Tales From a Quack

Mercury – Amalgam Fillings

2010-03-01T20:17:00.000-05:00

Mercury is an extremely toxic substance that has links to many medical conditions like psychosis, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune diseases, antibiotic resistance, depression, lack of concentration, anxiety, sweet cravings, hyperactivity, memory issues, and so much more.

A major source of intoxication by this substance comes from the amalgam fillings (silver fillings) that are in so many of our mouths. Did you know that they are about 50% mercury? A typical filling contains 250,000 mcg of mercury and releases 10mcg of mercury per day! I myself have these horrible toxic creations in my mouth, and I am looking to do something about it.

Dentists claim that it is safe to have these types of fillings. Please educate yourself and don’t let them discourage you from looking further into the issue. The problem with the mercury in the fillings is that it is released as a vapor when we chew, brush our teeth, or eat hot or acidic food, and the amount that releases increases each day. This mercury gets into our bodies, infesting our tissues, absorbing into our lungs and intestinal tract, and even worse: gets into our brain!

What’s wrong with this you ask? Well, here are a few facts to think about:

Alzheimer’s patients have five to eight TIMES as much mercury in their brain as a person in the normal population. Most of this mercury was found in the same areas as the Alzheimer’s lesions.

According to The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, mercury is the third most toxic substance known to mankind. WOW! Knowing this, I can’t believe a dentist would even THINK about putting these things in people’s mouths!

OK, so mercury is considered toxic outside of the mouth, and there are all of these rules about how to probably handle and dispose of it. Yet, somehow when it enters the mouth - it is SAFE? Can someone please explain the logic of this??? Oh wait, they can't because that can't possibly make sense to any rational human being!

People have sicknesses that have no explanation, and many are not reacting to the so-called “cures” out there. These people should seriously look into whether or not this is partially or wholly caused by the mercury released in their amalgam fillings.

http://www.zoniesholgado.com/replacing-mercury-fillings.html

So What Do I Do?

I know you probably want to get those toxic horrors out of your mouth right now. But I urge you to be VERY CAREFUL about it. If you do it the wrong way, with the wrong dentist, you could end up worse off than before.

First off, if you actually have a dentist that isn’t brainwashed by the ADA into thinking that these things are safe and agrees to remove them for you, don’t immediately say yes to that. They may not take the precautions needed for the delicate removal of this toxin and could actually cause you more harm in the end.

Find a good biological dentist who is knowledgeable and has experience in removing these types of fillings. Many will do tests to see how much mercury you are releasing and to figure out the best procedures to remove your filling(s).

A good dentist will remove these fillings over time. Be very wary of anyone who will take them out in one shot. This can be dangerous for your health as mercury vapors will be released in high amounts during this time.

Also, be careful if you are already sick. Please make sure that you are completely honest with your biological dentist so that they can fully access the risks and provide the best treatment for you.

Go to icimed.com to find a dentist who does this procedure in your area. It is worth the cost now so that you don’t have to pay for it with your health later!

Resources:

The Seven Pillars of Health by Don Colbert, MD

Putting it All Together by Hoffer and Walker

Time Out

2010-02-09T21:37:00.000-05:00

One spring, while I was in college, my campus experienced a campus-wide power outage. Classes were cancelled, and life was on hold for a day. For a campus full of type A, must-be-the-best-or-I-will-be-a-failure kids, this was at first, a tragedy. We couldn't spend our day pouring over books, looking up things on the computer, or watching TV. Students were forced from their dorms because our rooms were so dark, the overachievers came out of the stacks from the library wiping their eyes from the light, and suddenly, one-by-one we realized that today we could let go of our studies and enjoy life for a day! People were scattered all over the green lawns - some socializing with people they hadn't talked to in a long time, others suntanning, and some were scampering over the grass playing frisbee. Hardly a soul was frowning, and we all laughed as we breathed in the fresh air and good conversation (not to mention the awesome vitamin D from the sun smiling at us from overhead). When the power came back on, we were all disappointed for it meant a return to our normal lives. But all of us, I know, still look back fondly on that day when we didn't need power to guide us through our day. We just needed each other and the attitude that we were going to make the most of the gift of that day.

