I didn’t leave Canada because of politics. I left because my body couldn’t function well in that climate. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a biological response to prolonged light deprivation, and in Canada it shaped my life far more than I wanted to admit. Looking back, the pattern began early. By grade eight, winter depression had already taken hold—I spent long hours crying alone in my room, unable to explain why everything felt so heavy. When I finally tried to talk to my mother about it, she told me I had nothing to cry about. I learned then to keep such matters to myself. As the years went on, each winter brought the same predictable shutdown—my energy, my mood,  my sense of hope. This wasn’t a mindset problem or a lack of resilience.  Each winter brought predictable patterns of depression, fatigue, food cravings, weight gain and emotional withdrawal, despite doing all the “right” things. Eventually, I had to accept a truth that was hard to say out loud: staying wasn’t a strength—it was making me sick.

Summers in Canada told a very different story. I lived almost entirely outdoors, especially near water. I was always eager to get to the beach early and reluctant to leave, as if my body were quietly begging for as much sunlight as possible. Hiking, gardening, and spending long hours by the lake or the ocean felt less like hobbies and more like a form of restoration. I noticed that my need to be outside seemed stronger than others—not as a preference, but as a necessity. In the summer, I felt more like myself, without fully understanding why. Only later did I realize that the version of me that thrived in summer was the same one that disappeared each winter.

For a long time, I tried to normalize what was happening. Winter blues were expected. Low energy was brushed off. Weight gain, sugar cravings, and social withdrawal were treated as seasonal inconveniences rather than warning signs. I learned to doubt myself, to compare my experience to people who seemed to cope just fine, and to wonder why I couldn’t. I told myself that if others could endure it, I should be able to too. So I adjusted my expectations downward every year, quietly accepting a smaller life for more than half the calendar.

The most unsettling part was how precise the cycle was. As daylight faded in late fall, my world narrowed. Motivation dropped. My thinking became heavier and slower. Tasks that felt manageable in summer became overwhelming. I withdrew socially—not because I didn’t care, but because everything required more energy than I had. What scared me most wasn’t how bad I felt, but how predictable it was. Same symptoms. Same timeline. Year after year. This wasn’t random sadness or situational stress. It was a pattern my body repeated with precision.

When I tried to talk about it, the response was rarely supportive. My pleas were met with blank stares. Many would respond with how much they loved winter.  That I just needed to try harder, be more positive, or push through it like everyone else. Even well-meaning people minimized or ignored what I was experiencing, and over time, I stopped bringing it up at all. Instead of feeling helped, I felt dismissed—and then ashamed. I began to internalize the idea that needing a different environment meant something was wrong with me, rather than recognizing that I was asking for understanding from people who didn’t have the capacity to give it.

Like many people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, I tried everything I was supposed to try. Light therapy. Supplements. Exercise. Therapy. Strict routines. Better discipline. And while some of these things helped at the margins, none of them changed the fundamental pattern. Every winter still felt like a purgatory that I had to survive rather than live through. The unspoken expectation was that if I just found the right combination of tools, I could override my biology. When that didn’t work, the failure felt personal.

At its core, Seasonal Affective Disorder is driven by how the brain and nervous system respond to light. Reduced daylight disrupts circadian rhythm, which governs sleep–wake cycles, hormone release, and energy regulation. Lower light exposure alters serotonin activity, affecting mood and emotional stability, and also impacts dopamine, which plays a key role in motivation, pleasure, and reward-seeking behaviour. Melatonin production increases as well, contributing to fatigue and sleep disruption. Together, these changes can lead to depression, lethargy, increased appetite—especially for carbohydrates—reduced motivation to move, and cognitive slowing. Latitude matters: the farther north you live, the more extreme the seasonal light shifts become. For light-sensitive people like myself, this isn’t a mild inconvenience but a significant physiological stressor. Some bodies are more dependent on consistent, strong daylight to function well. Once I understood that, my experience stopped feeling like a personal deficiency and started making sense. I wasn’t weak or undisciplined, just living in an environment that conflicted with my biology. No amount of positive thinking can override a nervous system that lacks the environmental input it needs to regulate itself properly.

Sunlight wasn’t a luxury for me. It was medicine.

That realization came with grief, but also relief. Grief for the years I spent forcing myself to adapt, telling myself that needing sunshine was indulgent or dramatic. Grief for how much energy I poured into managing symptoms instead of living fully. But there was also relief in finally having language for what I had been experiencing all along. Relief in knowing that I could stop fighting my own physiology.

Leaving Canada wasn’t an impulsive decision, and it wasn’t an escape. It was a recalibration. It meant letting go of more frequent visits with family and friends, a culture I identified with, and an idea of who I thought I was supposed to be. It meant accepting that health might require a different geography—and that honouring that need wasn’t a failure of will, but an act of responsibility.

What surprised me most after leaving was not just how much better I felt, but how quickly my baseline changed. Energy returned. Mood stabilized. Cravings quieted. Belly fat disappeared. My nervous system stopped living on high alert. I didn’t feel euphoric or magically fixed—I felt normal. Functional. Like myself. The contrast made it impossible to deny what winter in Canada had been costing me.

This is the part of the story that can make people uncomfortable. We like narratives of endurance. We admire people who push through, adapt, and overcome. But not every problem is meant to be solved with grit. Sometimes the most self-respecting choice is to stop forcing your body into conditions it clearly can’t tolerate. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is listen and take action.

I know there are many people still living in places that quietly make them unwell—especially those with Seasonal Affective Disorder who have learned to minimize their symptoms because they’re common, seasonal, or inconvenient to acknowledge. If that’s you, I want you to know this: needing light is not a weakness. Wanting to feel well year-round is not asking too much. And choosing an environment that supports your nervous system is not giving up—it’s growing up.

Sometimes we take the road less travelled because it is the best road for us.

Leaving Canada didn’t mean rejecting winter, or the people who thrive in it. It meant accepting myself honestly. It meant understanding that health is contextual, and that what works beautifully for one body can be harmful for another. Most of all, it meant trusting my own experience, even when others didn’t. I didn’t leave because I couldn’t handle it. I left because I finally listened.

I have been working as a health coach since 2014, supporting a wide range of clients on their healing journeys. Many of the people I work with are navigating complex, chronic conditions such as Lyme disease and co-infections, parasites, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, mental health challenges, food addiction,  insulin resistance and gut healing. I also work with individuals who simply want to lose weight, restore their energy, and become a healthier, happier version of themselves.

