I hope everyone had a great Christmas! I'm sorry I haven't written in awhile. I had some computer issues and couldn't get either one of them to work. I now have one back up and running.
I've decided trying to eat differently than everyone else is extremely difficult during the holidays. People think you're weird if you don't eat all the snacks and party food with them. Work holiday parties are the worst also. Instead of a potluck this year my work company decided to do a breakfast. They had pancakes, waffles, french toast, bacon, sausage and scrambled eggs. I had to go to every station and say "no thanks" at most. It's really hard to explain that I don't want to eat anything with wheat when I'm not celiac. I just know without any doubt that I have a food intolerance to it. I know the next day without a doubt by my skin and I know almost right away if I ate anything with gluten/wheat by the way my stomach/digestive track reacts. Special diets can be really hard to do. When you decide to change your eating habits try not to be hard on yourself. You can not do it cold turkey very easily. I'm doing it a day at a time and will not get discouraged - just press forward.
We had 18 people at my mothers this year for Christmas dinner. Turkey dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy, home made rolls and bread, stuffing, butternut squash, homemade pies and apple crisp for desert. (Am I making you hungry?) (I almost wish I had thought to make my own desert and my own gravy to bring with me - that was a tough meal to watch everyone else eat what I really really wanted to eat. I think next get together I'll cook and invite everyone to our house. That way I know what's in the food.
Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Updated Pictures
I updated some pictures today. It's only been a couple of weeks since the last ones, but I was seeing some improvement on my chin area/ear area and chest area. The coloring has faded a lot on the chest area - before it was the color of a beet. My back doesn't seem to have much improvement yet.
I went for another colonics session this past week. It was similar to last time: very little comes out during the session - but TONS afterwards privately in the rest room. I didn't feel weak or wiped out after this time. Just so you are aware you wear a pair of mens boxers backwards the whole time. You never have to be fully undressed at all. I have another session scheduled for this coming week.
Trying to switch to healthy/organic/non-processed, etc foods has been a challenge. It's a learning curve everyday. I have really found I love a sprouted grain bread called Ezekial bread. You find it in Hanaford or the Whole food stores like Trader Joes. It's frozen. I really like the cinn/raisin.
I've been keeping a food journal for my nutritionist to try to improve on what I've been eating. I had a note on last weeks one day that I itched all night long. She looked back through what I ate that day. She noticed I ate trailmix as a snack. I made it myself with raisins, peanuts, almonds and cashews. She told me to watch out for peanuts/peanut butter/peanut oils. Apparently when they grow there's a mold that forms on them that's not visible to the eye. When they're processed this mold tends to be in the product still. That may have caused some of my itching. The night before I had soaked in epsom salts which is wonderful for you to do. It help draw out the toxins from your skin. It can however cause some itching due to this. It could have been one of these reasons or just plain psoriosis. It really was worse than normal that night though.
I went for another colonics session this past week. It was similar to last time: very little comes out during the session - but TONS afterwards privately in the rest room. I didn't feel weak or wiped out after this time. Just so you are aware you wear a pair of mens boxers backwards the whole time. You never have to be fully undressed at all. I have another session scheduled for this coming week.
Trying to switch to healthy/organic/non-processed, etc foods has been a challenge. It's a learning curve everyday. I have really found I love a sprouted grain bread called Ezekial bread. You find it in Hanaford or the Whole food stores like Trader Joes. It's frozen. I really like the cinn/raisin.
I've been keeping a food journal for my nutritionist to try to improve on what I've been eating. I had a note on last weeks one day that I itched all night long. She looked back through what I ate that day. She noticed I ate trailmix as a snack. I made it myself with raisins, peanuts, almonds and cashews. She told me to watch out for peanuts/peanut butter/peanut oils. Apparently when they grow there's a mold that forms on them that's not visible to the eye. When they're processed this mold tends to be in the product still. That may have caused some of my itching. The night before I had soaked in epsom salts which is wonderful for you to do. It help draw out the toxins from your skin. It can however cause some itching due to this. It could have been one of these reasons or just plain psoriosis. It really was worse than normal that night though.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Trying new foods
As you know when I went for my colon cleanse they let me know I was dehydrated. I've been trying so hard to drink 8 glasses of water a day plus tea and my smoothies. I realized it's actually harder than I thought it would be. I'm getting up every single night to pea because of all the water - but I know my body needs it.
