MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure Part 10 - Learnings From the MTHFR Support Info Night

What I learnt at the MTHFR Support info night. [Disclaimer: it is possible I've made errors in my explanations here, do let me know if you know better. I'm doing my best to remember what I learnt but I'm still just getting my head around all this):

1) Vitamin B12 plays a crucial role in the methylation cycle. If one has a MTHFR mutation and so is supplementing with methyl donor supplements like I am (I take methionine) but isn't able to absorb vitamin B12 from food properly due to low stomach acid, or is taking a not very bioavailable form of supplemental B12 (which for many people is any form of swallowed B12 supplement) then one can end up with a build up of methyl-groups, which is bad news. I know I have low stomach acid and that I do best taking a sublingual B12 supplement (that absorbs under the tongue, not swallowed), however since starting on my fancy MTHFR supplementation which includes B12 in a capsule, I stopped taking my sublingual B12. After considering the above I decided to take a sublingual B12 after the info night and see if I noticed a difference. Well, I slept amazingly well and felt incredible the next morning, the most normal/with-it/functional I've felt in ages. Thinking that means I haven't been absorbing vitamin B12 from my (bloody expensive) supplements and have been getting a build up of methyl groups as a result.

2) 'Tiger stripes' like my burn-like marks are not a sign of heavy metal detoxification like my doctor said, but are a sign of over-methylation, ie not being able to use methyl groups properly, leading to a build up in the body. Since I was diagnosed as a severe undermethylator it would seem that the supplements I've been taking have successfully addressed that issue with their donating of methyl groups and have done such a good job that I've now been pushed to the other extreme (just like the shaman said)! Lol. A new problem, but not one that can't be fixed by just cutting back on the supps and making sure that ALL parts of the methylation cycle are being addressed (so that includes taking sublingual B12, not just the B12 in my capsules).

3) Folate (vitamin B9) is also super important in the methylation cycle. I presumed I was getting my folate from green leafy veggies. What I had forgotten was that folate is heat sensitive, and that my prefered way of eating green leafy veggies since my digestion broke down (due to the Doxycycline episode), ie soupy and soggy, ain't going to be giving me much folate! No wonder I'd start to feel exhausted after a couple of days of no salad or lightly steamed veggies, and that I'd feel remarkably better after making myself green juices .Lol. Oh I feel silly. Oh well, much great learning!

Gene Testing, MTHFR Support Australia, and Gut Pro

Going the whole hog. Doing the 23andme thing and getting my entire DNA analysed. Is there such a thing as too much information?? I think so. Still, it doesn't seem to be stopping me!

In other news I went to one of MTHFR Support Australia's information nights last night. Despite being clever marketing on their part, it was excellent. A lot of stuff I already knew, but I did hear some key things that I hadn't previously considered as well as some very interesting feedback on my weird spontaneously appearing burn marks. Will post more over the next few days.

Also, did I mention I was thinking of trying GutPro; a pretty hard-core probiotic? It arrived today and I started with with a very small (1/64th tsp) dose. I am now hoping that my body won't explode as billions of new bacteria engage in microbial warfare with my current bacterial residents; their ultimate plan being to recolonise my digestive tract with their own species. Good for them! And that, apparently, is one of the things that sets GutPro apart from other probiotics. Most probiotics are (I have been told, but should do more research) only of benefit as they pass through your digestive tract; helping you to digest this something over here, killing off that something unwanted over there, until their journey through you comes to an end. GutPro on the other hand, apparently, actually helps to recolonise your digestive tract. So they actively kill off the 'bad guys', stake their claim and start having having babies. What with my numerous affairs with intravenous antibiotics over the years and recent fling with Doxycycline, I figured a bit of recolonisation might be what I need.

So I took that first dose about 45 mins ago. Now I feel distinctively fluffy in the head and my jaw muscles have become oddly tense. I'm not too worried, side-effects are normal as the war on unwelcome microbial squatters begins, as when bacteria die they release chemical compounds which have an effect on your body, this is often referred to as 'die-off'. However there is also the risk of your body just not tolerating the new bacteria so one needs to pay attention. Will keep you posted.

If you're interested in trying Gut Pro, the amazing Kitsa of Kitsa's Kitchen is the Australian distributor. It might seem expensive at $130 but it's powerful stuff and you use teeeny tiny amounts. And those measuring spoons might also seems expensive at $10 but you really need something that can accurately measure those teeny amounts. And they're cute-as with their little names. How can you get cranky at measuring spoons with names like 'Drop', 'Smidgen', 'Pinch', 'Dash', 'Tad'? I couldn't. I love them. $10 well spent I say.

MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure Part 9: More Flux and Checking in with the Doctor

It's so become and adventure! An adventure with numerous rollercoasters and dizzy spells. Especially since seeing the native American healer (let's call him W) and putting colloidal silver in my eyes, nose and ears twice a day. I love it! It makes me feel funny, in a good way. And all rather cleaned out.

I've also found it's awesome for my skin! I get pimples, which initially improved a lot since upping my zinc, but then got worse once my body started detoxing. Doctor and fellow MTHFRs tell me these breakouts are normal. Way to help it is to take more vitamin C (up to 6000mg a day my Dr said) and liver support supplements like milk thistle. I've found that to be good advice, they make a real difference.

So I saw my MTHFR/pyrrole doctor yesterday. First time since starting the supplements. I told him about my weird and disturbing array of new symptoms, namely:
- The burn like-marks on my arms and pigmentation on my hands that just appear overnight.
- My menstrual cycle suddenly changing from 28 days to 21 days (wtf's with that?)
- The fact that despite having some AMAZING days, most of the time I feel weak and hypersensitive to stimulation.
- Despite feeling 'worse' most of the time I actually feel 'better'. I think that's because my mood has improved, so I just roll with whatever I'm feeling a lot of the time, as long as I can get the rest and quiet I need to not fall to pieces.

Doctor replied by saying I have a 'complicated biochemistry'. That my experience initially will be two steps forward one step back. That most of what I've described are signs of my body detoxing heavy metals which it hasn't been able to do effectively prior to taking the supplements (you need good methylation to detoxify). The burn-like marks on my arm and pigmentation, he said, were likely just that, heavy metal detoxification through my skin (kinda weird hearing a 'normal' doctor say stuff like that, stuff that if I mentioned to my regular GP, would cause much rolling of eyeballs once I left the room, maybe even before I left the room). He also said I'm likely detoxing pathogenic bacteria and parasites. Good stuff.

I chickened out of telling him I saw W, the native American healer, but instead asked him if he thought my body was overwhelmed by the supplements and should I cut back. He said no.