If you would like support navigating your way back to health and vitality, feel free to send me a message here.

Blessings and best of health,
Brenda

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It takes a lot of hard work to create health. It takes even more work to reverse a serious chronic illness. Intermittent fasting was one of the most powerful adjunctive therapies that helped restore my health after a 20-year journey of chronic illness. I believe it is one of the best practices that I have adopted to keep Lyme Disease in remission for the last 9 years. You can read everything that I did to heal myself in this article.

Lyme Disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted through the bite of infected ticks, can lead to a range of debilitating symptoms affecting the nervous system, joints, and other organs. While traditional treatments often involve antibiotics, some individuals explore complementary approaches to manage their symptoms. One such approach gaining attention is intermittent fasting. I began intermittent fasting and low-carb eating in the summer of 2014 and have continued with this way of feeding and fasting for the last 10 years.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and fasting. It doesn’t prescribe specific foods but focuses on when to eat. Common IF methods include the 16/8 method (16 hours of fasting followed by an 8-hour eating window). This was the fasting schedule that I maintained for the better part of 10 years. Occasionally if I need to lose a few pounds I will incorporate eating one meal per day. Otherwise known as OMAD. This eat-stop-eat method (24-hour fasts once or twice a week) is a powerful tool in weight loss and gut healing.

When I was hiking the Portuguese Camino this past March 2023, I began to think about my 8.5 years of complete remission from Lyme Disease, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Bipolar Disorder and other serious medical issues. I still can’t believe that I am living my best life with zero pain in my body, no pharmaceuticals and great energy at the ripe old age of 60.  Here is a good summary of everything that I did to recover 20 years of chronic illness. 

But what about my eyesight?! Why hadn’t my eyesight healed or at least improved a little? I mean this made no sense to me at all. I had been wearing prescription glasses for over 50 years. What was I missing?

When the student is ready the teacher will appear

There is a saying, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. So I began researching how to heal my eyesight naturally. This led me to endmyopia.org

In a nutshell, the process I’m following involves a very gradual reduction of one’s prescription lenses. Kind of like weaning yourself slowly off of anti-depressant medications.

My 30% Reduction in SPH and 30% Reduction in Cylinder (Astigmatism) in 4.5 months

March 15, 2023
R SPH- 3.0     CYL – 1.5
L SPH – 3.5     CYL – 1.0

August 4, 2023
R SPH – 2.0      CYL -1
L SPH – 2.50    CYL – 0.5

12 Tips to Healing your Eyesight Naturally

1/ Reduce slowly

I have reduced 6 times (.25 only, each time) alternating between SPH and CYL (Astigmatism) reductions. Research indicated that it wasn’t a good idea to reduce both focal planes at the same time. Once the eyes had adjusted to each reduction and my vision was clear and crisp, then I made another reduction. So basically, your eye glasses are slightly under-corrected so that your eyes have to work a little bit harder to clear a small amount of blur. It is very important to go slowly.

2/ Order weaker glasses for close-up work

These are called differentials. I began with 1.5 diopter lower in each eye. Ideally your close-up glasses should be just strong enough so you can see 60 cm from your computer screen.
My close-up glasses for computer work 
R SPH – 1         CYL – 0
L SPH – 1.25    CYL – 0

These could have been a little stronger but I am able to do close-up work just fine at 50 cm from my laptop. I completely dropped the CYL (astigmatism), as I always took my glasses off for close-up work in the past.

3/ Reduce phone and computer screen time

This is very important. We live off-grid and don’t have cell service, so I only use my phone when we go into town to shop once or twice per week for maybe 1 hour. I use my laptop on average for 4 hours per day, as I work online. I have drastically reduced social media and other mindless surfing.

4/ Implement active focus

This is just learning how to clear a small amount of blur when looking at objects or signs in the distance. Each drop in prescription should never be greater than our ability to clear the blur easily. Otherwise, a person can just become blur-adapted.

5/ Healthy Diet

I eat very healthy with almost no sugar or processed foods. We eat a paleo diet with lots of organic animal protein, vegetables and healthy fats. Your eyes, like the rest of your body, need lots of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and water.

6/ Understand the cause of astigmatism

It is important to move your eyes and head at the same time. I had a very bad habit of sitting at my computer with my chin cupped in my left hand and elbow resting on my desk. While I read the computer screen my eyes were moving back and forth and my head was in a fixed position. Be mindful of these types of behaviours. My astigmatism is healing slowly, as the cylinder corrections have to adjust over longer periods of time. 

7/ Daily eye exam

A quick eye test with the Snellen Chart to ensure 20/20 vision. Ours is hanging  permanently in our dining room. When my vision improves to 20/15, then it is time to reduce again.

8/ Practise the 20- 20-20 rule

This involves taking a 20-second break from looking at a screen every 20 minutes. During these breaks, I look out my window at the trees which are more than 20 feet away, which relaxes the eye muscles.

9/ Reduce the use of sunglasses

My view is controversial, but my eyes are now completely bright light-adapted.  I wore my very cool Raybans for all of my outdoor activities over a 20 year period. However, I discovered that when sunlight enters the eye, it signals the brain to produce melanin and hormones; it also affects the pineal gland. I now understand that constant use of sunglasses was not great for my eyes or general health. I am going to order an appropriate sunglass prescription for driving only under difficult conditions, such as facing the setting or rising sun.

10/Spend a minimum of 3 hours per day outdoors

We run a small homestead, so this one is easy for me. We love hiking, fishing, gardening and all of this distance viewing is very healing for your nearsightedness.

11/ Get your sleep

It is really important to sleep and let your eyes and body fully rest up each night. Aim for 7-9 hours each night. Your eyeballs will thank you!

12/ Order your glasses online

Just buy basic frames with minimal extras and pay between 30 – 50 dollars per pair.  This makes it very affordable to continuously make your reductions. Zenni.com is where I buy mine.

Nearsightedness Is Not An Illness (But A $100 Billion Business)

I have no doubt that I will be glasses-free in another year or two. I am still in shock at this process and how my eyes are healing. Most of us don’t need to continuously wear glasses but we do need to change our close-up habits. Reduce screen time, and for heaven’s sake get outside. That is really where the magic happens!

I hope this article inspires just one other person to take the necessary steps to heal their eyesight! I am beyond grateful for this new knowledge and experience of how the body can and will heal itself if given the right help.