The smoothies are getting better. Today's was romaine lettuce/spinach/parsley/1/2 frozen banana/1/2 cup frozen strawberries and 1/2 tblsp flax seed meal. Not to bad. The Frozen things help a ton! I've found I don't miss the coffee or soda at all!
The other tough thing with the liquids is you should not be drinking with your meals. Apparently it dilutes your stomach acid making your body have an even harder time digesting foods. Any if you have any digestive challenges this is a big issue. You should wait at least 20min to 1/2 hour after a meal to have a drink. I was told you shouldn't drink with your meals awhile back by a lady who had gastric bypass surgery but didn't understand the reasons - now it makes since. I just don't think the rest of the world has caught on because when you go out to eat the first thing they do it bring you a drink and then after ask if you want coffee.
My neutritionist wants me to start trying raw foods and fermented foods. They apparently are really good for you. We need the living enzymes! I went to the natural health food store yesterday and got some raw milk cheese to try. It's in a block just like normal sharp cheese. I ate some with a few nut thins (by blue diamond nuts). It was a little more sharp the the regular stuff I had been buying - but not bad at all. She told me it melts really well also for recipes. I also bought braggs raw apple cider vinegar to try. I want to experiment with homemade salad dressing recipes. If you have a homemade recipe feel free to comment and I'll give it a try. I also bought fermented pickles (be real pickles company). It was either fermented pickles/red cabbage or sour-kraught. I went with the pickles. I haven't tried them yet thought.
I'm told I also need to get in some exercise. When you sweat you are flushing toxins out through your pores. I need to eliminate all the toxins I can. I was going to go to the gym yesterday with a friend but it started snowing and I didn't want to go out in it. So today we've planned a gym afternoon date. I will try to sweat more than usual instead of just walking for a bit on the treadmill and then switching to other weight machines.
The smoothies are getting better. Today's was romaine lettuce/spinach/parsley/1/2 frozen banana/1/2 cup frozen strawberries and 1/2 tblsp flax seed meal. Not to bad. The Frozen things help a ton! I've found I don't miss the coffee or soda at all!
The other tough thing with the liquids is you should not be drinking with your meals. Apparently it dilutes your stomach acid making your body have an even harder time digesting foods. Any if you have any digestive challenges this is a big issue. You should wait at least 20min to 1/2 hour after a meal to have a drink. I was told you shouldn't drink with your meals awhile back by a lady who had gastric bypass surgery but didn't understand the reasons - now it makes since. I just don't think the rest of the world has caught on because when you go out to eat the first thing they do it bring you a drink and then after ask if you want coffee.
My neutritionist wants me to start trying raw foods and fermented foods. They apparently are really good for you. We need the living enzymes! I went to the natural health food store yesterday and got some raw milk cheese to try. It's in a block just like normal sharp cheese. I ate some with a few nut thins (by blue diamond nuts). It was a little more sharp the the regular stuff I had been buying - but not bad at all. She told me it melts really well also for recipes. I also bought braggs raw apple cider vinegar to try. I want to experiment with homemade salad dressing recipes. If you have a homemade recipe feel free to comment and I'll give it a try. I also bought fermented pickles (be real pickles company). It was either fermented pickles/red cabbage or sour-kraught. I went with the pickles. I haven't tried them yet thought.
I'm told I also need to get in some exercise. When you sweat you are flushing toxins out through your pores. I need to eliminate all the toxins I can. I was going to go to the gym yesterday with a friend but it started snowing and I didn't want to go out in it. So today we've planned a gym afternoon date. I will try to sweat more than usual instead of just walking for a bit on the treadmill and then switching to other weight machines.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!!
I started the day with another "green smoothie". This time I added 1/2 a frozen banana, 1/2 an apple and romaine and spinach and 1 packet of stevia. I must say it was an improvement over yesterday's :-)
We're heading to my mothers for Thanksgiving dinner. There's usually about 30 of us and it gets a little crazy and tight - but fun anyhow. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. Eat lots of the vegetables and limit yourself to only one piece of pie! (I believe I'm talking to myself as well).
I started the day with another "green smoothie". This time I added 1/2 a frozen banana, 1/2 an apple and romaine and spinach and 1 packet of stevia. I must say it was an improvement over yesterday's :-)
We're heading to my mothers for Thanksgiving dinner. There's usually about 30 of us and it gets a little crazy and tight - but fun anyhow. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. Eat lots of the vegetables and limit yourself to only one piece of pie! (I believe I'm talking to myself as well).
