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.

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!

Sugar was my drug of choice long after I quit drinking alcohol. Well….that and caffeine, but we’ll leave that for another time. My favorite dessert has always been a chocolate brownie with lots of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and strawberries. I mean, who can top that?  Back in the day, I wouldn’t pass up a blueberry pie with ice-cream, or chocolate bars, butter tarts, Tim Horton’s doughnuts and all of the sugar found in my beloved processed foods either. I remember days when all I wanted to do was sit on the couch and eat ice cream non-stop. It was a compulsion set in motion by parasites and chronic infections. I just couldn’t get enough. I was overweight, fatigued, in pain with so many other debilitating symptoms. I just craved the sugar.

After beginning this healing journey in 2009, I drastically cut down on my sugar consumption. However, I was still binging several times per month on chocolate, ice cream and a few other sweets. In August, 2014 I plunged head-first into the Wahls Paleo Diet and got very serious about my sugar intake. I had been sick for over twenty years battling Lyme disease, intestinal parasites and several other co-infections. So I stopped eating anything with a label and went completely over to real foods with no additives, chemicals, sugar, dyes, etc.

“Sugar is a drug that should be used recreationally,

occasionally and in moderation.”

Sugar is an addictive toxic poison,  has no nutritional value whatsoever and is a leading contributor to many chronic illnesses. It has been associated with diabetes, tooth decay, heart disease, cancer, and many other serious health problems. It is not a traditional human food, and Westerners only started eating it around the year 1700. At that time, the average consumption was roughly 4 lbs per year. Today we are averaging 150 – 180 lbs per person, per year.

We often don’t think sugar is as bad as it really is. Why is that? Perhaps it’s because we’ve become so used to eating it from a very early age. Many of us have fond childhood memories of going to visit Baba (Granny) and being offered a homemade cookie or ice-cream (or both). These were often special occasions or treats for good behavior.  However, nowadays sugar is a regular part of the standard Western diet, and we have come to accept (and expect) it as such.  Sugar is everywhere and in almost all processed foods. It is a major ingredient in breakfast cereals, soft drinks, bread and buns, snack foods, prepared sauces and of course, candy and desserts.

If we truly wish to get well, we must face the cold reality that sugar is a toxin that needs to be eliminated from our diet.  The urgency of this task becomes more and more apparent as we begin to recognize that sugar is slowly killing us and robbing our children of great health.

Here is what researchers have to say about the connection between chronic infections, immune function and sugar.

1. Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.^1,2 
This really impacts those that have Lyme Disease and are already immune-compromised. It is believed that the immune system is suppressed for 4-6 hours after consumption of sugar. If sugar is being consumed throughout the day, then this leaves the immune system in a perpetual state of suppression and more vulnerable to colds, flu and other opportunistic infections that come along.

2. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body:  it causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.^3,4,5,6
I was extremely deficient in chromium, copper, calcium and magnesium (see this article). It took me several years to bring my levels up into the acceptable range. My levels improved dramatically after my first year on the Wahls Paleo Diet, which also involved cutting out sugar.

3. Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.7,8,9,10,11,12,13

4. Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal system including:  acidic intestinal tract, indigestion, nutrient malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.14,15,16,17  
I had serious gastrointestinal problems for many years, especially around nutrient malabsorption and chronic constipation.

5. Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections).18
I struggled with yeast infections for over thirty years. These completely resolved when I stopped eating sugar and other simple carbohydrates – such an easy remedy to a longstanding problem.

I can’t help but wonder if sugar is playing a significant role in the progression of Lyme Disease and other co-infections in persons already suffering with these conditions. Is it possible that our love of immune-suppressing sugar has led to an explosion of infectious diseases in Western societies? For those of us with chronic infections, eating sugar is like throwing gasoline on a fire.

The sugar-parasite connection:  a match made …

There are in fact, several sugar-loving parasites that will cause insane sugar cravings. I know; I have had them.  Sugar also creates a very acidic state in the body.  In order to neutralize or buffer this state, the body will draw on its own mineral stores present in tissues and bones.  This constant draw on our precious mineral stores is just one more unnecessary stressor that will undermine the body’s response to Lyme and its coinfections.  If we have a parasitic infection, we will crave sugar; and eating sugar will lead to lower mineral levels, especially calcium and magnesium; and this, in turn, will leave us feeling sicker, weaker and craving more forbidden foods.

“Make no mistake about it, worms [i.e., parasites] 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 compromised immune system.”
(Hazel Parcells, D.C., N.D., Ph.D., 1974)

So to summarize, parasites and sugar both compromise our immune system!  They tend to perpetuate one another in a vicious cycle.  The only way out is to get rid of the sugar and start parasite cleansing.  working on your diet, and healing the gut are important first steps in turning your life around! You can read about everything I did to end 20 years of chronic illness.