Blessings and Best of Health,

Brenda

Everything that I have done to regain my health is available for free on my blog. If you would like some extra help I offer health coaching and hair tissue mineral analysis.  Please go to this page  to book a consult.

If you like this article please feel free to share it!

This was the game-changer for me while fighting Lyme and Co-Infections, CFS/Fibro and 20 years of chronic illness. My hair tissue analysis revealed several minerals that were very low despite eating a conventional Paleo diet for the first few years. This is the most nutrient-dense breakfast that I have found so far. It is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Since many of us with chronic illness are nutritionally depleted, this breakfast is a great way to boost much-needed nutrients. One year after adding these smoothies and switching to the Wahls Paleo Diet, my minerals levels were all in the acceptable range. I usually have 2 or 3 boiled eggs, a tablespoon of fish oil and my smoothie each morning. This provides a more balanced breakfast with healthy fat, protein and carbohydrates.

My Recipe

The nutritional information was found at The World’s Healthiest Foods.

Romaine Lettuce– 2 cups– Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), vitamin K, folate, and molybdenum. In addition, romaine lettuce is a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese, potassium, biotin, vitamin B1, copper, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, phosphorus, chromium, magnesium, calcium, and pantothenic acid. It is also low in oxalic acid.

Celery– 1.5 stocks-Celery is a rich source of phenolic phytonutrients that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Celery is an excellent source of vitamin K and molybdenum, folate, potassium, dietary fiber, manganese, and pantothenic acid. Celery is also a good source of vitamin B2, copper, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin A.

Cucumber– ½ large-Cucumbers are an excellent source of vitamin k, molybdenum, pantothenic acid, copper, potassium, manganese, vitamin C, phosphorus, magnesium, biotin, and vitamin B1. They also contain the important nail health-promoting mineral silica.

Avocado– 1 whole-Avocados are a good source of pantothenic acid, dietary fiber, vitamin K, copper, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Although they are fruits, avocados have a high-fat content of between 71 to 88% of their total calories—about 20 times the average for other fruits. A typical avocado contains 30 grams of fat, but 20 of these fat grams are health-promoting monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid. This fat content helps to keep that nice full feeling for several hours.

Carrots– 1.5 large-Carrots are perhaps best known for their beta-carotene content. In addition, they are a very good source of biotin, vitamin K, dietary fiber, molybdenum, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. They are a good source of manganese, niacin, vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, folate, copper, vitamin E, and vitamin B2.

Orange–1 whole– Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C. They are also a very good source of dietary fiber, B vitamins including vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, and folate as well as vitamin A, calcium, copper, and potassium.
Or
Pineapple– 1 cup-Pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, dietary fiber, folate, and pantothenic acid. It also contains bromelain which is a proteolytic enzyme that can break down the formation of biofilm in the gut. Note – If you are worried about the amount of fructose you can use berries, green apples or any other 1 cup serving of fruit. This was the only fruit I ate each day while I was healing.

Parsley– 1/4 cup-Parsley is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, chlorophyll, vitamin A, folate, and iron. Parsley is excellent for kidney cleansing and liver detoxification.

Moringa– 1 tsp– Moringa is overflowing with vitamins A, B, C, D, E and minerals including potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, and magnesium. It is strong tasting so play around with the amount. Moringa can be optional.

Water- 6 – 10 oz of purified water. This can be adjusted according to the desired thickness. I don’t use a lot of water because I like mine thick so I can eat it out of a bowl.

Optional – Play around with other things like beets, berries, apples, soaked pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

When I was very sick and going through heavy Lyme and parasite cleansing I often did a green smoothie fast for a day or two. I would eat as much smoothie as I wanted and it really helped to clear the body of die-off toxins. Go ahead and give it a try!

This post summarizes everything else that I did to reverse 20 years of chronic illness naturally.

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

Everything that I have done to heal myself is available for free on my blog. If you are interested in some additional help I offer online health coaching. Please go to this page for nutritional therapy and hair analysis.

If you like this article please feel free to share it!

Let’s face it.  No one wants to consider the fact that they might have worms. It is not only repulsive, but we live in a society that tells us this cannot be a problem here in North America. With today’s sanitation and standard of living, we are never taught about routine parasite cleansing. Years ago, our ancestors all knew the importance of routinely deworming family members. We have lost this practice. This is a serious co-infection that must not be neglected for those who have Lyme Disease and are immunocompromised.

In 1995, Hulda Clark published her book, The Cure for all Diseases. She stated that:

“ No matter how long and confusing is the list of symptoms a person has, from chronic fatigue to infertility to mental problems, I am sure to find only two things wrong: they have in them pollutants and/or parasites.”

 Her solution for parasites was electronic, herbal treatment and avoidance of anything that was polluting the body.

Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, a well-known Lyme doctor stated that he and his colleagues have found that all chronic illness is the outcome of chronic infections:

“Other than the co-infections, there is what I call the “opportunistic infections.” The combined effect of the initial infection is an immune suppressive effect, and then the patient becomes vulnerable to all sorts of other things. The most common things people contract early on in the course if the illness are different forms of parasites, such as protozoa; Babesia itself being one of them.

There is Giardia, amoebas, Trichomonas, malaria, and different forms of infections that aren’t labeled yet. There is a new one, called FL1953. Stephen Frye discovered that. It’s a protozoan organism that’s causing severe fatigue and illness in chronically ill people. It’s almost always present in a patient with Lyme disease.

And then we find a lot of worms in people. They may be microscopic and they may be macroscopic. That means they may be visible in the stool or they may not be visible.”  ( Interview with Dr. Joseph Mercola )

After researching the work of Dr. Klinghart, I decided to try a holistic approach to treating the Lyme and co-infections, taking into account his findings.

Symptoms of Parasites

Intestinal Problems – Constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, burning sensation in the stomach, digestive problems, gas and bloating.

Fatigue – Chronic fatigue, weakness and lethargy

Weight and Appetite Issues – Parasites live undetected and rob the host of much-needed nutrients. Many persons with chronic infections of any kind will be nutrient-deficient. This can produce the urge to eat constantly and gain weight, while never feeling satisfied. Parasites can also cause the host to become underweight for the same reasons.

Sleep Problems – Examples include teeth-grinding, multiple nighttime awakenings, over-sleeping and insomnia.

Mood and Anxiety Problems – Mood swings, depression, forgetfulness, unclear thinking, anxiety and restlessness.

