i mentioned that i visited a naturopath on friday, and i want to tell you a little more about my experience.
first of all, the fact that i was able to go see this naturopath was a sign from god.. because her services happened to be on livingsocial (which is exactly like groupon) for a $60 consultation and detox massage instead of the standard $285 fee. uh, yes! sign me up!
i had been looking at full circle care thanks to a recommendation i got from one of YOU (thanks, samantha!) but wasn’t quite ready to spend $300 on a consultation. just a few days later, this deal popped into my email inbox. pretty sure there are mind readers working at those daily deal places.. i mean what are the chances?!
as it turned out, the doctor that performed the consultation and exam was NOT the same doctor i was looking at (leslie peterson) but she practices in the same office as her. i didn’t find this out until after buying the deal, but the news didn’t bother me. i knew i was going to a reputable professional and—let’s face it—you can’t beat 79% off. (okay, you can, 100% off would beat it, but that was not happening.)
i immediately booked my appointment, which never happens with me and groupons. case in point: i still have a pedicure voucher that i bought in the middle of last year (expires next month, better get on it) and i have a few vouchers than i let expire before using them. side note: if you want a tip about using expired vouchers, check out this post. anyway, i headed to my appointment on friday with my medical history and health questionnaire in hand.
the doctor, tineke malus, looked over my papers and quickly realized that i am in good health. i eat right, exercise, don’t expose myself to harsh chemicals, and brush my teeth twice a day. okay, that last one wasn’t on the questionnaire, but i do! i am sure she was puzzled as to why i would book a consultation, so i just hopped right in from the beginning and told her all about my gut woes. pretty sure my long, drawn out, detailed history overwhelmed her. i told her EVERYTHING i have tried and ALL the tests i’ve had done, along with what i WANT to have done (the motility specialist—i have an appointment for that on march 30th!) and when i finally shut up, she did make a few suggestions regarding my issues (mainly my chronic constipation—she didn’t really address the bloating or pain.)
here they are:
- dry brush. use a skin brush, always brushing toward the heart, once a day before showering. this is to aid with detoxification, circulation, and digestion.
- castor oil. massage about 1/3 cup of castor oil onto my abdomen once a day. this is supposed to act as a laxative to ease constipation. (*after mentioning castor oil on sunday, one of you suggested i try castor oil packs, which i intend to do. thanks, carly!)
- deep breathing. dr. malus explained that we rid ourselves of toxins and waste through solid, liquid, and gas. gas includes breath, and deep breathing may be beneficial to digestion. after a quick search, i found this breathing exercise for digestion.
- tongue scraping. an ayruvedic healing philosophy has recommended tongue scraping to aid in digestion. dr. malus suggested this twice a day. this makes me wonder if my geographic tongue plays a role in all this. oh, that’s something i haven’t ever blogged about.. maybe another day.
- at-home colonics, alternating hot and cold water. this sounds fun, right?!
- magnesium. this is something SEVERAL of you mentioned, so i wasn’t surprised to hear it was a suggestion. magnesium plays a role in intestinal muscle function. it is said to relax the muscles and help establish a smoother rhythm. it also attracts water, which in turn can help soften the stool while in the colon.
- vitamin c. this is also helpful in stool softening.
- eliminate food. there are SO many elimination diets out there, it’s mind boggling. dr. malus recommends i try an elimination diet starting with eliminating dairy to see my reaction.
- food allergy testing. dr. malus suggests i schedule a food allergy testing appointment to see if my body reacts to any of the 96 things tested and at what level it reacts.
