Blood Deficient

I saw my acupuncturist last week for some aches and pains. I’ve been on Dr Zhang’s Chinese Herbs for over a year trying to kill the worst of my infections, Babesia. Bab’s is a parasite cousin to Malaria….not a fun visitor by any stretch of the imagination and very hard to kill. Although Bab’s is still around, I’ve had great relief from it and I live an enriched life today.

One of my aches has been a burning stabbing pain in my right elbow and shoulder. In Chinese medicine heat indicates stuck blood. (please know that I don’t pride myself in using correct technical terms…I just try to get the jist of it) Lisa, my acupuncturist, did the little pinch the fingernail tips and thought I was a little blood deficient. That really didn’t come as a surprise. I know that ever since my battle with Hemolytic Anemia last fall, even though I brought my RBC back to normal with food and herbs, I continue to battle fatigue. If you think that I am a boundless 51 yr old filled with energy who accomplishes great feats every day…then I have misled you! I am not. I do get a lot done, but it takes a lot more these days! And I usually don’t post my off days. Learning to live with a positive attitude has meant not always admitting that I feel like a piece of chewed up and spit out meat! But for those of you who visit my blog hoping to get some tips on living with these infectious diseases, I try to be a bit transparent for you.

I respond to acupuncture very quickly. Lisa got my blood flowing. I’ve been in complete menopause (literally means a pause in menses) for a year…well, she got a little flow going! I thought that was a great way for me to know that it was working. It comes as no surprise to me that after my treatment last week, my fatigue is worse. Sometimes in treating things naturally, it gets worse before it gets better.

My symptoms with Bab’s are: fatigue, nervousness, anxiety, crying, muscle pain, nerves jump in my body like the jitters (I can literally feel my nerves twitching or the energy flowing through them…it’s weird), insomnia, nausea, bloatedness….. while I’m at it I might as well blame it for overweight, silliness and sometimes offensive behavior!

Why not? Babesia is a very very wicked disease. I am grateful however that I’ve had so much relief from it and I believe that one day I will be free from it’s grip. Dr Zhang’s site now says that it’s recommended to double the dose of Artemesia and HH. My usual dose lately has just been 1 capsule per day. When it’s active I up the dose to the recommended 3 capsules per day. During this most recent activity, I’ll be upping my dose to 2 caps 3X day. I will probably up it gradually. I hate sudden death!

Here’s what it says on the fact sheet Lisa gave me. “The quality of our blood is a measure of the available nourishments circulating in our body. Blood nourishes our muscles, organs, brain, every part of us. It’s quality depends on the quality of food we eat and our ability to absorb nourishment. In other words it depends on the strength of our Spleen.” In reading about the blood it makes sense that insomnia and difficulty thinking are a problem, and fatigue in the muscles all due to a lack of blood flow. Babesia attacks and kills the red blood cells, thus a lack of blood flow.

I’ll focus my diet again on blood building foods which include, fermented apricots, fresh liver, fermented beets, dark leafy greens braised in stock with a little balsamic vinegar, infused nettle tea, bone marrow in the form of stock, grapes, sardines, figs, and eggs.

When I feel like this I don’t want to fuss much over food, the easier the better. I always try to keep most of these foods on hand and I do try to keep my diet filled with variety. I have a ton of ferments in the frig and an Autumn garden growing dark leafy greens. My fresh pastured chickens always come with livers and hearts and they are scrumptious fresh! Yes, I said chicken livers are scrumptious! Braised in a little lard with some red onion they are great. The fresher the better and be sure to not over cook.

Here’s what I had for lunch yesterday.

Heat up the stock and add several handfuls of greens per person….they will cook down to nothing. In my mix I’ve got beet greens, spinach and kale.

I added some fennel root that I cut from the garden and some red onion. A dash of balsamic vinegar and it was so good, I could of eaten an entire plate full.

I threw in a leftover pastured chicken wing and added fermented beets for a good blood fortifying nutrient dense meal.