I really try to keep my sugar and starchy carbohydrate intake very low.  I don’t eat honey or maple syrup very often either. My health has been restored and I have loads of energy that I haven’t had in decades. I don’t plan on going backwards with my health.

Today, I can choose what I put in my mouth. “When I ate junk, I felt like junk”. I don’t want to feel like junk anymore!

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.

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

References

1. Sanchez, A., et al. Role of Sugars in Human Neutrophilic Phagocytosis, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Nov 1973;261:1180_1184. Bernstein, J., al. Depression of Lymphocyte Transformation Following Oral Glucose Ingestion. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.1997;30:613
2. Ringsdorf, W., Cheraskin, E. and Ramsay R. Sucrose, Neutrophilic Phagocytosis and Resistance to Disease, Dental Survey. 1976;52(12):46_48.
3. Couzy, F., et al. “Nutritional Implications of the Interaction Minerals,” Progressive Food and Nutrition Science 17;1933:65-87
4. Kozlovsky, A., et al. Effects of Diets High in Simple Sugars on Urinary Chromium Losses. Metabolism. June 1986;35:515_518.
5. Fields, M.., et al. Effect of Copper Deficiency on Metabolism and Mortality in Rats Fed Sucrose or Starch Diets, Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1983;113:1335_1345.
6. Lemann, J. Evidence that Glucose Ingestion Inhibits Net Renal Tubular Reabsorption of Calcium and Magnesium. Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1976 ;70:236_245.
7. Takahashi, E., Tohoku University School of Medicine, Wholistic Health Digest. October 1982:41:00
8. Quillin, Patrick, Cancer’s Sweet Tooth, Nutrition Science News. Ap 2000 Rothkopf, M.. Nutrition. July/Aug 1990;6(4).
9. Michaud, D. Dietary Sugar, Glycemic Load, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in a Prospective Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. Sep 4, 2002 ;94(17):1293-300.
10. Moerman, C. J., et al. Dietary Sugar Intake in the Etiology of Biliary Tract Cancer. International Journal of Epidemiology. Ap 1993.2(2):207-214.
11. The Edell Health Letter. Sept 1991;7:1.
12. De Stefani, E.”Dietary Sugar and Lung Cancer: a Case control Study in Uruguay.” Nutrition and Cancer. 1998;31(2):132_7.
13. Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France. European Journal of Epidemiology 11 (1995):55-65.
14. Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129
15. Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France, European Journal of Epidemiology. 1995;11
16. Persson P. G., Ahlbom, A., and Hellers, G. Epidemiology. 1992;3:47-52.
17. Jones, T. W., et al. Enhanced Adrenomedullary Response and Increased Susceptibility to Neuroglygopenia: Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Effect of Sugar Ingestion in Children. Journal of Pediatrics. Feb 1995;126:171-7.
18. Crook, W. J. The Yeast Connection. (TN:Professional Books, 1984).

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Nutritional deficiencies and chronic infections go hand-in-hand. Each perpetuates the other in a never-ending vicious cycle. After many years, I discovered that both need to be addressed simultaneously in order for the recovery of health. The image below is my first hair test, from December 8th, 2011.  Prior to this test I had been sick for over 15 years and diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, hypothyroidism, post-traumatic stress disorder, major anxiety and bipolar disorder. In other words, I was very, very sick and deemed clinically disabled since 2004.  Little did I know that on top of these conditions,  I was also battling Lyme disease and several co-infections.

Most of my life I ate the SAD (Standard American Diet). This was very carb heavy with a few vegetables and lots of dairy. In 2008 I began experimenting with different diets in a desperate attempt to heal myself. This first hair test was taken after I had been on a very restrictive raw food and mostly vegan diet for a year.  This metabolic pattern on a hair test is called the Four-Lows. Calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium were all very low. This mineral pattern is typically associated with chronic fatigue and sometimes allergies. It is a chronic stress or ‘burnout’ condition that can take a very long time to correct.


My food intake at the time of this test was fruit-heavy with some raw vegetables. I was desperate to find a diet that would restore my health, but this one, unfortunately, did not work well for me at all. I was eating a small amount of animal products here and there but it didn’t come close to meeting my daily requirements, or let alone correcting my deficiencies and repairing my broken biochemistry. I had taken a positive first step in eliminating all grains, sugar, soy, corn and processed foods.  While helpful, it fell short in providing essential fatty acids, iron, zinc, choline and sulfur-rich foods, to name a few. I now understand that I did not have the stomach acid I needed for digestion, which resulted in poor nutrient absorption. My low stomach acid also wasn’t helping block new pathogens from taking hold and flourishing in my system.

