Embracing My Health

I’ve known for a long time the importance of clean water and believe in and support the work of organizations like charity : water.

The documentary FLOW, For the Love of Water has completely left me changed.  Opening up a new angle on the water issue, documenting what is happening with water and water rights around the world, this film is a must see. From the website:

(FLOW) builds a case against the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.

After watching it, I wanted to DO SOMETHING. I didn’t want to have all this knowledge, all this information and have nothing I could do. The first thing I did was sign Article 31. Article 31 is a call, a petition upon the United Nations to establish access to clean and potable water as a fundamental human right.

Okay, done. But now what? I felt (and still feel) the need to do more. The FLOW website has links to organizations, non-profits and activism sites where you can partner, donate and volunteer to make a difference. You can be sure I’m going to be clicking those links and learning more.

But the first instinctual responses I had after watching FLOW were:

1) I will not buy/drink bottled water. Whatever it takes, I’m not going to do it. I’ll buy portable filters for road trips and and fill up my jugs at the local tap, wherever I may be. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it – I will not buy bottled water again.

2) I will not buy any products from Coca-Cola, Pepsi or Nestle. (watch the film and you’ll learn why I’m boycotting these three companies in specific) The harm they are causing here at home in the US and around the world is wrong. I will not support them or any of their brands until they stop their horrific, inhuman and environmentally damaging business practices.

Given the enormity of these three companies, it’s going to be interesting to avoid all the brands and products they make. But I’ll make a freakin’ master list if I have to. Thankfully, my lifestyle and diet already keeps most of their products off my shopping list… but I will be sure to keep an eye out and avoid any that might happen to appear.

I share all this for two reasons:

1. Please watch FLOW. You may not have the same reaction I did – but I think the information they share in that film is important for all of us to know.
2. I’m curious, what gets your goat? What topics or issues have made you get up out of your chair and do something, anything!… because you couldn’t imagine sitting still about it one more day?

Embrace Love and Life. Embrace Your Health!

So, the l-lysine eliminated or at a minimum kept my abscesses from increasing or getting worse. I had no further pain after taking the lysine from the infection, all the way up to my surgery last Wednesday. I can’t tell you what a life-saver it was. My testimonial: when amoxicillan and clindamycin didn’t help reduce the abscess infections and with it the extreme pain I was experiencing… taking 10,000 mg of l-lysine daily did.

My regimen:  Zinc intake above 150 mg a day begins to be associated with zinc toxicity. Because of this, I took 5,000 mg of Solaray L-Lysine with Vitamin C, B-6 and Zinc. The remaining 5,000 mg a day came from pure Now Foods L-Lysine.

Here’s the skinny on l-lysine. It’s an essential amino acid that our bodies have to have but cannot make. It strengthens our immune systems , increases the body’s ability to manufacture antibodies and has anti-viral properties. (This is my guess as to why and how I personally found relief.)

L-lysine doesn’t stop there. It’s popular for treating and preventing cold sores, is critical for collagen formation (think less wrinkles!), provides energy and more. If you have a deficiency in lysine, these are some of the symptoms you are likely to have:

• bloodshot eyes
• fatigue
• moodiness
• anemia
• problems concentrating
• reproductive issues
• weakened skeletal, circulatory and immune systems
• kidney stones
• inability to breakdown and utilize dietary fat properly
• accelerated aging
• elongated healing processes

Typically, raw, vegan, vegetarians and extreme athletes are most at risk for lysine deficiency. But without a balanced and attentive diet, anyone can become low or deficient. For optimal lysine levels, add lysine in your diet by eating (in no particular order):

• meat
• wheat germ (but not wheat)
• cheese (Parmesan is best)
• eggs
• fish, particularly cod and sardines
• limas
• nuts
• spirulina
• fermented foods like miso and yogurt

If you aren’t getting enough of these in your diet – daily dosage recommendations are 12-30 mg per each 2 lbs of body weight. To treat symptoms: 3,000-9,0000 mg per day divided into doses.

Note: if you have cardiovascular diseases, elevated cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels – work with your naturopath. There is controversy for and against Linus Pauling’s therapy for cardiovascular disease consisting of megadoses of Vit C and Lysine. (Sources to begin your research: http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/vitcheart.htm, http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminC/)

Embrace Love and Life. Embrace Your Health!

If you follow my personal blog, you know that I’m about to undergo oral surgery to have 7 teeth removed (my wisdom teeth, plus three more).  I have a chronic mouth infection caused by the caries bacteria.  All decay is caused by the caries bacteria, but in some people, an infection can take hold.  The four things that cause a chronic oral infection are:

1. Teeth. Well, duh, right? But it turns out that the condition of your teeth (sometimes determined by genetics) to begin with can and will either encourage or discourage bacterial growth
2. Presence of the caries-causing bacteria, which by the way, is communicable… mother to child, husband to wife, and so on
3. Fermentable carbohydrates
4. Time

So to recap: A chronic infection of acid-producing bacteria is caused when an individual has a long-term acidic oral environment caused by a predisposition, lack of saliva, a diet heavy in sugary and/or acidic foods.

In my mouth, I had the perfect storm.  Problems with tooth enamel is in my genetic background.  I didn’t know this until very recently.  So, #1… genetic predisposition.  Check.  #2. Presence of caries-causing bacteria, check.  I could have gotten it from my mom, from a boyfriend, who knows.  But I got it.  #3. Fermentable carbohydrates.  Check.   Up until 4 years ago, I ate the traditional SAD (standard American diet)… filled with sugary sweets, lots of starchy breads and pastas, and so all.  I also drank, for years, more diet Coke than you can imagine (incredibly acidic!!).  All of these were turned into lactic acid by the bacteria in my mouth and immediately set to work on my teeth.  And finally, time.  Check.  Up until last year, I hadn’t been into a dentist for around 20 years.  The bacteria had 15-20 odd years to do it’s damage.  And do damage, it did!!

