Omg...i Might Be On To Something

[Rachel--24]

Rachel,

I looked over the list of foods high in sulfur, salicylate, amines, and oxylate, and no pattern stands out to me. Maybe it is just intolerances to the food proteins mostly.

Sherry

Sherry,

For me food chemical issues are one of the most difficult things to pinpoint. This is because the effects are dose related and the reaction doesnt occur until you've reached your threshold. You can eat several foods which contribute to the total load.....and then you react to the one food which causes your "bucket" to overflow. Next time you eat that same food you may not have any symptoms at all.

There is not usually a pattern....unfortunately, that makes it really hard to determine what you might be having problems with.

For me, high dopamine foods have always been a problem. I know for sure that avocados and bananas cause me major issues. Sometimes I have gotten away with eating them (without reaction) but it ALWAYS catches up to me if I continue to eat them. If not the first day....then it will happen on the 2nd or 3rd day.....or whenever my system becomes overloaded.

Another thing I've noticed is that if I have high stress....I cant even have a bite of these foods without experiencing reaction. The same enzyme that breaks down certain stress hormones also breaks down the same neurotransmitters in these foods. So if I'm already overloaded (because my enzyme functions to a lesser degree) then I cant handle more of the same from the food sources.

I'm still not clear about oxalates......and I cant say that I'm 100% sure about the rest either....although it does seem like I have issues with amines and salicylates....as well as sulfur. I'm more sure about these things than I am about oxalates. I put dopamine in with all other amines.....I dont consider them to be seperate as far as total load goes....same with salicylates...everything adds up.

I think some of this will be more clear once I have the genetic results.

[Rachel--24]

Rachel, do you have a good source about dopamine in foods? I notice dairy seems to be an issue, but I am fine with butter, aged cheese (I don't use a lot) and goat milk yogurt.

Sherry

Scroll about halfway down this page for an incomplete list of high dopamine foods.

[url="Open Original Shared Link

[Rachel--24]

Yeah, I've lost about 13 pounds. I can FINALLY fit into most of my clothes again, lol.

YAY Donna!!

I'd still like to gain more weight so that I can fit into my pre-broken-body clothes. They are still a couple sizes too big.

I've expanded my foods to chicken, ground beef, green beans, white rice, potatoes, jello, fruit juices, applesauce, asian rice noodles.

Ummm....I've expanded my diet to even MORE brownies (have to scrape frosting off though ), lasagne (is that how its spelled?), fried rice, chow mein and various other things.

None of it is processed though. Its all freshly made...no chemicals....no MSG....no sulfites or other junk.

I think jello would kill me.

I LOVE it though.......especially with COOL WHIP. There are some things that are just too scary.....jello and cool whip would fall into that category for me. I'm just not that brave.

[mftnchn]

Sherry,

For me food chemical issues are one of the most difficult things to pinpoint. This is because the effects are dose related and the reaction doesnt occur until you've reached your threshold. You can eat several foods which contribute to the total load.....and then you react to the one food which causes your "bucket" to overflow. Next time you eat that same food you may not have any symptoms at all.

There is not usually a pattern....unfortunately, that makes it really hard to determine what you might be having problems with.

For me, high dopamine foods have always been a problem. I know for sure that avocados and bananas cause me major issues. Sometimes I have gotten away with eating them (without reaction) but it ALWAYS catches up to me if I continue to eat them. If not the first day....then it will happen on the 2nd or 3rd day.....or whenever my system becomes overloaded.

Another thing I've noticed is that if I have high stress....I cant even have a bite of these foods without experiencing reaction. The same enzyme that breaks down certain stress hormones also breaks down the same neurotransmitters in these foods. So if I'm already overloaded (because my enzyme functions to a lesser degree) then I cant handle more of the same from the food sources.

Hi Rachel,

I am thinking about this, and it is possible that I only get a reaction when I reach the threshold. My reactions have been hard to trace in the past.