Like A Lady

Who needs a cat, when you’ve got a Lady!?!

My little Lady is as good and even better than any cat!

I’m convinced that the last two deer ticks I was bitten by came out of my vegetable garden. Most people who have been infected with Lyme Disease and it’s many co-infections stop gardening and dare I say, stop going outside!

YIKES! How can anyone live like that? I can’t. The last tick I had last June, reinfected me with Babesia which caused a severe case of Hemolytic Anemia. And on my 50th birthday in October, I had anything but life. I was ready for a blood transfusion.

Those who are educated in Lyme Disease know that the original host is a white footed mouse NOT a deer. Which is your typical mouse. So the way to control Lyme Disease is by controlling the mouse population on your property. We have seen a huge reduction in the tick population since we cut our field down last year. Whether we pushed them into a neighboring field or not I don’t know. But we encourage mouse predators, which are snakes, field cats, chickens, hawks and of course our little Lady!

Since Boomers death 3 months ago today, I’ve allowed Lady much more freedom. Although she’s not nearly as “intelligent” as Boomer, she is very responsive and obedient. Allowing Lady in the garden has been a positive move. She knows not to walk in my raised beds. She knows not to dig or scratch in the rocks. So, the other day when I heard her digging in the pea gravel, I went to see what she was up to.

She had uncovered a nest of mice! A mama mouse with 5 babies. I can keep rabbits out of my garden but it’s nearly impossible to keep mice out. So, I let Lady hunt them. If you can’t stomach the circle of life….then you might like to skip the remainder of this sentence…..Lady killed the mama mouse but left the babies. I had to do something with them. I took a plastic bag and picked them up and fed them to the chickens. The chickens loved them. Sorry.

Who needs a cat when you have a Lady?

Good job girl!

I still haven’t gotten pea gravel laid in my new area….time and energy oh and $$$.

A couple of helpful tips on limiting your mouse population….remove leaf piles and eliminate rock walls (they love to nest in rocks).  And of course get yourself a Lady!

BORING!

I saw my doc this AM and it was rather uneventful.  He looked at my blood work and said that it were “boring”.  In a doctors view, when there is nothing happening and everything is great, then it’s boring.  Doctors live to see and treat sickness.

But my doc is very happy for me and wishes all his patients could reach my level of wellness and healing.  It’s a choice.

We chatted about menopause and my hot flashes.  We talked about how flying impacts me negatively due to the elevation bringing out any Lyme bugs.  We talked about me being tired and what it could be contributed to.  We talked about my lack of sleep due to hot flashes (that could be why I’m tired or just that I’m working hard and I’m 50!). We talked about my newest medication…….chocolate and what time of the day to eat it.   We talked about what was next.  Basically he is so pleased that I have an upward momentum that if it needs tweaking then I tweak it.   That this thing called healing is a lifestyle.  It’s not a quick fix.  Nothing in life worth having is a quickie.

Basically, I know what to do and I keep doing it.  Many of you have written to me and asked me what it is I’m doing.  Am I doing the same thing now that I was 2 yrs ago?  Some of you ask for advice….which I really don’t give, cause this is my place to journal about my life and what I am doing….I’m not a doctor and although sometimes I pretend (just kidding FDA) (I have a little white coat and stethoscope) and I’ve been addressed as Dr. D, well, I’m not.  So, I thought I’d take the time to tell you in detailed everything I am doing now…..what I eat, what I drink, how I sleep, how I deal with pain, etc, etc.

So for those of you who will find this part boring….then I wish you a good day!  See you another time when I’m talking about my life’s passions; cows and chickens and gardens!

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I continue to follow the teachings of Dr Weston A Price when it comes to my diet.  For yrs (I’ve lost count…10 maybe) I gave up grains, which included all of the grass family.  Then after learning about something called Phytic Acid, I began to experiment with sprouted grains and sourdough.  Now I do allow myself sprouted grains and sourdough breads.  Although after reaching this level of healing I’d be a liar if I told you I never ate anything unsprouted.  I do.  But not often and not much if ever….but when I was in Germany, I had no other choice and it didn’t kill me….but if I continued eating that way, then it would take it’s toll.  So, as always, everything in moderation after you reach healing.