I say yes, lol. Only because since seeing W if I take my full dose of supplements I feel like I'm having a prolonged panic attack. Heart races. Can't sleep. It's like the very first time I took a full dose. Like it's too much for me. And it's not like that's a result of W's protocol of liquid minerals and MMS, no, all this started immediately after seeing W and for 4 days before I even started his protocol (other than the colloidal silver, which I doubt would have that kind of affect).

So my plan of attack is to talk to W and see what he thinks. And in the meantime cut back on my MTHFR/pyrrole supplements to an amount that doesn't make me feel like I have electricity coursing through my body.

I'd like to say more about my experience so far of W's protocol...but I need to study! I will say that I love the MMS! And that rubbing it under my arms (as instructed) works better than any deodorant I've ever used! Yes!! *fistpump* (I hate deodorants, I find they're either toxic, non-toxic but ineffective; non-toxic, effective but overly fragranced; or non-toxic, effective, fragrance free and super -expensive).

Life is good.

MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure Part 8: Shamanism Anyone?

So today I saw a native American healer. Partly out of curiosity; this person has come into my life and I wanted to see what they thought of where my health is at, and partly because the 'crap days' get really wearying; maybe I'm still detoxing and maybe this process takes time, but man I just want to feel better a bit more consistently than I am. I'm EXHAUSTED, mentally and physically so much of the time.

So I saw him. He seemed to think I was in quite a state. My energy field (I imagine that's the same thing as an aura) he said was very close into my body where it should extend out much further. He told me I was very low in copper, selenium, which I know to be correct, and one other trace mineral I can't remember. He told me I have an overgrowth of fungus and parasites in numerous places in my body, that doesn't surprise me at all. He also told me that my body is being overwhelmed by the supplements I'm currently taking and they are building up in my body and that is what is causing the weird marks on my arm. He also said they had been causing my veins to constrict which has been impacting on my stamina. That also doesn't surprise me! Lol.

So he did some energy healing things which I could feel doing...something. Then his wife dropped colloidal silver in my eyes, ears and nostrils, that felt great. And then he prescribed me some much much much more affordable supplements to take; all in liquid form. Namely colloidal silver, MMS, zinc, chromium, a multi-trace mineral, and something called CMD. He says I should feel a lot different very quickly and that I'll only need to take these things for a month or so and that if anyone ever puts me on something that they say I'll need to take for the 'rest of my life' I should be questioning that.

For the rest of the day I'm not meant to lift anything and am meant to rest.

Exciting times.

MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure - Part 7: Rough Days With Silvery Edges.

Thought I would try and post today because, normally, if I feel like I have the past few days, I wouldn’t normally be up to posting due to feeling exhausted and unable to focus. Even if all I’m doing is staying home all day, exhausted.

This has been happening since I took that damn Doxycycline back in May. It’s like I get flashbacks of what that bad reaction was like every time I get hormonal, which for me is just over two weeks a cycle. And what makes things a bit extra intense just lately is that since taking the MTHFR/pyrrole supplementation my cycle has suddenly gone from being 4 weeks long to 3 weeks long! Lol! So for less than a week every three weeks I feel really fucking good. Amazing. And then for a bit over two weeks I feel a range of not so great to completely exhausted and please don’t talk to me because your voice feels like burning. Yup. LOL! Madness!

I will say, however, that what has improved with taking the supplements is my ability to deal with feeling fucked. I don’t feel suicidal or utterly hopeless like I did while taking the Doxycycline or in the PMS periods after taking Doxy but before starting on the supplements. So that is awesome news! What I do feel is extreme fatigue and unable to handle much stimulation. Like someone talking to me, that quickly becomes unbearable. It’s kind of embarrassing, someone will be talking to me and all of the sudden I’ll ‘hit capacity’, as I tend to refer to it, and then my eyes will start to get all watery and I’ll feel rather anxious to escape. Same happens if I go shopping or have to make a lot of decisions. I also can’t seem to handle listening to music for very long or wearing tight or irritating fabrics. Lol! I sound all a bit on the autistic spectrum! Actually that doesn’t sound that crazy considering the research I’ve read into the connection between gut dysbiosis and leaky gut with autistic symptoms (like this: http://www.nleducation.co.uk/resources/abstracts/dysbiosis-in-autism-more-evidence-confirms-association/)

…hmm, interesting. Doing work for college I can handle in small doses if I don’t have to think too much.

So yes. Today is one of the more fucked days. Need to go to the shops but just can’t bring myself to get in the car. Too tired and it feels like my adrenals are writhing, all tender. I’ve also had some weird-ass detoxification symptoms pop up this past week. What looks like burns have suddenly appeared on my arm…I don’t remember burning myself. I might be prone to dissociation but except for the few quite profound episodes I’ve had, I always remember when I hurt myself and I’m quite sure that hasn’t happened this week! If it wasn’t for the fact that despite feeling all the crap stuff I’m also feeling a lot better in a lot of ways, I’d be a bit concerned. I trust it’s all just part of detoxifying, will check with my doctor soon though.

However, although it all sounds pretty bad, good things have been happening! Before this unawesome period started my skin and eyes started to look really quite amazing. I’m not even sure what it was, all I know is that I would look in the mirror and think “wow, I look different, I look better!” And when I have my feeling good days they are feeling amazing days! And I’m feeling a LOT better about my hair thanks to finally dishing out the money to try Morrocco Method. I highly recommend those products and the advice they give, like their regular hair brushing technique (even for curly hair like mine) and instructions on how to cut your own hair, which I did this week! And I love it! :D

The other good things are that my muscle mass is slowly returning and I (when feeling well) have more strength. I’ve upped my weights at the gym and am finding myself walking more, when for most of last term going to the gym meant I couldn’t do anything else for the rest of the day, not even study. And walking to the station to get the train just seemed out of the question if I wanted to be able to concentrate at college.

I think what is also helping is knowing I have more tricks up my sleeve. This Sunday I have a session with a native American healer who I’ve come to know through friends. I’m not sure what to expect other than from the stories he’s told us it sounds like there’s little he can’t help heal. Considering how not good I’m feeling now Sunday can’t come soon enough! Don’t want to get my hopes up though. But I’m very curious as to what he’s going to pick up on and what he’s going to recommend I do to heal.

And if that doesn’t work there is another quite remarkable sounding practitioner I would like to work with; Donal Carr at Place of Chi. He’s Australia’s most qualified CHEK Practitioner and has worked with many professional athletes and Olympians struggling with everything from chronic fatigue and serious physical injury. I saw him yesterday for a introductory consult and I would love to take up his offer to work with me but what with college and working until Christmas I think that will have to wait. I also want to wait until after working with Wolf on Sunday. Who knows, I might be all better soon! Lol! Ahh…that would be awesome. Even if I am feeling better I would still like to work with Donal. I love the sound of the CHEK system (created by Paul Chek) and would like to experience it first hand and consider practitioner training in future.