However, it seems like things have stabilized since the SCD which I think is the carb digest problem. Now it seems like my reactions are becoming more clear and consistent. Like the squash has had a similar reaction several times in a row, just a couple times it hasn't been too clear. Eggplant has had a similar reaction last two times, too. I don't notice reactions to banana, but have had it in the past (high pulse), and ART said to avoid so I do.

According to the link you posted, I'm not eating that many dopamine foods, more seratonin foods: I do fine on quite a few of the seratonin foods, but not peanuts.

On my current regimen I really don't have too many reactive foods. Basically the ones I have mentioned. And I don't seem to be adding new ones, which I am grateful for.

I'm going to keep this all in mind but it might be that I just need to wait a bit longer to see what happens. If I get good gut healing, then I might not have to look further.

Sherry

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Andrea,

My Thanksgiving was great. It was much better than last year, where I became violently ill from the cinnamon in the gluten-free pumpkin pie. This year, I just slept. My parents were gone at my grandparents' for a couple of hours, so I got some peace for a little while. Mom spoke to Cousin Mary about my Celiac, and she actually has two friends who have this disease!

Mary was a registered nurse before she and her husband started a family. It is nice to know someone understands how complicated Celiac is. Mom also said Grandpa was becoming aggravated about all of the talk about Celiac. Of course, he was probably so upset about Uncle Steve, he could not think about much else. He got so upset, he put the slice of pumpkin pie on the table, and the plates were right near him.

Uncle Steve had his gallbladder out on Thanksgiving. He is the fourth one in the family now! First, Cousin Chris had his removed in 2002. I had mine out in 2003. Grandpa followed suit in 2007, and now Uncle Steve! I suppose you are not officially a Kelley until you have had gallbladder surgery!

Dear Rachel,

All of the information about the methylation cycle is really interesting. Mutations probably do vary quite widely. Genetics are a strange thing. My mother's beautician has a specific mutation she passed on to her children, and it is causing an extremely rare muscular disease. At least this particular condition is slightly less complicated in finding the cause, but treatment is very difficult to manage.

I am not sure I have issues with dopamine. I can eat bananas. Of course, some of these foods have a variety of elements that may be issues for people. Thank you for the link to the dopamine foods list! Excitotoxins are certainly on my avoid list. My new healthy plan includes eliminating artificial sweeteners completely. Dad printed out this report from the FDA saying how safe these chemicals are, and how much is a safe amount. You know as well as I do, no amount of these excitotoxins is safe!

It is exciting, because our healthfood store across town carries gluten-free xylitol and agave nectar. This will certainly save me money on shipping, too! RiceGuy told me about a new natural sweetener made from orange peel and chicory. I am going to look into that as well. My list of healthy food substitutes is growing!

Pathway issues are complex. The trouble is locating the exact area of the pathway that is blocked.

This is an exact science, and is typically extremely exhaustive. Once again, it returns us to the philosophy of peeling the onion layers away. Little by little, another piece of the puzzle is found until you reach the core of the issues.

Lasagne sounds heavenly! I have been craving four-cheese lasagne for such a long time now! I miss it so much! How wonderful you are able to have it! Like Donna, I too am able to live vicariously through others. Feel free to post juicy details about your erotic tastebud experiences. Just be sure to place a food pornography warning on it.

I completely agree that crossing a threshold is a major component for many of us. Chemically sensitive individuals tend to be this way. I recall Julie and I discussing this before. She said she always reacted to something the third or fourth time she ate it. That is exactly what occurs with me! You will eat something several days in a row, and then the third or fourth time, it makes you so sick!

Having the stress in my life is not helping. I do feel this is part of why I react to foods. You said you know exposure to stress causes your tolerance level to dramatically decrease. Perhaps adrenal gland hormones play a role in this. Since you react to your own adrenaline, there could be a connection. Stress reduces enzyme production as well as increases cortisol and adrenaline output.

The books you mentioned sound like good ones. I may have to try and find them at the library. Yasko seems to have a good idea of what to do for unblocking pathways. Knowing about the various mutations and treatments is key to healing for many people. Researching these things will be fun.

