When I first started out in my recovery, there was very little information about what happens to the body in recovery. I even found that many people with experience in healthcare for eating disorders didn’t know how to guide me on what my body might go through.
Recently, I wrote to some researchers at bulimiaguide.org to find out if they had any plans to gather more research on the body in recovery, so that the process wasn’t so confusing. They wrote back and agreed that it was just as important to help people STAY in recovery as it was to help people get into recovery. Since many people recovering from eating disorders are extra sensitive about what their bodies are going through, it makes sense, they agreed, that research should be done in this area as well.
Helping Hands
In the meantime, we have each other to learn from. And each of us are out there looking for answers to our own personal situations. By the time we put it all together, we may have a good picture of possible scenarios that can help others. So for all of you out there blogging, chatting in forums, leaving comments and e-mailing – bravo to you for reaching out to the collective community!
One of the books that really helped me initially was The Self-Healing Cookbook, by Kristina Turner. You may recall that I mentioned this book in my post on cleansing. This is much more than a macrobiotic cookbook with great, healthy recipes. The author also added a bunch of helpful information on how the body heals, how to use our intuition, how food affects mood and one of my favorites – the signs of imbalance.
Signs of Imbalance
Kristina Turner put the signs of imbalance into 3 categories:
- Stage 1 – Imbalance
- Stage 2 – Accumulation & Discharge
- Stage 3 – Trouble Deep Inside
Stage 1: Imbalance
According to Turner, all illness comes from imbalance, but the first signs can be easily overlooked. She reminds us that when we are young, our bodies bounce back much faster from lifestyle habits that don’t promote health. However, if we keep doing these things year in and year out, trouble ensues. It gets harder and harder for the body to deal with an accumulation of poor habits, ignoring the body and burning the candle at both ends. What starts to happen, is that our eliminative organs get overloaded and sluggish, intestines can clog, arteries can start to harden, sinuses and lungs can congest. Turner also says that our emotions can start to flare up, creating relationship stress (not to mention personal stress). This is where the immune system can start to have problems.
Signs of Imbalance in Stage 1: Keep in mind that many of these symptoms point to adrenal fatigue, which is common among people with stressful lives and with eating disorders or addictions.
Fatigue
Nervous tension
Mild headache
Overeating
Indigestion
Minor aches and pains
Tense or cramped muscles
Low sexual energy
Feel chilled or flushed
Occasional cough or sneeze
Itchiness
Forgetful, confused
Listless, no motivation
Mildly depressed
Irritable, frustrated
Hyper, fidgety
Can’t relax or unwind
Uncomfortable weight gain
Stage 2: Accumulation & Discharge
According to Turner, in stage 2, fat, mucus, toxins and tension can accumulate inside of you. Organs can be impaired and illness is a possibility. As the body seeks balance, you might notice discharge, like hay fever, skin issues, diarrhea, emotional outbursts and sinus issues.
People who are very hardy – possibly those with type O blood – may not notice this discharge and instead, have issues like tense muscles, becoming accident prone, stiff joints, deep-held resentment or fears and rigid mental attitudes. What is so interesting about Turner’s description here is exactly what I was going through while I was struggling with an eating disorder. I kept waiting to get really ill, but I kept hovering in stage 2 for a long time. This is partially why I felt like having an eating disorder wasn’t really impacting my health – until I started to get more stage 3 symptoms.
Here are some of the stage 2 symptoms Turner lists:
Bad breath
Body odor
Sinus congestion
Recurring cough or sneezing
Oily or dry skin
Can’t sleep
Gas, belching
Constipation
Diarrhea or loose bowels
Vaginal discharge
Recurring infections
Menstrual tension, cramps
Overheat, or perspire easily
Skin eruptions
Recurring headaches
Frequent, pale urine
Infrequent, dark urine
Low blood sugar
Bingeing
Vomiting
Mood swings, emotional outbursts
Chronic backache
Obesity
Deep depression
Stage 3: Trouble Deep Inside
Turner tells us that if we ignore the signs of stage 2, our organs can strain under pressure. The way Body Ecology would describe it is that our blood would get more and more acidic – and it wants to be slightly alkaline. This means our blood will pull minerals from the body – including teeth and bones – just to get back into balance. Symptoms start to vary more widely in stage 3 and it becomes harder to bring the body back into balance. This is where we must work harder to help our bodies.