This same event just happened to my husband and I this past weekend. Unfortunately, it wasn't a random power outage on a beautiful spring day. It was because of a massive snowstorm that dumped nearly two feet of snow on our lawn and caused massive power outages throughout the city. We were without power for 24 hours. I remember the power going out around 10 pm, just as we were tucking ourselves into bed. We thought that we would just go to sleep, and the power would be on the following morning. We were wrong! We woke up the next morning, freezing. At first, we were so irritated, and panicky. What would we do without power? We couldn't watch the news to see what was going on. We couldn't cook. We couldn't see.

As the day went on, we busied ourselves cleaning the house, packing up the refrigerator and freezer contents into bins to store in the snow, and crankily whining about the power being out. Then my father-in-law came and helped us dig out our driveway with his snowblower. He was so self-less to take the time to do that for us, and without him, we would have spent the rest of the day shoveling our long driveway. That started to turn my attitude about the day around.

Then, with my phone, I logged into Facebook, and in my update, I talked about being without power. Soon after, we had offers from so many friends to come to their houses. I felt so loved and cared for. The fact that these people would open up their homes to us was just so heart-warming to me.

Then, we headed down to my in-laws. They didn't have power, but they had gas fireplaces! We spent the afternoon sitting in front of the fireplace, cooking on the grill, and enjoying our time hanging out with my in-laws. We didn't need to watch TV, we didn't need to have a finely cooked meal, and we didn't need to have the Internet to enjoy our time. We just had each other, and for the first time in awhile, we spent hours just TALKING and enjoying each other.

These two experiences both showed me that the most important things in life don't have to do anything with electrical power. The most important things in life have to do with the people around us. Sometimes we just need to take a time out from life to realize that.

So I encourage you to have your own "power-outage" day. Turn off your computer, turn off the TV, and spend some time with the people you love. Talk to a friend, catch up with someone you haven't talked to in awhile, and take some time to pray for the ones you care for. You'll be amazed at how amazing you feel after that day and how encouraged you will be to keep wanting to do it over and over again!

Food, Inc

2010-02-05T21:13:00.003-05:00

If you haven't watched Food, Inc - get up and go...no wait, RUN to the store and get it. In fact, on Amazon, I was able to get a digital download of it and could watch it right away. You might just save your life if you do so.

You owe it to yourself to watch it. People say they won't watch it because they are scared to. They say they don't want to know. They just want to eat their potato chips and hamburgers in peace. But here's the thing. We live in a nation FULL of people like this who are perfectly happy buying the cheapest meat, spending their money at fast-food restaurants, and who turn their eyes away from truths that make them uncomfortable - like Food, Inc., and guess what? It's not doing us any favors. Check out these facts from the movie:
"1 in 5 health care dollars is now spent on people with diabetes"
"1 in 3 Americans born after 2000 will contract early onset diabetes; Among minorities, the rate will be 1 in 2."
  "E. coli and Salmonella outbreaks have become more frequent in America, whether it be from spinach or jalapenos. In 2007, there were 73,000 people sickened from the E. coli virus."

   Obesity is an epidemic in our country. Heart disease is rampant. Cancer is out-of-control. We are killing ourselves by keeping in the dark about reality.

     Because the truth makes us uncomfortable, we turn a blind eye,and turn to the government and medical community to save us. The government is paid off by the companies making us sick and in many cases, RUN by these people. Well then, people say maybe if we turn to drugs, that will save us. So we spend millions of dollars on drugs for the latest health epidemics that are killing us by the thousands, if not millions.
    People say that they can't afford to buy local and organic. Yes, it costs more, but we are going to spend that money eventually if we don't spend it on healthy food now. We'll be spending that on healthcare costs and the cost to our environment.
    We need to turn to local, organic, humane farmers for our produce and meats. The movie had a great message. We VOTE for change in the food supply everytime we make a purchase in the local supermarket. So, we do have the power to change. If there is a demand for local, organic food, then supermarkets will supply it. It is simple economics.