Muscle and Joint Pain – Pain in the back, thighs, shoulders, arthritic pain, muscle cramping, numbness in the limbs, heart pain,  irregular heartbeat and pain near the belly button.

Blood Disorders – For example, anemia and hypoglycemia.

Sexual and Reproductive Problems– Menstrual pain and irregularities, cysts and fibroids, prostate problems, yeast infections and male impotence.

Skin Disorders and Allergies – Hives, sores, eczema, crawling sensations, itchy skin, dry skin, dry hair, hair loss, brittle hair, itchy nose and itchy anus.

My Accidental Discovery of Parasites

In 2009, my alternative health practitioner advised me to have my amalgam fillings removed. My health was not improving, despite having switched to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for a full year. Once the amalgams were removed, I was advised to eat lots of raw garlic to help with the elimination of mercury from my system. Quite by accident, I discovered a large Ascaris worm in my stool. To my shock and horror, I began researching parasites and possible treatments.

Research led me to Hulda Clark and several other herbalists and Naturopathic Doctors on internet forums. Hulda Clark claimed that flatworms, roundworms, protozoa, bacteria and viruses were easy to kill using black walnut tincture (extra strength), wormwood and cloves. I decided to give these a try.

I discovered while cleansing that I had a very bad Ascaris, tapeworm, fluke and rope worm problem. Most chronically ill people have these, but will never discover them unless they do a cleanse.

“Make no mistake about it, worms are the most toxic agents in the human body. They are one of the primary underlying causes of disease and are the most basic cause of a compromised immune system.” – Hazel Parcells, D.C., N.D., Ph.D., 1974

Most commercial parasite products are too weak

I bought and tried various commercial parasite products and found many to be too weak to kill the larger worms. These weak products gave me the impression many times that I had cleared the parasite infections.  Symptoms told me that I still had them. It took a lot of trial and error to figure all of this out.   These products may have been effective decades ago but for those that have had to deal with the newly discovered stealth infections like ropeworm, these products are much too weak. I began studying the most common herbs used in these products and decided to make my own herbal parasite cleanse. Not only were these commercial products ineffective, but expensive. I realized I could make my own for a fraction of the cost and use them at dosages that would finally be effective.

My first recipe consisted of black walnut, wormwood (artemisia), ground cloves, goldenseal, barberry, quassia, olive leaf powder, cat’s claw and elecampane.

It took me a full year on these herbs to clear the parasites. It was an unbelievable and frustrating time of cleansing. Once I stopped cleansing I would relapse in a few months. My energy would drop and all of the parasite symptoms would return. This pattern of parasite cleansing and relapse went on for several years.

Why kill, kill, kill doesn’t work

It is really important to reduce the pathogenic load. When the load is very high, it is really difficult to bring the body back into a balanced state. I did have to kill off my parasites, but did it in a gentler way. In 2014, I decided to try eliminating all substances that might be harming my intestinal flora. I removed the goldenseal, barberry and high amounts of raw garlic from my cleansing routine. I also stopped using oregano oil, grapefruit seed extract, colloidal silver, high doses of Lugol’s iodine and any other substances that were having an antibiotic or antiseptic effect.  These substances are great for eliminating pathogens, but cannot differentiate between the good and bad flora. I also made sure that I was eating probiotic foods every single day and bone broth several times per week. Instead of just killing pathogens, I would work on increasing good probiotics that would naturally push out the bad. This was the approach that finally worked and brought me into remission.  I had to change the intestinal terrain to achieve lasting remission.

Real Food Rebel Parasite Cleanse Recipe

Black walnut hull powder  – 1/4 cup
Artemisia Annua (Sweet Annie Wormwood) –  1/2 cup
Ground cloves – 1/4 cup
Olive leaf powder – 1/4 cup
Cat’s Claw powder – 1/4 cup
Pau d’arco powder – 1/4 cup
Cascara Sagrada – 1/2cup

Mix all of the dry powdered herbs together and store in a glass jar. I used 1 tablespoon in an 8oz glass of water, in the morning and at night before bed, on an empty stomach. I drink another big glass of water to wash everything down. I started with a much smaller dose and worked my way up over a period of two to three weeks.  This approach will enable each person to determine what the ideal dose for their particular parasite infection will be. It is really important to be drinking at least 3 liters of water per day while cleansing.

Optional herbs –  Elecampane was helpful with a chronic, cough that would appear at least once or twice per year and last for months on end. Andrographis is another wonderful herb that can be rotated every 30 days with the wormwood. I used the wormwood longterm but many herbalists advise against this.

Note – Later on, I discovered the anti-parasitic drug mebendazole. I took this for 6 days over the full moon each month to give a little extra pressure on the roundworms and rope worms. I only did this about 4 times so it certainly wasn’t the primary dewormer that finally brought me to full elimination of the worms. I did try albendazole but was experiencing hair loss and liver pain so I decided not to use it.  It does work systemically but it was much harder on my body. Mebendazole works mainly in the intestinal tract and is poorly absorbed, so it doesn’t affect the liver and kidneys. The mebendazole is available in Mexico as an over the counter medication that costs less than $4.00 per treatment. It is exponentially more expensive here in Canada and a doctor’s prescription is necessary.
This cleanse should not be used during pregnancy. Please seek the guidance of your healthcare practitioner.

Feeling worse before feeling better!

I suffered immensely during the first months of treatment. My body was fighting an active infection while dealing with the heavy burden of toxins and heavy metals released by pathogens as they were dying off. This is known as a Jarisch–Herxheimer Reaction, commonly referred to as a “herx”; it is not an easy thing to go through.  It is the body’s reaction to endotoxins released during the death of harmful microorganisms. Also known as a die-off reaction, it can be very intense. It can produce fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, intestinal upset, dizziness, sore throat, ear pain, tooth pain, sweating, emotional upset and many other adverse symptoms. It is short-lasting and resolves once the toxins have been cleared from the body. You can read more about dealing with die-off here.

Other things I added

Betaine HCL with all meals – Stomach acid is the first line of defense against unwanted pathogens. I had very low stomach acid the entire time I was sick. I was taking 5 – 6 tablets with each meal. Everyone is different, but having enough HCL in the stomach will really help with blocking the entrance of new pathogens and digestion of food. Most people with parasites have low stomach acid. I still use betaine HCL with everything that I eat but I only need 2 per meal now. You can read more about it in this article.

Proteolytic Enzymes on an empty stomach before bed during periods of heavy cleansing. I no longer take these before bed.

