As I sit and write this, I am being over indulgent.  I just ordered a beer and the Restaurant 4580 special of the evening, fried chicken with local corn and potatoes, topped in gravy.  Don’t worry, I did start with a salad ;)

I am indulging because I fear my days ahead… well, I don’t really fear it, but it will be a challenge: a challenge of the mind more than the body.

I have been seeing naturopaths, osteopaths, acupuncturists, etc over the years to combat my own personal digestive dysfunction.  Having a severe family history and [now] ten years of my own symptoms, I even began studying what I do for my health and the health of my family.  Once I began working on my own health, I realized the potency of all that I studied and knew that I had to share it with the masses. 

Today, I had the most conclusive session to date.  About four months ago, after having tests run by a naturopath, eliminating foods and seeing no results, I went to a new naturopath renowned for his deep ability to find the root of one’s symptoms and known to really combat digestive disorders.  8 tests, 16 vials of blood, 3 stool samples, 4 saliva samples, 3 urine samples and a lot of juggling containing, shipping and submitting my tests, today was the day to see my outcome.

Wow, was it conclusive!

I am a generally healthy person, but no matter how I appear, I knew that I had something big going on in my belly.  Turns out I was right!

Here’s the low down:

> My MCV (mean cell volume of red blood cells) is slightly high, suggesting mild B-12 absorption issues.

> My Lp(a) is very high, suggesting that my cholesterol is moving in large packs instead of small.

> My Vitamin D is low.

> My homocysteine is also high.

> My Omega-3’s are low and not being absorbed.

> I have bacterial deficiencies in my gut.

> I also have high yeast growth and a mild parasite in my gut.

> I have leaky gut syndrome.

> I am completely dairy in tolerant and have never had the genetic capability to break it down.

> I am sensitive to combining any fruit and sugar in my diet.

> I have a flattened adrenal function curve suggesting hippocampus and anterior pituitary messaging issues to the adrenal gland.

Sooo, what does that all mean?!!

It means several things, but also that ALL issues are changeable and reversible with…

da dada daa, D I E T !

Right, I thought I had a good diet, but (as I suspected), it could be better for me.

Staring tomorrow, I will begin a cleanse.  And by cleanse, I mean CLEANSE!

It is called the “Gut Repair and Restoration Cleanse,” it goes as follows:

Foods I must eliminate >>

fruit: banana, grape, raisin, pineapple, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, watermelon, mango

grains: all

legumes: all

soy products: all

nuts and nut butters: all

seed and seed butters: all

meats: pork

dairy: all

eggs: all

alcohol: all

sea vegetables: all

vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers (so all night shades), corn, all mushrooms

sugars: all, including molasses, honey, agave, maple, rice syrup, date sugar, coconut sugar, stevia, xylitol

vinegars: all except apple cider

other: coffee, chocolate, anything processed, anything from a box, can or bag and salt

Sooo, can I eat? Hahahaa…

Yes, here are those foods >>

low glycemic fruits: all berries

moderate glycemic fruits: cherries, apricots, plums, prunes, kiwi, lime juice, pomegranate,

pears, peaches, apples, avocados, lemon juice

root veggies: carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, burdock root

winter squash: all

vegetables: cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions, leeks, green

onions, shallots, garlic, rhubarb, asparagus. green beans, artichokes, celery, celeriac, kohlrabi,

bamboo shoot, water chestnut, daikon radish, radish, rutabaga

fermented veggies: sauerkraut, pickled ginger (no additives)

leafy greens: lettuces, arugula, spinach, watercress, fresh basil, cilantro, parsley, tatsoi, bok

choy, cabbage, dandelion greens, endive, radicchio, purslane

coconut: all (thank the universe!!)

oils: coconut, olive

meats: beef and beef liver, buffalo, lamb, venison, elk, ostrich

poultry: chicken and chicken liver, turkey, duck, goose

fish: [regularly] sardines, anchovies, wild salmon, tuna, trout, catfish, talapia, cod, flounder [periodically] halibut, bass, albacore tuna, Spanish mackerel avoid] tilefish, swordfish, king mackerel, sea bass, orange roughy

seafood: crab, shrimp, oysters, clams, lobster

herbs/spices: basil, rosemary, thyme, chives, turmeric, ginger, mustard, cinnamon [all highly recommended] most others fine including herbal teas

Did you get that?!  Because I barely did.  I will be doing this diet plan and taking several (count it, eight) supplements while doing so.

After that, I will never be allowed to eat dairy again, it is highly suggested that I not eat gluten and I am unable to combine fruit with sugar (think jam, packaged salad dressing, etc) ever again, within eight hours of one another.

As daunting as it sounds, I am super excited!!  I have been searching for my answer through seven years of elimination diets, and have never found what was juuuust right for me.  But, I am extremely confident in my ability to make delicious nutrient rich meals within this cleanse spectrum.  And, of course, thereafter. 

But, I wanted to share this with you because I believe it is so valuable to recognize.  I am an outwardly healthy person but I have inward disruption.  Maybe you do too, but just think it’s situational or temporary…  Maybe it’s more than meets the eye, which is very probable.  One of my most beneficial suggestions is to find an amazing naturopath in your area and get all kinds of tests run (if you feel that you are ‘off’ in any way: brain, belly, etc).  If you question who to see, call a renowned university, like Bastyr, and ask for a recommendation in your area.  I spent over $750 on inconclusive testing that was totally irrelevant because the naturopath did not perform the best tests for me.  That felt badly, but in some ways taught me a lot.  Mostly, it taught me to do more research on who I see, to not trust all single recommendations and to know people’s specialties before I walk in the door. 

It also taught me that my intuition serves best… I suspected that I had intolerance to dairy and I truly knew that I had inflammation in my gut (very very present with the yeast, parasite, leaky gut, etc).  I, in fact, told the first naturopath that I had this before she ran any tests. 

So, I highly suggest food diary-ing, writing in a journal to note how you feel everyday: physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.  I found that my neck always hurt more when my digestion was really off, for instance.  It’s something worth trying and, if you’ve read my blog, you know it has been life changing for me.  If you have any issues that you are dealing with, in any of those realms (physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually), I believe you will find solace in your written thoughts/ideas/observations about them.

So, it is now time for my meal to be taken, and am going to happily enjoy this childlike reminiscence (my grandmother would always make me fried chicken, corn and potatoes).  I am indulging in another beer and waiting on my good friend to join me for a smile…

This is my last blog from the current location and from now on, I will be writing you from my new website, new link, new image system and really, a new me.  I can’t wait to begin this journey tomorrow and will keep you posted on my trials and tribulations!  As a side note, Aaron is loving Japan and I am waiting on some things to come together for me to make further decisions.  Life is beautiful and I hope you are well.  Much love and joy your way, xx, B