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Hydrotherapy Colon Cleanse
I went for my first session of Colonics yesterday. (I explained the procedure earlier in a post.) First we sat down and discussed my issues and diet choices. I had filled out a health sheet ahead of time. She said based on my answers she could tell I was dehydrated. I thought I was getting enough liquid - but I was wrong. She also let me know coffee and black tea are dehydrating, so I'm glad I recently gave those up. I'm supposed to aim for a gallon total of all drinks (tea/water, etc).
We discussed that I should be eating 80% fruits/veggies. I'm working on this one :-) She also gave suggestions on where to find natural, organic foods, vinegar, oils, etc. She highly suggested coconut oil as well as organic apple cider vinegar.
The colonic session was not bad at all. She inserts a tube that has two separate tubes attached to it (one larger than the other for waste. The water they use is really warm, you almost don't feel it - just a little pressure during the 6 second fills. She fills for 6 seconds then waits to see what the pressure is. If the valve shows little pressure she adds more water, etc. When the pressure indicates she switches the valve over to release waste. The waste passes through this clear glass tube in the machine for viewing. She can see if you have a lot of mucus or yeast or if it's really dry, etc. I found not a lot came out during the 45 min. session - this is ok because after you go into the restroom and TONS comes out. (More than I thought would be in there :-)
She said some feel relaxed or energetic after - I found I felt drained and really tired. I went home cooked supper and fell asleep at 7:30. I later read the "take home notes" and discovered some do feel sick, weak and tired. These people fall into the 5% category though and are the real sick toxic people with chronic fatique, dehydration, candida issues (yeast), imbalance in good/bad flora, chemical sensitivities, etc. I pretty much knew I was in the really toxic zone anyhow based on my health issues. I have an appt. next week for another session.
My homework for the week : Green smoothies! My first thought is Ugh! But I am willing to try anything right now. Basically you take a blender and add whatever you have on hand : romaine lettuce/spinach/kale/parsley/banana/apple/fruits, etc. You mix with water and drink it. Today I mixed romaine with spinach and 1/2 a banana. My husband thinks I'm nuts. My daughter actually took a sip and my grandmother who eats anything turned up her nose and walked away. I managed to get almost all of it down. Tomm I'm going to try to add ice. I think it'll be better cold than luke-warm. She said I could add stevia, raw honey or agave nectar for sweetness if I need to. It might come to that :-)
In summary for me: drink more water and tea (herbal/green), eat more veggies, meat is hard on the liver to digest so lean towards chicken/fish, drink green smoothies, probiotics are a must! Keep up with the omega 3/6 fish oils and B complex and Vit D (D3), Antioxidents (I take opc-3 w/ pycnogenol already). Stay away from milk because it's very mucus forming. Stay away from gluten/white flour as much as possible.
We discussed that I should be eating 80% fruits/veggies. I'm working on this one :-) She also gave suggestions on where to find natural, organic foods, vinegar, oils, etc. She highly suggested coconut oil as well as organic apple cider vinegar.
The colonic session was not bad at all. She inserts a tube that has two separate tubes attached to it (one larger than the other for waste. The water they use is really warm, you almost don't feel it - just a little pressure during the 6 second fills. She fills for 6 seconds then waits to see what the pressure is. If the valve shows little pressure she adds more water, etc. When the pressure indicates she switches the valve over to release waste. The waste passes through this clear glass tube in the machine for viewing. She can see if you have a lot of mucus or yeast or if it's really dry, etc. I found not a lot came out during the 45 min. session - this is ok because after you go into the restroom and TONS comes out. (More than I thought would be in there :-)
She said some feel relaxed or energetic after - I found I felt drained and really tired. I went home cooked supper and fell asleep at 7:30. I later read the "take home notes" and discovered some do feel sick, weak and tired. These people fall into the 5% category though and are the real sick toxic people with chronic fatique, dehydration, candida issues (yeast), imbalance in good/bad flora, chemical sensitivities, etc. I pretty much knew I was in the really toxic zone anyhow based on my health issues. I have an appt. next week for another session.