I drink raw dairy including making my own kefir and yogurt.  Those are my probiotics, however, during my healing time, I have taken quality probiotics.  I eat raw cheese and something I found interesting was that my son (21) told me that he literally “feels good” when he eats the raw cheese.  He too has Lyme and co-infections and has found a level of healing trying to eat well.  It’s hard for a 21 year old, it’s hard for me…but we do it.

I eat grassfed beef.  During my healing time, I cooked it rare to get as many of the live enzymes as possible.  I also eat wild scallops, pastured eggs, chicken and pork.   I have eaten a lot of liver from time to time….I really have to be in the mood to eat liver.  But, during my bout with Hemolytic Anemia caused by a reinfection of Babesia, I juiced raw liver with carrots.

I eat veggies of all kinds.  Now with my spring garden growing, I eat lots of spinach, kale, beets and carrots.  In the summer it will be green beans, lima, and corn.  We also eat potatoes, onions, garlic and herbs.

I eat sprouted nuts, mostly almonds (which technically are not nuts!).

From time to time I eat soaked oatmeal in yogurt to breakdown the Phytic Acid.

Every morning on an empty stomach I take 1-2 Tbsp of Cod Liver Oil from Dr Ron’s.  I just swig it from the bottle.  During my healing time I also took 1-5 Tbsp of raw butter with the CLO.  Dr Ron’s office told me that if their patients do one thing that helps it’s the CLO with the raw butter!  So, I took their bit of advice and ran with it….I believe in it, it works!

I don’t eat anything per say out of a box.  Nothing prepared….except I buy my sprouted bread.  I eat real food.  If it grows I eat it…if it didn’t grow then I don’t eat it.

For over 1 yr I avoided ALL sugars, including raw honey.  After the first year I allowed myself small amounts of only raw honey.  Now I allow myself small amounts of raw sugar and raw honey.  A couple times a year, especially for holidays and special events, I will bake with raw sugar.  I NEVER eat refined sugar.  And I avoid refined flours.

The first couple yrs when I avoided sugar, I also avoided fruit due to the sugar content.  I now allow fruit, especially berries.

For 1-2 yrs I avoided ALL caffeine.  I now allow myself a cup or two of organic black tea daily.  Sometimes a cup of coffee, but I prefer tea with raw honey and milk.

All the food that I eat, including my chocolate is organic.  My doc approved and smiled at my eating chocolate.  I only eat a small square or two daily, depending on the amount of stress.  It is a powerful antioxidant and it increases serotonin!  So, it makes me feel good.  My doc suggested I eat it at lunch time to avoid the jolt it may be giving my adrenals, which will help with the night time hot flashes.

That covers it for my food….I think…if I think of something that I forgot, I’ll let you know…but for the most of it…that’s it.  REAL FOOD.  The foods in Nourishing Traditions worked for me for the most part…except for the sugars and grains, but emphasis on the fermented foods is vital.  Also I followed what Dr Ron suggested that he did for his healing.  If it worked for him I figured it would work for me….and it did. (click on the link to find the article)

As far as supp’s….well, let’s start somewhere else…let’s start with knowing YOUR OWN body!  No two of us are alike.  If we were one of us wouldn’t be necessary…..and from where I’m sitting that’s you, not me!  You must be able to listen to your own body.  You must begin to put two and two together.  Make connections with what you did or ate or whatever…the moon even.  So, begin with keeping a journal or diary or calendar.  I used a calendar.  I wrote on it each day, what I ate, what I did, what I took.  Everything.  Then you may begin to see a pattern.  I began to think like my doc.  What did I eat?  What can I do?  Why not try something else?  What can I do to help that?  Why not this or that?