- try a 3 day fast–that is, don’t eat anything at all (or drink anything except water) for three full days. this would be hard for me. (okay, probably hard for everyone.)
after talking for a very, very long time, it was time for a fun little detox massage. she asked how i felt about needles, which caught me off guard. i had no idea that acupuncture was part of the deal. i was actually stoked because i’ve always wanted to try it!
first dr. malus checked my blood pressure, throat, ears, and glands. i was surprised that she could tell i had just gotten over a cold. she also could tell that i had DOMS in my chest from the previous day’s workout. she definitely is an expert at reading bodies. the massage was very relaxing and consisted of acupuncture in my ears and ankles (to target my large intestine) and acupressure all over my midsection as well as on the back of my neck. the acupressure on my neck was to drain my lymphatic system.
i left with high hopes and plans to schedule a food allergy test, which i am excited to get in and complete so i can see the results. when i got home i felt fine, but as the night progressed i started feeling really, really crappy. i had a pounding headache, was sweating, and felt nauseous. none of these crappy feelings are my typical crappy feelings that i feel on a daily basis (fun!) so i was confused. i ended up falling asleep really early. when i woke up, i still had a pounding headache. i emailed dr. malus and she said that the massage was not intense enough to produce such side effects, but it was possible.
i drank a lot of water, took some ibuprofen, and went back to sleep for a few hours. i felt better when i woke up, but man… that was weird! i imagine it had something to do with the acupressure on the back of my neck, but who knows.
so, that’s my naturopath story. i still have one more type of doctor to see—the one who can check my motility issues. that’s what i am betting on. my appointment is march 30th. in the meantime, i am going to try several of the suggestions that dr. malus gave me to see if it helps with anything. it’s not going to hurt, that’s for sure!
oh, and one more thing while i am on the topic, someone sent me this article about mysterious abdominal pain that turned out to be a parasite. it’s worth a read, the more you know the better. thanks, emily!
Qs~ have you seen/would you see a naturopath? what are your thoughts on alternative medicine? how about acupuncture?
xo. janetha g.
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That is very interesting. I have a good deal of stomach issues as well and have been to the GI way too may times. I actually heard about this and maybe it’s worth a shot!
Hey Janetha, I’m a new reader and love your blog! I don’t know about the full history of your digestion issues but I struggled for years with constipation and all that fun stuff. I felt like I had tried EVERYTHING and was getting nowhere. A little over two years ago I finally saw a nutritionist and her first suggestion was to eliminate dairy from my diet (just as the naturopath suggested to you). She said that most people have dairy sensitivities or allergies and don’t even know it. The human body has a hard time digesting another mammal’s milk. Made sense, so I tried it. 2 weeks dairy free. It was tough but it made a world of difference! Good luck, hope you find what works for you!
Very interesting! I have a soft spot for homeopaths.
I use this magnesium; it is stevia sweetened and comes in Raspberry Lemon flavor.
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/NVT002/ItemDetail
I tried magnesium tablets for awhile, but they did not help.I have chronic constipation (and regurgitation syndrome, and a gluten allergy) and this definitely helps with my poop situation.
I found that stuff worked for a while — then after a few weeks, nothing.
That’s the thing about all these “tricks” , they work for “x” time and then they fade away.
I tried naturopaths in the past. Same thing. I tried some (not all) of their thoughts, etc etc…just a waste of money in the end. Long-term it panned out to nothing. I lead me to worry too much too.
I’d be cautious about allergy testing. They aren’t totally fool-proof and I’ve had various profession gastroenterologists tell me they are not reliable either. (and while a commenter above said we are not meant to digest dairy, that’s arguable…this theory about evolution and stuff is faulty on its own stand…humans have had dairy for “x” million years…it is twinkies and fast food fries that are bodies are not built to digest. ..that said, some people develop a sensitivity, limit it for a long long while and then after a period of time, the body actually can handle it again.
I have no willpower and would not be able to eliminate any food from my diet, so that isn’t an option for me. That might sound stupid, but that is me, I can’t do elimination, I can’t mentally “go there”.
I chronically have constipation and when it comes down to it for me it is about VERY slow gut motility (the issue is that no one knows why…and I’m tired of searching for answers that aren’t there, so I give up! :(
In the meantime, best wishes to yourself.
Thanks for the link!