Buy local. Buy organic. Buy humane. Find out the truth. Watch Food, Inc. Educate yourself.

SUGAR = EVIL

2010-02-01T15:22:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to spend time with a family that was displaced during the Katrina tragedy. My husband and I have developed a really great relationship with them. The mom is overweight right now, and she knows that I am studying to be a naturopath. Therefore, she loves to get my take on things. And you know it - I love to give my opinion!

She asked me about sugar. This topic always gets me worked up because:

#1 Sugar is a major fuel for cancer growth
#2 Sugar is a major factor behind obesity and diabetes, two major issues that have plagued my family for generations.

Let's get to the reasons for why I hate this sugar. IT IS EVIL - PURE EVIL. Although it may not be a cause for cancer itself, it has been shown in various studies to FEED cancer. It appears that cancer cells use sugar and specific proteins to continue growing instead of dying off. Sugar keeps this growth going, keeping the cancer cells from hearing the message that they are supposed to die.

Okay, if that isn't enough to sway you, let's also add onto the fact that sugar is a major culprit behind obesity and diabetes.

Avoid processed sugars whenever you can. I know. I know. Realistically, we can't possibly avoid it at all times, but you can make some choices:

* Use stevia instead
* Use other natural sweeteners (agave syrup, molasses, maple syrup, and rice syrup for example)
* Avoid white sugar, brown sugar, and corn syrup
* Avoid sources of processed sugars that you DO NOT NEED: regular sodas, candy, baked goodies, sugary cereals (sorry - Captain Crunch is probably not the best choice for you!).
* Watch the sugar in some of these so-called health cereals. If you read the labels, you might be surprised to see that they have more sugar than the ones that you think are bad.

Some people say that sugar in fruit must be bad then if sugar is bad. The difference is that the fruit gives us nutrients along with the sugar, and items with processed sugar don't give us squat. It's also a different kind of sugar.

Do not take this as a reason to head over to the diet sodas or things sweetened with Splenda or Sweet'n'Low. I'll tackle those on another day.

Do yourself a favor. Extend your life. Avoid sugar.

My Truce with Oprah

2010-01-28T12:37:00.001-05:00

Oprah and I made a truce yesterday. I agreed to watch her show as long as my girl Alicia Silverstone was on there. I have to give Oprah credit - she got it right yesterday.

She started off with a quiz on the audience's food knowledge. Feel free to take it here:
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Test-Your-Food-IQ

Surprised by anything? I have to admit that she stumped me on quite a few of those, and I consider myself to be pretty knowledgeable with this stuff. Goat as the number one meat in the world...seriously?

Then she had author and journalist Michael Pollan on the show. You may recognize him from the book The Omnivores's Dilemma or from being featured on Food, Inc. He's a man worth listening to. It's hard to be a skeptic after listening to what he has to say about chicken reengineering (mmm...sounds tasty, huh?) and about the fact that most of what Americans consume today is not real food. He says that we are spending less on our food than ever, but there is a cost to it that...and that is our health. Read about the entire interview here: http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/The-Truth-About-Food-with-Michael-Pollan/1

Of course, the next section consisted of an interview between Oprah and Alicia Silverstone. It focused on Alicia's new book The Kind Diet. If you haven't read it yet, please do. It is full of so many truths about our health that people need to know. It will change the way you look at eating. Even though I was already committed to the vegan lifestyle, it gave me more support as to why my choice is best for my health and the planet, and it encouraged me to eat healthy. Yes, it is possible to be vegan and not healthy! If you haven't visited Alicia's website, it is http://www.thekindlife.com/. Well worth your time. Read her blogs, visit the forums, get support.

