Tag Archives: body

Vitamins, supplements and positive thinking

08 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Daily Life, Finding Me, Food

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Vitamins

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” – Charles M. Schulz

A friend and reader asked me what natural health products I was taking. I decided to reply to her in this post.

I started taking supplements and vitamins regularly when I was having gum and dental issues December last year. While talking to a friend that is a Naturopath he suggested I take products to improve my gums.  The products were meant to speed healing, lessen the inflammation, promote gum growth, improve my immune system and making sure that my digestive system is in tip top shape.

Gums are not supposed to grow or regenerated, but I believe in the impossible and so does my doctor friend.  If the body has the ability to heal and regenerate why not my gums?

And it is with that faith that at then end of December last year I started taking the following:

Ester-C & Flavonoids – from Pure Encapsulations

Calcarea Fluorica Cell Salt – from Hyland’s

Growth-Gen – from Phyto-Gen – Genestra-Seroyal

Ginkgo Bud – from Phyto-Gen – Genestra-Seroyal

HMF Intensive Probiotic – Genestra-Seroyal

Energy  Boost 70  Fulvic Concentrate – from Morningstar Minerals

Grapenol – Antioxidant Support – from Genestra-Seroyal

Unda Numbered Compounds – Therapeutic Drops Numbers 8, 33, 312

Zinc 30 – from Pure Encapsulations

In March I had a dizzy spell and I was tested for Adrenal Fatigue.  My friend thought that stress and menopause were the culprit.  The saliva test revealed among other things that I was gluten intolerant.  At that time my friend made the following changes to what I was taking:

Added Adaptocrine K-2 from Apex Energetics

Unda Numbers 3, 17 and 50 instead of 8,33,and 312

TonicGen instead of Growth-Gen

He also wanted me on a gluten free diet and an anti-inflammation diet.  He believed that going gluten free would lessen or completely get rid of the chronic hives I have and would also make me feel better all around.  He believed my body was revolting against me.

Now in August I still take all the above with exception of the Unda Numbers. I just never got more when it was finished.

I have also started taking the following:

Liqua-D (Vitamin D) – from Apex Energetics

B Complex – from Pure Encapsulations

Collagen Peptides – from Sports Research

Glucosamina Condroitina with MSM – from Doctor’s Best

BioSil – from Natural Factors

Now you may ask: Does it work?  Have you seen results?

I don’t know for sure.  This is what I know.

My gums:  I went to the periodontist yesterday for a check-up and he said my gums are beautiful.  The inflammation has not returned, but it doesn’t mean it will not, so I continue to be vigilant and take extra care cleaning my teeth.

The chronic hives:  Magically it has gotten a lot better.  I say magically because I have been extremely lax about paying attention to what I eat.

My hips:  The pain is getting worse to the point that I finally scheduled a doctor.  I did notice that the Glucosamina and Collagen helps some.

Energy level:  That comes and goes, some days I don’t want to get up.  Perhaps I am just being lazy.

For the most part I have been faithful to taking the supplements.

I was being faithful to the collagen until I read that I have to take them on an empty stomach, either first thing in the morning or before bed, since then I forget it most of the time.  It is a powder to mix in liquid and for some reason I never remember.

For some reason I also don’t always remember about the Mineral concentrate. Those are drops to be added to any liquid.

As far as the gluten free diet I attempt gluten free for a few days but it didn’t last.  As far as the inflammation diet I didn’t really follow it, but then again a lot of the items on that list I already don’t eat.

One thing I need to do is to keep a food journal.  It helped me keep accountable in the past so I need to do it again.  It will also help me see what foods trigger my symptoms.

Overall I am happy I am taking all of these as it makes me feel pro-active. But Vitamins and supplements are not enough.

I also know that I need to address what I eat.  Health and overall well being starts in the kitchen with the items I choose to eat.  The time of eating whatever I want whenever I want seems to be nearing the end.  I am still choosing moderation, but some foods just seem to be my enemies even in moderation.

I hope that once I get my hip in order I can add more exercise to my life, other than the 30 or 60 minutes walk on the elliptical.

I also need to address the other components of a happy being: Mind and Soul.  Those also need nutrients and stimulation.

Baby steps at 52 years old – better late than never!!

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Wolf

MY HIPS DON’T LIE! Neither does my back!

02 Thursday May 2013

Posted by in Daily Life, Finding Me

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I had 2 MRIs done and the conclusion of one doctor is that I have mild degeneration of disks L4 and L5 in my lower back and that the problem with my hip is Iliotibial Band Syndrome.  Upon some Google research I became confused with the IBS diagnosis as that is mostly an injury to the knee, very common in runners.  It appears that what I really have is Trochanteric Bursities.  I guess they are related or perhaps easily confused.

Researching ailments online is both a blessing and a curse.  A lot information on my fingertips, but my head is spinning.  There are many conflicting opinions.  Which site should I trust?  I guess I will follow this doctor while making an appointment to get a second opinion with a specialist in back pain.

I am happy to at least have a diagnosis and start on the road to treatment and recovery.  The doctor prescribed anti-inflammatory and physical therapy.  I started the medication already,  but not the physical therapy yet.

The word degeneration is such a bad word.  It makes me feel old and brittle! Nothing about me should be degenerating, not now, not ever!

