cjb's log

[shelley]

I've found the "upper arm test" to be a very effective way to check nutritional deficiencies. When I get adequate "skin food" the backs of my upper arms are baby-soft. When I cheat too much and don't supplement enough to make up for it, the bumps return.

[glein]

Hey CJB nice to hear your still going strong!

Do you belive it's simply genetics that make you sensetive to grains or something else?

[cjb]

I really don't know, Glein. I suspect that I have eaten way too much starch for the past ten years, leading to the klebsiella overgrowth, and when I eat grains now, I am just feeding it, instead of starving it like I need to be doing.

What ultimately convinced me to try grain-free was reading about the "specific carbohydrate diet," which is often successful for people with severe digestive disorders, which I didn't necessarily have the symptoms of, but I know from the stool test that I DO have digestive dysbiosis, so it seemed like a logical way to go about fixing it.

[Ariel]

Hey cjb

sounds like you are doing really well, keep it up! I really relate to you, you sound like you are/ were in a similar situation to me... I'm vegetarian and anaemic and I'm thinking about eating meat gain for health reasons but I'm terrified! How did you start? What are some good things to start out with? I really don't need any more constipation than I already have. And I am trying to fight candida (fairly unsuccessfully) and I need to do liver fushes (but it sounds so complicated) and i've just found out i have cysts on my ovaries!! we are practically twins in ill-health hurrah!

No really.. what happend with your ovarian cyst? are you doing anything about it? you're still getting your periods though, huh. mine have completely stopped (for 7 months and counting...)

annnnyway, i was just checking in to offer support and show some lurve! good luck with your battle (it's win or die. well no, actually, it's win or win.) keep us posted!

Ariel xx

[alien]

Just read through your posts cjb and what a strong determined person you are. Blessings to you as you are such an inspiration to others I am sure. I was also very anaemic and my B12 levels were very low.

Ariel….

I am also a vegetarian although I eat a little fish now and then. I went onto a meat diet for a good few months (was very harsh on the bowel after being a vege most of my adult life). After further testing I was no better off and still very ill, what was discovered that I was not absorbing what I needed from meat products no matter how much I ate. I went onto B12 injections (thanx to Shelley’s advice) and I am much better for it. So if meat eating still doesn’t help a situation do not get distressed as there are other options.

I have moved to a new town that is pretty much all organic and very alternative. So, I am able to purchase humanely killed organic chicken. I am considering trying some, for my continued good health.

I wish you both the best of health.

[cjb]

Hey Ariel,
Once I decided I needed to eat meat, it was just a matter of getting over the mental hurdle (and learning how to cook it). I started with chicken, since I remembered liking that as a kid. Once I started eating it, I found I really liked the taste, and it felt so nourishing to eat it. For me, I was shocked to find that I digested meat and vegetables WAY easier than I ever did a plate of rice or quinoa and veggies. My constant bloat went way down once I cut the grains.
My periods have always been very regular, just very painful. They are still painful, and that's still an area of my health that I'm investigating. The only way to verify what the cyst is doing is to have another $500 ultrasound, so I don't really know what's going on. If you have multiple cysts, though, I would read up on PCOS. That's a different problem than I have. It often involves excess testosterone, which can be determined by a blood test. (I was tested for it, but was normal). I have read of many people treating it with dietary approaches, like gluten-free, etc.

Thanks for the input/support, Alien. Good health to ya.

[alien]

Livestock producers inject or feed hormones to their animals to increase weight and the efficiency of feed use. Livestock subjected to hormones can gain weight faster on less feed than animals not subjected to hormones. The hormone-laden animal is therefore more efficient than its hormone-free counterpart, as it gains weight faster and can be slaughtered sooner. But this efficiency does not come without risk. The issue to be evaluated is who bears this risk.

Some hormones and chemicals that mimic hormones, such as Xenoestrogens, are known as hormone disruptors. Hormones are chemicals excreted into the bloodstream which control many physiological functions of the human system. Extrinsic factors, such as toxic chemicals or added hormones, can block the necessary natural interaction between hormones and human cells, resulting in hormone disruption. Research conducted by Dr. Theo Colborn revealed the correlation between environmental chemicals and their adverse effects on the human endocrine system.

If you eat animal products make sure they are ALWAYS organic.... or your hormonal issues will only worsen. Same for eating fish... the larger deep seas fish is best as it is less likely to make mercury poisoning, than smaller fish and coastal breeds.

[Ariel]

No i don't have PCOS... my testosterone and luteinising hormone levels are normal (plus i am skinny with clear skin and no facial hair!!). For some reason i am just not ovulating, which makes my ovaries look like someone with PCOS but there is just a different cause, and there is nothing that traditional doctors can offer me in way of explanation or treatment. boo to that

ok enough of my hijack... back to your story cjb!!

much love,
Ariel xx

[cjb]

Hey everyone,
Just popping in to say I'm still doing well on a limited grain diet.

Alien - I also believe that it's environmental chemicals that are responsible for many of the diseases that are becoming more and more prevalent these days - from ear infections and acne to breast cancer. I do my best to eat only organic.

[sariewarie]

I was wondering if i should try the no grains , as i really grave them especially oat cakes, and this could be a sign that i shouldn't eat them! But then it could just be that i am very hungry being on the candida diet and not having much else to eat! I want to keep the weight on, so maybe i should eat more meat and veg, less quinoa and oats ?

[glein]

Hey CJB, Im wondering if you are going do keep doing flushes?

just curious...

[cjb]

Hey Glein

Nope. I did 8 flushes and I'm done with them for now. I noticed no improvement in any of my symptoms during the liver flushes. The diet gave me results almost right away, so I figured that was a clue that I was on the right track. Bowel cleansing (specifically colonics) made me stop breaking out, but as soon as I stopped getting weekly colonics, the acne came back. I think avoiding grains and sugar is targeting the underlying cause - and it's much cheaper than colonics! I think I will go for them occassionally though, as I do think they're beneficial.

[cjb]

Still doing well. I got one inflamed pimple a couple weeks ago from eating half a donut. Other than that, nothing.

I made two cheesecakes for Thanksgiving, one pumpkin and one blackberry, both with almond (grain-free) crusts and sweetened with stevia. I also made a fruit and nut stuffing, so with turkey and root vegetables, I didn't even have to cheat on Thanksgiving.

I should also report that my last 2 periods have been better. I still had some cramps, but they were less (in time and intensity) than they usually are. I hope this is a continuing trend. I'll let you know.