didn't buy it they couldn't eat it.  They eat what I cook since I have always refused to be a short order cook.  Ever since the kids were little we alway had this rule.  Mom is the boss mom has always been the boss mom will always be the boss.   Now that is a basically a generalization.  When my son was sick and suffering from migraines he was getting into his teen years.  Junk food vacuums would be a better description.    Since he was so sick and in pain for the most part as long as I had things that could be grabbed and stuffed into the pie hole it was ok.  I did feel for him on his bday.  So I tried to make him a cake with no flour no eggs no sugar and no chocolate.     That cake looked good but tasted so bad the dog wouldn't even eat it! 

I aslo have always had the kids and hubby if home involved with cooking.  We work together on that.  Maybe not every single meal ever single day but often.  I made a different kind of bread that my son could eat.  We had so much fun.  When that first loaf came out of the oven we were all so excited.  Of course what we ended up with was a brick.  You could barley break off a piece with a hammer and chisel.  So we took the rest of the dough and made some decretive items and xmass trees decorations.   Needless to say we had great laughs. 

I also had made some green soup.  My son LOVED it!  So did the rest of the family.  So during all the flops that I had having something that was super good helped out a lot.  Now years later and my son still makes that green soup. 

Now it's just hubby and myself so things are different at least a bit.  Getting hubby to change or to become more aware well that has been interesting.  Still I do most of the cooking.  We shop together.  For the most part hubby is ok with eating any thing that is put in front of him.  If all we have is homemade soup he is ok with that.  If we just have a salad he is ok with that too.  Of course the alternative is if he doesn't want to eat what I fix he is free to fix what he wants.  Then he also knows if that happens then most likely I would just cook for myself and he would be stuck cooking all the time for him self   Again I am not a short order cook.  If you don't like what I fix sorry go for it yourself. 

We do go through times where I will get tired of cooking and it's his turn.  Well at first it was alway pizza or mac n cheese and hotdogs.    So I just had a talk with him.  I was very upset.  Because he knows this food makes me ill.  So why would he want me to be ill?   I spend time cooking and planning and shopping.  I work hard at it because I feel he is worth it.  That's how I see love and that's how I feel loved.  So I feel unloved and uncared for when all I get is a hotdog.   I also feel like I'm unappreciated and worthless when I can put fourth so much effort then I receive crap food in return.

He felt bad and never really saw it that way.  Then he explained that he just doesn't think about it.  Is never sure what to fix.  So we now have stuff on hand that he can make.  He also has his old stand by his special egg dish.  I told him what he was making was a frittata then he saw a chef making one on a cooking show.  He was very pleased with himself.  As he should be.  He knew how to make something with a fancy name!   We also from time to time will look up things on line like what is vit b12 good for?  What foods have that in it?  Then we have a contest to see who can name whats in the food we are eating.  We also play name that spice / herb.  We close our eyes and sniff the jars to see if we can name that spice/herb. We sniff taste and some times just dump a pinch on a paper towel so go by sight.    We try new things.  Learn new things. Sometimes I will only wear an apron when cooking.   That gets his attention really quick.   

Now I am not perfect and I also have a hard time eating what makes me feel good.  I am addicted to chips and bread. It can be hard to get back on the wagon when I fall off.   I have tried the Paleo and I know it would be good for both of us.  however after a few days or weeks I want some crap food so bad I can't sleep.  aka 'withdrawals'   This year is really bad since I didn't plant a garden.    Things just didn't work out that way.  Maybe in time for fall / winter?  Going to the garden to get "free" food is another great motivator.

So I guess to sum it up how I "convince" I'd say I don't.  I play have fun educated experiment learn enjoy use repetition have humor and sarcasm .   Which is usually in the grocery store when that frozen pizza or something just magically appears in the cart.  Ok then so today what you are saying is we want to be broke poor fat miserable in pain have heart burn and die earlier?  All righty then why don't you grab 2 or 3 more so we can go happy.  Sometimes more is put into the cart and sometimes the one is taken out.  When we do get more and have a royal pig out well that's when I go back to observation.  No judgement just observe.  I can't believe I ate that much it was so good oh man I feel bloated tired weak.  How are you feeling honey.  Then I usually get up and get desert.  Several tums served on a plate.  Usually that pig out fest is followed by hubby saying I don't think we should do that again.   Once in a great while I just have to put my foot down.  Believe me I have gotten strange disapproving looks in the store when I tell hubby I wont even have that crap in my cart touching my good food no put it back!

Sad thing is when you have Drs media and the masses telling you you need to make changes slowly.  People use that as an excuse to go to slow.  Really go slow?  Wow if you have a heart attack do you want them to go slow?  What if you got cancer would you want to "go slow"?  How bout you make the changes fast in other words just do it?  Go through the detox and come out the other side feeling better vs going slow and then ending up in the hospital wanting to feel better fast.

Also I think a part of the education process is observation in the grocery store.  Looking for the lies and how we are duped into believing what can't possibly be true.  Like organic mac n cheese in a box.  Really how can that possibly  be organic?  Or better yet the "Whole" grain scam.  If it was truly Whole we wouldn't be able to chew it!!  Don't believe me go out into a field pick a grain off a plant does it look the same as you find in a box?  Try and chew it.  Is it soft and chewy like the kind you find in the package?  Lower in sugar so it's good for you.  Oh by all means 3/4 cup a sugar will have you in tip top shape so fast vs 1cup sugar.   But hey they put in only 1/2 the sugar  great but twice the corn syrup.  My all time fav is when they put pictures on the box of some buff athlete or some tall thin perfectly balanced woman.  The question is how many bars boxes or packages do I have to consume before I will look like that?  People that look like that eat way different and work out hours and hours a day.  I don't care what they say I will never be a young tall thin blond.   Reality check I am a 5' 50yr old graying brunette   Oh please give me a break 

So there's my rambling followed by my rant.  Hope it helps or at least gives you a chuckle or two. 

PS Don't ever give your hubby powdered hot peppers that you encapsulate into capsules.  OH he was not happy with me.  Gave a whole new meaning to hot crossed buns.     

[Twibble]

I'm definitely gluten-intolerant, and probably celiac. As soon as we can afford it, we plan to go primal-ish because I'm tired of being stuffed up and having sinus headaches all the time.  My husband lives on tums and Prilosec, but doesn't feel the urge to eat differently.  He says he'll eat whatever I fix, so it should be interesting.