Wahls Paleo Diet– This diet is nutritionally packed and eliminates sugar, grains, processed foods, dairy, soy, corn and eggs. I added back the eggs, as I wasn’t affected by them. Parasites cannot thrive in an alkaline environment. Eating dairy, sugar and processed foods will only make the parasite problem worse. This diet completely eliminated the yeast problems that I was having. You can read more about the diet here.

Kelp – I added kelp tablets (bioavailable source of iodine) daily and have been on them for a year.

Copper – Hair testing showed a continuous copper deficiency (copper is an important infection fighter and critical for the formation of red blood cells; if the infection becomes chronic, the body’s tissue copper stores become depleted). I wasn’t compliant with supplementation and it took me 2 years to get my copper into the normal range. Hair testing will reveal which minerals are low or high.

Daily probiotic foods – I love beet kvass and homemade sauerkraut. I love experimenting with new recipes, and cannot emphasize enough the importance of eating these every single day. These will help to maintain intestinal balance.

You can read about everything else that I did to recover my health here!

Maintenance Protocol for Parasites

I have been in remission from all chronic illness since November 2014.  I am currently doing a 30-day herbal cleanse with my recipe every 6 months. My parasitic load has been quite low with this cleansing schedule. Parasites are no longer getting the upper hand due to the health of my gut and all of the antiparasitic foods that I have incorporated into my diet! You can read more about these foods here! Change the terrain and you will no longer be a good host for these pathogens! It is time to Take the Fear out of Lyme Disease. I feel better than I have in decades!

Don’t ever give up!  You can do this!

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

Everything that I have done to recover my health is available here for free on my blog. If you would like a little extra help, I offer nutritional therapy consultations and hair tissue mineral analysis for a fee. Please go to this page for a list of my rates and to book an appointment for health coaching.

If you like this article please feel free to share it!

So you’ve got Chronic Lyme Disease? Your whole body aches and you feel weak, stiff and exhausted. Maybe you also have rashes, swollen painful joints, headaches, migraines, dizziness, sleep disturbances, cognitive decline, brain fog, sensitivity to light with fevers that come and go.  I personally also had problems with my eyesight, liver and intestinal pain, anemia, severe digestive issues, and extreme mood swings. I was housebound and bedridden for extended periods of time. I couldn’t remember my address or my son’s middle name at a doctor’s appointment. It was dire and I planned my funeral in the spring of 2014.

I had been chronically ill for over 20 years, and doctors could not find the root cause of my issues. Doctor after doctor did not believe I was sick and continued to prescribe antidepressants, mood stabilizers, pain killers and laxatives. I began researching how to heal my body naturally from all illness. After years of study,  trial and error, I found the solution to my longstanding chronic issues. I didn’t just have Lyme Disease but I also had hypoglycemia, severe nutrient deficiencies, chemically induced bipolar disorder and severe anxiety. I have been in complete remission since November 2014. My medical diagnoses were Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and finally Lyme Disease.

There is hope! Many are healing and you don’t have to spend a fortune!

Your body is the most magnificent machine that you will ever own! Give it everything that it needs to heal and function optimally and you too will recover.

Don’t listen to all of the hopeless testimonies on the internet. I have spent the last few days on a few of the groups I used to frequent when I was sick. Sadly 6 years later I see many of the old users still there. These people are still sick themselves and offering advice to newcomers. Many of these well-intentioned persons have formed a kind of elite group that is not always giving the best advice. Unfortunately, many that have healed themselves have moved on.

Lyme Disease, like diabetes, heart disease and cancer are merely symptoms of a body out of balance. We are having an explosion of chronic illness. Why? We have to ask why we got sick and others are perfectly fine even after numerous tick bites, cat scratches, mosquito and spider bites.

5 Steps to Recover Your Health

1/ Change the terrain of your body

2/ Correct nutrient deficiencies

3/ Remove toxins

4/ Gently kill Lyme and other chronic infections with herbs and natural remedies that won’t harm your beneficial gut flora

5/ Maintenance phase for continued great health

This is the non-medical approach that has kept me in complete remission for 4.5 years. I have been working as a health coach for over 4 years. Many of my clients have healed using this simple common sense approach to healing.  A few have gone on to become health coaches themselves. It is important to find the cause of your illness so a solution can be implemented. This is not a quick fix, and will require you to change many areas of your life. But the result of all of this hard work is real and lasting recovery.  Here is a good summary of all that I did to recover my health.

10 Things you Should Fear!

1/ Eating a high sugar processed food diet

2/ Cigarette smoking, vaping, alcohol abuse

3/ Taking all kinds of pharmaceutical drugs

4/ Using all kinds of toxic beauty products and hair dyes 

5/ Living in a moldy house, and other environmental toxins 

6/ Having a mouthful of toxic silver amalgam mercury fillings

7/ Not drinking enough quality water to stay hydrated

8/ Dealing with continuous stress

9/ Avoiding the sun – Vitamin D deficiency

10/ Staying in toxic relationships

Here are 10 things to remember while you are healing yourself naturally.

Don’t get discouraged! Don’t give up! Reversing chronic illness takes time! Stay the course! Many of us have done it and are enjoying the best health of our entire lives!

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

Everything that I have done is available for free on my blog. If you are interested in some extra coaching, please go to this page for nutritional therapy and hair analysis.

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It’s true, I travel with a blender! Green smoothies are the ticket! I can’t believe I am celebrating another year of Lyme Disease-free living. Prior to this, I had been chronically ill and medically disabled for over 20 years. I no longer suffer from Lyme Disease, Babesia, Bartonella, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Bipolar Disorder, Migraines, PTSD, Hypoglycemia or Adrenal Fatigue.  If you are new to my page and have been battling Lyme Disease you can read this article to find out all that I did to recover from 20 years of chronic illness.

A Look at the Past Year

Writer’s block

It was a very full year with a lot of twists and turns. I know I haven’t written much but there is a good reason for that. After completing my grueling work/study year with the Nutritional Therapy Association last November 2017 I just couldn’t bring myself to write much of anything. Nada! Zilch! A blogger that doesn’t blog! I am hoping that this will change soon as I still have many things I would like to write about.

