Nutrition and Allergies

If you are reading this post and suffer from allergies or feeling lethargic, have skin issues, get sick all the time, restless leg syndrome, fibromyalgia, or anything else.... I will try to save you the thousands of dollars I spent on skin tests, allergy tests, doctors visits, and years of frustration.

CHANGE YOUR DIET AND LOOK AT THE PRODUCTS YOU USE.

I hate to admit it, but this was a difficult decision for me.  I went to a few alternative doctors and they had all sorts of special diets to try.  And I'm a pretty logical person.  My dad is a scientist.  It sounded, honestly, a little hokey.  I wish someone had helped lead me slowly to this decision without making me feel like I was  jumping over a cliff into wonderland.  But there are some more balanced approaches, in my opinion, that lead you to go whatever direction you wish to (and believe me there are MANY).

I only discovered this idea much later, but one wonderful doctor suggested to my friend that she try a more directed approach called the four day rotation diet.  The idea behind it is to remove all foods that fit under the allergy class, and start adding them back one by one.  It helps you to discover which foods you are sensitive to with a scientific approach!  Believe me, if you have a hidden allergy like mine... your body will tell you.  For me, directly after eating gluten I felt very tired and foggy.  Day 2, a horrible sore throat.  And finally, I would either recover or get sick depending on how much I had subjected my poor body to!

I accidently discovered this way that I was allergic to walnuts too.  Someone cooked me gluten-free walnut cookies as a birthday present, and I felt horrible!  When I realized it could not have been the gluten...it had to have been the walnuts!  I began learning to pay attention to my body.  AND i noticed my acne almost completely dissappeared!  No more needing expensive face soaps that never seemed to do the trick!  I felt like an investigator.

Next, I had this very odd skin condition that I have honestly never heard of before. The dermatologist told me it was "contact dermatitis" when my lips were constantly dry and cracking, but refused to give me any allergy tests.  I went to an allergist and there took many tests that were horrible, and then the allergist began giving me allergy shots for all sorts of things that I had no idea I was allergic to.  But to no avail, my lips got a ring around them and it just got worse.  I tried changing mouthwash, toothpaste, stopped chewing gum, all to no avail.  THEN one day, I stopped EVERYTHING.  Baking soda for my teeth, yogurt masks for my face, Vaseline for lotion, no gum....and voila!  Two years and I finally got some relief!

I've since then discovered that I am allergic to chemical fragrances and parabens that they use to make stuff smell and taste good or to preserve them.  it is used in makeup, face soaps, toothpaste, detergent, and mouthwash.  Luckily for me, there are lots of alternatives out on the market, and they are much better for you in my opinion.  Parabens have been linked to cancer and I have no idea what chemical fragrances must do to your body.  But even places like whole foods have hidden sulphites and parabens that aren't in the label...it is very tricky and I often find myself angered that I have to toss away some item that says, "all-natural".  This is very important, because "natural" doesn't mean anything when marketing.  What is best is to try and find EU compliant stuff if possible.  I feel here I should list all my favorite brands, but I will have to wait and update.  

Making a change, Looking from past to present

February 27, 2013 at 5:00 in the evening

Five days after my birthday, I am taking stock of where I am.  I have survived a horrible car accident, discovering a plethora of allergies (and doctors bills, eek!) , and overcome a childhood of difficult issues regarding neglect.  I have made a career in an art field--one of my childhood dreams-- and had the pleasure of working on a slew of blockbusters I am proud of.  I have traveled, met the man of my dreams, and taken him back to a beautiful art loft to start our life together.

I have also sat in a dark room at a computer for 90 hours a week wondering if I could have a more active lifestyle.  Wondering if there was a way to actually change the world.  I have had many hours to think and dream about what is next for me, because climbing one mountain always means there is another one further still.

I believe there is a way to make a difference.

I wish to start by sharing some of the lessons of my past.  Some of the books I read and the things I learned in them.   Some of the trips I took and the growth I had from them.  Some of the breakthroughs I came to at different times.

And also I wish to share my frustrations and my fears, because I'm on a new path. I want new things, and I WILL be breaking through to the other side.  This is my intention, and I know that because I feel so much love and passion for the world that there is a way to do something good for it.