Throughout this whole experience, my family has tried several new things to make the healing process a little faster. In this past month, I would say we took the biggest step by starting a brand new GAPS diet that heals the gut lining, restores the correct balance of intestinal bacteria, and relieves the body of toxins, which helps to resolve existing imbalance and prevents further damage.
Week 1:
Ever since I can remember, when someone was ill in my house chicken soup was always the #1 rejuvenating food that could help them restore their health. Well, as it turns out the main food on GAPS is of course homemade soup, made from natural homemade bone broth that is full of nutrients and minerals.
Our first day with 11 people on the diet was not pretty. We started off with a 24 hour soup fast, which had been so detoxifying that I had a low blood sugar of 56, was unable to walk without getting dizzy or lightheaded, and highly nauseated. As the day passed, we longed for some solid food, but somehow we made it through.
The next day I was still experiencing the same results, but I added in boiled meats and refused to eat any more soup because of my strong reaction. We decided that for me, our goal would be to build up to three bowls of soup a day.
Week 2:
The first week went by slowly, and by the second week, after some more detox, I was eating three bowls of pureed soup a day with still some effects afterwards. Everybody was at different stages in the diet. For some, they jumped right into raw vegetables and other foods, for others they are at the stage where only soup, probiotic foods, and boiled meats are allowed, like me.
It was hard to concentrate when our tutor came to the house to teach us. Often, I was too weak and had to go rest.
The Final Weeks:
After the first two weeks ended, the detoxing symptoms began to become less severe. Still unable to move forward to the next stages, I am eating three bowls of pureed soup a day with boiled meats and steamed veggies.
For my younger brothers, I am their personal chef at lunch and cook them meals like vegetable stir fry and many others that I occasionally take a sample knowing that I will experience some effects afterwards.
As the first month passes, I know that in time I will be healthy again, but for now I am taking it slow, one bowl of pureed soup at a time.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Finish Line
I apologize for not writing on the blog for a while, I haven't had any writing inspiration lately. But a thought came to me today that related to my family's situation and many others that are going through struggles.
When some people run a race they run faster for the trophy at the end, but for others they run all the way to the end for the satisfaction of saying , I made it, I'm done, I'm at the finish line.
So, here we are running this race, pushing along, jumping every hurdle that comes our way, but when a hurdle arrives that we can't jump, we can choose to find a way around it or give up.
For my family and I, we are still running that race, dodging those hurdles, but we haven't lost hope.
I speak to all of those people who are struggling when I say, don't ever give up, just imagine the finish line, imagine the satisfaction of making it through because you will make it.
When some people run a race they run faster for the trophy at the end, but for others they run all the way to the end for the satisfaction of saying , I made it, I'm done, I'm at the finish line.
So, here we are running this race, pushing along, jumping every hurdle that comes our way, but when a hurdle arrives that we can't jump, we can choose to find a way around it or give up.
For my family and I, we are still running that race, dodging those hurdles, but we haven't lost hope.
I speak to all of those people who are struggling when I say, don't ever give up, just imagine the finish line, imagine the satisfaction of making it through because you will make it.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
5 Helpful Tips to Improve Your Health
People all around the world want to improve their health, but they don't know where to start. Do you start with medical prescriptions? Or maybe even a low carb diet? Who really knows? All of the information I can give is some tips to improve your health.
1. Take out all processed and refined foods/drinks
(Processed and refined foods make the body work hard, therefore causing a stress on the immune system. It is very important that you eat organic or raw foods because of the chemicals used when a refined food is processed. Canned foods, boxed foods, or any other foods/drinks that contain additives such as MSG, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar are all processed and refined foods/drinks.)
2. Exercise often
(Not only does exercise improve your weight it also improves your mood, fights off chronic diseases, helps high blood pressure, and helps move the lymphatic system. Because the lymphatic system is not connected to the heart, it depends on exercise and other things to keep it moving.Activity activates many brain chemicals, causing you to be happier and more relaxed than you were before.)
3. Drink a lot of water
(All of us need water. After all our bodies are made up of 70% water and all of our systems yearn for it to function. Water flows nutrients to all of our cells, flushes toxins from our kidneys, assists the digestive track, regulates temperature, and helps many other things in the body.)
4. Read labels carefully
(A couple days ago my mom could not make a trip to Jamba Juice to get me a smoothie. We were in Safeway and instead she got me an Odwalla juice. Happily I sat in the car sipping a little bit at a time. In the middle of the car ride my mom read the label on the back. She read that it had evaporated cane juice, a.k.a refined sugar. We learned from this experience that we must always read labels carefully although some of the ingredients are misleading.)
5. Be aware of surrounding air
(Our story speaks for itself on this tip.)
When we were going through a rough time, these tips would have helped us realize what we can do for our health and I hope that you are one step ahead of what we were.