Dear Sherry,

The SCD is not the easiest diet to follow! I am amazed at how well you manage all of your restrictions as you travel. I would become too overwhelmed. Thank goodness the carbohydrate related digestive issues are improving. It takes a while before these issues are sorted out.

I am glad you do not react to many foods. Something I read about goat milk having an enzyme helpful for digestion was very interesting. This is why sometimes people who do not tolerate regular cow dairy can eat goat cheese without any trouble. Dogtor J is a Celiac vet, and it was in one of his articles. I am anxious to go back and read it in-depth.

Avocado is probably not widely available where you are. We are fortunate Mexico is so close. Most of our avocado supply is from there. I put it on my foods I rarely eat list that I could add in more often. I am going to try new foods as well, but need to limit that so in case I have a reaction, I will know what from.

Stress would completely disappear if finances were better, and I did not live here. All of this crap is going to kill me. I have an idea, but do not know if it will work. Checking into it cannot hurt anything. The worst thing that happens is no one will help me get out of here.

Dear Nancy,

The CFS group on Yahoo sounds interesting. They cover much of what we discuss here. That is good. Your information on the CFS was really helpful. Thank you for posting it!

My B-12 supplement is methyl B - 12. I do not think it is hurting anything. However, I do not have mercury as far as I know. That makes a difference. If anything is an issue, lead and possibly aluminum are the two metals I am most likely overloaded with. The supplement I take is only methylcobalamin and calcium. It is just plain bonemeal powder.

I am surprised the CFS group does not address parasites. They can hold on to metals. Mercury is one worms can really hold a lot of. I researched Ascaris the other day. A forensics show talked about a woman found in luggage at an airport having it. She had an entire bolus of them, and I could not help but research it.

In the show, they made it sound like Ascaris is a rare parasite. However, this is not true. Up in Frankfort, IN, 87.5 percent of sewage samples taken contained the parasite! Ascaris is endemic to the Unites States. An adult female worm may grow to be 40 cm in length and lay more than 200,000 eggs daily!

We often accidentally ingest them in produce, where the eggs hatch inside the intestines. The larvae then penetrate the intestinal wall into the lungs, where they may cause pneumonia. Human hosts will then cough up the worms, then swallow them again, returning them to the intestine. Ascaris then matures, and creates a large ball of worms known as a bolus. You have to admit, it is quite amazing how these creatures survive, even if they are disgusting.

Dear Paula,

It is wonderful Andrea helped you work through the anger. I seriously need anger management. Right now I am angry because Dad ate two of my brownies. He better not have glutened them! He needs to keep his gluten-laden hands to himself and out of my food! I want to chop all of his fingers off.

I wonder if DH can mimic acne and eczema? I have both, but sometimes I wonder if it is DH. Even prescription creams burn my hands. Sometimes the blemishes on my face itch and burn. Is that normal for acne to do that?

What wonderful news it is that you are doing better! You have had a rough time for long enough! I am glad only one of the supplements has caused you trouble so far. Hopefully, the trend will continue. Adding in the supplements is somewhat daunting, so do the best you can! I made a little introduction schedule on a table for me. That made it much easier!

Dear Donna,

Pancreatitis is no fun at all! Did your physician perform ERCP? That procedure has a risk for pancreatitis as a complication. It is often used to diagnose Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction. I am glad you are improving.

Fat is definitely a foe when pancreatitis is concerned. A strict limit is often necessary. Perhaps you will get to eat some goodies at Christmas? They will likely be worth the wait. Hopefully, your on-again, off-again relationship with eggs will be figured out. My best friend had a terrible asthma attack at work the other week, and now they think it may be that she is allergic to eggs and chicken.

Walks are nice. I never get to go on them. They would be such a good way to get in shape! Congratulations on losing 13 pounds, although it was not quite how you planned. I really need to tone up more than anything. At least that toe will hold up for you now!