My homework for the week : Green smoothies! My first thought is Ugh! But I am willing to try anything right now. Basically you take a blender and add whatever you have on hand : romaine lettuce/spinach/kale/parsley/banana/apple/fruits, etc. You mix with water and drink it. Today I mixed romaine with spinach and 1/2 a banana. My husband thinks I'm nuts. My daughter actually took a sip and my grandmother who eats anything turned up her nose and walked away. I managed to get almost all of it down. Tomm I'm going to try to add ice. I think it'll be better cold than luke-warm. She said I could add stevia, raw honey or agave nectar for sweetness if I need to. It might come to that :-)
In summary for me: drink more water and tea (herbal/green), eat more veggies, meat is hard on the liver to digest so lean towards chicken/fish, drink green smoothies, probiotics are a must! Keep up with the omega 3/6 fish oils and B complex and Vit D (D3), Antioxidents (I take opc-3 w/ pycnogenol already). Stay away from milk because it's very mucus forming. Stay away from gluten/white flour as much as possible.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Switching drinks
As you know I'm trying to switch over what I've been eating to things that are better for me. My goal is to stop putting so many toxins into my system. The first way is through food and then I have to tackle all the things that come in contact with my skin (lotions, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, etc). My other goal is to get my body to stay in an alkaline state instead of an acidic state. You do this through what you eat. If your body is in an alkaline state then diseases can not survive. If your body is in an acidic state all kinds of diseases bread like crazy - especially cancer. We should be eating 80% alkaline based foods and 20% acidic.
I decided coffee is out for me. Coffee is very acidic - on top of that I can't take it black. I had switched over the last few months to using no cream and only stevia as a sweetener. Stevia is a natural sugar substitute and I do recommend it. I eat to much acidic stuff already - so coffee is now out for me. I am now drinking hot tea. Black tea's are a lot more acidic than Green teas and Herbal - so I'm trying all kinds of new flavors. I really like Chamomile Mango and Green tea with orange. I also started making my own ice tea. I bought a glass jar with a lid at Walmart. I put two tea bags in it (I hang them from the top) and then pour hot water in. I let it sit for awhile to cool then put it in the fridge. I don't need any sweetener for me - but I've found I have to add a small amount of stevia for my kids to drink it. My favorite is Bigelow's Red Rasberry for iced tea. If I want a cold drink it's this or plain water. Plain water is the best thing to drink for flushing out toxins also. 8 Glasses a day is recommended. To be honest I did not do this before - but am now trying to get in my 8 glasses.
Yesterday I went to the winter farmers market. I really wanted to get a feel for what the prices were because I want to switch over to farm raised and organic foods. I don't want pestisides used on my fruits/veggies and I don't want hormones and antibiotics used in my meat.
I bought myself a huge bunch of lettuce for $3. It was twice the size of the romaine lettuce I was buying at the grocery store for $2. They also offered 3 different varieties of lettuce. I also bought some butternut squash for $1 a pound. Last night I stopped by the grocery store and found butternut squash was $1.79 a pound. I have to say I was pleased at most of the prices. I know some were a lot higher than what I'm used to - but your health is not something to fool around with. I've learned that the hard way.
I've very happy that my sister has her own mini farm. She raises ducks, chickens, quail, goats & bunnies. I get all my eggs from her because I can go play with the chickens myself, I know what they eat and she doesn't use any hormones or antibiotics. I also have a neighbor who raises his own cows. He started adding one or two extra cows for friends and family. My family buys one full cow from him when he butchers them off. I know they're well taken care of and they roam all day in the pastures. Start checking out your local farmers - see if there are any farm stands near you or farmers markets. This is where you can find some really good food (also some of the safest).
I decided coffee is out for me. Coffee is very acidic - on top of that I can't take it black. I had switched over the last few months to using no cream and only stevia as a sweetener. Stevia is a natural sugar substitute and I do recommend it. I eat to much acidic stuff already - so coffee is now out for me. I am now drinking hot tea. Black tea's are a lot more acidic than Green teas and Herbal - so I'm trying all kinds of new flavors. I really like Chamomile Mango and Green tea with orange. I also started making my own ice tea. I bought a glass jar with a lid at Walmart. I put two tea bags in it (I hang them from the top) and then pour hot water in. I let it sit for awhile to cool then put it in the fridge. I don't need any sweetener for me - but I've found I have to add a small amount of stevia for my kids to drink it. My favorite is Bigelow's Red Rasberry for iced tea. If I want a cold drink it's this or plain water. Plain water is the best thing to drink for flushing out toxins also. 8 Glasses a day is recommended. To be honest I did not do this before - but am now trying to get in my 8 glasses.
Yesterday I went to the winter farmers market. I really wanted to get a feel for what the prices were because I want to switch over to farm raised and organic foods. I don't want pestisides used on my fruits/veggies and I don't want hormones and antibiotics used in my meat.