I commiserate so much with you! I keep reading hoping you’ll find a “cure” and I can do it too :) I’ve been to every specialist, had a bajillion tests, taken every pill- and still only go to the “bathroom” every 5 days on average. Yes, it’s awful. I’ve tried being vegan, grain-free, low carb, high carb, you name it. They’ve concluded I have slow digestion, but that’s it- and there’s no real fix! Anyway, I feel your frustration and I’m with you :) I just want an ANSWER!
How did you find this motility doctor? Honestly, I’m so wary of any more doctor visits because they’ve been so futile, but I think I should at least look into it.
Yep, same with me!
It’s nice to find others to relate to. I tried everything and nothing works. It is not diet or food.
They concluded slow digestion for me too. I’m also curious about the new motility doctor…but I doubt I’ll see anyone else, I think it does boil down to slow motility (food moves through my body at a SLOW rate…and the gas builds up in my insides like a big, giant bubble. I can even hear it sloshing at times.
Fun stuff.
The first time I had acupuncture done I left with a pounding headache. I asked Caitlin to ask her Husband and he said that I could have had some negative healing side effects. Sometimes that happens as your body balances itself out I guess. I would take it as a good sign that maybe your body was ridding itself of some toxins!
Thanks for the heads up!
Love acupuncture! I use to do it when I strained muscles in softball. I also use to do it with ‘cupping’ (I think that’s what it’s called) and a spine alignment, because my rib pops out of place after physical exercise..
Acupuncture seems to be a good alternative. I read in an article http://reallycheaphealthinsurance.com/what-cant-be-covered-by-health-insurance/ that we can ask our health care providers to cover for these kind of alternative treatments as well.
i discovered naturopathy a couple of months ago and i am hooked! i first went for some digestive issues, which she helped me clear up within a couple of weeks. turns out it was just a build up of bad bacteria due to a little too much christmas cheer :) it’s amazing what a little concoction of herbs and some probiotics/digestive enzymes can do! i have continued to see her to deal with some hormonal issues and to help with the side effects of coming off of the pill. i am so happy that i decided to take this path.. makes so much more sense to me than taking presciption meds just to cover up symptoms!
Ugh, sorry to hear this happened to you with your first experience. Hopefully what Chelsey says is just the case and your body just needs to balance itself out. Either way, I’m always thinking about you girl. Feel better!!! xoxo
Very interesting! So glad you shared what the naturopath had to say. Be careful with the magnesium — it definitely causes muscle contractions of the colon (it’s in the laxative mag citrate/milk of magnesia etc) so if you take too much you will have horrible cramping.
Just fyi about the motility doc b/c that is what I want to be…. they can do all kinds of cool tests and tell you exactly what is wrong with your colon, but there really aren’t any treatments besides what you’ve tried already: miralax, amitiza, fiber, probiotics, colon surgery. If your muscles down there aren’t coordinated they will suggest pelvic rehab but I think you are already looking into that. Basically I’m just trying to say that you may end up spending a bunch of money on fancy tests that don’t really get you any further than you already are.
Both times that I had medical acupuncture, around 4-6 hours after ward my head would start pounding and I would feel horrible. The naturopath told me the treatment was too much at one time, overstimulating too much. Just a though!!! Good luck with your gastric woes. Natural Calm Magnesium is the best stuff ever, I had you exact symptoms before trying it. :) Thanks for the great post!
Thanks for the reassurance and sharing what happened.. I bet that’s what my deal was.
This is some great info, thanks for sharing Janetha! I would definitely see a naturopathy, it seems like it would be worth it.
I have some minor digestion issues of my own so I will definitely be trying some of these things out! I had heard about dry brushing as a way to slough off some of the toxins on the skin’s surface but didn’t know it had the potential to aid digestion. Sign me up!
Don’t underestimate the power of acupuncture and pressure. That stuff is intense! I had horrible constipation and diarrhea with dairy. I hope you find what’s causing the problem for you. Thanks for sharing this little adventure.