And if those two things don’t work, I still have something else up my sleeve to try but I won’t talk about it yet.

So yes. Good stuff happening despite feeling crap most of the time! Lots of exciting options that keep me hopeful and optimistic.

Now for an epson salt bath to help with this detoxing process.

MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure Part 6: Roller-coastering

Shortly after my last post about feeling AMAAZING, I unfortunately began to feel rather less than such. Lol. I think that's in part because I was still adjusting to increasing the dose of my new supplements, and partly because I was PMS-ing, and since my Doxycycline experience 3 months ago, PMS has felt a lot like a repeat of that experience, if not anywhere near as intense. 

My guess is that's due to the Doxycycline nuking my beneficial gut-flora, and my theory is that gut flora might play a role in helping one to be more mentally and physically resilient during times of hormonal changes. 

Whatever the reason, focussing on recolonising beneficial gut flora is usually a good idea post a course of antibiotics. So I've been enjoying my fermented veggies, occasional yogurt and kefir, as well as taking a variety of different probiotics supplements, not all at once. I rotate them every week or so. Apparently ingesting a range of different probiotic bacteria is a good way to go. The next one I plan to try is Gutpro http://organic3.com/gutpro/. I've heard it's favoured by people on GAPS protocol due to it's ability to repopulate the gut flora whereas most of the probiotic supplements you buy don't do this.Yes! How about that? Apparently they do make a beneficial difference on their way through the gut so are worth taking but for whatever reason the bacteria from most probiotic supplements aren't able to take up residence in the gut, which you want them to. Well, this is what I've been told but we haven't learnt about this in detail yet, so, maybe do your own research. In fact always do your own research. I may have gotten HDs again for my second lot of exams (thank you, thank you) but I get stuff wrong, man do I get stuff wrong! Like being raw vegan for too long... Damn. Anyhoo. Learning experience!

I have more news but it can wait for another post. Let's just say PMS has passed and I'm back to feeling my new, improved, AMAZING self, a good fair bit of the time. Yay! :D

MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure: Part 5: Herxing and some reflections on attachment and letting go.

My doctor warned me about 'herxing' but I didn't pay much attention. I thought "Oh, it couldn't be much worse than how I've been feeling without the supplements." Turns out I was a bit wrong. In case it's helpful to others experiencing similar, I thought I could list here some of the fun and curious reactions I've experienced since starting my new supplements. 

So the afternoon they arrived I excitedly took the morning dose of 6 capsules at about 3pm reasoning that that would a be a good idea because I obviously need these things, and that at dinner I could take the evening dose. Despite a rather profound experience of feeling truly nutritionally satisfied a few hours after that first dose, once I took the evening dose things turned. There was no sleep to be had that night. There was instead much tossing, turning, sweating, delirious mind racing and such vigorous pounding of my heart I was genuinely concerned I might spring a leak somewhere. Next day I was faint, a bit out-of-it, but wired at the same time, it was like feeling caffeinated to the point of my brain being filled with white noise; not a functional kind of stimulation. Thank goodness this happened after my exams! Driving felt unwise. B vitamins and methionine eh? Powerful little things! I stopped taking them and called the doctor. He said "oh yes, you're a severe undermethylator so you're likely to react, start slow and increase the dose gradually over two weeks." So I've done this and have got a fair bit more sleep since but still am feeling rather dissociatey (my word for 'not quite here'), have gotten a couple of headaches, bit of nausea, a few strange red bumps on my skin, night sweats, the occasional racy heart, but overall much improved. Oh and my hair is falling out. Actually that started when I started taking activated B vitamins and a methyl support supplement when I knew it was likely I had the MTHFR mutation. But now all of the sudden I look like I've had a haircut and I haven't. I trust this is all leading to something good, lol, so I'm just going to let go of attachment. I just hope I don't lose too much more before things turn around!

Actually on attachment and losing things; this has been such an interesting year in relation to such. My whole body shape has changed in a matter of months. As a model known and often praised and sought after for my particular shape it has been REALLY confronting to have that change so quickly. Even though I actually like the shape I am now for a while there, though, I found it very disturbing to look at my reflection in the mirror at the gym because I didn't look like myself. It was like "That's not me. Where am I??". Even now my brain still has a hard time recognising my reflection as myself. I can see it as a nice curvy body, and look, it even has boobs! But it's not my body. And then to be losing my hair (not only a feature on my modelling resume but something I've strongly identified with my whole life; it's long and curly), and energy, and the ability to eat whatever I want without getting strange reactions. Lots of letting go and surrendering to this path, wherever it's leading. 

There have been times, usually while under the influence of hormones or that damn doxycycline, where all this would just seem too much and I'd get upset, but generally I feel up for it. It's like "Ok life, I get it, I won't fight. I give in, I'm listening, just show me what you want me to do, where you want me to go." And I find that when I do that I intuitively know what I need to do next, even if it doesn't seem to make much sense at the time. It reminds me of what I was taught in my years of studying Sufism, and which always made me feel rather uncomfortable; that when God wants to draw someone closer, He/She/It often uses misfortune or disease to do so, because until the person lets go of attachment they're distracted from connecting to God. So I'm just going to let go of attachment now and start talking to the Universe a lot so we can avoid me losing all of my hair, ok? 

Something I heard said recently really resonated with me in relation to this whole experience and has helped me feel even better about it. I think it was Ana Forrest who said it: "Things don't happen to us, they happen FOR us". All this is leading somewhere worthwhile. I can feel it :)

MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure: Part 4 - Pyroluria and dissociation

VERY interesting fact (that I haven't yet checked the references for) about pyroluria/pyrrole disorder:

"It’s onset usually occurs during teenage years with a traumatic incident or stress, such as a change in school, loss of a loved one or moving towns. Even though the disorder does not show until teenage years it is thought to be genetic. Depending on the degree of the disorder there may be severe depression, schizophrenia, alcoholism, autism, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disorder) or on rare occasions, DID (dissociative identity disorder more commonly known as multiple personalities). All of these are different manifestations of pyroluria."

That's pretty much my story and I have DID...(well my psychiatrist calls it it DID, I think just for convenience. I think I only fit the not quite as extreme DDNOS/OSDD criteria).

Wow...As far as I've always heard from 'experts' in the field, dissociative disorders are due to trauma, and that's pretty much it. Yes they express differently by different people but I have never heard links to nutritional malabsorbtion... I must say I'm in a little bit of shock.

