Many of you hopefully saw my post about
Maltodextrin. This was just the beginning of the struggles I have gone through the past 6-8 months. From over training, physical changes, hormone issues, possible thyroid complications and no help from my doctors...I've gone through one hell of a shit storm. Excuse my language but this is the nicest way I can express my feelings about this.
This is very difficult for me to talk about but there are so many others out there going through the challenges I've hit and I want them to know that they are not alone. I'm embarrassed, frustrated, at wits end and down right saddened by what has happened. To admit this is disheartening and I've felt like a failure to myself and my lifestyle. Here goes...I've gained 20lbs in 8 months. I am no way over weight but I am not happy with myself. I feel lack of energy and sick in many ways. So many times I went to my doctor and said that there must be a medical explanation for this. I eat healthy, eat my calories, workout, etc. so how can I put on that many pounds in such a short amount of time and not changing a thing about my eating habits. I had so many gaps, so many pieces missing in the puzzle and way too many unanswered questions.
Hours and hours of online researching, lab tests for 8 months, watching symptoms and my moods change. I'd follow up with my doctor asking more questions, needing direction, answers. You could imagine my frustration when they had nothing for me. Nothing but....you should go on birth control. That will "fix" your lack of hormones and it will reverse your osteopenia. Oh great!!!!! Just what I wanted...a pill that would solve all my issues and make me feel absolutely nuts and sick. Yes, please...put me on birth control. NOT! Such a bad idea and not a healthy choice. I rejected and pushed them to run more tests. Thinking...there is way too much going on...it must be a web of complications making my body wreck havoc. Now, I was even more beside myself when they refused to order more blood work. They only would do the bare minimal, which didn't show everything. Why only get 2 our of the 5 thyroid tests done? And when there were a few abnormalities, they just said...."it's "ok" to be slightly low or high." Sigh.
My next step, as clothes became tighter, was to seek out a doctor that understood. So, I decided to go see a Homeopathic
Naturopathic doctor. This is by far not cheap and definitely not covered
by insurance. My steps lead me to
Bloom Natural Health, a clinic in Encinitas, CA that specialized in my many health issues. After a 1 hour appointment with Dr. Noel, I cried as I drove home with a feeling of relief and hope for my life and health back. She not only heard everything but understood it and saw so many obvious issues with me. From my symptoms (dry skin, orange skin color, joint pain, lack of energy, puffiness, etc.) to my basic blood work, she automatically saw that I was B-12 deficient, highly possible thyroid problems (hypothyroidism), several hormone imbalances and the link between all. She ordered four more tests and an extensive hormone and thyroid panel of blood work for me to get down to the nitty gritty. For 8 months I've been telling my doctors this and it took Dr. Noel 1 hour to identify it. Finally a doctor who listened and saw between the lines. I'm still emotional about this and I haven't even started treatment. I will be getting blood work next week and I have my follow up appointment March 7th for my treatment plan. I cannot tell you how excited I am about this. She even ordered labs on food sensitivities.
Dr. Noel also gave my her podcast Dr Lo Radio. I have never listened to a podcast and I am addicted. I will go walking for an hour and just listen to her show. I am learning amazing new things about health and food. I am always ready to learn more about nutrition and how food can be your medicine. I have gone through several phases of breaking down my food the past 3 years and getting rid of all refined, processed and unhealthy foods from my house....now I am going through it again when it comes to the little stuff on the labels. It's about getting to the root cause and eliminating more and more of the toxins in our lives. That being said...here's just a sneak peak of what I have learned.
I limit
Stevia and all
natural sweeteners
I buy
organic foods almost 95% of the time
Natural doesn't mean it's good for you
All non
GMO products
Soy products aren't that healthy for you. I don't want to be smacked but let's be honest...soy does more harm than good.
When looking at
supplements, if they say "
copper oxide", "
magnesium oxide", "
zinc oxide"...that means your body doesn't absorb it. Anything with the "oxide". You just pee it out so you're really not getting a supplement that is doing anything for you. You'll only get a % of it. Now, when your body already has enough of that vitamin, you will pee out the extra. However...the oxide "vitamin" can't even be absorbed by the body. So in essence...the supplement is a waste of money.
Carrageenan is in most almond, soy, rice milks and you have to be careful when buying products with this in it. You can find this in several products, so beware. I just found it in my calcium supplment.
Gums,
Xanthan Gum and
Guar Gum acts like a fiber in your system and will gum up the food and not in a good way. Your body needs to be able to get the nutrients from that food before it gets "eaten" up by a "gum" in your gut.
Citric Acid is not citric...it's another corn based product.
Corn Dextrose...do I need to explain? It is derived from corn syrup.
MK4 for bone strengthening in Osteoporosis
I will still continue to learn. I refuse to stop. I wish I could keep ranting about everything I've learned these past 8 months...but I've filled your brain with enough already hopefully. So, go through your fridge and pantry again and spring clean. You'll be doing your body good. :)
That being said, there goes some of my spice rubs, my salsa, some of my supplements, Zero water, my minced garlic, converted my cooking spray to coconut oil, etc.