Stage 3 symptoms that Turner lists are:
Chronic digestive upsets
Eating disorders
Migraine headaches
Persistent infections
Loss of hearing
Loss of memory
Insomnia
Arthritis
Appendicitis
Diabetes
Herpes
Osteoporosis
Manic depression
Hysteria
Impotence, frigidity
Debilitating pain
Paralysis
Kidney or gall stones
Heart disease
Other degenerative illnesses
Healing From Stage 3
It was when I read Kristina Turner’s book that I realized I was in stage 3 – that I actually had a few of the things on the list – even though I passed my physical exams at the doctors with flying colors. This was a whole new look at health from my perspective – it was time to take action and heal my body.
Turner mentions that a healing diet is one way of doing this, but certainly not the only answer – and I agree. I do believe that a healing diet is one way to nourish the body back into balance – but healing the mind and spirit is just as important. Turner even offers some meditations and exercises for balancing these areas as well, which is why I really loved this book. It reminded me that my body is the basic level of health needed – kind of like the foundation of a house. No matter how hard you work on the structure, it will still be unstable if the foundation is bad. So I’m thinking that no matter how much we work on our mind and spirit, if the body is not healthy, it impairs our success with the rest.
Paths to Healing
Kristina Turner urges us all to get a food/mood journal to track how our food is making us feel. She also suggests that we research and experiment with healing foods and natural remedies – and above all – to trust our instincts. She also urges us to get a healing friend – someone who empathizes, affirms, plays, expects the unexpected, trusts nature’s cycles and helps you plan. Wow – I think she just described many of you out there in the blogosphere! So much love and support, so many guides – even this – a word written or read, a comment posted, an e-mail to reach out – there are so many paths to healing. Thank you for being part of mine. There is so much hope out there – so many ways to heal – it is worth that one step you’ve been thinking of taking.
Hi Heather,
I just wanted to stop by to tell you how much I appreciated your last two posts! So thought-provoking – as your writing always is! – and there is much I could write in response… however, I’ve realized I need to spend a little less time on the computer and A LOT more time doing other things that are waiting to be done! So, for now, just a little note to let you know that, even when I don’t have time to write to comment much, my mind still is moving in response to your writing, and you are in my thoughts!
much love,
Emily
Comment by Emily — June 23, 2006 @ 10:57 pm
Heather I really loved this post I am so unbalanced. I know that I have been given the great tools to be able to do the work I need to do to find out what it is that will help me I reread over and over again your posts I have a notebook and I check things off and I make notes. I am still trying to absorb the work of Byron KAtie and all the intervies you did Memorial Weeked and the EFT and your workbook actions for eating disorder recovery.
I need to seperate thngs and do one at a time but that is hard for me I tend to jump in with both fet. I wasnt to be well and whole so much but I kep jumping from place to place and if the whole idea frightens me I just bury it.
Since writing to you I have been exposed to so much material but I rally dont know how to put it together for it to be thr berst benefit to me
THE BED terifies me. I tried amaranthe with vegies and fish last night It was good but I got sick. I think maybe fish isnt right for me but when I eat chicken and get sickk I think chicken is wrong for me But these are foods I enjoy the taste but somehow my system doesnts alwasys agree. I think myabe I should put all my questiuons out to my blog and perhaps the universe will send me the answers.
We wnet to breakfast today I alwasy have herb tea and I enjoy a egwhite omelet with vegies and whole wheat toast or a wafle with fresh strawberries. Today I opted for wafle but the strawberries wre sugared in a sauce I though to send them back but thought what couldl it hurt me knowing ful well that it could hurt me a lot But I want to be normal I dont want to be a freak
People keep teeling me how skinny I am and need to gain weight and how beautiuful my skin is. This is hard forme.
I find so many flaws.
I really need to learn to love myself and accept myself.