So heres the thing…I have a really bad taste in my mouth for naturopathy. One of my very close friends started going to a similar practice because she thought it’d be much better for her and the things they have prescribed for her have been super questionable in my opinion. It may just be this specific doctor, but shes only gotten worse since seeing them. Any who….I don’t think its right to base your opinion on something off ONE experience…but the whole idea just scares me. Plus these kind of doctors aren’t considered real doctors in the state of SC.
That’s what annoyed me with naturopaths (they all have 10 different opinions , so it’s all subjective on some level). And it works decent for a time, then back to square one.
I agree with this. I think it’s all a load of BS. I doubt starving yourself for three days is going to help you go to the bathroom. Sure, it’ll help with the bloating…because you aren’t eating anything! You can get massage and acupuncture somewhere else without all this other fake stuff. Hey, if it works for you, great, but I think you should stick to trying one thing at a time instead of a new thing every week. How do you know what’s working? I really do hope you find relief Janetha. What you’re going through sucks :(
I definitely agree.. I could not/would not do a 3 day fast because in the end, it’s not going to solve any problems permanently! I am hoping I can get some real results with motility treatment. Thanks for your lovin’ xo
interesting!
I’ve wanted to try something different like that, but I have been too chicken. Ive wanted to try accupunture, but I’m not a fan of needles, but then again, Ive had so many blood tests, scans, and iv in the last year, my fear is alot less
I loathe needles and this wasn’t bad at all, didn’t even hurt.
The closest I’ve gotten to a naturopathic doc is my Ayurvedic doctor. She’s awesome.
Acpuncture is awesome, but it can be extremely powerful, as you’ve discovered. Don’t let that scare you away. Sounds like a healing reaction/detox situation you had from it.
Huh. Castor oil pack? Interesting.
I’ve been usIng castor oil, along with grapeseed and jobaba for the oil cleansing method on my face. Surprisingly, it’s a drying oil.
I <3 my naturopath! I started seeing her in December and have had 5 appointments to date. Recovering from my eating disorder was what prompted me to see her and but now she is helping me with everything and anything. When I started eating again I had terrible diarrhea (my therapist calls it BVA – bulimia via ass). My body completely rejected food every time I ate. Delightful. Having worked with conventional medicine for eating disorder hell for many years I was completely ready for a change. My doc didn't take the GI stuff seriously (basically i needed to suck it up). Like my doctor would suck it up if she nearly shit her pants every time she ate….
I also wanted to explore how I could use food and supplements to heal my body. She has definitely helped with my GI upset and now we are working on other health issues. I can't say enough good things about her or my experience.
magnesium we take that, well just started a few days ago, so far so good, nothing too major yet.
eliminate food- we have done that, had good results but think we should do it again.
food allergy testing – I (lori) just did that, I got tested for 166 different foods, got the test done for my face issues, I am still breaking out so still have some issues to figure out.
I feel your pain in finding something to work to give you relief, I am trying to do the same with my face. I feel I have done so much for my body and skin that sometimes I am at a loss of what to do next. haha
but I think sometimes you have to do so many different things to really help you see the underlying cause, well that is what I keep telling myself ;)
hugs
xoxo
I think different things work for different people so I would definitely be willing to try different doctors and different methods but also there’s the money factor, too, as Naturopaths aren’t covered by insurance as you’ve said. If I were in your shoes, though, I would think it’s money well spent to find a solution. I’m sorry it’s been such a long road for you.
The whole naturopath idea intrigues me. I love the idea of natural healing. I think you were wise to give it a go, you never know! Intestinal/stomach/abdominal issues are not fun. I’ve had some problems recently, I’m trying to get to the bottom it. Nothing huge, but I’m trying to pinpoint the cause…if I could splurge, I’d totally make an appointment with a naturopath. I’m sure (for me) it’s something I’m lacking in my diet.
I hear such amazing things about acupuncture but I’m honestly so afraid of it that I don’t think I could…
Super excited to hear about your appt on the 30th!