I liked what Alicia stressed in her interview: Not everyone is ready to just jump in full blast. She just wants people to flirt with the idea of veganism. Take baby steps, make slow changes, and know that you can't do it overnight. I can attest to this. It took me over two years to get to the point I am at right now, but if I had made all of these changes overnight, I truly believe I wouldn't have stuck with it and would still have migraines today.

Finally, Oprah featured the movie Food, Inc on the show. I have to admit that although my husband and I have had the strong desire to watch it, we just haven't yet. Luckily, Amazon is offering the movie for $9.99 (it comes out to about +/- $12.99 with shipping.) PLUS you can get it digitally right away while you wait for it to come in the mail FOR FREE with your purchase. So get on over to Amazon and purchase it, watch the movie, and share your thoughts about it! I know that my husband and I purchased it, and we are really excited about watching it!

My challenge to you? Get informed about what you are putting in your mouth. Read books, watch documentaries, and do research. You owe it to yourself to do that. If you do so, you will increase your chances of not only living longer but living a HEALTHY and longer life.

Nitrates - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

2010-01-26T14:56:00.001-05:00

Nitrates - These villains of the food world are in disguise in many of the foods people eat.

Is there anything positive about nitrates?
If you talk to the food industry that makes millions from foods containing this poison, they would have plenty to say about the positives that nitrates have for them...and all those positives would be in the color green and on the way to the bank. But seriously, they use them to give the meats a pink or red color. Can you imagine GREY ham? They also use sodium nitrate to help inhibit botulism (a type of poisoning).

For the rest of us? Zippo, Nilch, Nada - What could possibly be good about a cancer-causing monster that parades around as feel-good food?

What ARE Nitrates? Sodium Nitrate/Sodium Nitrite is used as a food preservative. What you may be surprised to know? It is also used as an oxidizing agent in EXPLOSIVES. You heard me! Explosives! Wow...really makes you want to run out and eat a nitrate-filled hot dog, huh? Boom!

Where Do You Find Them? Processed meats like salami, hot dogs, pepperoni, bologna, ham, bacon and yes, your beloved SPAM. They are also found in beets, lettuce, celery, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and potatoes. There are even nitrates in drinking water. Levels vary depending on the levels of pesticides, sewage, and animal waste that is in the water.

Why Are They So Bad?
In studies on animals, it has reacted with stomach acid and other chemicals while in the stomach. This produces nitrosamines which have been known to cause cancer. Now keep in mind that during these tests, the animals were subjected to large amounts of sodium nitrite, so just how much of it we need before causing issues is uncertain. But it is generally recommended that pregnant women and children consume as little of it as possible.

Nitrates are also known to be a trigger for migraines. I noticed this personally from experience!

The Bottom Line? There are so many fresh foods available out there. Why risk it? If you eat meat, eat some nitrate-free hot dogs, bacon, sausage, etc. These are available at Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and most large grocery store chains. If not, request them! If you eat vegetables with nitrates, just keep an eye on how much you eat of vegetables higher in it.

A Visit to Whole Foods

2010-01-25T08:54:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, we finally got on track with our eating. The cleanse is over, the post-cleanse is over, and now it is time to get serious about living the lifestyle.

I spent two hours at Whole Foods yesterday checking out their goodies. I had a huge list of exotic foods to try from The Kind Life book, and I thought for sure that I would stump the store with something on the list.

Burdock root? Check. Jerusalem artichoke? Check. White truffle oil? Check. Mirin? Check (Yeah, I was impressed that the staff actually knew what that was because I was lost with that one!). Lotus root? Oh no! No lotus root? Where the heck am I going to find that thing? Guess I'm going to have to pay a visit to the local Asian food store because apparently Alicia Silverstone can't get enough of that stuff.

Overall though, Whole Foods impressed me as far as their supply of vegan materials. Things you won't likely find there:
                 1) Good selection of pizza crusts. They were severely lacking in this area!
                 2) Seitan. Where the heck do you get this stuff? I've tried every grocery store around here. Does it hide under a different name by day like Superman does? I want so badly to make seitan wings, but I can't get my hands on this stuff!
                3) Gourmet cheese. I just couldn't find anything that was "fun" for vegan cheeses. Guess I'm going to be ordering some stuff online!