When the results of this hair test and accompanying diet recommendations arrived, I switched to a cooked Paleo Diet, which placed greater emphasis on protein and fats.  I began eating salad for lunch, and cooked vegetables with meat/fish/chicken for supper.  Fruit was reduced to one serving per day. Still, it just wasn’t nutrient-dense enough to correct my severe mineral deficiencies at that time.  I simply couldn’t eat my way out of the nutrient deficit brought on by chronic infections that continuously drained my mineral stores.

It wasn’t until August 2015 that I was able to get my minerals into an acceptable range.  I had been on the Wahls Paleo Diet for almost 1 year.  My new protocol now included daily probiotic foods and a number of whole food supplements.  I had also spent the following year treating parasites,  Lyme Disease and other co-infections with Stephen Buhner’s Protocol.  Treating the mineral deficiencies,  Lyme and co-infections at the same time had finally paid off. I have been in Lyme remission since November 2014.

Causes of Mineral Deficiencies

1. Poor Diet – Diets high in processed foods, sugar, hydrogenated fats, additives and preservatives. Diets that lack fresh fruit and vegetables.
   Solution – Wahls Paleo Diet and whole food supplementation.
2. Restrictive Diets- Diets lacking B12, complete protein, zinc and vitamin A. Vegan diets are at risk of these deficiencies.
   Solution – Wahls Paleo Diet
3. Poor digestion and food absorption – Low stomach acid, leaky gut and low levels of good gut flora.
   Solutions- Betaine HCl with meals, bone broth  and probiotic foods.
4. Chronic infections – Parasites, lyme, viruses, fungus and other bacteria. These drain the body of all minerals around the clock, 7 days per week. It is very hard to correct deficiencies with active infections.
   Solutions – Treated Lyme, parasites, viruses and fungus with  Buhner’s Protocol for Lyme and parasite cleansing.
5. Drug and alcohol abuse. 
   Solution – I have been drug and alcohol-free since December 1, 2000. I no longer have any need for any prescription or over the counter medications.
6. Blood loss – Anemia had been an ongoing issue. It took me 1.5 years on the Wahls Paleo Diet but red blood cell count (RBC),  hemoglobin and ferritin are all now in the normal range.
   Solution- Beet kvass and other foods that provide iron, copper and vitamin C.
7. Stress-  Stressful career, overworking, negative relationships, financial worries, long commutes, single parenting and anything else that causes excessive levels of stress. It is important to reduce as much stress as possible during times of illness and recovery.
   Solution – I have made a conscious effort to reduce stress in every aspect of my life. This meant establishing boundaries with negative relationships, quitting a stressful career and living simply within my financial means.

Symptoms of Mineral Deficiencies 

Calcium- Also known as hypocalcemia. Symptoms can include numbness or tingling in the fingers, muscle cramps, lethargy and loss of appetite. More serious symptoms include mental confusion, skeletal malformations, dermatitis, delayed infant development, osteoporosis and rickets.

Magnesium- Anxiety, muscle cramps, restless leg syndrome, sleep disorders, irritability, nausea and vomiting, irregular heart rhythms, low blood pressure, foul body odor, confusion, excessive perspiration, inability to concentrate, depression,  muscle tightness. urinary frequency and  constipation.  This is considered by some to be one of the most important, yet deficient minerals among North Americans and Europeans.

Sodium – Hyponatremia. Symptoms can include mental changes, headache, nausea , vomiting, tiredness, muscle spasms and seizures.  Without adequate sodium intake, our bodies cannot make required levels of stomach acid.

Potassium -Symptoms can include weakness, tiredness,  cramping in arm or leg muscles – sometimes severe enough to cause inability to move arms or legs due to weakness (much like a paralysis). Symptoms also include tingling or numbness, nausea or vomiting, abdominal cramping, bloating, constipation and palpitations (irregular heart beat).

Iron – Symptoms of moderate to severe deficiency include, anemia, general fatigue, weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, dizziness, strange cravings for non-food items such as dirt or ice, tingling or a crawling feeling in the legs and a swelling or soreness in the tongue.

Copper – Anemia, arthritis, bacterial infections, neurological disorders, cardiovascular disorders, malignancies, gout, hypertension, emotional disturbances (manic disorders), insomnia, allergies and osteoporosis.

Manganese – Symptoms include impaired glucose tolerance, hypoglycema, abnormal carbohydrate and fat metabolism, skeletal abnormalities, bone demineralization and malformation, stunted growth, skin rashes, elevated blood calcium, siezures, weakness, nausea  or vomiting, dizziness, hearing loss, iron-deficiency anemia, weak hair and nails.

Zinc – Symptoms include acne or rashes, leaky gut, food allergies, thinning hair, diarrhea, weak immunity and poor neurological function.

Chromium – Symptoms can include, diabetes, hypoglycemia, high triglyceride levels, cravings for sugar or starch, high cholesterol levels and an inability to handle sugar or alcohol.