I bought myself a huge bunch of lettuce for $3. It was twice the size of the romaine lettuce I was buying at the grocery store for $2. They also offered 3 different varieties of lettuce. I also bought some butternut squash for $1 a pound. Last night I stopped by the grocery store and found butternut squash was $1.79 a pound. I have to say I was pleased at most of the prices. I know some were a lot higher than what I'm used to - but your health is not something to fool around with. I've learned that the hard way.
I've very happy that my sister has her own mini farm. She raises ducks, chickens, quail, goats & bunnies. I get all my eggs from her because I can go play with the chickens myself, I know what they eat and she doesn't use any hormones or antibiotics. I also have a neighbor who raises his own cows. He started adding one or two extra cows for friends and family. My family buys one full cow from him when he butchers them off. I know they're well taken care of and they roam all day in the pastures. Start checking out your local farmers - see if there are any farm stands near you or farmers markets. This is where you can find some really good food (also some of the safest).
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Good Days/Bad Days
We all have good days and bad days. With Psoriosis it seems to be more bad days (at least healthwise). Yesterday was a rough one. I itched all day long - that's a tough one when you work with mostly men and your chest itches! Today I can laugh about it (even though it still itches). On top of that I have psoriosis on my lower stomach area. Even though I cover myself with aloe daily my skin decided to crack right at the line where my underwear hit. So I also spent the day pulling down my underwear in the front. Man if someone had a video camera going they would have thought I was really really weird trying to itch my chest and pull down my underwear without anyone noticing. Man I'm freaky :-)
I have to be honest though - today I'm laughing about it. Yesterday I cried instead. You know how when you have scalp psoriosis and you wear a black shirt the "dandruff" is horibble around your sholders. Well I had on a black bra yesterday. When I took it off the inside was literally covered just like dandruff from me itching all day long. I sat down on the bathroom floor and cried for awhile - begging God to make it go away.
Back in 2004 my second son passed away as a baby and my pastor said to me "Are you asking yourself why me?" I honestly answered no - why not me. It can happen to anyone. I feel the same way about my psoriosis.
Why not me - I'm no different than anyone else. (Although when people look at you like you're a freak they sure can make you feel different than everyone else.) Remember you are not alone. There are many many people out there with the same problems as us. Also - even though I might sit down and have a crying pitty part once in awhile I know without a dought there are others having a worse time. I've seen the pictures of the poor people with severe psoriosis covering their hands and feet. Trying to work or even walk could be very painful. I know men can and do get psoriosis on their "unmentionable" parts. I can't even imagine the pain they go through! Lots get arthritis from the psoriosis. I am lucky right now I only have the skin issues and not the joints.
I have to be honest though - today I'm laughing about it. Yesterday I cried instead. You know how when you have scalp psoriosis and you wear a black shirt the "dandruff" is horibble around your sholders. Well I had on a black bra yesterday. When I took it off the inside was literally covered just like dandruff from me itching all day long. I sat down on the bathroom floor and cried for awhile - begging God to make it go away.
Back in 2004 my second son passed away as a baby and my pastor said to me "Are you asking yourself why me?" I honestly answered no - why not me. It can happen to anyone. I feel the same way about my psoriosis.
Why not me - I'm no different than anyone else. (Although when people look at you like you're a freak they sure can make you feel different than everyone else.) Remember you are not alone. There are many many people out there with the same problems as us. Also - even though I might sit down and have a crying pitty part once in awhile I know without a dought there are others having a worse time. I've seen the pictures of the poor people with severe psoriosis covering their hands and feet. Trying to work or even walk could be very painful. I know men can and do get psoriosis on their "unmentionable" parts. I can't even imagine the pain they go through! Lots get arthritis from the psoriosis. I am lucky right now I only have the skin issues and not the joints.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Jello
I have been going through my cupboards and pulling things out for the food pantry that I know I will no longer be eating. For example: Processed, chemical loaded boxed meals. I'm starting to read labels and realizing although something may seem fine you sometimes need to dig deeper.
I just learned some really yucky stuff about jello. The box ingredients are : sugar, gelatin, adipic acid (for tartness), less than 2% of artificial flavor, disodium phosphate and sodium citrate (to control acidity), fumaric acid (for tartness), and the colorant red 40. First off the products are listed in order of the amount in the product - so if sugar is the top one it's loaded with it! The second product is gelatin. Well that sounded normal to me; then I looked up what gelatin is online.
Gelatin is basically processed collagen. Collagen is a structural protein in animals connective tissue, skin, and bones. According to the Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of America (GMIA), pork skin, cattle bones, and cattle hide are the predominant raw materials used to make gelatin. The raw materials are washed & soaked in acid. Ok - yuck! Honestly that's really gross. I do not want to eat sugar coated animal skin & bones.