Some notes from my trip:
Truffle oil is ridiculously expensive. I'm going to give it a try for this month but that stuff had better be a taste of Heaven or I'm not spending 17 dollars on a bottle of it again!

Roots, most veggies, and nuts are really not that pricey. The things that up your grocery bill will be oils and cheeses and any specialty items you want.

So I would rate my trip to Whole Foods a 3.5 out of 4 stars. High rankings for having most of the things I want and for staff knowledge of the products. Low rankings for not having the items I wanted most (lotus root and Seitan)!

My Goodies Vegan Bakery

2010-01-22T09:39:00.000-05:00

I had to share my FAVORITE place to get vegan baked goods. It is called My Goodies Vegan Bakery. I can't even begin to describe the heavenly feelings you will experience as you take a bite of their Giant Cinnamon Bun or their rich strawberry cheesecake. I served the Giant Cinnamon Bun at my Christmas Brunch (where my husband and I were the only vegans), and it was a huge hit.

People couldn't believe that it was vegan! I think people have this idea that vegan baked goods are going to taste weird, but they don't realize that they often taste BETTER than normal baked goods.

http://www.mygoodiesbakery.com/

The bakery can meet you for delivery. You can also find their goodies at Quiet Storm, a wonderful vegan-friendly cafe that my husband and I often visit. All of My Goodies sweets "are suitable for people with dairy and egg allergies and some items can be made with other allergies and preferences in mind, for instance soy-free, gluten-free, low sugar (low glycemic index) or nut-free."

I can't wait to try the cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and cookies! Oh, where to start!

Please support these vegan-friendly businesses. It's not an easy business to run in a meat and potatoes town like Pittsburgh!

Recipe Binder

2010-01-21T15:10:00.000-05:00

I had to stop the cleanse a couple of days early. I was beginning to get really lightheaded and foggy, and I just couldn't do my job like that! I figured that my body was telling me that it had been cleaned out and was ready for some chow.

Unfortunately, when you fast that long, you can't just go down to the local diner and eat everything on the menu. My body might take revenge on me if I do that. So I'm sitting here existing on orange juice, veggie broth, and soup. The funny thing is that I'm just not that hungry. I had some orange juice and soup this morning, but I'm still full and not really wanting any food.

I can't wait to get my appetite back though because I have so many vegan recipes to try and blog about!

My big project this week has been creating my recipe binder. I designed my own at http://www.zazzle.com/. It's great because you can make your binder have any look you want. You can choose a design that is already done, or you can create a whole new one.

Then I bought some cute dividers from Office Depot. They are so colorful which makes me smile.

The hard part came when I had to search for recipe card holders. Finally, after searching far and wide for the right size, and throwing a temporary tantrum until I found them, I came across the perfect ones! http://www.stuff4scrapbooking.com/. I like the double pockets and that the cards will be protected. I'm a messy cook (I'm a personal Mt. Vesuvius!) and spew things all over the stove and counters when I create my masterpieces. Therefore, protecting for my precious recipes is a must.

I may be weird, but there is something that brings me joy in a handwritten recipe. Therefore, I love to find my favorite recipes in cookbooks and handwrite them on a recipe card. My husband teases that I should just type them, but it just won't be the same! The only problem is that it takes FOREVER to write them out.

I hope that you might be inspired by my little project to create your very own recipe binder. It really is worth it, and it's a great way to keep all of your vegan recipes in one spot.

Liberation!

2010-01-20T15:45:00.000-05:00

Keeping up a blog is liberating. I can’t post things on Facebook because every dietician or medical doctor that I am friends with jumps down my throat. I can’t talk to most of the folks we hang out with (although a few select few have come to terms with me being “psycho” and listen to appease me). Most of them switch topics or just don’t approach it with me, and frankly, that’s fine. I don’t really want to hear about how delicious their steak dinner was the other night, so I’m willing to call a truce with that.