Selenium – Symptoms can include hair loss, skin and fingernail discoloration, low immunity, fatigue, brain fog and hypothyroidism.

Phosphorous – Symptoms can include loss of appetite, anxiety, bone pain, fragile bones, stiff joints, fatigue, irregular breathing, irritability, weakness and weight change.

Iodine – Symptoms can include hypothyroidism, constipation, feeling sluggish and tired, difficulty losing weight, dry hair, hair loss and cold sensitivity.

Here is my hair test after one year of Lyme disease remission, daily green smoothies, whole food supplementation and a paleo diet. I think this test speaks volumes. My body is slowly recovering and getting stronger with each passing month. I no longer have any of the above diagnoses that I had for decades. I have great health and energy today. My only lingering issues are cognitive. I would say I am about 90% recovered at the time of this writing. I can still have some issues with spelling, grammar, processing speed and long term memory. Usually, these flare if I am not getting my sleep or exercising too much. Now that I have recovered I just want to do everything!

Many symptoms of mineral deficiencies are the same as those of Lyme disease.  People, however, often confuse the two – this is my experience after many years on various Lyme forums. Many of those who focus only on killing infections are not regaining their health.  Infections continuously drain the body of needed minerals. It is important to correct mineral deficiencies, gently reduce the pathogenic load, correct digestion, balance blood sugar and heal the gut.  That is why it is so important to treat mineral deficiencies and chronic infections at the same time. You can read about everything that I did to recover from 20 years of chronic illness here.

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

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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!

In May 2014 I picked out my coffin and was planning my funeral. I had been sick for almost 20 years and was also battling a serious kidney infection on top of the Lyme disease and co-infections. I was given a chronic fatigue/fibro diagnosis many years prior to this. After I was finally diagnosed with Lyme, Bartonella, babesia, Epstein-Barr virus, parasites and a few other co-infections, I traveled to Mexico where I received intensive ozone treatments for a month at a local clinic. I felt better for a brief time but relapsed 2 months later. Since the Lyme was chronic, I decided to hold off on the antibiotics as I was concerned about my gut health. I could always try the antibiotics later on if I was not successful in finding a solution. 

I remember feeling very discouraged and completely worn out. I asked God to either take me or heal me. The next day while researching online I found Stephen Buhner’s website.   Buhner is an herbalist from New Mexico who had developed a protocol for treating Lyme and co-infections. I immediately ordered the herbs for his original protocol.
***Note – Buhner’s original protocol included eleutherococcus instead of andrographis. As a side note I was already using andrographis as part of my parasite cleansing treatment.

What I did

1. Bowel/ Liver Cleanse- I began with a 30-day herbal bowel and liver cleanse. I mixed equal parts of turmeric, fennel, dandelion and milk thistle. I took a teaspoon mixed with water 3 times per day. I added in some Lugol’s iodine for the 30 days along with digestive enzymes with meals. This is a cleanse developed by Hulda Clark, which I modified. You can read it in more detail here.

2. Parasite Cleanse- I had been battling parasites for over 2 years before beginning Lyme treatment. My parasitic load had been mostly cleared by this time. I did an herbal parasite cleanse for 2 months just to be sure that I was cleared of the roundworms, flukes, tapeworm and rope worms that had been a serious problem.  Here is an article regarding parasites and Lyme Disease. My opinion (also shared by some Lyme Literate Medical Doctors) is that anyone with Lyme also has parasites.  After the 2 months, I continued to take the antiparasitic herbs for 9 months. I took one dose before bed. Here is my herbal recipe.

3. Buhner’s Core Original Protocol- I slowly worked my way up to the full dosing of the 3 main herbs. I decided to purchase the herbs in bulk form and make my own capsules. The large 00 capsules hold about 700 mg of herb, and that is how I calculated my dosing. I stayed at the dosage below for 8 full months. A few months into the protocol, I got tired of making the capsules and found it much easier to just stir the powdered herbs into some water. I emptied out 3 capsules into a spoon to get a feel for the dosing.  I didn’t worry about being a little over or under in my daily measurements.

My daily dose

Japanese Knotweed- 7000mg per day =  10  capsules

Cat’s Claw                 – 7000 mg per day =   10 capsules

Eleutherococcus  –  4200 mg per day =  6 capsules
Note- I took a 2 week break every 60 days

I began with one herb at a time. Once I got to the full dosage for my weight I started the next herb. By taking them one at a time it is easy to tell if there is any adverse reaction to any of the herbs. It took me about 6 weeks to get up to the full dose of each of the core herbs.

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 released by pathogens as they were dying off. This is not an easy thing to go through. This is known as a Jarisch–Herxheimer Reaction.  Commonly referred to as a “herx”.  It is the body’s reaction to endotoxins that are 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 about my strategies for dealing with die-off here.

