Ways and Benefits of Fasting

I have fasted on and off for a very long time but never on a regular basis. In 2004 I was dealing with a parasite called Blastocystis hominis and I also had a lot of abdominal distention after eating. It wasn't until later that I found out that I needed to supplement with betaine HCl but at the time I thought the abdominal distention might be due to the parasite. I went on an extensive anti-parasitic herbal protocol and the guy who sold it recommended doing colonics during the protocol. I found a place that did colonics and the guy running the place recommended doing a "cleanse" along with the anti-parasitic protocol and the colonics. It was a 7-day cleanse during which I consumed nothing but water, tea, clear vegetable broth, and rice protein shakes, and got a colonic every day. Yup - you read that right. Daily colonics for 7 days.

After the cleanse I felt incredible. I had increased energy, my skin looked amazing, my digestion was better and more. I couldn't believe how good I felt and at that point I decided to do some sort of cleanse every year or twice a year. The colon hydrotherapist also recommended fasting one day a week and 3 days every 4th week.

Unfortunately I did not stick with the yearly cleanse or his suggestions. Fast forward to 2009 after my health had really deteriorated. DH and I were planning on going on another cruise and I just felt so miserable I decided to do a fast to get myself to a better place. Since then I have been fasting every spring and every fall and each time I feel so much better when I am done. Twice I was able to fast at a clinic in Germany called Klinik von Weckbecker which was amazing and probably requires a blog post in itself.

So here I am fasting again and I thought I would write a bit about fasting. Let's start with what fasting is. It is the voluntary action of abstaining from all food and drink. At least that's what true fasting is which is also referred to as dry fasting since you consume absolutely nothing, not even water. A more common form of fasting is water fasting, during which you consume nothing but water. While it is more common, many people find it too difficult and prefer juice fasting. During the latter you consume water, tea, and fresh pressed juices.

There is also a form of fasting that is very common in Germany referred to as "Heilfasten nach Buchinger". "Heilfasten" means healing fasting and Buchinger was a German doctor who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis after a case of tonsillitis that wasn't completely cured. At the suggestion of a colleague he did an almost 3 week fast after which he was healed. He then studied the effects of fasting and later opened a clinic where patients could go to participate in a medically supervised fast. His method of fasting includes 4 to 6 oz of fresh pressed vegetable juice for breakfast, clear vegetable broth for lunch, and herbal tea with 1 tablespoon of honey for dinner. The patient also needs to drink plenty of water throughout the day to flush out toxins.

This method of fasting is used at the clinic I referred to above but I did not consume juice on a daily basis. I also skipped the honey at night and had another bowl of clear vegetable broth for dinner. Ideally, I would like to do a true water fast since you get the most healing out of it. However, I am still taking hydrocortisone and a doctor at True North Health felt that I should at least consume some vegetable broth. I usually start my fast with just water, green/black tea (or a tiny cup of coffee), and broth. If my blood sugar dips too low I add in a tiny bit of juice by adding it to my broth. The reason I keep in coffee or green/black tea is because of low blood pressure. Mine is already pretty low and during fasting ones blood pressure usually drops even more. Last year at the clinic in Germany I think my lowest was 88/48 and I felt accordingly. I was completely worn out, mentally out of it, not even cognitive, and didn't even feel like going for a walk. With a tiny cup of coffee I felt like a different person. This is obviously not true fasting or recommended during a fast, but it works for me.

So what are the benefits of fasting? There are so many I couldn't list them all but below are just a few key benefits:

• reverses type II diabetes and insulin resistance
• greater mental clarity
• improved skin tone
• fat weight loss
• nervous system is balanced
• strengthens the immune system
• body is cleansed and detoxified
• reduces inflammation
• eliminates or reduces allergies
• peristaltic action is stronger and faster after a fast
• reverses hypertension

Like I said, these are a just a few key benefits. There are many, many more and they are all achieved in a very short amount of time. Even a 3-day water fast can bring about amazing positive changes in your body. During a fast the body diverts energy away from digestion and towards cleansing and detoxifying. Anything that is not needed by the body, such as tumors, scar tissue, bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, etc. is subject to autolysis. During a fast hormone production is also much more efficient causing an increase in the release of growth hormone which can increase energy, help with fat loss, and can protect cells throughout the body.

The reason I fast repeatedly is that I still have a lot of health issues. I just started treatment with Dr. Dahlgren at the Comprehensive Medical Center and have had quite a few ups and downs. The most bothersome symptom I deal with is daily abdominal distention. It is very, very uncomfortable and makes for a rough day. During and after a fast the abdominal distention is greatly reduced and I don't feel near as uncomfortable after eating. Unfortunately as time goes by it gets worse and worse which is why I am fasting again. Dr. D thinks that parasites are a huge issue for me and I am about to start a course of 5 different anti-parasitics. My hope is that the combination of this fast and then taking all the anti-parasitics, will put an end to the abdominal distention as well as many other symptoms. If it does, I would still want to do a fast every spring and fall for general detox, just not quite as long. I would probably do a 5 to 7 day fast twice a year versus a 14 to 21 day fast. This time I am hoping to fast a maximum of 18 days and a minimum of 14 days. This is my first day and so far I feel ok. I am sure I would feel worse if I had stopped coffee as well.