So…my dear blog readers, all two of you, I have you. You are my ears to listen to my rants, to listen to my advice, to listen to my quackery. But I also appreciate questions. Is there anything on your mind? What questions about the natural world do you have? I may not have all the answers yet. I am yet a baby in the naturopathic world, but I may be able to do research or post on that topic when I get to it in my studies. Or perhaps I can point you in the right direction for answers. What are you yearning to read when you find a blog about a vegan soon-to-be naturopathic?

No question is too ridiculous. As I always tell my students – It is better to be a fool for a minute than a fool forever.

Mentally Speaking

2010-01-18T18:23:00.000-05:00

Today, I had the wonderful privilege of sitting in teacher inservice sessions all day. Usually, these days are as exciting as watching a rabbit eat grass, but today, the afternoon session provoked my inner thinking. It was about the 40 assets that teens can have in their lives. The more of these they have, the more successful they are supposed to be in life. Some of these assets are love from family, community involvement, self-esteem, etc. As I looked over the list, I began to think that it's not just teens who need these assets, but adults need them, too!

As you look at your health, you are not just a physical being. You are a spiritual and emotional being as well. We are pretty complex creatures! Therefore, we can do everything possible to make ourselves healthy physically, but if we don't take care of the other aspects of who we are, we are not going to enjoy all of the benefits possible!

We did several activities as we circulated around the room to "experience" the various assets, and I wanted to share a couple with you. Perhaps they will bring you closer to experiencing a truly healthy lifestyle:

1) We traced our hand on a piece of paper. On the wrist, I wrote my name. On the fingers, I listed 5 people that I can go to for support. I of course listed my husband, my two best friends, my pastor, and my family.
            If you can't list 5 people, then I encourage you to find ways to reach out for other people in your life. Join an organization, find a group that enjoys what you do (a baseball league, a book club, or perhaps a community theater). You will meet several people there that share your interests and could possibly become close friends with you!
            Or perhaps reconnect with a friend with whom you haven't spoken in awhile. They may be seeking out someone to connect with, too!

THEN, on the palm, list something that is your passion. What is something in your life that you can't live without? It is almost the breath inside of you. I wrote down my faith and naturopathy. Both are passions of mine, faith of course being the most important. But I can't imagine life without them!

2) We were given paper sunglasses. The eye parts were shaped like stars, and we were told that we are all superstars in our way. We were told to list on one eyepiece what our biggest accomplishment (s) is. On the other eyepiece, we were to list a dream/goal of ours. I'll fill you in on a secret: We ALL have accomplished something! It may be eye opening to find out just what dreams you are holding onto inside of you!
      I thought about my accomplishments of getting a teaching job in a premier school district in my area, of taking the big leap to study naturopathy.
      My goals are many, but my main one is to raise children that are well-rounded, full of faith, and have the many assets we discussed in the workshop today.

I hope that you enjoy these two activities! Perhaps you will discover something about yourself that you didn't even realize!

For more information on Teen Assets, refer to: http://www.search-institute.org/

What Is the Number One Killer of Americans?

2010-01-16T22:45:00.000-05:00

What is the number one killer of women in the United States? If you guessed breast cancer, as many of us would, that's not correct.

Heart disease is the number one killer, and we are all at risk, especially if you are getting your protein from animals. According to the China Study (Which is a book everyone should read), more than 40% of all Americans will die from malfunctions of the heart/circulation system. In fact, "Women's death rate from heart disease is EIGHT times higher than their death rate from breast cancer." According to the China Study, the major culprit? Animal protein. NOT plant protein...ANIMAL protein.

There is something that can help reduce your risks of this terrible disease that is plaguing our culture: take out animal protein and replace it with plant protein. Take a look at what you are eating, educate yourself, and then ask yourself if you are truly eating what's best for your body.