 Started feeling better at the 5-month mark

I started to improve around the 5-month mark as the pathogenic load decreased. This improvement was the encouragement to keep me moving forward.  I was also on the Wahl’s Paleo Diet (see post, Wahls Paleo Diet for Lyme Disease) at this time. I noticed a marked improvement in all symptoms from the first day I started having my Super Healthy Green Smoothies. I will say it again! This was the game-changer for me.

Babesia treatment at the 6-month mark

Babesia are malaria-like protozoans that parasitize and reproduce in the red blood cells. Chronic symptoms that I had included air hunger (never feeling I was getting enough air), persistent cough, fatigue, fevers, headache, imbalance, chills, sweats and anemia. I decided to try Buhner’s recommended herbs for babesia. I had been coughing for 4 months straight.  I would develop this cough almost every year, and it would last for months on end.  I knew it was time to treat the babesia. I wrote a more in-depth post about it here – Two Herbs For Babesia Success. 

Babesia Herbs

Sida Acuta- 1/4 tsp (40 drops)  3  x per day

Cryptolepis- 1/4 tsp (40 drops)  3 x per day

I took these for 5 weeks straight. I decided to stop, as I was developing a yeast problem and my stools had become very small and infrequent. I felt that my gut flora had been adversely affected. After researching, I discovered that the cryptolepis can upset the ecological balance in the gut. I stopped the treatment, and babesia symptoms have not returned.

Bartonella

The Bartonella cleared after doing the above herbal treatments. I never had to do anything else.  I did use a fair amount of milk thistle, Japanese knotweed and sida acuta throughout my treatment.  Possibly this was enough to eliminate the Bartonella for good.

Additional Supplements – Fish oil, kelp, desiccated liver pills, whole food multivitamin/mineral, adrenal glandular, cordyceps and digestive enzymes with all meals. I also took copper and magnesium as suggested on my hair tissue mineral analysis.

Complete Lyme and co-infection remission since treatment.

Since completing the above protocol, November 2014, I have had a reduction of symptoms by about 95%.  Red blood count and ferritin levels are within the normal ranges. Anemia, after a lifetime battle, is much improved. The persistent coughing, feeling cold all the time, headaches, migraines, body aches, tooth pain, ear pain, chills, sweats, dizziness, weakness and extreme fatigue are gone now. I have zero pain in my body which is a miracle in itself. The only lingering issues are cognitive.  These too are greatly improving as the years go by. I am in the rebuilding phase and honestly feel like I get stronger with each passing year. I continue with a Paleo Diet and love this way of eating. Here is an article that explains in detail everything else that I did to completely recover my health.

I highly recommend Buhner’s Protocol to anyone who has Lyme and its co-infections. It is a very inexpensive way to treat these debilitating conditions. There is a bit of a  learning curve, but it really isn’t that complicated once you get going. The key with herbs though is taking enough of a dosage for a sufficient period of time. I have always been drawn to plants, real food, nature, sunshine, fresh air and natural remedies, so for me, this was the easy choice.  I am back to extensive backpacking travel, snorkeling, swimming, hiking and all of the things I love to do. It is a miracle to be well after so many years of sickness.

My Maintenance Protocol

1/ Wahls Paleo- Roughly 33% carbs, 33% protein, 33% fat
2/ 30-day parasite cleanse every 6 months
3/ Sleep a minimum of 7 hours per night
4/ Digestive supports, whole food multivitamin/mineral, cod liver oil, kelp, magnesium, desiccated liver capsules, currently manganese as indicated on the latest hair test.
5/ Daily exercise – a minimum of 1 hour
6/ Water- clean filtered- 2 liters per day
7/ Low-stress lifestyle
8/ Plenty of sunshine for vitamin d

Comment from Stephen Buhner.

“Hi Brenda,  I thought your article pretty much a perfect one for people with Lyme, etc. (So glad my work helped you). Nearly all people with the Lyme group of infections needs to moderate the protocol for their specific situation; you really took charge of your life and situation and empowered yourself to wellness. a wonderful, thoughtful story.  All the best, Stephen.”

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

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

Resources
Stephen Harrod Buhner, Healing Lyme. Natural Healing and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis and Its Coinfections. Raven Press, 2005. (Watch for the second edition in the coming months)
Stephen Harrod Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics. Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria. Storey Publishing, 1999.

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Every culture around the world has their own fermented foods that they regularly consumed for good health.  My ancestors from Ukraine understood the many restorative properties of beet kvass. This Lacto-fermented, probiotic-rich tonic is made from beets. This is one of my probiotic staples that I don’t like to be without. This is one of the many things that brought me from chronically ill to healthy and strong in my 50’s. You can read about everything else that I did here.