When I finally made it into the dentist last year, it was because of extreme pain tooth pain.  The dentist took one look at it and told me that it was abscessed.  The infection had punched a hole through my upper jawbone and was threatening to cause a systemic infection (which worse case scenario can be life-threatening).  The only choice was to pull the tooth.  Immediately.

When we could afford to, I went back into the dentist for a full comprehensive exam. It confirmed the chronic bacterial infection and the profound damage it had done to my teeth.  I had two more abscessed teeth, and a third tooth that was broken and beyond repair.  All three must come out.  My wisdom teeth are also in bad condition and given my infection, it’s best to have those pulled now too.

I’ve had my surgery scheduled for a while now.  July 22nd.  And, up until, two weeks ago, I had no pain. Then, suddenly, I did. And it was horrible. I’ve never had pain like that.  My dentist immediately put me on antibiotics (amoxicillian) and a pain killer (Vicoden).  Vicoden helped a little, although I hated how it made me feel.   A few days later, the pain returned, despite the antiobiotics and narcotics.  My dentist swapped out my antibiotic, putting me on Clindamycin.  He at the same time switched me off of Vicoden (because of the recent concerns with acetametaphin sited by FDA reports) and put me on Vicoprofen.  I seemed to do better on the new combination, but still *hated* how I felt on the narcotic.  And again, 2-3 days later, the intense pain returned.   One last time, the dentist switched my painkillers, this time to ketorolac.  The pain remained severe and I had to continue using the ketorolac at full dosages for 3 days.

Then… and this is a big THEN… I heard a health podcast by David Wolfe.  In passing, he mentioned that l-lysine, an amino acid, can help remove any kind of infection at a 10,000 mg dose.  Given the pain I continued to be in, and the fact that my surgery was still nearly 2 weeks away, I figured I had nothing to lose.

And presto. Within 24 hours, I was off my pain pill.  Now, as an acknowledgement, it’s possible that the antibiotic finally kicked in and made all the difference.  But, the standard rule of thumb is that antibiotics will kick in 24-48 hours after you start taking them.  I had been on them for 2 1/2 weeks with no improvement.  I started the l-lysine and within 24 hours, I was without pain and off pain killers completely.

I have 4 days left until my surgery.   I’m continuing the l-lysine at 10,000 mg a day.  I’ll let you know if the infection returns to the point of pain between now an then.  But, right now, I’m feeling confident that I will continue to stay ahead of the infection and have no pain.

Next post – so what exactly is l-lysine?

My question for you today: What surprise or little-known cure or health aid works for you?

Embrace Love and Life. Embrace Your Health!

This month has sped by.   We’ve had snow, ice, and sunshine.  It’s been a lovely Christmas season – and sharing it with my 4 year old daughter, has been such a gift.

I haven’t been rigid with my eating and my progress, while good, isn’t as far along as it could be.  I had goaled to be at 230.  That was a good goal, provided I had created an effective structure for achieving it.  I didn’t though – and without that, I continued progressing but not as quickly.  That said, I found these two pictures that really help me see how far I have come.

The more I think about it, the more I’m certain that having a structure will bring me the biggest results.  That will be my focus in the coming year… automating everything so that it becomes like breathing to the food that I want to, exercising, and living a fully embraced life. 

So, click more to see the numbers…

(more…)

Fifteen years ago, just before Paul & I got married, I went on Depo-Provera. I was, at that time, somewhere between 15 and 20 lbs overweight. Three months after my first Depo-Provera injection, I had gained 40 lbs. The weight had come on so quickly that I had stretch marks. I knew I had gained weight, but didn’t connect the obvious dots back to Depo-Provera because of the stresses of getting married, moving to a new city, a new job, and so on.

When Paul & I got married, I was working as a retail store manager and was on my feet and moving 45 hours a week. After two years at this job, injuries to my feet made it necessary for me change jobs. I went from being active daily to a full-time desk job. I didn’t exercise and my lifestyle was to work hard all day and then come home and collapse on the couch in front of the TV. Paul & I ate out a lot. Being overweight was a constant source of discouragement to me… I would constantly wish and pine for being right-weighted. I began to learn more about optimal nutrition, fitness and personal health through magazines and books. I made very small changes to my diet, but nothing significant.

During these years I was dealing with a lot of depression and self-destructive behaviors… one of those behaviors was making myself feel as bad physically as I did emotionally. I would eat food that was super sugary, fatty and caloric. I didn’t think about it that way, but I was eating to make myself feel sick – and I always did. I was putting on more weight with each year.

In the fall of 2004, Amira was born. While pregnant with her, I topped the scales around 300 lbs. After she was born, I dropped to 280. I hovered there for about a year. Exercise was very difficult for me for a while after Amira’s birth – but I improved my eating habits and dropped a few pounds. All the while, I continued reading and learning about health, nutrition, and fitness.

In 2007, I went to a naturopathic doctor and found that I was indeed very unhealthy. I began regimens under my doctor’s advice to begin the healing. I’ve lost weight and made progress on my overall health. As of today, I’m at 250.

I’m putting that history completely behind me now and starting a new story, a new chapter. I have a long way to go to achieve optimal health but I’m ready. I don’t know exactly what I should weight, but I’m guessing it to be around 140 lbs. We’ll find out and fine tune when we get there. That’s a long way away yet, so I’m not going to worry about that so much as beginning the journey of transforming my lifestyle. I already know there are going to be days that I don’t feel like it – but it’s not about what I feel like. It’s about what I’m committed to, what I believe in and what I DO each day.