Sure, you can't do it overnight, but start by making small changes. Step one: Start including more vegetables and grains in your meals. Eat those first, and THEN eat your meat. You might find that you are so satisfied and filled by the delicious variety of vegetables and grains that you don't need the meat to satisfy your pallete. From there, find some great meat substitutes to help you from missing the texture and taste of meat. Seitan,Tempeh, and Tofu can help you with this. If you need further inspiration, try reading of these two books for inspiration: The China Study and/or The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. Both are eye opening and will change your life forever.

If I had the opportunity to put myself at less risk for the number one killer of Americans, I would snatch at the chance. Now will you?

A Quote to Think About

2010-01-15T16:36:00.000-05:00

"When diet is wrong medicine is of no use. When diet is correct medicine is of no need" - Ancient Ayurvedic Proverb

Many have heard of my success treating migraines naturally and have asked me about how I have done it. In fact, I have had several migraine sufferers come to me for help. I have really enjoyed telling them about my journey, and I have seen how it has impacted the lives of others. In fact, it has become a passion.

As a result, I decided about 7 months ago, to pursue a doctorate in Naturopathy, so that I can make my passion my job. I love teaching, but I just see this as a different topic about which I can teach. My dream is to open a wellness center, partnered with an acupuncturist and massage therapist, and to have a pilates studio and store. I started my education with Trinity School of Natural Health, and I LOVE my classes. I'm absorbing everything with excitement and energy.

Now I'm finding it difficult because I totally believe in what I am learning, but our culture is so hell-bent on the idea that medication is the answer. People don't want to believe that eating McDonald's several times a week is going to catch up with them. Even if it does, they have the mentality that drugs will just bail them out. I bring up my lifestyle and what I'm studying, and they think it is ridiculous. They have this attitude of: Why not eat what you want and enjoy life. So what if you die earlier? At least you enjoyed life to the fullest!

Over and over again, I have told them how I enjoy my life so much more and look forward to living longer and healthier (God willing) because of the choices I am making now. I tell them how great I feel eating the way I do. I enjoy that I'm not sick all of the time. I enjoy that I can actually TASTE food now that my tastebuds aren't overwhelmed by an addiction to sugar. I enjoy that I don't need to see a doctor all of the time or experience the side effects of the latest drug that they prescribe.

I believe that doctors truly have their place and are necessary, but why not try to prevent a visit to them in the first place? Imagine how much our health care costs would decrease if we practiced preventative care instead of everyone footing the bill of the massive number of prescriptions written and filled every day? Imagine a world where people didn't get sick all the time? Imagine a world free of cancer and major illnesses? I can...but until people are willing to embrace the idea that a little pill can't change everything but DIET CAN...we will continue on the dangerous cycle that we are in.

My Journey

2010-01-14T07:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I began the Master Cleanse for the third time. This time, my husband has joined me in the fun. It is interesting because I know what to expect, but he is experiencing it all for the first time. I love hearing his reactions!

Cleansing is NOT fun AT ALL, but I know in the end, my body will be mostly free of toxins, and I can start fresh again. For the past 9 months, my husband and I have been living a MOSTLY vegan lifestyle, but I have to admit that we are not doing it as strictly or as correctly as we should. Therefore, I'm taking this cleansing time to not only refresh my body but to refresh my knowledge of how to live vegan.

My journey began three years ago when I was first diagnosed with migraines. They started off mild, but by the time they reached their peak, I had them everyday. I forced myself to go to work and kept my students in the dark all day as I just tried to exist and keep my job. My students surprisingly were so understanding and kind to me and really tried to be on their best behavior. Not bad for middle school kids! However, I knew things had to change because I couldn't keep that up forever.