I love naturopaths! My mom is really big on them and used to make me go get an IV full of all sorts of nutrients from them. They gave me the allergy test but I ended up being allergic to 3 pages of foods so I decided it was bunk :) I am also really sensitive to even the lightest of massages. I went to a lady who was trying to help my upper back/neck and I ended up feeling like I was beat up for over a week. Glad it went well! I would love to see one here in SLC :)
Glad to hear you had an awesome experience! You know, I’m not doc or anything but I would think with your guts problems you would be holding onto a lot of toxins in your body. Maybe the massage got those moving (hopefully out) and they gave you a headache!
I definitely think there are great benefits to naturopaths and natural medicine. I wish the medical field would acknowledge them more instead of being bought by the pharmaceutical companies…
Yes I think checking all the alternatives is critical! So glad you are exploring all avenues! I love you and support you. if needed sure I would try acupuncture but you would have to go with me and holds hand :)
xoxo
I LOVE acupuncture, not sure on the naturopath . Whenever I had acupuncture, he’d leave the room for at least 15 minutes and I fell deeply asleep every.single.time. HEAVENLY!
I remember dry brushing in the 70s- got a nice glow as if you’re tan, but i wonder how it helps digestion??
Oops, just dated myself . :-?
hehe
If the castor oil packs don’t work for your GI stuff, they could send you into labor or relieve clogged/impacted breast ducts if you’re lactating. Just passing along these random tidbits as you may need them one day but I know you said you won’t but you never know :)
You never know is right!
Be really cautious about the allergy testing. My husband is a board certified M.D. allergist/Immunologist and most of those food test that naturopaths do aren’t reliable and aren’t really going to tell you anything. Just a big waste of money…..if you really want to find out if you have have food allergies you can do one of two things. 1. Go see a board cerified allergist and get tested or 2. Remove foods from your diet over a period of certain weeks and see if you get better, many times my husband does this with his patients who have hives or other issues. good luck and save your money!!
Thank you for the warning! I will look into getting it done by someone who is certified.
I have seen a naturopath once. I was getting chronic tonsilitis after suffering from mono and my immune system needed some help. The naturopath I saw was really helpful and did lots of tests. After a good solid 45 min exam I left with a few recommendations on my diet, and some supplements to help boost my system. They did just the trick. After that I rarely got tonsilitis, and I keep some of the herbs on hand when I start to get run down. The really help prevent/shorten the length of any infection i’ve had. A true lifesaver.
Really glad to hear about the progress you are making. Hopefully 2012 will be the end of yucky GI issues for both of us!
Hi Janetha
Just wondering if you have ever heard/investigated the possibility of fructose malabsorption/using a Low FODMAP diet. There’s new research on this coming out all the time and it has almost fixed my issues which sound similar to yours (although I also have Coeliac Disease). It’s growing in recognition in Australia (where I am) as the main research is being done by scientists at the University of Melbourne. Anyways – just thought it might be something to look into. Here is a link to a few basic factsheets by the main group of dietitians in Australia who have expertise in it – sorry I have no idea if there are any specialists where you are! But you could contact these guys and see if they have any suggestions http://shepherdworks.com.au/disease-information/low-fodmap-diet
http://shepherdworks.com.au/disease-information/fructose-malabsorption
PS – love your blog!
I have read about FODMAP but haven’t tried it. Thanks for the links!
I got the allergy food test done with the 96 foods in November because of a lot of bloating and constipation. I got the results back and turns out I’m highly sensitive to eggs…I was in total shock and upset because they are such a great source of protein for me but I just sub in Flax/Chia while baking! Even though it can be difficult, I feel so much better!
Thank you for this post! I love, love, love acupuncture. My husband & I both had regular acupuncture while we were going through IVF. I credit it to helping us get pregnant with our twin daughters. It was so relaxing for me that I would end up falling into a deep sleep every single time I went. Loved it!
I also have a geographic tongue, so look forward to your post on that!
I am glad it was such a positive experience, but it sucks that you started feeling so crappy later!