How did I get here?  Very simple, I overdid.  I am the type of person that has a problem with the word moderation, there is no middle ground with me, it is either 0 or 100.  Too much too soon!

I overdid with my volunteer work.  I didn’t respect my body limitations; I worked 10 hours a day like a horse. It felt amazing for my heart and mind, but my body paid for.

I overdid with Zumba. Instead of starting slow and building up I went full force 3-4 times a week. Okay, so I am from Brazil, I love to dance and rhythm is in my blood, but do I have to leave it all in the gym floor?

Then there were the 6 flights of stairs at work and at home that I took, 2 steps at a time, instead of the elevator.  It turns out that stair climbing is one of the worst things for my hip.

This experience, like everything else in life, is a tremendous learning opportunity.

I have to respect my body limitations.  I have had issues with my lower back for a long time.  I have to learn to deal with it, stretch it and strengthen it and not to just learn to live with pain.

Slow and steady wins the racy.  Anything that is achieved over a longer period of time seems to me to be longer lasting, such as love and weight loss.  Instant may seem very gratifying but it is oftentimes fleeting.

Another reminder to slow down and enjoy the process, the details, without only focusing on the result.  Just when I thought I was within minutes of having the body I wanted I get this major setback. But setbacks are important, it makes one refocus, and question the process. So onwards and upwards with the treatment.  No time for frustrations and crying around. Time to refocus and rebuild.

I am not 20 years old anymore, even though my heart and mind think I am! I have only one body and it is not indestructible.

What I know for sure is that I have to take care of my body the best that I can.  Another thing is I will do anything in my power not to give up tennis or skiing.

My unshakable optimism welcomes this chance to show itself! I am counting my blessings… 1) Thank you for this highly functioning body that is able to tell me when something is wrong!  2) Thank you for this chance to reevaluate my exercise and volunteering choices!  3) Thank you for having an insurance plan and access to some of the best doctors and equipment in the field!  4) Thank you for having this blog to be able to talk about it … and on and on and on, thank you, thank you, thank you!

HIP HIP HOORAY!!!

21 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by in Daily Life

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Nothing like pain to stop someone on their tracks!

The pain on my right hip has gotten so bad that I decided to take February off from most of my physical activities to see if my hip would get better (or good enough to be able to ski in February) on its own.  Since then I have been doing only Pilates, although skipping some exercises.  That worked somewhat well since I was able to goes skiing at the end of February.  By 3 pm everyday my hip would remind me that skiing was coming for an end for the day.  Still I had so much fun and was grateful for being able to ski at all.

I have always felt that my right hip was not really right, but it never bothered me enough to go to a doctor.  But I would joke, every now and then, that I would eventually have a hip replacement (and every time I said I would cringe and admonish myself, and I don’t want to give the Universe any ideas).  Everythign changed for the worst when I started volunteering. I enjoyed the manual labor and the cleaning and clearing out stuff so much I overdid.  Cleaning it is kind of cathartic to me, I feel better and lighter after it, even if the stuff I am getting rid of is not mine – lol

So this nagging hip and shoulder pain has been around since the end of last year.  I stop the volunteering and hoped that that would do the trick, but I guess the damage was already done.  Now that it started to interfere with my life I realized it was time to seek help.

I went to a neurologist at the Hospital for Joint Diseases.  This doctor was very well recommended… well the number one recommended doctor didn’t take my insurance, so he was the next best 🙂 After a consultation and x-rays, the doctor calls me and tells me that the x-rays shows nothing wrong with my hip.

I didn’t know if I should be happy or sad with that news. I know something is wrong, I feel it, and the pain is hard to ignore.  The doctor thinks it is perhaps a soft tissue problem and recommended I go to one of his colleagues, a Sports Medicine Orthopedic Surgeon.

I have not made an appointment yet. I am scheduled to go to Brazil next week (yippie!), so I decided to deal with that when I return.  I am also thinking about going to a chiropractor first before going this doctor.

Hopefully resting my hip as I have been will continue to help.

This has been and will continue to be a tremendous exercise in patient and perseverance.  Patience with my body and staying the course after a stumble.

I was so happy with my physical activities and that  its results on my body.  I guess with that came the feeling of  strength and invincibility which normally shows itself when I am feeling mighty good about myself.  When I feel invincible I tend to overdo it and disrespect nature and myself. Then, this very patient teacher called Life steps in, and once again, attempts to teach me to listen and respect my body.

Life also uses this opportunity to test my patience and ability to persevere. Am I going to fall apart now and revert to couch potato sugar eating junkie?  Or am I just going to weather this storm and continue slowly but surely towards my goal of a life of moderation, equal parts of fun and hard-work?

I want my chocolate cake and eat it too! I want to do all in moderation and not feel I am depriving myself of anything.  I want to exercise, but also watch tv and eat a chocolate chip cookie.  To me it is dangerous to veer off too much to one side versus the other.

And speaking of cake, as I am turning 47 next week, the age factor is also weighing heavily on me. Can I still do everything I want to do (tennis, skiing, and a lot more new things) or am I just showing up too late for this party?

I don’t know what my body will be able to accomplish until I try it.  I am going to put age and pain aside and work smart and steady.  I am not going down without a fight!! 🙂

Be good to your hip!