I went to a naturopathic chiropractor, and he said he could help me. While his methods were mildly working, his expenses were high. Honestly, as I look back on that experience, I just wasn't ready to take the step into the natural medicine world just yet. I didn't realize that the expenses then would be well worth it and would save me from a huge amount of expenses later on. I stopped going to him and went to my headache specialist. Of course, like any good physician, he did what he had been taught, and went straight to medication. He quickly swept by any natural methods and mentioned them only because I'm sure he felt like he had to, but he pressed me to take medication. Like a good patient, as I had been brainwashed to do all my life, I took the prescription and got it filled. So began my experience with Topomax, or as I fondly call it - Dopomax. By the way, it's not even made for migraines. It is for seizures. They just happened to notice that it helps migraines as well.

I was on a VERY low dose, but I tend to be very sensitive to medication and if there is a side effect, I will get it. I became lethargic, irritable, and I couldn't think straight. It only got worse as time went on, and I didn't see any improvement in my migraines. I gave it a few months, but things were not going well. I think my students and my husband had had enough of the meanie I had become.

So, I went back to the headache doctor, and this time, he recommended an antidepressant. He once again put me on the lowest dose he could. At first, I didn't notice much, but after time went on, I noticed my moods were different, and I felt different inside, more irritable in fact. After some time, after almost convincing myself to drive to the other side of the road and hit another car head on, I called my doctor in a panic and started the process of getting off the medication.

At this point, I had had it with medication. I was tired of the fear of which side effect would surface next, and I didn't want to be a different person anymore.

I reached my lowest at a party. I drank myself into oblivion because the pain was so bad, and I just couldn't handle conversation. Frankly, I was depressed beyond anything and had stopped caring about what others thought. By that point, we were constantly cancelling engagements with friends due to onsets of migraines, and I couldn't do things that I loved because of the pain. I had had enough.

After the party, my inlaws came to me and told me that they would like me to see their acupuncturist. I did so, and she said that she could help me with my migraine issues. I was skeptical because by that point, several people had told me that they could help me with migraines and had only made things worse. Yet, I promised my inlaws I would try it and went. I was completely freaked out at first. I knew there would be needles involved (which surprisingly didn't hurt!) but I didn't know she would put them in from head to toe or that I had to lay there for 45 minutes with them in me. I was completely tense and didn't know how to handle laying there at first, but eventually endorphins released in my body, and I was in a state of euphoria. I knew that I would do this again!

Thankfully, I kept going once a week, and after a few months, I noticed a dramatic change in the frequency and intensity of the migraines. My husband and I also began eating organic food whenever possible to avoid pesticides and hormones. I knew these were all things I should continue. By spring, I was down to one migraine a week, but I still had them, so I had to take further steps. After absorbing health book after health book, I had come to realize that my diet may be the culprit. I told my amazing husband that I was going to go vegan. I will go into the reasons for that in further postings. I told him that he didn't have to do it with me, but I thought for me it was the best course of action to finally nip these migraines once and for all.

To my surprise, he told me that he wanted to do it with me. We decided that we would give it a try for six months and see how things went. At first, I couldn't imagine how we would be able to create meals from just veggies. Then, I realized that the vegan world was so much more than just veggies, and I found creative meal after creative meal. Surprisingly, I began to crave vegetables, and after a couple of months, no longer craved meat. Meat made my stomach feel heavy, and I always had digestive issues when I ate it.

After 9 months, I can safely say that I am migraine free as long as I keep up this lifestyle. One time I veered off track, and I suffered from a minor migraine, but I knew exactly why I got it.

One thing I realized though is that we aren't really living the healthiest of vegan lifestyles, so I picked up Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Life for some inspiration. I decided to cleanse and educate myself by reading this and other books to learn how to best live the vegan lifestyle. Her book has truly been an inspiration as I will elaborate on in future blogs.

So I am beginning a new leg of the journey this week. After the cleanse, I will be OFFICIALLY vegan with a macrobiotic bent, and I plan to stick to it with a vengeance because I know it is the best way to feel healthy and live a long life.

Feel free to join me on my journey and share with me about your experiences. Should be a fun ride...and a LONG and healthy one too!

Love,
Ginny