And although I'm surprised I'm not surprised, not with the links between nutrition and autism and other psychiatric conditions. But man...wow...

Lol, wait til I tell my psychiatrist! 

http://changinghabits.com.au/_blog/Changing_Habits/post/Pyroluria_-_A_Zinc_and_Vitamin_B6_Deficiency/

MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure: Part 3 - Results Are In

So all tests are back. The doctor was right! Of the two main MTHFR gene mutations that one can tend to have, I have homozygous A1298C. Homozygous means I have it on both genes, Meaning that both of my parents carry the mutation and passed it on to me. If I had it on only one gene it wouldn't cause me any problems, but having it on both genes is a problem and means I will have to take specific supplementation for the rest of my life if I want to stay healthy because I'm not able to get what I need from food alone, at least as I understand it. I'm ok with that, as long as it's not too ridiculously expensive. In which case I'll pressure my parents to help fund it because they're their genes after all! LOL!


I also tested positive for pyroluria/pyrroles disorder which causes one to be deficient in zinc and vitamin B6. However I'm only borderline, so that's good news. Still, treatment is similar to MTHFR because I can't get the nutrients I need from food alone and so will have to supplement. Luckily I'm not high in copper which is often a troublesome symptom for people with pyroluria.
The doctor wrote me out a prescription for compounded supplements (ie supplements made by a compounding chemist especially for me). This part sounds very expensive and I am a little concerned. However one of my friends with MTHFR and pyrroles has a doctor who suggests she buy her supplementation on-line which would be enormously cheaper. I figure I'll go with the compounded supplements for the first month and then reassess after that. 
The past few days, knowing it was likely I was going to test positive for pyrroles, meaning low in zinc, I upped my zinc to 70mg a day; for a normal person that's potentially dangerous. Man, you should've seen my skin clear up!! That was exciting!! And the cold I had just vanished!! Lol! Awesome, bring on improved health I say!


Here's a couple more websites with good info on MTHFR:
http://doccarnahan.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/mthfr-gene-mutation-whats-big-deal.html

And pyrroles:
http://changinghabits.com.au/_blog/Changing_Habits/post/Pyroluria_-_A_Zinc_and_Vitamin_B6_Deficiency/

http://www.truevitality.com.au/articles/pyrrole-disorder/

MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure: Part 2 - The No Supplements for 2 Days Experiment

1st August 2014

Well, that was an interesting experiment! My new doctor arranged for me to get pathology tests for MTHFR and pyroluria today (I will explain what they are eventually). That meant not taking any vitamin or mineral supplements for a couple of days. I was quite pleased about that, I was hoping I might even feel better than normal! Well, yesterday I felt distinctly off-colour but not too bad, and I thought that was as bad as it was going to get. Then this morning I woke feeling not so great so I decided to put on headphones and meditate. I normally find this soo calming but I couldn't relax. My brain was all...fractured and jumping around. Then I noticed my leg muscles were twitching, a lot (magnesium deficiency anyone?), my teeth ached and I had a funny rash on my arm! Lol. Madness! I got out of bed and tried to make breakfast but I felt out of it and faint, almost to the point of thinking I might fall over. I felt a bit better after breakfast and left the house to drive to the special pathology collection place get the tests done. Once I got there I realised I'd left without my wallet (which I never do) and couldn't arrange payment. That and other small dilemmas had me getting teary on and off throughout the day, which I realised were overreactions, but I just couldn't help it, I was ridiculously moody. If I had a sad thought I was likely to start crying.

So, somewhat disappointingly, it would seem supplements really help me to function! "Normal' people are not like this! Lol. SOMETHING is going on! Likely to be a defective MTHFR gene and/or pyroluria says my new doctor. I hope he's right. I could really do with some normal. :)

Unfortunately in my vagueness I also forgot to fast so I have to do one more test on Monday which means no supplements over the weekend! Lol. I think I'm just going to settle back and try and enjoy this crazy ride for what it is.

So MTHFR I just explained for someone. Here:

"MTHFR stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. It's an enzyme that converts the folate in your food into an active form of folate that your body uses to do lots of VERY important things, either directly or indirectly (like creating serotonin and dopamine, detoxifying the body of heavy metals, turning stress responses on and off, controlling inflammation, creating white blood cells, and HEAPS of other things). If you have the MTHFR gene defect then you can't convert enough folate into the active form and so all manner of processes, mental and physical, start to malfunction. Apparently to have a defective MTHFR gene is not uncommon and it's treated by taking specific supplements and avoiding others. Doctors who know about it tend to think everybody should be tested.”

More info on MTHFR here: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/mthfr/

MTHFR and Pyroluria Adventure: Part 1

30^th July 2014

And following on from that big fat post, last night I saw a new integrative doctor. He believes the reason I'm still struggling with a number of symptoms (weak legs, odd rashes, overall not feeling as awesome as I think I should) despite my great diet, is that I likely have pyrrolle disorder (or pyroluria) and MTHFR. I'll explain them in more detail another time but it basically means that no matter what I eat I'm not able to metabolise or use nutrients properly which then leads to a huge variety of seemingly unrelated symptoms which get worse over time. Everything from my sensitive teeth, to slow digestion, to lowered immunity, to dry skin and thinning hair, the list goes on.

I learnt about pyrrolle and MTHFR via a couple of friends who were diagnosed with both earlier this year. Then it was casually suggested to me by a doctor that this might be my problem as well. If it is (I go for tests on Friday) then that's good news! There's effective treatment via the taking of specific supplements and avoiding others. There's probably dietary modification as well but I haven't looked into that yet. 
I'm excited not just at the idea of feeling well again but that having this knowledge and experience will help me to help others once I start seeing clients. And although more and more integrative practitioners are becoming aware of MTHFR and pyrrolle, many still don't know what it is (my last fancy expensive doctor didn't and neither did the nutritionist I saw a few months back) and so they don't know to test for it. And with conditions like these, approaches that will help most of the population will only work a little with people with MTHFR/pyrrolle if at all.

Exciting times!

It has been an interesting month

It has been a very interesting month or so since I last did one of my longer posts on here. My being quiet has in part been because I've still feeling the effects of that antibiotic. My capacity to do stuff, pretty much everything including thinking, has been significantly less than usual. Yes I've been feeling a LOT better overall, but as soon as I started getting back to the gym and fitting in a social life around study, that was it, I really had no energy left. It's not unusual lately that I go to the gym in the morning on a day I plan to study and then find that I can't think for the rest of the day! I'm all used up. My brain feels full of cotton wool. I can think a bit but it's such an effort to focus. This is, I believe, the commonly referred to 'brain-fog'; a typical symptom of so many conditions connected to inadequate digestion/metabolism and gut-flora imbalances. Although it's been annoying I'm not too bothered. I know I'm improving and I've had similar prolonged reactions to antibiotics before.