1. Take out all processed and refined foods/drinks
(Processed and refined foods make the body work hard, therefore causing a stress on the immune system. It is very important that you eat organic or raw foods because of the chemicals used when a refined food is processed. Canned foods, boxed foods, or any other foods/drinks that contain additives such as MSG, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar are all processed and refined foods/drinks.)
2. Exercise often
(Not only does exercise improve your weight it also improves your mood, fights off chronic diseases, helps high blood pressure, and helps move the lymphatic system. Because the lymphatic system is not connected to the heart, it depends on exercise and other things to keep it moving.Activity activates many brain chemicals, causing you to be happier and more relaxed than you were before.)
3. Drink a lot of water
(All of us need water. After all our bodies are made up of 70% water and all of our systems yearn for it to function. Water flows nutrients to all of our cells, flushes toxins from our kidneys, assists the digestive track, regulates temperature, and helps many other things in the body.)
4. Read labels carefully
(A couple days ago my mom could not make a trip to Jamba Juice to get me a smoothie. We were in Safeway and instead she got me an Odwalla juice. Happily I sat in the car sipping a little bit at a time. In the middle of the car ride my mom read the label on the back. She read that it had evaporated cane juice, a.k.a refined sugar. We learned from this experience that we must always read labels carefully although some of the ingredients are misleading.)
5. Be aware of surrounding air
(Our story speaks for itself on this tip.)
When we were going through a rough time, these tips would have helped us realize what we can do for our health and I hope that you are one step ahead of what we were.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Another Anniversary
My family has had several Anniversaries to celebrate this year. There's of course our parent's anniversary, our 1 year (since leaving the house) anniversary, and our latest anniversary, leaving the rental home that had been sprayed with pesticides.
That week was our worst nightmare...
First we moved in and LOVED the house. (It had 6 bedrooms, a pool, and a guest house)
Second we couldn't breathe after one night of staying there. (Our throats closed up because of the pesticides sprayed throughout the house)
Third we slept outside although they had sprayed pesticides out there as well. (Some of us felt safer outside because of the amount sprayed inside)
Fourth we vacated the home leaving our father to do his radio show in the guest house. (My dad had to do his radio show and claimed that he didn't react to the house)
Finally we lived off of hotels for several more weeks. (For my birthday I spent my time searching for houses to rent temporarily)
With our words we lived it all over again last night. We remebered hotel after hotel, my dad's work, and the complication of it all.
Now that another anniversary has passed, time goes on and the road to recovery gets closer to being paved.
That week was our worst nightmare...
First we moved in and LOVED the house. (It had 6 bedrooms, a pool, and a guest house)
Second we couldn't breathe after one night of staying there. (Our throats closed up because of the pesticides sprayed throughout the house)
Third we slept outside although they had sprayed pesticides out there as well. (Some of us felt safer outside because of the amount sprayed inside)
Fourth we vacated the home leaving our father to do his radio show in the guest house. (My dad had to do his radio show and claimed that he didn't react to the house)
Finally we lived off of hotels for several more weeks. (For my birthday I spent my time searching for houses to rent temporarily)
With our words we lived it all over again last night. We remebered hotel after hotel, my dad's work, and the complication of it all.
Now that another anniversary has passed, time goes on and the road to recovery gets closer to being paved.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Almost Paved
On Wednesday I celebrated my 3 week anniversary for my broken collarbone. I was running on a hiking trail and lost my footing. 3 weeks down 3 to go.
At first it seemed like another bump in the road, but after the first couple days we started thinking that the break happened for good.
"Mom, since my collarbone is broken it gives a break from my symptoms." I said expressing my thoughts as I always do.
In a way I was right. Instead of focusing on my symptoms and noting them for my next Acupuncture visit, I have something else to worry about now.
Everything is back to normal now. I am back to focusing on my symptoms and noting them for my next Acupuncture appointment.
But I'm sure this break happened for a reason as everything else in life does.
I realized something this week. When we vacated our home it was like a road fell apart and needed repaving. Now that we are coming closer to recovery the road is getting closer to pavement. We just need to wait until the road is safe to drive on.
At first it seemed like another bump in the road, but after the first couple days we started thinking that the break happened for good.
"Mom, since my collarbone is broken it gives a break from my symptoms." I said expressing my thoughts as I always do.
In a way I was right. Instead of focusing on my symptoms and noting them for my next Acupuncture visit, I have something else to worry about now.
Everything is back to normal now. I am back to focusing on my symptoms and noting them for my next Acupuncture appointment.
But I'm sure this break happened for a reason as everything else in life does.
I realized something this week. When we vacated our home it was like a road fell apart and needed repaving. Now that we are coming closer to recovery the road is getting closer to pavement. We just need to wait until the road is safe to drive on.
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