In my Dahn yoga sessions we do a form of tapping I prefer it to EFT. And we are very vocal when we are tapping we say things like I love myself I love my body I love my face I love my stomach
I think I sent you some info
Please know that everything you write is being v=carefull read and reread by me and comments will come
much love
KAren
Comment by karen — June 25, 2006 @ 3:31 pm
Hi Emily, Thank you for stopping by and letting me know you are enjoying my posts! I love that you are being good to yourself and doing what you need to do! Plus, I can imagine some of your time is spent writing your blog — and we all want you to keep finding time for that so we can read your insights!
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — June 26, 2006 @ 12:26 pm
Hi Karen, I know how you jump in with both feet — you do so much! Maybe one of the best things you can do for yourself is to trust that you can slow down and just give yourself the time you need. Sometimes the not doing is just as beneficial as the doing. I also think it’s wonderful that you realize the Dahn yoga tapping is working for you — go with that!
Regarding having amaranth, veggies and fish — keep in mind that fish does not combine well with grains. Consider trying fish and veggies OR amaranth and veggies. Animal protein only combines with non-starchy veggies. It’s not surprising that you’d feel sick after eating grains and fish together — especially if you are not used to eating these things. Also, on BED, you might consider having your animal protein during the lunch hours of 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. This allows your pancreas to rest at night, since protein can be hard to digest (true for most people, but even more so if you have an ED).
Trust yourself to do or not do what is right at the time. You are growing all the time — even as you write your blog and visit with those of us who are your “blog friends.” Be easy with yourself!
When we start the coaching group, we will be able to work in a structured way toward some things that are important to the group – and have fun too! It will be a way to bring ease and information, to experiment and to share. I look forward to spending time with you there!
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — June 26, 2006 @ 12:33 pm
Very interesting post. I just found your site and can’t wait to read more. Thanks!
Comment by palmtreechick — June 26, 2006 @ 7:32 pm
Heather Thank you again
I am really working on starting a new attitude it had been good but then it slipped up when I started having all the pain again.
I colonhydrotherapist came to my networking meeting yesterday and it strted the weheel going about having the colonics. I spoke with her a little and read her brochure and then spoke to a friend who has been seing her a long time and she feels good
then I started reredading the BED book again and I am getting some ideas out of there
I am trying to see myself followiung it in its entirety but I cant seem to get there There is too much I dont want to give up. But Ihave now had 2 sessions with the chiropractor I am believing that I am feeling beter I sthink my primary doctor will approve the acupuncture and I have not had any pain meds since Minday morning although I had a very difficult sleep last night
I se the chiropractor this aftenoon and tomorrow and then not until next week.
But the rolfing starts Thursday.
So I am keeping myself in a good head and believing and seeing myself be well
Lots of love
KAren
Comment by karen — June 27, 2006 @ 11:35 am
Hi Palmtreechick, thanks for stopping by to read — I’ve stopped by your blog as well and plan to read up a bit more!
Karen, let me know if you decide to do colon hydrotherapy – I’d be interested in your opinion. Take your time with BED — the important thing is to be comfortable with what you are doing. Try little things here and there when you feel ready and if it doesn’t work for you, that’s ok too. Follow your heart & your intuition. I’m so glad to hear that you are believing in yoruself and seeing yourself be well — that is so important! You inspire the rest of us as you continue to move forward in spite of feeling pain.
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — June 28, 2006 @ 12:01 pm
Interesting post!
I think I was at the stage two, but since I stopped ED for about 5 months. I can see now I have only several things of stage 1. Althogh things are getting better, there are still challenges. For example, I have bad menstrual cramps. I used to take lots of Advil pills. Without Advil, I could not do anything. Now I know drug would creat toxin for my body and I should stay away from it, but sometimes it still have to realy on it. I wonder if any of you knows better alternatives. Thanks.
Comment by Meg — July 1, 2006 @ 8:39 pm
I agree with Heather. I am recoverying from 15 years ED. I got very anxious at the beginning and I took lots of supplements, hoping that I could recover from ED in one week or so. Then I saw very little progress, the anxiety plus “too many good things” can also create lots of stress for your body. Be gentle to your body and be patient was what I learned. How can we recover from years and years ED just in a week? Hmmn… I ordered the BED book, but have not got it yet. I would love to read it and discuss it with you all.