Typhoid Fever

One year ago, I got blindsided by Typhoid Fever one week after I wrote my final exam with the NTA. It was quite unexpected, and I went undiagnosed for 10 days. Blood tests came up empty, and I was told it was Dengue. You can read more about this experience here. I suspect raw chopped garlic saved my life and provided the antibiotic that I so desperately needed. Once I recovered, it took me about 3 months to get strong again.  I have never had such a serious acute infection as this. They say what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger and I feel this rang true for me.

Cancelled Kilimanjaro

I was supposed to climb Kili last January. I knew I was just too weak from the Typhoid and had to put this dream on hold. This really was a big disappointment but I knew it was the sensible thing to do. I returned here to Playa del Carmen to work and focus on self-care.

The Overdevelopment of Playa del Carmen

I went through a low time following my return here after this past Christmas. Playa has changed so much in the last 6 years that I have been coming here. This building boom has forever changed this once small and quaint tourist destination. Many of the authentic Mexican restaurants and quaint hotels have been torn down and replaced with massive hotels or condominiums. The traffic has increased exponentially, and 5th Avenue is full of people at all hours. It is noisy and busy morning and night.

The Carribean Sargassum Problem

This last year has been a rough one for the beaches. The sargassum seaweed just kept rolling into the shallows and piling up on shore. I swam very little, as most days, the seaweed came in faster than it could be removed.   You could smell it rotting, all the way up to 5th Avenue. The beaches at my end of town were completely deserted.  This last month, the seaweed has cleared for the most part, and we are back to enjoying the sea again. I am so grateful for this reprieve of sargassum. It really has made me appreciate my beach days on the weekends.

Ecuador

Discouraged over the state of Playa del Carmen, I set out last Spring on a quest to find a new home – a place with clean air, water, and food. I spent 10 weeks working as a digital nomad and exploring on my 3 day weekends.  I started in Quito and then went to Baños, Cuenca and finally Vilcabamba. I hiked, went whitewater rafting, horseback riding, canyoning and soaked in volcanic thermal baths. It was a really interesting trip and I did so much while I was there. The food was incredible and I loved the people. It is a very affordable country and I now understand why so many expats go there to retire.  I absolutely love Ecuador but just never found the right place that I could call home.

Two broken ribs

I was hiking one afternoon in Baños and fell on a wet rock! Going down, I could hear my ribs crack! I then had to hike out about 4 km. I haven’t experienced pain like that since giving birth. I could barely breathe, and getting in and out of bed was excruciating. Slowly, as the weeks went on the pain lessened. In the third week, I was hiking again in Cuenca and then did lots more in Vilcabamba (I discovered that I could hike but had to be very careful bending and sitting). Hiking is my most favorite thing to do, and I wasn’t going to let the broken ribs stop me from enjoying the many mountainous trails that Ecuador has to offer. I had to give away my blender, as I couldn’t lift my carry-on anymore. That ended my traveling green smoothies.  The cleaning lady in Vilcabamba was really thrilled to get my blender.

Mini- makeover of my apartment in Playa

My little apartment in Playa was starting to look dull and tired. I had the whole place painted, bought a new table and chairs, sofa, and had my bed and nightstand painted white.  A few pictures were hung, and the whole place got a lift. It is amazing what a good de-cluttering and new paint can do to a place. I have always loved this little apartment and I love it that much more now. It will be for rent for a 6 month period this year, as I travel from March – September 2019. Comes with a great blender and Berkey water filter. Drop me a line if you are interested.

Mexico City

I spent 10 days in Mexico City for my birthday in September. It was a wonderful break from work, and I was blessed to be with my girlfriend Jackie. We climbed pyramids, visited museums, walked and walked, enjoyed lots of good food and just had a great time. We stayed right in the historical center. I love Mexico and really enjoy visiting new places here.

Maintained a Full Caseload of Clients

I have been very fortunate to be able to work and travel. I know it looks like I don’t work but I actually work quite a lot. I have been blessed with so many wonderful people to work with. It is a privilege and a blessing to help others heal from chronic illness. I address terrain first. Then we begin cleansing and reducing the infectious load. Many are recovering and that is what is so encouraging.

My maintenance protocol

My diet is primarily Wahl’s Paleo. I still eat about 9 cups of vegetables each day. After 5 years of morning smoothies, I have switched to a big salad with some type of animal protein for breakfast. I have almost quit fruit altogether and only eat it occasionally. I just feel stronger and have better blood sugar balance without much fruit. This is my 5th year with intermittent fasting. My first meal is at 11 am and dinner is usually around 5 pm. I still have my morning black coffee and drink water the rest of the day. I am careful to give my body everything it needs to be healthy. This includes minerals, essential fatty acids, whole food multivitamins, digestive supports,  seaweed and whatever else my bi-annual hair test suggests.

Regular parasite cleansing

I hadn’t done a parasite cleanse in over a year.  Coming back from Ecuador, I felt kind of depleted. So when I returned to Canada last summer, I began a parasite cleanse. Lo and behold, there were some visible parasites. I cleansed full dose with my recipe for 6 weeks and couldn’t believe how much stronger I felt. My recipe can be found here. The parasite herbs are the only herbs that I  take every 6 months. I haven’t taken any Lyme specific herbs since October 2014.

Daily exercise

I continue to walk  6 – 8 miles, at least 3 days per week. The other 3 days I do 45 – 60 minutes of resistance training. I feel really good and have been steadily gaining muscle that I lost while recovering from the broken ribs.

Canada

I return home to Canada twice each year now. I love to visit my family at Christmas and in the summer.  They come to visit me here as well, which is always such a blessing. I am so grateful for Skype and being able to keep in touch with regular calls.

Gratitude

My life is full today! It is not always easy to look back on the years of suffering, financial ruin, lost time and being mostly unsupported. I often can’t believe that it has been 4 years since that nightmare ended. It still haunts me at times.
One thing I know for sure! In order to have great health, we must feed ourselves a nutrient-dense whole food diet, reduce toxins and lower the infectious load. I am now in the best shape and health of my entire 56 years. I still have a few mountains left to climb, and plan on living life to the fullest for the rest of my days!

If you are still struggling with Lyme Disease and other chronic infections, take a look at this article. 10 Reasons You Can’t Get Rid of Lyme Disease and Parasites. 

My passion lies in helping others with similar health issues.  If you would like a little extra help, I offer nutritional therapy consultations and hair tissue mineral analysis for a fee. Please go to this page for a list of my rates and to book an appointment for health coaching.

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

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                “If you can’t eat it then don’t put it on your skin.”