Many of the benefits include:

1. Better bowel function

2. Liver  cleansing

3. Protects against infectious disease

4. Provides an abundant source of vitamins, minerals and enzymes

5. Aids in digestion

6. In Europe, it is used as a cancer therapy.

7. Maintains a healthy gut flora.

8. Alkalizes  the blood

9. A good treatment for kidney stones

Easy Beet Kvass Recipe

1. Chop your beets into 1/2 inch cubes. Do not shred as this will cause the beets to ferment too fast and the result might produce alcohol instead of lactic acid. I use a large 2-liter jar but you can use any size. I fill the jar 1/3 with beets.
2. 1 tablespoon grated ginger
3. 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
4. 1 tablespoon of sea salt
5. 2 probiotic capsules
6. Filtered water

Place everything in the jar and fill with water. We leave about 1.5 inches of air space in the jar. Stir everything together and then add the probiotics last. Give one last gentle stir. Cover and let sit on your counter for 48 hours. We prefer this recipe with the probiotic capsules because it reduces the fermentation time. Many recipes call for whey but we stopped using all dairy and no longer make kefir. We also make our sauerkraut with the probiotic capsules. Once you have some kvass you can just use 1/2 cup to innoculate your next batch.

Some people will empty the kvass and refill with water for a second batch.  This will work but the second batch will not be as strong. I like to think that I am worth a fresh round of beets with every batch.  Smiles

I can attest to the amazing health benefits of beet kvass.  I have experienced the bowel cleansing benefits as well as a major increase in energy. I enjoy walking several miles per day and find my pace and distance has greatly increased since the addition of kvass and other probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut. This is a good option if you do not have access to raw goat/cow yogurt or have to avoid fermented dairy due to a casein intolerance/allergy. This has been such a blessing to find an easy, inexpensive probiotic food. 

Helped with Anemia

Another benefit is the blood alkalizing and nutrient density of kvass. Since I have struggled with babesia (malaria-like protozoan) and anemia I feel that kvass is an excellent maintenance and support for the blood as beets are high in vitamin c, iron and copper. The body needs all three to build new blood.

“Beets are unique in their rich combination of betalain pigments. Both betacyanins (red-violet pigments) and betaxanthins (yellow pigments) can be found in beets. Betanin and vulgaxanthin are betalains that have gotten special attention in beet research. Beets are also an excellent source of folate and a very good source of manganese, potassium, and copper. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin B6”.

Nutritional information from World’s Healthiest Foods.

I raise my glass of beet kvass and say – To your health! Na zdorov’ya

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.

Latest Posts

• Success with Wahls Paleo Diet for Lyme Disease
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If you liked this article please feel free to share it!

The Wahls Paleo Diet is the diet that turned me around in less than a year. This eating plan has kept me in complete remission from Lyme Disease and co-infections since November 2014. I  also treated the Lyme Disease with Stephen Buhner’s Herbal Protocol and had completed an extensive parasite cleanse. My parasite recipe can be found here. You can read about everything else that I did to recover my health here.

My health was terrible when I started the diet. I had been chronically ill for over 20 years and given a CFS/Fibro diagnosis and finally Lyme Disease.  I was completely disabled, housebound, overweight, hypothyroid, weak, exhausted, anemic, had debilitating pain,   chronic migraines, and horrible digestive issues. I had been eating a protein and fat heavy Paleo Diet with very minimal improvements. Just prior I was a raw foodist, near vegan for over 3 years. Hair tissue mineral analysis revealed many mineral deficiencies, which is not unusual for anyone with chronic infections. My digestion was terrible and I could only eat about 5 foods. I had to go on a cooked food diet for the first 6 months. My stomach burned just from drinking water.

I was looking for a diet that would provide me with all of the recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals – a diet that would heal my gut so that I could rebuild my immune system. I wanted every single bite of food to be packed with healing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential fatty acids.  A diet that would heal my broken biochemistry.  I already knew that real food was powerful medicine.

I became instantly drawn to the work of Dr. Terry Wahls, whose nutritional research led her to develop a diet to treat her own secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis. The disease had left her confined to a tilt recline wheelchair for four years. She had tried many of the conventional drugs for MS available at the time with little success. As a physician-scientist, she created the diet and lifestyle which brought her out of her wheelchair and able to bike 18 miles within 9 months. The Wahls approach of eating the most nutrient-dense real food made sense to me, and I purchased her book “The Wahls Protocol”.  Watch Dr. Wahls’ Ted Talk, Minding Your Mitochondria! It is fantastic!