The other reason I've been quiet is that for a few weeks there I was feeling all a bit bored and over it. Of food, of nutrition, of study and especially of all the sitting on my butt that it involves. And then there was the assignment which involved the creation of a detailed meal-plan for a client. This was meant to be a taste of what it's like to be a practising nutritionist. I hated it. Lol! I was all "Oh man, I seriously can't be bothered caring that much about what someone eats. I have a hard enough time figuring out what I should be eating." This did not bode well for someone planning to become a nutritionist! 

Jumping to now things I'm glad to say things have shifted. Looking back I can recognise a number of factors that I think contributed to me feeling the way I was feeling. Excuse my whiney tone for these next few paragraphs:

1. I still struggle with my health. I still feel like I haven't quite figured out how to break through a couple of symptoms that still give me ongoing trouble, this is in addition to the antibiotic related fatigue/digestive issues.

2. I have a couple of friends, one in particular who struggles with conditions relating to nutrient metabolism and gut flora issues. When I checked in with her a month or so ago, despite seeing the fancy up-to-date integrative medicine doctor, and cutting out dozens of foods and taking fancy supplements, she was still feeling like crap.

3. It's fucking hard work! Lol. All this bloody cooking and food prep and restricting foods. And for what? I want to be at my best now! Seriously. I'm doing ALL the things! It's been months! I want to be better NOW!

4. I started studying nutrition because I truly thought I could help people. However, after learning all the confusing information that I've learnt thus far I don't know if anyone really knows how to help anyone anymore! Lol! And if that's the case, I'd rather be an artist.

5. I really do need to be an artist.

So yes, up until a week or so ago I was pretty much ready to quit. I started to allow my mind to focus on myself as an artist/musician and make some plans. That felt great. I don't regret that happening at all. 

But then little things started happening. My mum asked to see my food-plan assignment. She thought it was fantastic, which really surprised me. That was nice. She asked for a copy and took it to show my (marathon running) uncle who had recently seen a dietitian and was given a food-plan (for quite a price!). Turns out he preferred my food-plan and took the copy I gave to my mum, and is apparently going to follow that instead! That also felt nice. Very encouraging. 

Despite that encouragement, though, I was still feeling quite decided that I was going to drop out. I started telling some friends and family members about my thoughts of stopping my studies. Well, they didn't seem to like that idea at all. Most of them confronted me in one way or another (some more tactfully than others) which I'm not used to! Lol. Normally they just leave me be to make my own decisions, but it was like they really didn't want me to drop out. As though they thought I was on to a good thing. Like they thought I actually have something to offer people. Like they believe I would actually make a good nutritionist. I don't think I've ever experienced so much encouragement to stick with something before. And as much as I didn't want to be influenced by their encouragement and just wanted to quit and move on, it had an affect on me.

I started reflecting on how people around me have responded to my studying nutrition. Like one family member has drastically cut down their alcohol consumption after I explained what I'd learnt about alcohol metabolism. Another family member now frequently proudly shows me her plate full of veggies whereas it used to be full of stacks of (not particular nutritious) rice-cakes. She keeps telling me how much better eating more veggies is making her feel. And she's gone from being passionately uninterested in nutrition to enthusiastically reading about the science behind cholesterol and atherosclerosis. It's heart warming. My dad in particular has been very pleased I've taken this path. Since the beginning he's been telling his friends and saying "it will be like having a doctor in the family", lol.

Then there's another family member I've been talking to about my current nutritional interest; intuitive eating. It seems I've inspired her because she's bought the book and tells me she feels it's made a positive difference to her life already. And, as someone who's practising eating this way myself, I find it really inspiring talking to her about it. It helps us both.

Then there's the recent glut of health problems that have been popping up in family and friends; lots of 'high' cholesterol and people being encouraged by their doctors to take statins, there's gut-related issues, serious autoimmune conditions, and then there's the next generation coming through to look after. I've subtly offered information to some of these people and, to my surprise, they've taken it on board, more or less, often with good affect. That feels good, like I'm actually able to be help people. What with all these modern ailments popping up these days I almost feel obliged to keep studying to keep us well as a family. Not that that will fall to me, of course, but at least I can be an educated resource of up-to-date information in a landscape of confusing and conflicting information. 

But I think the tide actually turned for me when I caught up with two of my closest friends this past week. One a doctor and one that friend I mentioned above who struggles with metabolism and gut problems. 

My doctor friend was so encouraging of me to keep going. She told me that when she thinks of me she thinks of artist/musician/food-related stuff (there were some other things too, but I forgot). She says it's part of me. And as much as I hate that idea (having been someone who has a eating disordered history and would like to think that food and I are ex-lovers and I will never be identified with it in any way ever again), she's right. What she said also reinforced the idea that it doesn't to be science or creativity. I can do both. I may have to let go of getting top marks in order to have balance in my life, but that's a sacrifice worth making, I feel.

And my other friend, wow, she looked and sounded the best I have ever seen her. She told me it's because she's finally sticking to what her integrative doctor told her to do; ie strictly avoid certain foods and take certain supplements. She was a different person to who she was the last time I saw her. I was stunned. And so encouraged that there is hope. 

Ok. I'm convinced. I'll stick with this and see what kind of integrative nutritionist/intuitive eating counsellor/creativity inspiring creature I turn into. Seat-belt buckled.

Catching up! Posts from Food As Medicine Facebook Page - Part 1

I have been meaning to post simultaneously on my Facebook page and here, but it hasn't worked out that way at all! Here are a collection of posts from the Food As Medicine FB page:

MICROBIOME
One of my favourite subjects at present is the human microbiome; the ecosystem of micro-organisms that live in and on our bodies. Exciting new discoveries have been made in this area recently with profound implications for health and nutrition. I look forward to sharing them with you. Like this one... Did you know that almost 60% of your faecal matter is bacteria, not food/fibre? I dare you to have a good look in the loo and reflect on that.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7359576

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LACTOSE INTOLERANCE
Lactose intolerance! On my tea break from study I read something very interesting about humans and lactose that I hadn't heard before... "Some people get diagnosed as lactose intolerant...after infancy we are all 'lactose intolerant' because the human gut does not produce an enzyme to digest lactose, called lactase. So how do many of us manage to digest milk? Because we have particular species of probiotic bacteria in the gut which do this work for us. Some of the most well studied lactose-digesting species are physiological strains of E.coli. People who cannot digest lactose have abnormal gut flora; they are lacking those probiotic bacteria." (From Campbell-McBride's 2007 book 'Put Your Heart In Your Mouth'). She then suggests that rather than substitute highly process lactose free dairy products or soy, focus on restoring your gut flora by eating fermented food and taking good quality, multi-strain probiotics. *eyes my lost lover, cheese*

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SOY- HEALTHFUL OR NOT?
So what's the deal with soy? Is it healthy or not? This is Dr Campbell-McBride's view (from her heart health book 'Put Your Heart In Your Mouth'). From reading similar from a number of sources it's become my view also; avoid soy unless in well fermented forms like tempeh, miso, tamari, natto and eat in moderate amounts. 