Meg
Comment by Meg — July 1, 2006 @ 8:43 pm
Hi Meg, Thanks for your comment — what you said is so important! I also got frustrated that healing didn’t happen as quickly — until I became more accepting. After all, not b/p and learning to love ourselves already feels almost 100% better, was what I was thinking. I just focused on the better feeling and got through the rest.
It sounds like you did that too and I am so glad to hear that it worked for you! I’d love to hear what you think about the BED book and if you have any questions, let me know! There are many other readers who are looking at, have followed or are following BED, so it will be great to share stories and see what people think.
One of the BED principles is “step-by-step” and I can see from what you said that you already do that with respect to your healing, taking it one step at a time and at your own pace.
Regarding your question on menstrual cramps — Oils rich in GLA are very helpful — here’s what a study said: Increasing foods high in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which helps produce prostaglandin E, can help muscles relax. GLA is found in nuts, seeds, avocados, fresh fish, cold-pressed olive and sunflower oils, borage oil, black currant seed oil, flaxseed, and evening primrose oil. The idea would be to try a variety of these oils — eat differnt ones throughout the week so that you get the benefits of all, rather than just one. This drives minerals and vitamins into your body. Donna taught us this in my training — but the study that I linked (above) has other good information, with the exception of the birth control pill, which can create an overgrowth of yeast/candida.
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — July 2, 2006 @ 8:48 am
Hi Heather,
There is no way for me to keep up with all the lines of information and the comments, but, each one reaches me and touches me deeply. I can not express the appreciation I feel for all of you who come here and share..
These stages of unbalance speak to me..I have spent most of my life dealing with one kind of
imbalance or another. At 51, I can not remember too many periods of my life I could really say,.
I felt well…completely well. I will say that I felt the best when I was pregnant. After 4 months of 24/7 feeling nausea… I had such a sense of well being for the majority of my prenancy.. I did have the laughing and crying jags, but, they were ok. The hormones coursing through me were good…..
I started my eating issues as a very very young child…addicted to the things I have found out as an adult I was allergic too. All those things that yeast loves.. So my imbalaces started young. I do wonder if i was born with yeast…
I really wonder if the emotional and spiritual imbalances came first…I think for me they may have. Growing up in a family where there was little of the right kind of attention and plenty of the wrong kind. I felt like I was not enough and the that there was something wrong with me. I have spent a lot of my life trying to fix myself. And I have tried to deserve to be on this planet. I was shy, very sensitive and filled with anxiety and fear..it was always in the backgound. This has never gone away…
I am sensitive to anger….criticism…disrespect…being accused of wrong doing etc..
well I am also senstive to many foods….nothing does not effect the other.
What makes me tick the way I do and others tick the way they do…
I guess the main reason I have decided to work with Rhonda Lenair, is that she works on all levels and she reads our body and our cells and translates what she finds out…so in the end we do have our own answers. I have tried so many things and have not stuck to any for long enough to see if it would work….many of them seemed like they just were not hitting the spot. I know with riddling myself of the system yeast, mold and fungus issues, the die off would just get to hard for me and I could not handle the emotional aspects..anxiety and depression were so hard for me.
I want more than anything to find the right way to balance myself and forge ahead..
A little aside. My biggest fear about seeing Rhonda is that she will tell me I need to eat meat.
..in order to heal…this would be so very difficult for me. I am eating eggs..but, I do feel I need to not eat too many of them as I have a sensitivity to them and I am concerned it will get worse. I am eating sprouted lentils and mung beans…are these a no no on the BED?
I can’t remember reading about sprouts one way or another…
I eat soaked nuts and seeds as well.
If there is anyone else on this blog who is going to Rhonda, I would like to correspond with you. I am going at the end of July.
Thank you Heather and thank you all for being here!