I'm saying goodbye to Jello - which has absolutely no nutritional value anyhow. By the way - I hope the vegetarians out there realize what's in jello. Ugh!
I just learned some really yucky stuff about jello. The box ingredients are : sugar, gelatin, adipic acid (for tartness), less than 2% of artificial flavor, disodium phosphate and sodium citrate (to control acidity), fumaric acid (for tartness), and the colorant red 40. First off the products are listed in order of the amount in the product - so if sugar is the top one it's loaded with it! The second product is gelatin. Well that sounded normal to me; then I looked up what gelatin is online.
Gelatin is basically processed collagen. Collagen is a structural protein in animals connective tissue, skin, and bones. According to the Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of America (GMIA), pork skin, cattle bones, and cattle hide are the predominant raw materials used to make gelatin. The raw materials are washed & soaked in acid. Ok - yuck! Honestly that's really gross. I do not want to eat sugar coated animal skin & bones.
I'm saying goodbye to Jello - which has absolutely no nutritional value anyhow. By the way - I hope the vegetarians out there realize what's in jello. Ugh!
Just for Laughs
As I'm preparing myself mentally to start colonics a friend sent this to me.
I had to share as I was sitting here laughing my head off.......
Hope I can bring some laughter to your day today :-)
Colonoscopy Journal:
I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy.
A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis.
Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner.
I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'
I left Andy's office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America 's enemies.
I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous.
Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor.
Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons). Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes - and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon..
The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose, watery bowel movement may result.'
This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.
MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but, have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.
After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep.
The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on Andy?' How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.
At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked..
Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.
When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point.
Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand.
There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' had to be the least appropriate.
'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me.
'Ha ha,' I said. And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.
I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, ABBA was yelling 'Dancing Queen, feel the beat of the tambourine,' and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood.
Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that It was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.
On the subject of Colonoscopies....
Colonoscopies are no joke, but these comments during the exam were quite humorous..... A physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his patients (predominately male) while he was performing their colonoscopies:
1. 'Take it easy, Doc. You're boldly going where no man has gone before!'
2. 'Find Amelia Earhart yet?'
3. 'Can you hear me NOW?'
4. 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?'
5. 'You know, in Arkansas , we're now legally married.'
6. 'Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?'
7. 'You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out...'
8. 'Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!'
9. 'If your hand doesn't fit, you must quit!'
10.. 'Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.'
11. 'You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?'
12. 'God, now I know why I am not gay.'
And the best one of all:
13. 'Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?'
I had to share as I was sitting here laughing my head off.......
Hope I can bring some laughter to your day today :-)
Colonoscopy Journal:
I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy.
A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis.
Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner.
I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'
I left Andy's office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America 's enemies.
I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous.
Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor.
Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons). Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes - and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon..
The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose, watery bowel movement may result.'
This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.
MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but, have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.
After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep.
The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on Andy?' How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.
At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked..
Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.
When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point.
Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand.
There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' had to be the least appropriate.
'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me.
'Ha ha,' I said. And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.
I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, ABBA was yelling 'Dancing Queen, feel the beat of the tambourine,' and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood.
Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that It was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.
On the subject of Colonoscopies....
Colonoscopies are no joke, but these comments during the exam were quite humorous..... A physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his patients (predominately male) while he was performing their colonoscopies:
1. 'Take it easy, Doc. You're boldly going where no man has gone before!'
2. 'Find Amelia Earhart yet?'
3. 'Can you hear me NOW?'
4. 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?'
5. 'You know, in Arkansas , we're now legally married.'
6. 'Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?'
7. 'You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out...'
8. 'Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!'
9. 'If your hand doesn't fit, you must quit!'
10.. 'Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.'
11. 'You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?'
12. 'God, now I know why I am not gay.'
And the best one of all:
13. 'Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?'
Colon Cleansing
If a person is unable to take drugs normally sometimes doctors will give them the drugs through rectal suppositories. Why is this? Because the drugs will absorb into the blood stream quickly as they don't have to pass through the gastrantestinal system. If the drugs are admisistered this way they said to have a rapid uptake. They get into the bloodstream quickly.
In the same way years of undigested foods are built up in your colon. The decaying petrified toxic food is being re-absorbed into your bloodstream. Your body then tries hard to fight the toxins.