The last paragraph that runs over the page is very interesting also, it reads: " Western producers of soy would like you to believe that the health of Japanese people depends on their consumption of soy. The truth is very different. Many of the health benefits of traditional Japanese cooking can be attributed to seaweed, which is consumed daily in good amounts. Fresh and dried seaweed is full of nutrients..."

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WHICH POO ARE YOU?
Which poo are you?* Had a brief introduction to poo in class yesterday with lots more to come! Apparently we should aiming for types 4-5. Types 1-3 are signs of constipation and 5-7 are diarrhoea. Enjoy your dinner. 

* You don't have to answer that question.

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DANGERS OF EXCESSIVE SITTING
Is sitting too much sending you to an early grave? I hope not! I'm spending a LOT of time sitting studying these days so am grateful for this reminder! I'm now considering getting a desk I can use while standing. Or at least one of those funky chairs like in the animation. At college I walk up and down the stairs and stretch every chance I get. The other students have asked if there's something wrong with my back. Lol! No, I'm just used to having an active job not sitting at a desk! Right now I am standing using my laptop  Yay for standing! http://vimeo.com/71441709

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GRAINS, GLUTEN AND BRAIN HEALTH 
Thought to share what I'm reading lately, outside of anatomy and physiology and chemistry textbooks. Dr David Perlmutter's latest book Grain Brain is excellent! I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to preserve their health. In a nutshell Dr Perlmutter is a neurologist and a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition. In his practice he treats many people with Alzheimer's along with other neurological disorders. In Grain Brain he explains the strong links between gluten/starchy carbohydrates/sugar, and chronic degenerative diseases such as autoimmune diseases which include neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's.

This is the 5th book I've read in the past year that says everybody should avoid gluten, celiac or not. Two of those book were written by practising neurologists. who are also nutritionists. I trust them. I stopped eating gluten about 6 months ago. I stopped eating wheat about a year before that. It made a HUGE difference to how I felt.

Here's some links if you're interested:
http://www.drperlmutter.com/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/29/dr-perlmutter-gluten.aspx

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LIQUID SALAD
What is it and why?

Blended vegetables with apple cider vinegar. I call it 'liquid salad'. This mix is kale, parsley, alfalfa and mung bean sprouts, and carrot.

I started making it when I was having trouble digesting salad and raw vegetables which happened after being predominantly (approx 75%) raw vegan for too long (about 4 months was too long for my body). I was getting significant stomach pain and bloating every time I ate something with salad! Which was almost every meal. I also lost muscle mass which was crappy because if you lose muscle mass your metabolism drops. I didn't realise that was what was happening. Lesson learnt!

Anyhoo. I noticed that despite having trouble with salad, I had no noticeable trouble digesting green smoothies (raw blended veg and fruit).

Initially to help heal my digestive system, because it was obviously distressed, I ate only cooked veg, soups, fermented foods and meat for a few weeks (GAPS protocol). After a while though, I found myself craving fresh raw vegetables but found my stomach still couldn't handle them in the kinds of amounts I tended to eat. So I tried blending them and had no problem at all! Yay!

I don't drink it like a smoothie, I spoon it on like a dressing or cook it a little and it becomes a bit like a sauce. I've made some tonight partly because it's a really quick and easy way of eating and digesting raw vegetables, and partly because I've gone a bit hard on the raw veg lately and I think maybe I've stressed out my tummy a bit. It could probably do with some mollycoddling and rather than have no raw foods at all, I'll cut down a bit and add liquid salad. The apple cider vinegar makes it yummy and helps it keep better in the fridge.

Dinner - what and why

Dinner  So, what and why:

Organic spinach, pumpkin, broccolini and onion - Why? Because organic vegetables are more nutrient dense ie have more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and don't (shouldn't) contain pesticide residue. Also different coloured vegetables contain different phytonutrients that all play different roles in the body. It's important to eat a variety of colours and types of vegetables to get a good mix of nutrients.

Lightly steamed - Why? So that heat sensitive nutrients (like vitamin C, folate and phytonutrients) are not completely destroyed as they would be if overcooked, and so minerals are not lost in cooking water if boiling. Here's a good table on vitamins and what their individual vulnerabilities are:http://www.beyondveg.com/tu-j-l/raw-cooked/raw-cooked-2e.shtml Also I still don't tolerate too much raw veg so eat my veg mostly lightly steamed these days.

Raw organic cucumber - Why? Because beneficial enzymes and some nutrients are going to be lost in steaming, and I can handle a bit of raw veg. Enzymes help to digest your food which takes some pressure off your digestive system they also help with numerous other bodily processes, more on that another time.

Organic sauerkraut - Why? Fermented foods contain probiotic (good) bacteria, SO important for EVERYTHING. I thought 60% of your immune system is located in your gut but my teacher said that it's up to 80%. Beneficial bacteria play a vital role in helping to maintain your immune system. Fermented foods also contain those beneficial enzymes.

'Grass-fed and finished' beef mince - Why? Because cows naturally eat grass, not grain. When they eat grain their meat becomes unusually high in omega 6 fatty acids that in high concentrations in the human body are inflammatory and inflammation leads to so many bad things! Heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, diabetes etc. Most western diets provide very high omega 6 levels, we don't need more from beef. When grazing cattle are grass-fed and finished (meaning grass-fed all the way through, not grain-fed at the end for fattening up before slaughter like most are) their meat apparently has more omega 3 than fish! Omega 3 fatty acids counteract the inflammatory effects of omega 6. Good stuff.
Here's a whole lot of scholarly articles on omega 3 and 6 and inflammation for those that appreciate them:http://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?q=omega+6+inflammatory+response&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=LW4hU7yZGZCEkgX9hoHICA&ved=0CCkQgQMwAA

At least a tablespoon of cold pressed, virgin coconut oil - Why? You'll notice there's no grains in this meal and no starchy veg either. That's common for me at present. My diet is currently very low in carbohydrate (as I was reacting to grains and high carb foods as a result of being vegan, my body didn't like it for more than a short period), and so my energy comes from fat. Good fats are so important for the brain. Most people don't get enough good fats. More about them another time.