Hugs,
Turtle
Comment by turtle — July 5, 2006 @ 6:44 pm
Hi, Heather:
Yesterday, as you suggested I bought some apple cider vinegar. Although I had almost only veggies for dinner (you suggested sipping it with protein meal), I was so eager to try and see how I might feel after sipping the apple cider drink. Interestingly, one hour after I took the apple cider, I felt so sleepy although I had enough sleep the night before. So I went to bed much earlier than usual last night. I like the fact that I had great sleep last night, but I am wondering if it is normal to feel so sleepy after the apple cider drink? In addition, I also found that in my recovery, I need LOTS and LOTS of sleep. Although the quality of sleep is not very good, I have to sleep about 9 hours which is very different from before. I am getting a little anxious because I am not getting enough school work done.
Thanks so much for answering my question so in depth. I can not express my appreciation to you enough.
Meg
Comment by Meg — July 6, 2006 @ 9:17 am
Hi Turtle, Thank you for sharing your story and your thoughts — you really got me thinking. First of all, that you are a beautiful soul. It strikes me that you must have had these questions as a young child and found it hard to be in a world where the answers were so hard to find, hiding below the surface where no one really shares their inner selves.
I imagine this beautiful soul of yours may be imprisoned by past conditioning, which happens to so many of us. What does she want most of all? How can she know she deserves?
You are so right about body and mind — candida and deeply embedded emotions are metaphors for one antoher, if you think about it. The candida is systemic, but can also embed into certain organs, notably the intestines. Emotions also find their way into body parts — negative emotions are most notably in the liver — your organ of detoxification. You are also right that it’s hard to know which came first. Your intuition tells you it was emotions. In other cases, babies can be born without a healthy inner ecosystem, leading to yeast overgrowth. So in either case, one can come first and the other then follows, unless the imbalance is corrected — and who among us knows how to do that well? It’s a journey to find the answers.
And perhaps that’s what our lives are about — to take this journey and find the answers. Just one question — how can we make it easier on ourselves? What is one thing you could do to lighten your load on this journey?
Turtle, the thing I love is that you felt so wonderful when you were giving life to another being — what would it be like if you gave birth to yourself? Brought this beautiful soul to the surface, letting her guide you?
Re: Rhonda, is it possible to surrender the fear and just see what show up? You may find that you shift just upon seeing her and it no longer matters what the suggestions are. Also, she is not the biggest proponent of meat in general, so while I’m not certain what will come of your specific needs, I have a feeling that meat won’t be a part of it.
Re: BED and legumes (lentils, etc.) – they are not in stage one because they are a protein and a starch, which do not combine well until the candida is cleared up. After stage one, you add certain legumes back into your diet and continue to add others over time.
I join you in acknowledging this great community of bloggers out here — sharing information and inspiration. You too inspire!
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — July 6, 2006 @ 11:10 pm
Hi Meg, another great question — and very astute of you to hear your body so well! Most people today have adrenal fatigue, which causes general exhaustion, early aging (like going gray early), lack of willpower, over or undereating, skin problems, hyperactivity (ironic that it could cause exhaustion & hyperactivity!) and many other symptoms.
Addictions and ED are big contributors to complete adrenal exhaustion — yet we don’t notice it because the addiction creates a spike in adrenaline, giving us plenty of energy. Maybe even difficulty sleeping. In recovery — especially when you have a diet that is detoxing and repairing your body, you are starting to feel that adrenal fatigue and thankfully, listening to it.
What would it be like if YOU were more important than anything else (studies, etc.)? What would it be like if you could do for yourself first, like healing and getting plenty of sleep? One of the benefits may be healing your adrenals and having a natural source of energy, rather than one that needs spikes. It takes time to heal from adrenal fatigue — not forever, you will notice starting to feel better over time. Imagine using this time to give back to yourself and let your body repair itself from years of damaging habits.
See if perhaps you are able to get more done with less effort because of an energy source that comes from the inside out.
Apple cider vinegar gets the microflora going, which help get minerals, B vitamins and other nutrients to your adrenals. I haven’t heard anything about it making you sleepy, but it would make sense that your body is starting to do the work of repair — and with more microflora doing this work inside you, the more you want to rest.
Take good care of yourself as you cleanse mind and body — you deserve this time — you have already accomplished so much!