I would caution you against food sensitivity testing, unless it is proper allergy testing. I won’t drop any links, but I would encourage you too look it up on reputable sites (e.g. immunology and allergy sites), as IGG is considered to be an invalid test. We don’t yet know enough to understand whether the presence of these antibodies is actually a good thing (e.g. has a protective effect). As one recent study noted: the presence of these antibodies “indicates that the organism has been repeatedly exposed to food components, recognized as foreign proteins by the immune system. Its presence should not be considered as a factor which induces hypersensitivity, but rather as an indicator for immunological tolerance”. In other words, if you get a positive result, it just means you eat it a lot, and the antibodies are there indicating your immune system is doing its job. Hence the reason so many people get tested and are like “I am allergic to so many of the foods I love!”. The main exception is the test for celiac disease, but even that should be followed up by an endoscopy to say for certain.
I say all this because the testing is really expensive, and the elimination diet is still, at this point, the gold standard. It’s harder, but it’s more accurate than the existing tests.
Thank you for the information! This is helpful.
I’m still in the process of doing my own research/studying of alternative medicines, but my boyfriend is adamantly against it. Any time I mention anything about toxins or a cleanse he gets really upset.
I honestly don’t know where the gimmick lies (well I do know those power bracelets are ridiculous), but I just recommend background checks before you spend too much money. I know you’ve had issues that modern medicine has had problems identifying, so an alternative route might work. I just want to say take caution. This is a lengthly article, but anytime I bring up toxins, Adam sends it to me: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/fashionable-toxins/.
I do wish you the best of luck with figuring all of this out. I know it must be stressful and frustrating. Hoping a solution is around the corner for you!
Wow, thank you for the word of caution! I am off to check the link.
I second the recommendation on that site not only re: toxins, but it’s a great site for lots of information about alternative treatments.
I always get a bad headache after massages, acupuncture and rolfing therapy, I was told that it has a lot to do with the blood flow and the vessels constricting and relaxing? It always get freak’s out when my Chiro shows me where I hurt.
Good to keep hearing what’s seemingly good news.
I cringe a little at magnesium because I used to abuse laxatives, and I would take epsom salts when I quit buying “real laxatives” (ie. it was easy to pass that off as a body soak). It’s magnesium and sulfur. And it acted like a stimulant laxative and I continued having to take it even when I quit abusing because my muscles wouldn’t work on their own. Though … it could have been the combo of the two things that made it act like that. I don’t know.
Unrelated: I scrape my tongue every day, but only because I’m a freak about dental hygiene. I couldn’t tell ya if it helped or hurt my digestion. :)
Also … at home colonics? yum.
And in answer to your question — I like to see a “real” doctor first, and see what their recommendations are and what they think is wrong with me. Then I take that information and seek natural remedies before I try out their prescriptions. I tried beet juice (which for the record is awesome. but only if you’re semi-regular. and it will turn your poo beet-colored) and a few other things at the suggestion of my holistic-care chiro last year. I’m mostly regularish, except when traveling. My colon doesn’t travel at all.
That’s really interesting about the magnesium. Thanks for the heads up of how you reacted to it!
No prob. With the lazy colon thing I thought it was worth a mention. I’ll continue sending good poop vibes your way. :)
I have. I have UC and MAJOR fertility issues, so TCM (traditional chinese medicine) and more Dr Weill style naturopathy, have been crucial in both getting pregnant and staying well. At one point, my UC was so bad, I was 7 days NPO at the hospital. It sucked. Now that I can help myself heal myself better, it hasn’t happened again.
Interesting! I’ve been curious as to what goes on at a naturopath. Doesn’t sound too wacky. Really sucks about the headache though. Also, the at home colonics freaks me out. Still, it’s good to explore different avenues and awesome that you got such a good deal on it.
That sounds really neat! Also, I have NEVER heard of anyone else having a geographic tongue. I have one too! Crazy.
My mom has one! So wierd I always thought she was nuts when she talked about it.
I will definitely have to post about it! It sucks. My mom has it, too.