So far today I have consumed 1/2 cup of black coffee, 2 cups of clear vegetable broth with Celtic sea salt, and lots of water. Ideally I should have done an enema this morning or taken some Epsom salt, but I didn't get around to it. I will write more about why this is important in tomorrow's post.

This post was shared on Fat Tuesday.

Follow-Up Appointment with Dr. D

I stopped blogging about how I am feeling because it was just more of the same thing. Lots of ups and downs basically. But today I spoke to Dr. D and have some new information and now there is even more to my treatment protocol.

I mentioned that I get gallbladder pain if I don't take ox bile and she said this is an indication that parasites are an issue for me. That, combined with my die off from Biltricide, constant hunger, and the daily abdominal distention indicated to her that parasites still need to be addressed. So I have to take Biltricide again for two days during the next new moon and full moon. After the first two days of Biltricide she wants me to take Ivermectin 12 mg four times a day for 14 days, Pyrantel pamoate 1,000 mg once a day at bedtime for 14 days, Albenza 400 mg twice a day for 28 days, and Alinia 500 mg three times a day for 20 days, all one after another.

Today has actually been a really rough day for me emotionally so it was good that I got to talk to her. One thing that is really hard for me is that I have gained 8 lbs since January and I hate it. I realize that shouldn't be of great importance but when you keep gaining weight and don't know why and you live on meat, fat and vegetables, it's pretty frustrating. When I mentioned this to her she felt that it was either due to mold or parasites or both affecting my metabolism. This is another reason she thinks I have parasites and the medications I listed above also have a fungal component so she is addressing both yeast and parasites with them.

My lithium was incredibly low on the hair analysis which she said can cause the depression I experience as well as some of the other symptoms I have. She said something about neuro-protective nutrients mobilizing more toxins and this damages nerves which are more susceptible to damage during detox. She wants me to take lithium aspartate 60 mg at night and if I tolerate that well she wants me to add more during the day up to 120 mg a day. Zinc was really high on the hair analysis and she believes this is because I am losing it because the receptors are not able to take it into the cell wall where it's needed. This will change over time as my body heals.

She had prescribed 0.1 mg of Desmopressin because of the low ADH (anti-diuretic hormone). She felt this would help with frequent urination, particularly at night, and also with fluid balance so fluid goes into the blood versus to my tissue or right through me. I tried it several days but it did not help. She asked if I am still taking half a tablet and of course I had forgotten that I am supposed to start with 1/2 a tablet and at night, not in the morning. She said to try taking it at night to see if that helps so I will try that tonight.

Next I mentioned that my underarms and the skin around my underarms has been crazy itchy, as well as the creases of my groin to some degree. Incidentally this is where I am supposed to put the Detox Deodorant every night. She said the deodorant is probably pulling metals to the skin which yeast eats and this makes the yeast go crazy which causes itching. Interesting! She suggested putting coconut oil on my itchy skin in the morning and to keep using the deodorant at night.

I asked her about oxalates and she said most if not all of her patients have issues with oxalates. She sent me a chart that lists food I should eat, foods that are acceptable, and foods that I need to avoid.

When I saw her in person in January she said that the things I have going on are what she sees in her practice all the time and is pretty typical of the kind of patients she gets. So I asked her if those patients are able to regain full health, how long the initial die off lasts (I had heard Dr. K say the first two months are rough), and how long it takes to have a normal life again (think feeling good, energy to have fun and work out, ability to work full time, ability to think clearly, etc.). Her answer was very encouraging yet also utterly depressing. She said because I have Kryptopyrroluria (KPU) the initial die off and detox will take anywhere from 6 to 12 months and then it will be like a big cloud has been lifted. People with KPU start detoxing metals when the mineral and vitamin deficiencies are replaced which causes a lot of highs and lows and takes quite some time.

She said patients who have been sick for a long time like me even go through something similar to PTSD but I will feel normal again and will have a normal life. Eighteen months into treatment I will still be on a fairly heavy treatment protocol but I should start to feel much better and whole categories of symptoms will disappear. 

Overall healing, until I HAVE a normal life again will take anywhere from 3 to 5 years. At that point I would only need to go to the clinic 2 to 3 times a year and my protocol might be 10 to 15 items versus 20 to 30 items. I have to admit, this was the depressing part and when I told my mom about it later I burst into tears. Three to five years to have a normal life and then to still be taking 10 to 15 supplements/meds a day seems hard, but then I am a bit emotional today.