At the end of July, I was on a Skype consult with my client Renee. We had almost finished our session when she very innocently asked me what I used to colour my hair. I was so busted! I very honestly answered that I went to a salon every 5 weeks and had my hair coloured. This simple question stayed with me long after our session. Why was I still dying my hair?

I hated having those chemicals placed on my scalp every 5 weeks. As a nutritional therapy consultant and lover of all things natural, this just didn’t make sense to me. We absorb everything that we put on our skin. Yet, I myself was placing these toxic chemicals on my scalp. This photo was taken last April 2017 and I was 54. I really enjoyed my long thick dark brown hair. But I enjoy great health even more.

7 Toxic Chemicals in Your Hair Dye

The following list was written by Dr Will Cole

1. Formaldehyde
This common preservative is used in hair dyes and has been linked to cancer and fetal damage in utero.

2. p-Phenylenediamine
Also referred to as PPD, this is the most commonly used chemical and one with the highest health risk. It has been linked to lung and kidney problems and bladder cancer. A 2001 study showed that those who dyed their hair once a month had an increased risk of bladder cancer and this risk increased the longer hair dyes were used. And surprisingly, this was more prevalent the darker the dye was.

3. DMDM Hydantoin
This preservative is a known immunotoxin and has been restricted for use in Japanese cosmetics.

4.Ammonia
This chemical can be combined with hydrogen peroxide to create bleach. When inhaled it can cause respiratory problems and asthma.

5. Coal tar
This known cancer-causer is in the majority of hair dyes.

6. Resorcinol
This chemical is very common in various types of hair dyes. Studies have shown that it can harm normal hormonal function and elevate sex hormones, which wreak havoc on your health.

7. Eugenol
This toxic fragrance is linked to cancer, allergies, immune and neurological system toxicity.

So the decision was made…

Pictured above I am 4  and 5.5 months into my transition. I ended up cutting about a foot of length off in the beginning. My hair was quite dry and damaged from all of the dye buildup. It felt nice to cut off the damaged hair. The white around my temples keeps coming in. At first, I had a tough time with it but now I really don’t care. I have just accepted that it will take me two years to have my long hair back but in it’s original natural God given colour.

I just want to be as healthy as possible and enjoy the “third act” of my life

I mean why do we hate grey, silver and white hair? These are colours just like brown, blonde, red and black. Somehow we have demonized the grey and silver shades as unappealing and something to be avoided. I have seen so many gorgeous women with grey and silver hair. These women are stylish, fit and healthy. So this is my goal. I just want to be as healthy as possible and enjoy the “third act” of my life. I hope to be climbing mountains, dancing, swimming in the sea and travelling. And not worry about poisoning my brain and body with more toxic chemicals.

You can read about everything that I did to overcome 20 years of chronic illness here. I have been in complete remission from Lyme Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, chronic migraines and hypoglycemia since November 2014. I no longer suffer from Bipolar Disorder, Major Anxiety or PTSD since 2009. Let food be your medicine!

If you are interested in booking a consult, please go to this page for nutritional therapy and hair analysis.

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

It is still unbelievable to me that I am now a healthy 55-year-old woman in the best shape and health of my entire life! Prior to this, I had been chronically ill for over 20 years and on a disability for 10 years. I no longer suffer from Lyme Disease, Babesia, Bartonella. parasites, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder, migraines, PTSD, hypoglycemia or adrenal fatigue.

How I did it!

1/ Paleo Diet- balanced blood sugar
2/ Buhner’s original Lyme Protocol
3/ Modified Hulda Clark Bowel Cleanse
4/ Detoxification
5/ Intensive parasite cleansing
6/ Healed my digestion
7/ Drank sufficient water
8/ Restored mineral deficiencies with hair testing
9/ Restored essential fatty acids
10/ Supported the adrenals
11/ Exercise that was appropriate for each stage of my healing
12/ Eliminated toxins
13/ Surrounded myself with loving and supportive family and friends
14/ Lots of sunbathing and barefooting
15/ Sleep  7 – 8 hours per night
16/ Developed a strong spirituality

Highlights from the Past Year

Back to school!
I spent 10 months studying with the Nutritional Therapy Association to obtain my certification as a Nutritional Therapy Consultant. I spent most evenings studying, reading and researching. This kept me far busier than I cared for, but I am grateful to have graduated and learned so much with the NTA. You can read more about it in this article.

Maintained a full caseload of clients
My practice has grown to full capacity. I have tried to keep my prices as low as possible while offering the best practical approach to supporting those with Lyme Disease, co-infections, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, mental illness, chronic migraines, sugar imbalance and so many other illnesses. Obviously, nutrition is key but so is digestion, mineral balance, hydration, restoring essential fatty acids and just giving the body the basics for great health.

The tools I use are Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) and the NutriQ.  The Nutri-Q is a complete Health Assessment Questionnaire that will ask you specific questions about symptoms that you are having. This is a very sophisticated nutritional software program which reveals which systems in the body are needing nutritional and supplemental intervention. If you are interested in booking a consult, please go to my contact page for a list of my fees.

Sold our house in Canada!
I have a small apartment here in Playa del Carmen. It is very inexpensive and has allowed me to do what I do. I have adopted a very simple life and enjoy a walking lifestyle. It is very healthy to walk for groceries, meeting friends, local appointments all on foot. I have grown accustomed to living without a car and all of the other material possessions I had in Canada. I find the less I have, the less I have to worry about.

Stopped dying my hair!
I have decided to embrace my grey hair. It has only been 4 months but it is coming along nicely. I just couldn’t handle putting those chemicals on my head every 5 weeks. I am embarrassed that I did it for as long as I did. I am always the first to tell my clients that if they can’t eat it they shouldn’t put it on their skin. I will be writing a post on this in the next couple of weeks.

Menopause
I am happy to say that this transition was quite seamless. I really didn’t have any difficulty except for a few months of hot flashes. I completed this phase when I was 54.5 years old and my energy, outlook and weight all have remained steady.  I never took any hormonal treatment, and understand today that if a woman’s body is balanced, her hormones will be balanced as well. It is really not that complicated, but we have to take care of our diet, digestion, hydration, mineral balance and practise good self-care.

