movin' on up! (mooooovin' on up!)...

heyyyyyyyyyy! (how do ya like the old-school chiropractics? hehe!!)



yep, i'm movin' on up (mooooovin' on up!)...to the eaaast side *lol* hehehe okay, well i'm not moving to a deluxe apartment in the sky ...but, i feel like i'm finally making some headway in the health department, and that's somethin i am sure celebratin!!! the last 6 months, and especially the last few, have been some of the roughest emotionally and physically i've ever had. fortunately, i've had the support & prayers of my husband, family and a few close friends to drag me thru it all!! cause believe me, i've been kicking and screaming!



...yep, kicking and screaming, like a little baby! *LOL* well i digress, i wasnt THAT bad, but if i was, it would be my hormones to blame. really. im just all messed up inside!!



before my laparoscopy, i happened upon a wonderful website which helped me understand i had other options than drugs for the treatment of my endo. then someone recommended this AWESOME book to me by Dian Shepperson Mills & Michael Vernon called Endometriosis: A Key to Healing Through Nutrition.



talk about a revelation!! if you or someone you know has endometriosis, this is a MUST READ. not only will you learn SO MUCH, but it is written so compassionately and many times i've just sat there and cried while reading it, saying to myself, "that is me...that is what i've been feeling and experiencing..." and it has felt SO GOOD to know that someone understands!! and most of all, to know i'm not going crazy. or being a hypochondriac. or clinically depressed! because some days have been horrible!



that book, coupled with the website, has given me oodles of hope and inspiration, and more knowledge than i ever imagined to take control of my own health.



in fact, a few weeks ago i went back to my family doctor and had blood tests done to check everything, including my cholesterol and thyroid. she said my thyroid was fine, but i had my doubts because of the way i've been feeling and some symptoms i've had (thinning hair, dry hands/legs, foggy memory, fatigue, moodiness...), and in addition, thyroid issues run on my mom's side (mom, grandma, and great grandma all have/had problems--great grandma even died of goiter!!).



so...where am i now? well, after coming to the conclusion i wanted to try a drug-free approach to treating my endo, i decided to see a naturopath.



so last week, i had an appointment with the naturopathic practitioner. interestingly enough, one of the first questions she asked me was if i've recently had my thyroid checked. according to her observations, (which i most definitely agree with!) my thyroid IS on the decline (but to a general doctor, if its within the levels, even if its low, they wont offer treatment or suggestions...), and guess what? the thyroid gland is one of the reproductive hormone glands! GO FIGURE!



so that directly works into my hormonal imbalances and the endometriosis. its hard telling which problem came first--but either way, im working on balancing it all out again. it will take several months--not as quick as a drug--but it will be something that makes me healthier all around and that i can live with with NO SIDE EFFECTS.



im on a couple herbal tincture supplements (one to jump-start my thyroid and one to "clean up" the endo), and i also am taking magnesium and a special B-vitamin complex. those two will help my body recover from all the stress ive been under--lots of stress whacks out hormone levels, too! so sheesh, it's all related.



and one more thing--i have some major diet changes. no dairy, no wheat. fortunately i've been cutting wayyyy back on them anyway (esp dairy), so hopefully it wont be too bad.



and losing weight is the #1 priority to normalize the hormones--especially because i found out from my blood tests that i am pre-diabetic!!



so God is really piling it all on right now, telling me to take care of myself!! SO I AM!! hehe! i have already been taking fish oil, evening primrose oil, a black cohosh supplement and a good multivitamin, so as long as i really really stick to the good diet, i am DEFINITELY gonna see some results.



i know, it seems like a lot of pills and junk, but i dont care because i know they are healthy for me--not a drug with side effects, just treating symptoms! and the pills and supplements are only part of the equation for holistic treatment!



OH and also, she told me i MUST MUST MUST get out of the house more and be around other people. my stress levels from just sitting around, worrying about myself, etc... are a major factor in my hormone imbalances. when you are stressed, your adrenal glands produce a lot more cortisol, which lowers progesterone, which means estrogen is dominant.



the B-vits im taking will help my adrenals recover since they are sucking up the little bit i get in my diet, but i have to put some effort into lowering my stress levels too, or i wont get any better. so, im looking into taking a yoga class once or twice a week. im pretty excited!



soooo anyhooooo...sorry for all the babbling! i actually SPARED you a lot of details, if you can believe it. (im sure you can--you know how talkative i am LOL)



for me, it is a wonderful feeling to understand how are bodies are created to heal themselves if we provide the right nutrients and support. now that i know a lot more, i realize my poor immune system has been sooo abused, probably for the last decade especially. i know im young, but people are getting chronic and even terminal illnesses much younger these days.



our world bombards us with toxins and chemicals that we arent made to deal with long term--and its not just in our air, its in our water, food and all the junk we put on our bodies. it takes a lot of open-mindedness to understand and even believe that the things we have come to know as commonplace arent always the healthiest or created with our longevity in mind. most companies are out to make money--not make us healthy!



(i wont even go there! LOL *hides the soap box from myself* heheeh )



if you get a chance, visit my the blog of my friend melissa. she recently posted some AWESOME info about convenience foods that may open your eyes!



seeing her posts made me happy that there are parents who are not only trying to improve their own health, but taking responsibility for what their child eats as well. its a super tough job raising children these days, let alone making sure they eat for wellness! that's another soapbox of mine! hehe!



i truly believe what our children eat affects their behavior, grades, and a host of other things. along those lines, last summer i watched jamie oliver's school lunch project series on TLC, and it intrigued me!! check his site out. its a very VERY important subject!



okay, im realllly gonna go now! we're having soft tacos for supper, and im starving. it'll be my first time trying brown rice tortillas!! LOL!!! (no wheat, remember!?)



take care and be well!!!



~josey~