The encouraging part, other than that I will be able to have a normal life again, is that she said her patients who have gone through what I am going through typically end up healthier than their peers who haven't gone through something like this. She said her recovered patients are much more aware of health issues creeping up and taking care of themselves. In addition and as a result, her patients are usually less susceptible to common major illnesses including cancer. I guess there is a light at the end of the tunnel after all.

When I saw her in January she said she would like me to come back in three to four months. I asked her how many days I need to plan for this trip and she said three days would be good. So I am hoping to go either late April or middle of May after my birthday.

Smokey Mashed Fauxtatoes

what you need:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon celtic sea salt
• 10 grinds black peppercorns
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed garlic
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut oil

what you do:

Wash the cauliflower, cut into small pieces, and steam until slightly soft (if you don't do this you will have to let them smoke for a veeeeery long time). Let them cool then place them in a plastic bag. Pour in some olive oil and the rest of the spices and garlic. Mix really well - it helps to leave some air in the bag.

 Place the cauliflower pieces in a pot that you can place in your smoker.

Get your smoker going and put the cauliflower in the smoker. Smoke for 6 to 8 hours. Below is the kind of smoker we are using - it's a green egg wannabe. 

Today we are also making Smoked Mushrooms so that's what you see in the bottom of the smoker in the picture below.

After about 4 hours of smoking, melt the coconut oil and add it to the cauliflower in the smoker. Smoke another 2 hours or so. When the cauliflower is nice and soft, remove from smoker and puree in a food processor. Add salt, pepper, and/or other spices if necessary and to taste. Yum!

We ate this with a grilled t-bone, smoked mushrooms, and homemade sauerkraut.

This post was shared on Monday Mania and Fat Tuesday.

Smoked Mushrooms

what you need:

• 24 oz package of mushrooms
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon celtic sea salt
• 10 grinds black peppercorns
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper powder (optional)
• 1 stick butter (I use Kerrygold)

what you do:

Wash the mushrooms and place them in a plastic bag. Pour in some olive oil and the rest of the spices and garlic. We normally make these without the chili powder and they are amazing but decided to spice them up a bit this time.

 Place the mushrooms in a pot that you can place in your smoker.

Get your smoker going and put the mushrooms in the smoker. Smoke for 6 to 8 hours. Below is the kind of smoker we are using - it's a green egg wannabe.

 Today we are also making Smokey Mashed Fauxtatoes so that's what you see in the top of the smoker in the picture below.

 

After about 5 hours of smoking the mushrooms, melt a stick of butter in a pot then pour into the mushrooms. Continue smoking for another 2 hours - roughly. And this is the end result. I have to say there were even better than usual with the chipotle chili pepper.

This post was shared on Monday Mania and Fat Tuesday.

Ups and Downs

Mornings are usually the hardest on me. My face looks like I aged 5 years overnight, lines around my eyes are more pronounced, face overall is pretty pale but cheeks are red, face is puffy and pores are slightly visible. My heart rate has been hovering in the 180s when I first get up, I don't feel cognitive, right eye lid is swollen, and I feel angry, negative, depressed, and frustrated. It takes a good hour to feel somewhat human with the help of coffee, hydro-cortisone, a beta blocker, and 5-HTP. Sad to think that I used to wake up positive and ready to take on the world and now it takes all of this to feel like I can struggle through the day.

Yesterday I woke up and had nice color in my face, my face wasn't puffy, my left eye lid wasn't swollen at all and my right eye lid only a tiny bit, my heart rate was around 152, I felt a bit more cognitive, I felt positive and happy, and I had much more energy. By mid-afternoon I had pain in my arms, hands, knuckles and joints much like I did after the blood donation last year. Then my legs started to hurt, I was battling anxiety and negativity, and I felt worn out again.

This morning I was back to the usual symptoms and maybe worse than ever. The hydro-cortisone and 5-HTP have done nothing for my mood and I still feel worn out and dizzy. Because I am feeling so poorly I just checked my pulse and BP while standing - pulse was 120 and BP was 89/65. This is despite the beta blocker I took this morning and it explains why I feel like I am going to faint when I am up and moving around. So now my choices are taking another beta blocker to bring my pulse down, which will also lower my blood pressure even more, or sitting on my a$$ all day. Neither one of these options sounds appealing.

Valtrex and an Update

One of the medications Dr. D put me on for EBV, CMV, and other viruses is Valtrex. She told me to take 1 gram at bedtime which I started doing on 1/10/12. About 5 days ago I started noticing some mild anxiety and depression. By Sunday I also wasn't urinating as much as I usually do and I was full on depressed and my anxiety was off the charts - about everything. My health, the fact that I went to Seattle, the money we are spending on doctors and supplements, and DH being in Nepal on a mission trip.