This is such a helpful post! I’ve had a myriad of GI issues over the past few years (had a colonoscopy, tested for Celiac etc), and while things are much better after eliminating gluten (I’m sure you’ve tried it, but if not, definitely give it a go), I still experience stomach woes on a daily basis. Even though I’ve been to a number of doctors, I’d actually never heard any of Dr. Malus’ tips! I am definitely going to try magnesium, and may see what dry brushing and castor oil do as well. Thanks for sharing! I hope that these things clear up for you soon–I definitely know how debilitating stomach problems can be! :-/ xoxo
Dry brushing hey…I might try that. Can’t hurt!
I (clearly) love my naturopath. I really really really didn’t want to do an elimination diet (I already can’t handle gluten or soy and have an allergy to nuts), but she suggested I try it. It was difficult and I lost a lot of weight I didn’t want to lose, but it really helped curb some of my symptoms and sped up my elimination process.
Good luck Janetha!
Is there a specific elimination diet you followed? I can’t figure out where to start.
I’ll send you some info later! Just like castor oil packs, I strongly stand behind the elimination diet I did.
Awesome, thanks so much Carly!
I have been curious about a naturopath, but honestly don’t know where to start looking. I’m glad to hear you had a good experience and got some new ideas to try and (hopefully) feel better!
So interesting! I’m excited tos ee how these little things work for you – wouldn’t it be awesome if that’s all it took to clear up your gut issues?!! That would be the best. Glad you had a good experience!
Oh man, I hope you don’t have a dairy allergy- what will Chobani do!?
This post was fascinating- especially about your reaction after seeing the naturopath! And the list of things that you should try.. the skin brush? Weird!
I use a tounge-scraper, but only in the morning.
I am dying to try acupuncture and it’s one of those things that I keep saying I’m going to do… maybe a deal will pop up from Groupon?!
Oh, and I TOTALLY believe in alternative medicine- I’ve seen it work wonders!
I would love to see a naturopath! I completely believe in the body’s natural ability to heal itself when given the right tools/foods/etc. I am lucky enough to work at a wellness clinic, and get acupuncture and reiki once a week. I love it!
I would definitely try going – once I have enough money for it. Health care is waaaaaaay better here in Germany, but these things are not covered (apart from acupunture for certain kinds of back and knee pains).
I am fairly open when it comes to alternative medicine, but I am not like – that’s the holy grail for everything. I think some things work, other things are just a load of bullsh***. A lot depends on the person you go to. If they just want your money, they’ll probably sell you the dust from their furniture for medicine. It is important to use one’s brain when it comes to this. Unfortunately there are a lot of gullible and trusting people who then are exploited.
I have been following an elimination diet and dairy has practically eliminated my symptoms. I only have severe constipation when I eat baked goods that someone else makes with milk. I feel a lot better. Also, people who eliminate certain sugars (fructose) feel better. This is just to give you a glimmer of hope- not to say you should do it too! But I’ve been through the ringer with something very similar to what you have describes. It gets better.
I definitely need to try it!
You can do it!!!
And clearly I’m procrastinating from doing work. Stalking your comments is waaaay more fun!
def agree with the magnesium supp & also to nix dairy. it’s clinically proven to be mucous forming and stop things up even though they do contain probiotics. if something is inflammed, dairy certainly contributes to it due to the acidity of it. also, don’t drink during your meals, wait 30mins then drink as it interferes with proper digestion!
Yeah I learned that drinking one awhile ago and have been incorporating that rule in.. who knew?!
Very cool that you found a great deal and got to see a naturopath! Ice never been to one but would totally be open to it in the future. Hope the allergy test gives you some more info.
After I did Bikram (one time) I got really sick and had a huge headache….I’ve heard it’s b/c of the toxins that come out and what not…could be the same stuff/idea with that naturapothy? In any case, i hope it ends up working for ya!!
I had acupuncture once in Asheville. It was a nice experience and even better because it was free (I happened along an open house and scored free acupuncture and a free massage!). My chiropractor (who is a miracle worker) does acustimulation, which I’m pretty sure is the same thing, but he does it to jack up stiff muscles and get things moving again.
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