Regarding your sleep not being very good, that can be due to adrenal fatigue too, unless you have sleep apnea and are waking often in the night? Or some other reason. Do you know what is keeping you from sleeping deeply?
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — July 6, 2006 @ 11:21 pm
Hi, Heather:
Many thanks for your answer to my questions. What you said makes great sense to me. I do not have sleep apnea and my sleep is getting better with my healing. It is just I still need a lot and sometimes I wonder whether it is normal.
You are so right about adrenal fatigue. At the beginning of my recovery, I was completely exhausted, but now I am getting better and better with your support. I used to need lots of coffee and tea to keep myself going, but I stopped drinking coffee for about 3 months. I can see all the benefit from recovery. I feel great about it. More and more people commented on how great and healthy I look these days. I feel hopeful. I feel I am just going to feel better and better. Many thanks to you!!
Meg
Comment by Meg — July 7, 2006 @ 10:24 am
Hi Meg, You’re welcome — such great questions — keep them coming! It’s so helpful to have a dialogue about what happens in recovery. Congratulations to you for stopping the coffee habit — for many it’s a tough one! Coffee, both caffeinated and decaf are high in acid and as you know, our goal is to alkalinize the blood. I still like to have organic decaf every now and then, so I bought this thing called the coffee toddy from Amazon — I’ll put a link in my resources page for it. It cuts the acid by 67%, so that way, when I indulge in my high acid treat, it’s much less than it would be normally! Better to kick it entirely though
I’m so happy to hear your sleep is getting better — and I can just imagine how healthy you look!
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — July 8, 2006 @ 12:25 am
Hi, Heather: I really admire you being so dedicated. I have learned lots from you. I enjoy reading your poster and it is becoming part of my life now. In order to control Candida outgrown, I have been eliminating sugar as much as I can. However, I start to wonder whether my body will become lack of glucose. Will I have low blood sugar? I remember several years ago when I had highly frequent B/P (I mean 4 or 5 times a day), I fainted a couple of times. I was told that I needed to eat more glucose. So I am cautious about eliminating sugar in long run although I feel very fine now.
Thanks.
Meg
Comment by Meg — July 9, 2006 @ 4:09 pm
Thank you Heather…
Once again I am struck by your care, your sincerity, your reaching out with such respect and
insight. I have to say whether it is a response to my writing or someone else’s or info or shares, I feel like when I come to this sight, it is Christmas for me.
I read about two people who shared about their eating disorders with such honesty and clarity.
I am so grateful for their courage to commit to their own recovery and I am so glad they shared here for us. It takes such strength to being willing to take the reins in our own hands in recovery…they took responsibilty themselves. I am inspired to take responsibilty in areas of my life.
Thank you for your feedback. it has helped me reflect.
I do need to let go of the outcome of seeing Rhonda!
I can let go of the outcome and be in my excitement and eagerness….
11 days ago I woke up at two AM with nausea and I have spent the last 11 days with nausea, heart palpitations, headaches occasionally, then more recently, lower back pain.
The fatigue has gotten worse as time goes on. I think I am getting better to wake up again in the middle of the night and in the mornings with more nausea. I have talked a number of people who have had this “bug,” but no one has had it as intensily as I have. No one has had the heart palpitations that I have talked to. Before I came down with these symptoms, I had been taking grapeseed extract for about 3 weeks and I had just started to take a
antiparasite/anticandida herbal supplement. I had to stop taking all supplements. Everything
just made me have more or stronger nausea. I never actually threw up and if I don’t eat I feel worse. I can even stand herbal tea…my favorite thing to drink. I have also had periods of dizziness. I was using a flaxseed, glutamine combo for my chronic constipation. This made me even more ill and did nothing to help my problem… My initial sense is that I was
poisining myself. My ND thinks I have created a toxic situation and has urged me to do what I can to keep my bowels moving… like enemas, castor oil, and colonics….. I have been doing the enemas. My concern is that I will never get rid of my chronic systemic yeast,fungal and mold issues. I may be dealing with parasites, that I thought I got rid of… I was diagnosed with 3 a couple of years ago including h. pylori. My concern is that I will not heal my digestive issues.