So as far as supp’s, you have to go by what your body needs.  My list 2 or 5 yrs ago, is nothing like it is today.  I hardly take anything now.  My nutrients come from my food and due to my level of healing I don’t need to get them from a supp because my needs are fulfilled with food.  But, for those who want to know… I take, 800 IU of Vit E from Dr Ron’s.  Why 800?  Well, that’s for my hot flashes….see we aren’t the same.  I take anywhere from 1,000 mg to 10,000 mg of Vit C from Dr Ron’s depending on whether I’m trying to avoid a cold, but on most days it’s 1,000 mg.  I take Dr Zhang’s herbs still but am weaning myself off of them after 1 1/2 yrs.  I now take the HH, Cirulation P, and Artemisea and Milk Thistle.  I’ll continue the milk thistle even after I stop the other herbs because it’s good for my liver.  I did stop the herbs while I was in Germany, but due to the elevation of flying and something being stirred up, I was fighting extreme headaches when I got back and started the herbs again.  The headaches went away and I ordered another months supply so I’ll finish those and see how I’m feeling.

My blood work came back great!!  My CD 57 is 98!  Which is up from the first CD 57 I had done in September when I was nearly ready for a blood transfusion due to Hemolytic Anemia.  And there is absolutely no sign of Hemolytic Anemia which was caused by a tick bite in June and a re-infection of Babesia!!!  A Double Whahoo!!   My thyroid was good and NO signs of inflammation!!!  Another Double Whahoo!!!  Disease causes inflammation.  So no inflammation is a very good sign.  The only thing low was potassium.  But that’s easy to fix…eat a banana.

Lifestyle.  I continue to avoid ALL chemicals.  There are none in our home.  No bleach, no ammonia, no petro’s of any kind.  We use most products from Trader Joe’s where you can find, laundry soap, dish soap, dishwasher soap, etc. all without petro!

I don’t use the Rife machine anymore.  I used it for 2 yrs straight.  I don’t use the sauna anymore or dry skin brush.  I occasionally do a coffee enema if I feel toxic. I use Traumeel on my feet morning and night which has alleviated ALL the pain.  If I have pain elsewhere from working hard, I use it there as well.  I bought orthodontics which took away all my foot pain.  I bought a new bed which took away my back pain.  I use Melatonin for a good nights sleep and adjust it as necessary for ME. I still try to go to sleep by 10 PM and I’m up at the crack of dawn!  Rested and at peace.  I drink herbal infusions for my menopausal symptoms.  I make an infusion with Red Clover, Stinging Nettle and Oatstraw and drink 1-2 C daily.  I use and take herbs as needed for medicine and food.

I continue to press into the Lord for strength.  I read and meditate upon Scripture from the Bible daily.  I realize that none of this is within my own power but from the power of the Holy Spirit living inside me.  As scripture says, “the same power that resurrected Christ from the dead!”  Wow, that to me is an amazing strength.

I live a life that is as stressless as possible.  I know it’s hard in our world today.  But, I try.  I give it up, because really I can’t change a thing in my own strength.

I love to garden, farm, sew, knit, read, cook and live!  I do what I love!  You can’t go about life worrying about what if.  You just can’t.  One lady asked me what if I got bit again while in the garden….well, I don’t have to imagine that.  It’s happened twice now.  So, I deal with it.  But, if you keep your body in a state of wellness than if I do get bit again, it won’t take me down.  I was able to accomplish something that totally amazed my doc when I was hit with the Hemolytic Anemia…and I did it in 7 wks with food and herbs!!!!!!!  He still is amazed at that.   Like Dr Ron, I’m not sure if these diseases will ever really be gone (at least not while on this earth!), but if I treat my body with real food and keep it strong then it doesn’t matter if it’s lyme disease or swine flu!  A strong immune system is what’s needed and I do that with food.

So, that about covers it.  I know, it’s pretty boring.  Just what my doc said.