This is why it's so important to do a colon cleanse. I would recommend most people do one twice a year. Those who don't detox well probably 3-4 times a year. How do you detox? There are two ways one can go about a colon cleanse. The first is to buy products that help with this. Examples are: enemas, laxatives, strong herbal teas, powders and antiparasite pills. The second is through colon irrigation.
I posted a link of the colon cleanse system I've used over the past few years. I like it because it's easy to continue working while taking it and the fiber powder tastes awesome! During a detox you should drink lots of water and try to eat whole foods (fruits/veg.) no sugar, no flour, coffee, etc. I've decided to take a much further step this time and try colonics irrigation.
What is colonics irrigation? It works somewhat like an enama but with no odors or discomfort and lots more water. You lie on a table, a tube goes in your rectum and flushes up to 20 gallons of water inside. The therapist massages your abdoman then flushes out the fluids and waste through another tube. They may repeat a few times. It takes about an hour. This will be new for me as I've never had this done. I have read some awesome books about detoxing and natural ways to cure psoriosis - all of them recommend colonics. At first I thought I would be hummiliated to have to go through something like that - but have since come around to the idea. This really does make sense and I really do need to get everything out and then stop putting so much toxins in through what I eat, etc.
My first appt. is next Tuesday - yes right before Thanksgiving. I will let you all know how it goes. The first appt. is said to take almost 3 hours because they also do holistic nuitrition counseling. It is also recommended that a person with health issues (like psoriosis) have several sessions. I do not know how many times yet or how far apart - but I'll keep you posted. If you're courious the cost is similair to that of a 1 hour massage. ( I know - you just can't compare the 2 :-)
In the same way years of undigested foods are built up in your colon. The decaying petrified toxic food is being re-absorbed into your bloodstream. Your body then tries hard to fight the toxins.
This is why it's so important to do a colon cleanse. I would recommend most people do one twice a year. Those who don't detox well probably 3-4 times a year. How do you detox? There are two ways one can go about a colon cleanse. The first is to buy products that help with this. Examples are: enemas, laxatives, strong herbal teas, powders and antiparasite pills. The second is through colon irrigation.
I posted a link of the colon cleanse system I've used over the past few years. I like it because it's easy to continue working while taking it and the fiber powder tastes awesome! During a detox you should drink lots of water and try to eat whole foods (fruits/veg.) no sugar, no flour, coffee, etc. I've decided to take a much further step this time and try colonics irrigation.
What is colonics irrigation? It works somewhat like an enama but with no odors or discomfort and lots more water. You lie on a table, a tube goes in your rectum and flushes up to 20 gallons of water inside. The therapist massages your abdoman then flushes out the fluids and waste through another tube. They may repeat a few times. It takes about an hour. This will be new for me as I've never had this done. I have read some awesome books about detoxing and natural ways to cure psoriosis - all of them recommend colonics. At first I thought I would be hummiliated to have to go through something like that - but have since come around to the idea. This really does make sense and I really do need to get everything out and then stop putting so much toxins in through what I eat, etc.
My first appt. is next Tuesday - yes right before Thanksgiving. I will let you all know how it goes. The first appt. is said to take almost 3 hours because they also do holistic nuitrition counseling. It is also recommended that a person with health issues (like psoriosis) have several sessions. I do not know how many times yet or how far apart - but I'll keep you posted. If you're courious the cost is similair to that of a 1 hour massage. ( I know - you just can't compare the 2 :-)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Are you healthy?
Are you healthy? Good question. Well not to long ago I would've told you except for having psoriosis I was perfectly healthy. I do have an underactive thyroid - but it's managed fine. I have bad eyesight - but contacts work fine. Other than my skin I had no real complaints.
Boy was I wrong. Did you know besides your kidneys and liver your skin is next in line for eliminating toxins from the body. If you have psoriosis your body is probably overloaded with toxins and like me you didn't even realize it. Were do these toxins come from. Well - frankly everywhere! Chemicals and toxins are in almost all foods. They're in cleaning products, new carpets, plastics, paints, glue, makeup, lotions, hair care products, etc. They are even in the air you breath from manufacturing plants.
Here's a personal question to ask yourself. How often do you "eliminate" daily? If your digestive track is working right it should be 1-3 times daily. If someone had told me that 15 years ago I would have laughed at them. Seriously! Here's my story: I had rhuematic fever as a child. Rheumatic fever is triggered from strep throat - so as a preventative to not get strep they put me on antibiotics daily - for 12 straight years! Yes, you read that right. I was told there were no side effects and it was perfectly safe. A few years after I was put on anitbiotics I started having incredible stomach pains all the time. The dr's did tons of tests without finding any problems. Once I had a test where you drink this liquid that tastes like chalk and they watch it go through your system on an ultrasound type machine. The dr told me he didn't find any issues at all - however it should be noted that my colon was very full. Antibiotics are one of the things that will kill off the good bacteria in your system. If you don't have that good bacteria you will have constipation issues. If you have constipation than all that decomposing toxic waste starts to get re-absorbed into your system - making you more toxic!