I know you are not a medical doc…but, you are very wise and intuitive. I was on antifungal drugs seeing a well known allergist and immunologist. After 5 months I could not do it any more…the side effects both mental and physical were difficult for me. I would say the mental ones often get to me when it comes to taking drugs or herbs… the depression and the anxiety level goes up.
I want to heal more than anything, but, I don’t want to suffer. I have suffered enough
emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I don’t want to have to take anything to heal other than eat the right appropriate diet….the rest I would like to come from supporting myself
emotionally, physically(exercise) and spiritually. I have to believe there is a way.
I know that I suffer from not being in right livelihood for example..how much does that play a roll in my health. I know right now, I am grieving for all the moves I have made, the constant changes I have made, the lack of stability I have created…what roll does that play in my health. I have virtually been alone, without a partner for the last 9 years…without touch, love, tenderness, shared hopes and dreams, without intimacy…..how does that effect my health and well being. This in not to say, I have not had great close friends and wonderful encounters with others…this in not to say I have not grown or appreciated many gifts in my life…I certainly have….but, if I do not start living my truth…if I am afraid to share with my own self how starved I feel from the life I would like to be living..then I am wondering if I will recover…
I know this is really long and I know I had to write it for myself…you are my witness, I think we all need witnesses sometimes…. just like the women who stopped their bulimia and began to take actions toward their healing… there are actions I need to take.
On a different topic…I guess I was hoping sprouted beans would be OK because they are
sprouted so therefore they would be more like a veggie…is this not so…still to starchy mixed with protein?
Thank you Heather…
Turtle
Comment by turtle — July 9, 2006 @ 7:02 pm
Hi Meg, What a great question about glucose! On the Body Ecology Diet, you will get the essential sugars that your body needs. For example, the BED teaches how to do “low carb” the right way — with seed-like grains and 80% of what you eat coming from vegetables. Vegetables are carbohydrates and carbs break down into glucose. With 80% of your diet as carbs, you have glucose for your body.
The BED also helps to decongest your liver — and it’s the liver that stores glucose (as glycogen). A detoxified liver does a better job at managing glucose, even converting protein to glucose, if necessary.
On top of that, our blood sugar levels depend on insulin, which regulates blood sugar. Insulin is being adversely impacted in today’s Standard American Diet (SAD) — especially for those of us with ED. The BED helps to get blood sugar levels normalized, which can help with insulin levels. Insulin helps with how glucose is transported in the body & stored in the liver, among other things. Here is a website that offers a pretty easy-to-understand explanation: http://home.howstuffworks.com/food2.htm.
I hope that helps! Above all, listen to your body — how it feels, including balanced desires for food rather than cravings, is a great indicator about what is happening in your life. As you look at body, mind and spirit — you can become better and better at understanding where the imbalance comes from and how to bring yourself back into balance. You have already proven to be so good at this!
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — July 10, 2006 @ 5:14 pm
Hi Turtle, Once again, you amaze me at having the questions and the answers — right here in your post! Your wisdom is actively there, so the question is, how comfortable are you at trusting it?
For example, you point out things in your life about your livelihood, relationships, the moves you have made, etc. All of these have a roll in your health. First and foremost, the past does not matter — all of that was just preparation to get you where you are now. Is it possible to accept that it was all perfect, just as it is? If moving into a blissful life is what you achieve, would all of what you’ve been through be worth the bliss you are soon to feel?
Is it possible to trust that you will heal your digestion? You will rid yourself of the systemic candida, you will have beautiful relationships and you will have the work you love? Is it possible to trust that you have the power to create this? You do! I can see that just by reading your words. It doesn’t matter how — doesn’t matter what steps or whether you know them — the first step is to believe, to trust…then allow (instead of control ing the outcome) it to come into your life. We will start working on this tomorrow night in our coaching group. The trick is, do you feel you deserve these things?
Our minds are powerful and they can stop us from getting what we want by being filled with negative thoughts that sabotage all of our dreams and desires. We’ve been taught that — to think negatively and think small. Now’s the time to think positively and think big. It’s a new habit that we will work to create. It takes trust and belief and practice. You are capable of this, I know it!