Since I was already eating Paleo (with many dairy “cheats”), the transition wasn’t that difficult. This is a basic outline of what I would be eating each day:

• 3 cups of dark green vegetables – romaine is my preference
• 3 cups intensely colored vegetables: 1 cup red vegetables/fruit, 1 cup blue-black vegetables/fruit, 1 cup yellow/orange vegetables/fruit
• 3 cups of sulfur-rich vegetables: Mushrooms, onions, shallots, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and  bok choy 
• Seaweed for iodine and trace minerals- I take 6 kelp tablets per day.
• Omega 3 rich foods – Wild fish and seafood, cod liver oil
• Eat organ meats (offal) once per week. (We eat beef liver covered in onions once per week).
• Regular bone broth – We were already making a slow simmer 48-hour beef broth. My new favorite broth is made from chicken feet for lots of collagen.
• Fermented foods or a probiotic – sauerkraut and beet kvass.

So how was I going to eat 9 cups of fruit and vegetables each day? The addition of a green smoothie every single morning would boost my fruit and vegetable intake easily.

Note- Dr. Wahls suggests eliminating eggs for a 30 day period and then re-introducing them if there is no reaction. I stopped eating eggs for about 2 months and added them back without any negative symptoms. I continue to eat pastured eggs almost every day.

My Typical Day

Breakfast/Lunch –  11 am – This first meal is usually one of the following:

1/Super healthy Green Smoothie. In addition, I often have 3 boiled eggs on the side.

2/ Real Food Rebel Soup for Chronic Illness. 

3/ Large Salad– A large salad with lots of different greens, carrots, purple cabbage, cucumbers, olives, onions, peppers, slivered beets, jicama, boiled eggs or leftover meat. I top this off with my Easy Salad Dressing Recipe.

Dinner – 5 pm – This is usually a completely cooked meal of grass-fed meat,  organic free-range chicken, or wild-caught fish along with lots of cooked sulfur-rich vegetables. I love cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts. If these are steamed I cover them in butter.

Intermittent Fasting –  This eating/fasting schedule is what comes most naturally to me now. I really try not to eat anything in between these meals. I have the most energy and clarity when I stick to this schedule.

Additional supplements that I take with meals –  Betaine HCl, digestive enzymes, magnesium, whole food multi-mineral/vitamin, kelp tablets, cod liver oil, desiccated liver pills when I travel, copper or manganese (according to hair tissue results) and moringa in my smoothies.

Within one month of integrating the green smoothies into this diet I began feeling better; I was warmer, less fatigued and my head was clearer. I was hooked! I have never measured out my food but eat until satisfied and try to fulfill many of Dr Wahls’ dietary suggestions.

Within 6 months I was able to walk five miles, swim daily, begin resistance training, and lost over 20 lbs. Constipation, intestinal pain and chronic infections are no longer a problem.

This is my very first hair analysis from December 2011. I was housebound at this time and extremely sick. My mineral levels were almost nonexistent.  I was a near vegan and raw foodist from 2009 – 2012.

The results of my hair tissue mineral analysis were much improved after one year on this diet. If you click on the test it will enlarge. The levels on the bottom show the results from Sept/2014. The upper value shows the most current levels taken Aug/2015. You can see how several minerals have improved in only 11 months. My mineral levels are now within the acceptable range.

Here is my most recent hair test from August 28, 2019

Although this test is good it might have been a little different had I  not backpacked for a month in Peru.  I completed the 4 day Inca Trail and climbed Rainbow Mountain. Physically challenging to say the least and my adrenals were screaming for weeks afterward. I’m sure I burned through a lot of minerals. Currently, I am working on boosting levels and trying to get manganese a bit higher. My thyroid function has improved and body temperature is normal since incorporating this way of eating.  My hair, skin and nails have greatly improved. My last blood results showed an excellent red blood cell count and ferritin levels. Prior to this, I  had struggled with anemia my entire life.

Initially, I went from 165 lbs to 115 lbs. The second picture was taken in 2015. My weight stays steady now between 120 and 125lbs. This weight is a good one for me at 5’4″.

Today!

There is no doubt that I am now enjoying the best health and shape of my entire life. I have had 5 years of amazing health. At age 57 I hike, swim, bike, carry all of my groceries home by hand and lift weights. In 3 weeks I will be climbing volcanoes in Guatemala. I am so grateful to Dr. Wahls, for sharing this diet with us! It is exciting to heal and regain my health using nutrient-dense real food and other natural therapies. I love eating this way and hope to for the rest of my life. Go ahead and give this a try! You have nothing to lose except for some extra pounds, toxins and illness!

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

Recent Posts

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Everything we eat has the power to heal or kill us. This recipe is super healthy and easy to make. Now is the time to throw out all of the commercially prepared toxic salad dressings that you have in your fridge.  This vinaigrette does not require refrigeration and goes well on almost every salad. It is also very nice on steamed vegetables, baked potatoes or rice. This is my staple salad dressing. I make a large bottle and always have some on hand.