Typhoid Fever- A game changer!
A month ago, I came down with Typhoid Fever here in Playa del Carmen. It was brutal, to say the least. It became crystal clear to me that I had been driving myself extremely hard for the past year and a half. The non-stop stress of work and school had finally caught up with me. My dream of opening a guesthouse here in Playa del Carmen for those with chronic illness is not practical. This is a project that would require my undivided attention 7 days per week. The stress would be too much, and my health would suffer, no doubt. This experience taught me that I can only do so much, and I need to let go of this dream. I am about 90% recovered as I write this post. Apparently, full recovery from Typhoid does take some time.  You can read more about my experience with typhoid here. 

 A look at the year ahead!

Canada
I will be returning to Canada for 5 weeks over Christmas and New Years. I miss my family so much! So I will dust off my winter gear and try and adapt to those frigid temperatures. I hope to do some snowshoeing. I’m really not much of a winter activity girl but will do my best.

Africa
My dream has always been to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. I am long overdue for a holiday and need a rest from this past year. I will be taking a month off in January so I can climb Kili, go on safari and hang out in Zanzibar for a bit. I really need to unplug from the internet and have some quiet time with nature, my Higher Power and whoever happens to cross my path.

Embrace life as a digital nomad
I will be working and travelling over the next 6 – 9 months. I have no plan, other than to continue with my consults and spend some serious time in Spain and Italy. I’m just trying to figure out how I can pack my blender and a Berkey water filter system. This should be interesting.

Write an E-Book
I have been asked many times to write a book so people can find everything in one place. I agree! My website/blog now has quite a few articles and it is difficult to find my protocol in an organized way. So this is my logical next step. I will try and write a simple step-by-step guide that will be easier to follow.

Practice radical self-care
This means taking the best possible care of myself – doing all of the above to regain my health. I know that I live in a world that is constantly trying to chip away at my health and vitality. I do know that I have been given one body. It is the most valuable possession that I will ever have in my entire life.

Love as much as I can!
In the end, it really is about loving God, each other and ourselves. I don’t always do this very well, but it is something I continuously work on.

Never, ever give up!
To those of you that are suffering, never, ever give up! You have to fight back! Once the body has all of the nutrients, proper digestion and self-care it will heal itself. If you are having difficulty recovering take a look at this article.  10 Reasons You Can’t Get Rid of Lyme Disease and Parasites. There might be a few things that are holding you back.

If you are interested in booking a consult, please go to this page for nutritional therapy and hair analysis.

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

Feature Photo- Ashlie Woods

If you like this article please feel free to share it!

Water makes up 55 – 60% of our total body mass

6 REASONS WE NEED TO DRINK WATER FOR VIBRANT HEALTH

1. Transports nutrients
2. Removes wastes and flushes toxins
3. Aids in the digestion of food
4. Regulates body temperature
5. Cushions bones and joints (hydrates spinal discs)
6. Lubricates joints

“Chronic cellular dehydration of the body is the primary etiology
of painful degenerative disease.”
-F.Batmanghelidj, M.D.

EARLY SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION

1. Increased thirst
2. Dry mouth
3. Tired or sleepy
4. Decreased volume of urine
5. Urine is darker in color
6. Headache
7. Dry skin
8. Dizziness
9. Depression
10. Anxiety

LATE SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION

1. Heartburn
2. Joint pain
3. Back pain
4. Migraines
5. Fibromyalgia
6. Constipation
7. Colitis

HOW MUCH WATER DO WE NEED TO DRINK?

Take your body weight (in pounds) and divide it by 2  = number of ounces per day of water needed
If you weigh 150 pounds, divide by 2 = 75 ounces per day

Avoid the following diuretic beverages
1. Coffee
2. Caffeinated teas and some herbal teas like peppermint
3. Fruit juice
4. Soda
5. Alcohol

Note- If you are drinking the above diuretic beverages, you will have to consume additional water to offset the water they take out of the body. You will need to add an additional 12 – 16 ounces of water for every 8 ounces of a diuretic beverage.

THE BEST WATER TO DRINK IS NATURALLY CLEAN, PURE AND FULL OF NATURALLY OCCURRING MINERALS

1. Artesian or deep drilled well
Some people are fortunate to have this clean source of mineral-rich well water, which has to be periodically tested for mineral content and pathogens.

2. Natural spring water
Water that flows out of a spring and bottled at the source can be very mineral-rich.

3. Mineral water
This could be natural spring or artesian water.  It comes from an underground source and contains at least 250 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved solids, including minerals and trace elements.

WATERS TO AVOID

1. Water sold in plastic bottles
This water often contains toxic chemicals that have leached into it from the plastic.  In addition, many if not most of our discarded plastic bottles are clogging up landfills and our beautiful oceans.

2.  Distilled water
This water should not be consumed, as it does not contain any minerals; it actually promotes mineral loss in the body via osmosis when ingested over an extended period of time.

3. Alkaline water with meals
Drinking alkaline water with meals will interfere with stomach acidity (pH of 1.5 – 3) required for proper digestion. If stomach pH is too high, the digestive process is going to be disrupted. You can read about the consequences of low stomach acid here.

A WORD ON ELECTROLYTES

Ideally, we’ll get some minerals in our drinking water.  Essential minerals such as magnesium, sodium, and potassium are required to support almost every function in the body, especially in the adrenals. I have had to supplement with these minerals along the way, when I was severely deficient. It is always a good idea to get a hair tissue mineral analysis and a complete nutritional analysis to find out whether or not you have any deficiencies.  In addition to regular supplementation, there are also electrolyte packs that can be purchased and added to your drinking water if you are deficient, living in a hot climate or sweating a lot after workouts.

REMEMBER, WE DO THE BEST WE CAN!

I buy my water in 5-gallon bottles here in Mexico. This is not ideal, but this is the water that I have been drinking to completely restore my health. I simply run this water through a charcoal filtration system and drink 80 -100 ounces each day. It is very hot here, and I need this much water most days. I love to squeeze half of a lime into my 800 ml glass bottles of water. I also make my own electrolyte drink that I have 2 or 3 times per week.

When I return to Canada I will be purchasing a travel-sized Berkey. These are a little more spendy but worth the money in my opinion.

You can reuse many glass bottles for drinking.  For years, I have been using the vinegar bottles that you see me holding in my picture.

Water consumption has been a very big part of my recovery, ongoing health and vitality. So I raise a glass to you today and hope that you will up your daily dose of water – one of the best natural medicines that has been given to us!

If you are interested in booking a consult, please go to this page for nutritional therapy and hair analysis.

Best of Health!

Brenda

References
Your Body’s many Cries for Water – F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.
Nutritional Therapy Association- https://www.nutritionaltherapy.com/

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