My first word of advice to those with psoriosis (or other auto-immune issues): Get your digestive track on track. Clean house so to speak. If you were to redecorate a room what's the first thing you'd do - remove all the old stuff! This is my first step also - although a week before Thanksgiving is probably not the best timing :-)
Boy was I wrong. Did you know besides your kidneys and liver your skin is next in line for eliminating toxins from the body. If you have psoriosis your body is probably overloaded with toxins and like me you didn't even realize it. Were do these toxins come from. Well - frankly everywhere! Chemicals and toxins are in almost all foods. They're in cleaning products, new carpets, plastics, paints, glue, makeup, lotions, hair care products, etc. They are even in the air you breath from manufacturing plants.
Here's a personal question to ask yourself. How often do you "eliminate" daily? If your digestive track is working right it should be 1-3 times daily. If someone had told me that 15 years ago I would have laughed at them. Seriously! Here's my story: I had rhuematic fever as a child. Rheumatic fever is triggered from strep throat - so as a preventative to not get strep they put me on antibiotics daily - for 12 straight years! Yes, you read that right. I was told there were no side effects and it was perfectly safe. A few years after I was put on anitbiotics I started having incredible stomach pains all the time. The dr's did tons of tests without finding any problems. Once I had a test where you drink this liquid that tastes like chalk and they watch it go through your system on an ultrasound type machine. The dr told me he didn't find any issues at all - however it should be noted that my colon was very full. Antibiotics are one of the things that will kill off the good bacteria in your system. If you don't have that good bacteria you will have constipation issues. If you have constipation than all that decomposing toxic waste starts to get re-absorbed into your system - making you more toxic!
My first word of advice to those with psoriosis (or other auto-immune issues): Get your digestive track on track. Clean house so to speak. If you were to redecorate a room what's the first thing you'd do - remove all the old stuff! This is my first step also - although a week before Thanksgiving is probably not the best timing :-)
My Story
Hi, Welcome to my blog. My name is Andrea and I've had psoriosis since I was about 11 years old. It used to only bother my scalp, then as the years went by I found it would spread to some other area. Over the last 10 years it went from one or two spots on my body to covering most of my back, my chest area, my stomach and bikini line area, my ears, neck (both front & back), elbow, several spots on my legs and one on my toe, my forehead, my eyebrows and my nose.
I have read up on most of the prescription drugs out there and know I won't risk more of my health in trying them. The side effects are incredible. I've recenly been reading all the books I can get my hands on about psoriosis, auto-immune disorders and natural health. I am on a journey to return my body to a healthy state and clear skin. I will be sharing pictures as I try different things as well as useful information for others also struggling with auto immune issues (especially psoriosis).
I welcome you to share in my journey and struggles. For years I've covered up everything I could. I wear long pants/sleeves all the time. I refuse to wear my hair up because it shows my neck and ears. I can't wear anything low cut or you see the beet red colored skin there. The itching is just incredible to the point sometimes the skin will crack and bleed. Psoriosis is a horrible thing to live with and can really hurt your self confidence. I decided it's time to stop hiding and start sharing. There are so many others out there struggling also and my heart is with them. Come share in my experiences as I stop hiding and start living.
I have read up on most of the prescription drugs out there and know I won't risk more of my health in trying them. The side effects are incredible. I've recenly been reading all the books I can get my hands on about psoriosis, auto-immune disorders and natural health. I am on a journey to return my body to a healthy state and clear skin. I will be sharing pictures as I try different things as well as useful information for others also struggling with auto immune issues (especially psoriosis).
I welcome you to share in my journey and struggles. For years I've covered up everything I could. I wear long pants/sleeves all the time. I refuse to wear my hair up because it shows my neck and ears. I can't wear anything low cut or you see the beet red colored skin there. The itching is just incredible to the point sometimes the skin will crack and bleed. Psoriosis is a horrible thing to live with and can really hurt your self confidence. I decided it's time to stop hiding and start sharing. There are so many others out there struggling also and my heart is with them. Come share in my experiences as I stop hiding and start living.
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