Ingredients

2 cups extra virgin olive oil – Buy a good quality in a dark bottle

1 cup apple cider vinegar with the mother

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 – 2 tsp raw honey

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tbsp nutritional yeast – optional

Pinch of  Celtic or Himalayan salt

Directions

Pour all ingredients into an empty olive oil bottle or glass mason jar with a lid.  Shake up and pour onto your favorite salad. Enjoy all of that nutritional goodness!!

‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’
Hippocrates

Blessings and Best of Health

Brenda

This article outlines everything else that I did to reverse 20 years of chronic illness.

10 Simple Things That Will Boost Your Health in 2020

How Low Stomach Acid Promotes Bacteria, Parasites, Yeast and Viruses

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.

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

You have the power to change your life and health. You can kick your chronic illnesses naturally. It’s time to make some changes. We are currently experiencing a disease epidemic. You only have one body and it needs proper love and care. There is nothing more valuable than great health. Without your health, it is virtually impossible to excel in your family life, careers, friendships and communities. Bring in the New Year with some much needed nutritional and lifestyle changes. I was chronically ill for over 20 years and so I know this can be done. Take care of yourself so you can shine bright!

1/ Stop Eating Processed Junk Food

Humans have lost their way with food. Our bodies are not designed to handle all of these toxins and nutrient-devoid food-like substances. Avoid high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, white flour, pasta, bread, sodium nitrates and nitrites ( hotdogs and luncheon meats), sugar, flavor enhancers like MSG and bad fats.  Avoid hydrogenated fats and polyunsaturated oils like soy, canola, sunflower, corn and cottonseed. Never eat margarine, fake whip cream, bakery items, restaurant fried foods, chips, salad dressings and anything microwavable. Do a junk food kitchen purge and stop eating fast food. 

2/ Eat a Nutrient-Dense Real Food Diet

Fill your plate 2/3 with non-starchy vegetables. Shoot for a Wahls Paleo way of eating with 3 cups of green, 3 cups of deeply colored and 3 cups of sulfur-rich vegetables each day. Add in healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter. Enjoy organic, grass-fed, wild-caught and complete proteins like salmon, chicken, eggs, beef, and seafood. This will balance your blood sugar and give you the necessary nutrients your body needs to function properly. Remember high octane food for high octane performance.

3/ Heal your Gut and Digestion

Do you have heartburn, bloating, burping, bad breath or pain after eating? Digestion should be a non-event! You shouldn’t even be aware that your stomach is busy digesting a big meal. According to Jonathan Wright MD, “Approximately 90% of all Americans produce too little hydrochloric acid.” Many people today need to supplement with digestive aids. Work with a nutritional therapist to fix your digestion so you are able to digest all of that good food you are now eating. We are what we are able to digest. You can read more about gut health here.

4/ Drink more Water

Dehydration is one of the most widespread and underappreciated health issues today! Start with half of your body weight in ounces. According to F.Batmanghelidj, M.D, “Chronic cellular dehydration of the body is the primary etiology of painful degenerative disease.” You can read more about the importance of water here.

5/ Take a Good Wholefood Multivitamin/Mineral

Taking a good whole food multi is your little dietary insurance policy that you are getting all of the nutrients that your diet might be lacking. If you want to know the mineral status in your body get a hair tissue mineral analysis. This will help to target specific minerals that are lacking in the body. 

6/ Eliminate Toxins of Every Kind

1. Personal care products – Commercial body lotion, sunscreen, bug spray, toothpaste, make-up, hair care products, hair dyes, soaps, body scents and teeth whiteners, to name a few
2. Toxic household products – Heavily scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners, cleaning products
3. Environmental toxins – Of gassing from new furniture, carpets, new vehicle upholstery, fresh paint, mold in the home or workplace, EMF and dirty electricity exposure, cigarette smoke, vaping, air fresheners and scented candles

7/ Reduce stress

Stress kills! It burns through your minerals. Try and eliminate as much work and relationship stress that you can.  Take a look at how full your plate is. Are you doing too much? Do a friend list clean-up. Unload those frenemies. Stick with those that love and support you. 

8/ Get some good sleep

Now that you have changed your diet and reduced your stress it should be easier to sleep. We need good sound undisturbed sleep so the body can heal itself. If you are chronically ill sleep as much as you can. Try and include some afternoon naps as well.

9/Get some exercise and fresh air

Get moving! Start small and work up. Walk to the end of your drive. Then walk halfway around the block. Try and increase the amount and intensity as you are able. Do what you enjoy but get outside and get some sun and fresh air. You can read more about the importance of exercise here.

10/ Forgive Everyone for Everything And Love More

Pull out that big long list of resentments that you are carrying. Now go through each one and start forgiving. Some are harder than others. I just pray for those people until I no longer feel anger towards them. Start with loving and forgiving yourself first. We have all done the best we could with what we were given. Live each day with a grateful heart. Give and receive as much love as your heart can hold. 

Love and Blessings,

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!