DH left to go to Nepal last Thursday. The time difference is 11 hours and 45 minutes so we were trying to Skype every morning and every night. We had Skyped Saturday morning and the plan was to do so again that night. By 9 PM I was really tired and sent him an email that I was going to bed. Sunday morning there was no reply to my email. I thought it was odd but wasn't worried at that point. Throughout the day, as my anxiety was building and I didn't hear from DH which is highly unusual, I got more and more worried. I even called DH's hotel room around midnight his time and there was no answer. The combination of dealing with anxiety and not being able to reach DH made for an awful day. Around 2 PM he called to tell me that first they had gotten stuck in a demonstration, then later, on their way home, the car broke down in the middle of nowhere and they were stuck out there until just then which was about 2 AM. What a relief it was to finally hear from him!

Anyway, I skipped the Valtrex that Sunday night and felt much better the next day. Actually, I had a pretty good day Monday. I walked Mojo for half an hour - even up hill since my heart rate was much lower as well - I vacuumed and mopped the upstairs of our house and later that night walked Mojo again for about 10 minutes. That's more than I am normally capable off.

I did start back on all the supps and also the Diflucan on Monday so yesterday I had a bit of die off. I did some coffee enemas in the morning which helped. Today it's even worse but tolerable.

Yesterday I had a phone consultation with Dr. D to discuss the Valtrex issue. She thinks what was happening is a good sign because the Valtrex is working, it's killing viruses in my brain and that is causing die off and is affecting my central nervous system causing those symptoms. She said to skip it for 2 weeks then go back on 500 mg for a week. If that works ok she said to go back up to the full dose of 1 gram and see how I feel. I felt better after talking to her and what she says makes a lot of sense.

Since I had her on the phone I also asked her about another issue I am facing. Around mid December I started fluctuating between feeling hot and cold. The last 7 to 10 days it has gotten a lot worse and I noticed some of it has to do with activity. I keep the house at 68 degrees. If I am standing in the kitchen doing dishes or something I am burning up and sweating. If I am sitting, wearing the same clothes, I am freezing and usually put a fleece on. Monday night when I walked Mojo it was dark outside and 47 degrees. Within 5 minutes of walking I was so hot I had to take my coat off. I was walking around in just a long sleeve t-shirt and it felt way too hot and again I started sweating - 47 degrees. Once I got back home I was freezing within a few minutes. I also get way too hot when I eat. About half way through my meal I start shedding clothes because I am so hot. Dr. D said it's a nervous system dysfunction and as my body heals this will go away. I guess in the meantime I just have to deal with it.

Overall the die off isn't too bad but it's not pleasant either. My heart rate, as usual when I am detoxing, is really high again. This morning it got up to 186 while I was fixing my breakfast. It feels awful and I am still taking 2 beta blockers a day. I don't like it but I figure this also will resolve itself as my body heals.

I Feel Like Death

Yesterday I took all supps/meds except Diflucan, clay, and my berberine/GSE supp. Throughout the day I was starting to feel worse and worse. My body was "expanding" and by evening, my jeans which had been loose earlier in the day, were skin tight on my thighs, hips, and butt. My stomach was more distended than usual, my whole body was achy and I just felt uncomfortable.

I woke up this morning with both eye lids swollen - here lately only my right eye lid has been swollen - a headache, backache, calf pain, fatigue, heart racing at 160 with blood pressure 97/72, not cognitive, angry, and just feeling plain old miserable. I was supposed to get blood drawn but changed my appointment to tomorrow. I just didn't feel like going and just wanted to crawl back into bed. I did have to go to the post office at 8 AM and when I got in my car I could barely get it out of gear. We have had problems with the clutch on and off but no amount of pumping the clutch worked. I had checked the fluid on Sunday and (thought) it was fine. Took Bob's truck and when I got back checked my car again - nothing. I called our mechanic who said to have it towed in. Luckily we have 100 miles of towing with AAA. As it turns out the clutch fluid had leaked. After refilling it I was able to shift but still didn't want to chance driving it to the mechanic myself.

When I hung up the phone I just burst into tears. Not because of the car, or the die off, or anything in particular, I think I am just really emotional FROM die off and things came crashing in on me. I started thinking about how miserable I have been feeling for years, how long it has been since I have worked, how far behind I am in my field (database programming), how awful I feel after eating, what a long read I have ahead of me, etc. and I felt overwhelmed. I sat there and cried for a bit and then picked myself up and started cleaning up the kitchen.

The car has been towed now and I am about to jump in the tub. I am glad that I have to stop all supps today because of the urine and stool tests this weekend. Monday I will go back on everything and it's a good thing DH will be out of town while I am going through major herxing.