Regarding antifungals — not sure if you were taking all natural antifungals or something like Nystatin? Here’s my experience — I did not feel well on Nystatin, a prescription antifungal. When I tried this early in my recovery, I relapsed because it created nausea and digestive pain — my main trigger. My understanding of antifungals — both prescription and natural, is that they will bring on a faster healing crisis (die off). You’ll start to experience all kinds of symptoms, which can be very uncomfortable. Your ND seems right on to recommend colon cleansing — you might try a few colonics to help.
However, the BED — just the food — is a great way to slowly detox with less symptoms. You control how fast you cleanse. I didn’t start doing anti-yeast programs (like YeastMax) until about 5 months into my recovery. At that point, I had already experienced a lot of the die off at a slow pace, so it wasn’t bad. Donna Gates recommends waiting a year to do a parasite cleanse (a year after going on BED) — at least for her EcoClear parasite cleanse. I started one a bit earlier than that, but I had already gotten to a stable level of health with little symptoms of die-off before I started it.
You might consider doing as much BED foods as you can — or — at least adding cultured veggies to your diet at every meal as the only detox plan (along with enemas or colonics). This could help — see what your ND thinks about that — and save your antifungals until you’ve done this for awhile.
My understanding of sprouting is that it does take some of the starchiness out of foods (e.g., corn is a startch, but eaten raw, it is not), so it may help. You could always try it and see what you think. Leave it out of your diet for the first two weeks (if you’re starting BED) — for the first two weeks, consider just having all alkaline meals of veggies and light on healthy fats (blood type A tends to need lower amounts of healthy fats — you can experiement to see how you feel). Then add in the sprouted beans and see how you feel.
I know you’ve been eating eggs, so you may want to continue with that as well or stop for 2 weeks and then one at a time, add eggs, then sprouted raw beans. See how your body does on this.
If you’re not really ready to follow BED, wait until your body gets back to normal symptom-wise and then try the sprouted raw beans to see how it feels.
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — July 10, 2006 @ 5:34 pm
Heather,
I love your responses to my last e-mail. What you say makes so much sense and yes…
I do believe I can heal my body, mind and spirit and I have a lot of motivation to do so…even excitement to feel well, “weller” than I have ever felt.
I have to admit…it has been my sincere sense that I need to go off all herbal antifungals and work just the diet, and spiritual and emotional healing modalities. I feel with this present illness, my body is saying loud and clear…NO MORE….let me alone…
I remember how well the coconut kefir worked as far as elimation goes…I think that has been the best thing….so a good thing to reinstate.
I am pretty much doing the BED diet…just eating the sprouted beans as well. I eat a ton of
cultured veggies! I think your idea of letting go of the beans for awhile is a good idea and the eggs and just to light meals. I can do this I am ready. I think what makes sense is to do a month a least of no beans and eggs…then do them a bit at a time…
It is exciting to say OK, I am ready for a new improved regime and I know this will help me. My thing is to know that what I feed myself emotionally and spiritually is just as important.
I need to work on this too…and feel the same excitement and enthusiasm.
For one thing, I know that writing on a daily basis is really good for me….
I know that moving back here to the east coast has been extremely difficult for me and that
this plays a toll on my health on all levels. I am trying to turn my attitude around and live in the day counting my blessings. I am trying to get my mind to want to be here….thinking that not accepting being here and being in grief will not support my well being. I don’t want to be a pouty kid. And yet, I can not ignore this part of me that is saying …I DON’T WANT TO BE HERE. I am trying to understand what led up to this decsion and how it could have felt right at the time and not now. I am wanting to have more of a spiritual attitude…saying to myself..for now it is my life assignment to be here. I miss so much about CA and can’t understand my motivation for moving except to day, I thought my life would all come together, I am a change addict!
I am so grateful for being abstinent form my food addiction today and for having my feelings,
even if they are of grief.
Today, I will focus on what is in front of me to do. I will remember to breath in and breath out.
Thank you once again…
I feel such support…
Turtle
Comment by turtle — July 12, 2006 @ 7:52 am