Orthorexia Anyone? Part 2

The second thing I found myself doing that helped quieten the obsessive good/bad food thoughts in my head was actively not listening to them. I told my long story of finding my way into eating disorder support groups first because I don’t know if I could’ve done this second step if I wasn’t going to those meetings. What I noticed about going to the support groups was that it didn’t stop the thoughts, but it did make them quieter and less powerful. And that made all the difference. For the first time I actually felt as though I could, if I wanted to, just ignore them, like a radio in the background. And then little by little they became fainter and fainter. As long as I kept going to meetings though! Lol. Unfortunately if I stopped going or stopped being in touch with my friends there, at least in the first year or two (yes, this process took years!) the thoughts became loud and demanding again. Quiet or loud they never disappeared completely. They were, and still are, always there if I want to listen and they get louder and stronger the more I engage with them. And they’re deceiving things. They sound so convincing and rational. They throw facts at me, and they provide references! They KNOW what’s right, they tell me. What I found, however, was that when I stopped listening to them I got HEALTHIER. A lot healthier. That had them stumped. I did put on a bit of weight for a while because when I stopped restricting then there was still my overeating to address. But I felt SO much better, and it was like I had to go through a period of allowing myself to not restrict or control my food at all as a way of disconnecting from being so identified with those thoughts that had been so dominant in my head for so long so I could then move beyond them.

More to come. Do you relate? Would love to hear from you.

https://www.facebook.com/myfoodmymedicine

Orthorexia Anyone?

So, I'm at the end of trimester 1 already and I've barely posted on this blog at all! Lol! I have however been very active and posting often blog-sized posts on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/myfoodmymedicine . If you are interested in what I'm discovering as I study that's the place to go, at least for now.

And what has been the biggest lesson I've learnt so far? Is it that gluten is the devil? Is it that fermented foods and bone broths are awesome? Is it that saturated fats are good and polyunsaturated fats are bad? Is it that the human microbiome is one of the most amazing things in the universe?

Maybe that last one, but no, I think there's one even more important discovery that I'm revisiting after many years.

I have a tendency for orthorexia, ie an obsession with being healthy that can lead to ill-health. It totally got me in my 20s and once I began to recover for a long time things like walking into the health food aisle at the supermarket felt equivalent to walking into a bar had I'd been an alcoholic, I just had to avoid it or my head would go crazy.

But I remember what it was like before I recovered. It was awful! Constant preoccupation with food; what I'd eaten, what it was doing to me, what I'd done wrong from the last meal, yesterday's meals, a lifetime of meals, what I had to do to fix it. Except I could never fix it enough. And I knew that because I never felt ok. If I felt unwell in some way (and I became HYPER-sensitive to every little twinge in my body) it must have been what I'd eaten, or not eaten.

Last week on my Facebook page I wrote a post about listening to one's body, as opposed to one's head, when it comes to food, exercise, anything. Someone messaged me to ask if I had any pointers for how to get out of one's head and into one's gut feelings in relation to food. In replying I realised, unfortunately, that I had relatively little recent experience of doing this. I did however have years of experience of how I came to be able to do that in the past, to share. And what perfect timing for me to be reminded by what I had to say:

"How did I stop my head?

I think the first thing that helped was support groups. I actually ended up there quite by chance. I didn't think I had an eating disorder (it was a relatively mild eating disorder as far as eating disorders go, but it was disorderly enough to have me constantly preoccupied with food and having trouble breathing when I ate ie panic attacks at some meals and binging at others). I was studying music therapy at uni at the time and I had learnt about community support groups and 12-step groups and how effective they were. I had also read that the only way to really understand why they're so effective was to join one. So I learnt about of all the different groups and wondered where I might be able to fit. I didn't drink or smoke or do drugs or have a sex problem so they were all out. Then I saw OA, overeaters anonymous and I thought "well thoughts of food do interrupt my meditation, maybe I'll go there". I didn't think I had any problem at all with food. I thought I was the only one who knew how to eat properly, I just couldn't do it perfectly enough.

So I went and it blew me away. They all talked like the thoughts in my head sounded (more or less)! I thought I'd go and be surrounded by fat people but they were mostly normal sized, just all obsessed with food, either using it for comfort (binging) or for control (restricting, health obsession/orthorexia, bulimia, anorexia). And what was cool about being there was that they recognised it for what it was, and went to the meetings as a way of staying aware and lessening the power food had over them, just by talking about what they were experiencing and being heard by other people who related and accepted them just as they were, and then by listening to other people's experiences. Going there helped me to be aware of patterns I just had never seen before. The hugest one I think was how much of my 'food problem' was actually a thinking/obsessing problem.

It became clear that for me food was about control. I felt like if I could just get my food right then everything would perfect. But I just couldn't get my food right. The more I learnt (it was mid 90s I was into macrobiotics and food combining and candida diets) the harder it became to feel ok when I ate, and the crazier/more out of control I felt, which to me obviously meant I hadn't got my food right so I obviously just had to try harder, to research more.

When I started going to OA I felt such relief at being around people who talked like I thought and who had behaviours like mine that I was able to relax for the first time in ages. I wasn't alone struggling with food any more (this was pre-internet, it was a lot easier to feel alone! Lol). I didn't realise just how much energy I had caught up in 'trying to eat right' and because my brain didn't think I was doing it right, it thought the best way to remedy that was by thinking about food, constantly. Lol. Trying to figure out what I'd done right, what I'd done wrong, why I was feeling this, why I was feeling that.

Where I'm getting to with this is that the relief and support I felt by going to OA made me feel like it was finally safe to let go of the thoughts in my head. I didn't feel like I had to be in control because I felt supported and safe enough in that environment that I felt quite sure I wouldn't die if I ate something 'wrong'.

So that was the first step that helped quieten my head."

Then I wrote more! But I'll leave that for another time. Very grateful to the lass who inspired me to write about this! It's really had me rethinking my current relationship with food and just in the nick of time I think!

Bondi Junction Wholefoods Tour

I caught up with a friend over the weekend and on hearing I'm about to start studying nutrition she suggested we meet at Earth To Table vegan cafe in Bondi Junction followed by a tour of some of the other interesting whole food grocers and eateries in the area. I'm a upper Northshore girl and visit the Eastern suburbs rarely so I had no idea what to expect.

I'll admit I was a bit concerned about the idea of lunch at a vegan cafe. All the vegetarian/vegan eateries I've been to don't have much to offer the person who's trying to avoid eating grains. Even the Nature Care College and Australasian College of Natural Therapies cafes that I visited during their open days featured predominantly grain based meals, and salads, too much of which I also seem to be having trouble with lately.

Well! I'm glad to say I was most pleasantly surprised and impressed perusing Earth To Table's delicious sounding menu and finding very little grain at all!! Woohoo!! And no sugar, no dairy, no gluten. Instead there's dishes featuring kelp noodles, spiralised vegetables (veggies shaved into spaghetti-like spirals), nut and seed meal based recipes, coconut this and that, and more superfoods than I thought a business could afford to have on a reasonably priced menu!

I was going to go with a dish light on the raw veg but then someone nearby ordered what I think was called something like Rainbow Noodles (I didn't know I was going to write a blog post about it, otherwise I would've paid more attention, and I can't find a menu online, sorry) and decided "I want that one". It looked like a pile of multi-coloured noodles but was in fact raw spiralised carrot, beetroot and zucchini with baby spinach, avocado and pesto (pictured above). It looked and tasted amazing! Although, like I said, I haven't been handling too much salad all that well lately and within an hour or so I had a mild tummy ache. Lol! Ah well. I don't regret it. I'll put it down as a learning experience and trust that the changes I'm making to my diet will soon make me more able to properly digest spectacular salads like this.

My friend had a chocolate brownie (I'm presuming almond meal or similar and sweetened with maybe coconut nectar, dates or honey) and chocolate coconut milk ice-cream (see photo on right). Oh my! How's the presentation?! I didn't taste it but man it looked good! If I hadn't already been treated to a gluten/dairy/sugar free cake that day I so would've had one as well.

From Earth To Table we wandered over past one of the local Crossfit gyms (they have more than one!) to BU Organics. Goodness! They appear to stock everything your health conscious person could possibly wish to buy, from specialised supplements that are normally only available to purchase online from the US, to water filters, to fresh organic fruits, veg and meats, to a great array of fermented foods and some delicious looking sweets and savouries. A rather ripped young woman (a Crossfitter me thinks) spoke to us enthusiastically about the benefits of combining fossil shell flour and MSM. She was a bit scary. Lol! My friend purchased us some sprouted, toasted buckwheat spread with cashew nut butter. More serious yum!

Then we headed over to aboutlife natural marketplace. I haven't visited an aboutlife since the early days of the original store in Rozelle. They've come a long way since then! What a great selection of fresh organic food and products! I picked up a dozen organic eggs at a great price as I've been eating 2 or 3 a day just lately!

We then crossed the road and popped into the controversial Pete Melov's The Suveran cafe and his adjoining whole foods shop next door. Wow, again. This Northshore girl was blown away by how Bondi has very much embraced the newer 'trends' in nutrition. It was nice to see all the things that I try to incorporate into my diet and feel a bit weird about (lots of fermented foods and grain free alternatives), totally embraced and normalised. My friend bought a fermented coconut and spirulina smoothie and me a 'carob...something' sorry! Again, if I knew I was going to blog about this I would've paid more attention!

Next was a butcher specialising in free range meats where I picked up a very interesting GAPS friendly sounding leaflet for True Foods Nutrition. I'm tempted to try some of their great sounding workshops.

Finally we had a peak through the window at the Paleo Cafe which I'll have to visit another time.

Wow. Well. I am impressed! I tip my hat to you Bondi. I think it will be some years indeed before someone in my humble northshore suburb is brave enough to open a raw vegan whole food or paleo cafe. But who knows!

High Tea...High Time For Change

I am currently in what I refer to as a bit of a 'f@#k it' period in relation to food. It doesn't look like anything extreme, it just means I'm not restricting food groups and will pretty much have a go at anything if it's offered to me. Although at home I have the last few weeks been experimenting with implementing aspects of the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) protocol as I have a feel that's kind of where I'm headed, unfortunately.

I say unfortunately because it's a grain-free diet and as much as I try to ignore it I seem to be having trouble with grains, and I love grains! Still it will be an experience! And implementing the GAPS protocol into my own life, I believe, will help me in assisting others to do the same thing should they wish/need to which is something I would very much like to do as a practitioner. More about GAPS in a later post. However if you're curious check out the GAPS website. The creator of the GAPS protocol (fancy word for diet) Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride is my new hero. This interview and this presentation  sum up her work exceptionally well. She has completely changed my perspective of food as medicine and was my inspiration to study nutritional medicine.

But I wanted to talk about high tea! I love a high tea! Especially the half price ones you can get on the various coupon sites! Up until recently I've been able to handle the occasional high tea indulgence with relative ease. However I thought to post about how I have reacted to the one I shared today with my mum.

It was your average high tea; wheat based savouries with meat and dairy, scones with jam and cream, and numerous, delectable little cakes and pastries. Now, 6 hours later, I'm in a fair bit of discomfort. My stomach is mildly crampy, the glands around my jaw are swollen, my ear pressure feels different, probably from the swollen glands, and my throat is a little sore.

Over the past couple of months these symptoms and a few others have become increasingly regular after eating. I was roughly 85% raw vegan for some time there and I put the symptoms down to possible 'detox', however when I started to regularly experience uncomfortable bloating after a seemingly very simple meal of raw veggies, cooked (and pre-soaked) grains and avocado, I was stumped. I started to incorporate animal products back into my diet and many of the symptoms stopped, until I ate grains, unfermented dairy, or too much sugar.

So my guess (and I'm very open to being wrong) is that my gut flora is pretty seriously out of whack (for reasons I'll probably discuss in a later post), my gut lining is quite possibly damaged, I'm not digesting properly, and my body's not coping. The solution, I believe, is to start really looking after my gut flora and heal my gut-lining. So I'm thinking no grains or legumes, because apparently they damage the gut-lining. No refined sweeteners because they feed the opportunistic ('bad') bacteria. No unfermented dairy, cause...something about casein that I can't remember. No starchy vegetables, cause they're hard to digest and so also feed the opportunistic bacteria. Go easy on the raw veggies other than juices (because they're hard to digest and my tummy needs a break). And hello animal products! Bone broths (apparently awesome for healing the gut-lining, organic gelatin is also meant to be good), soups (easy to digest) and organ meats (concentrated nutrients) here I come! And hello fermented foods! Just as well I already love you! What I've described is pretty much the GAPS protocol in a nutshell. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet, I believe is similar but I haven't looked into it. It could be that simply going paleo might be enough. I will be curious to see what helps.

Next step. Seek some professional advice.

I share all this not to be boring and self-centred, I generally avoid talking about my food reactions from fear of it getting tedious, but because I hope to be able to share at a later stage how all these symptoms have disappeared and what led to that result. I'll be my first case study!

To be continued...