Is that Floppy Intestine Disease or Syndrome? Or, do they not have an official name for the condition yet? Well, whatever the heck it is, at least they fixed it. Those alien babies really do tend to warp wherever they are at. Does this remind anyone else of those Mucinex ads?

Let me put it this way, I look forward to days when Dad goes back to work. Him being home for four days is horrible! That is just more housework. Plus, you cannot cook when gluten-eating freaks are running around the kitchen. This is not a safe environment to prepare food. Mom and Dad were not home last night until after midnight, so I got a brief break.

Dear Nora,

Flour definitely causes some extreme misery when it comes into contact with skin. I am not sure if I have DH or not. I cannot afford a biopsy, but know some people had what appeared to be acne when it was not. In this house, avoiding touching gluten in any form is impossible. I do the dishes, the dog has treats made from it, and the rabbit has his food. Rabbits have to have their food, which contains alfalfa, oats, and wheat. Poor Boomer probably wonders why Mommy cannot kiss him.

Dear April,

Changing offices is really stressful! Following the SCD is impossible with that going on. You can only manage so much at once. Sometimes, you need to take a breath. Doing everything at once is just not practical or possible. Do what you are able to when you can.

Your poor son has that awful parasite! They get everyone. I am not surprised by how badly the gluten bothered your son. It has opiate properties when eaten by some individuals with Celiac, causing everything from Bipolar Disorder to Schizophrenia. ADD and ADHD are very common with food - allergic children and adults.

My stress is going to lessen soon. I am going to start looking out for myself, and take care of my own needs. No more neglecting my basic needs for other people's petty desires! I am not going to keep my mouth shut anymore. People should know why I am so angry, and who is the real irresponsible one. I am sick of trying to be the good little daughter who shuts up and takes it. It is impossible to please anyone in this family, and I am done trying.

Sincerely,

Jin

[confused]

Everyone,

I had an thought this morning. Do i react to soy because of my estrogen dominance problem? I really think that is why i get an tingling tounge when i digest soy. I have never had gut problems from soy just anxiety and the tounge. So would that mean once my estrogen levels are lowered, that i will be able to have a little soy. I find it so hard to find things without soy, so this would mean alot to me. Or am i just dreaming lol.

Donna,

congrats on the weight loss. Did you soil yourself with some new EM makeup lol.

Jin,

I have leanred stress is a major factor in my life when it comes to my health. So I am learnng to let go of hurt and pain i felt from the past. I am now just focusing on me and my kids and that is all that matters, well hubby and my parents to.

Sherry,

Do you take 10,000 of vitamin at one time? What were your numbers when u first tested ur vit. d and what are they now.

paula

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Paula,

Estrogen dominance very well could be a factor in why you do not tolerate soy. Soy contains phyto-estrogens. Anytime your hormones are out of balance, it can have a major impact on your body. I certainly have high hormone levels. Animals always want to mate with me! When I was younger, my brother's guinea pig began purring amorously, and I thought "Here we go again!" It figures! I finally find a man who wants children, and he is the wrong species!

I hope I am not reacting to soy, but it is something I have been wondering about for a while. You cannot even find gum without lecithin in it. That makes the situation so complicated! I cannot stop taking my supplements or medications, and they all have soy in some form. They also have dyes, which I have always been allergic to.

Thank goodness you are finally moving your negative feelings out. It would be easier for me to do if I did not have to deal with the crap repeatedly. They should be the only ones dealing with the fallout from laziness, bad decisions, and stubborness. Moving past it is impossible when you are still dealing with it. God knows, being able to let go of all of this anger and hurt would be a tremendous weight off of my shoulders and heart. I wonder what Kassandra did for her emotional issues?

The cause of my stress is primarily family. This is proof that I was correct when I said before I would be a much happier person if I were an orphan. My brother is also still waiting for the joyous news that we were really adopted and not related to any of these insane people. Perhaps we were aliens like Superman? Everyone has a fantasy, and that is ours.

Sincerely,

Jin

[CarlaB]

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving!

By the way, how is Carla doing?

I would love to go to Germany, and would like to go sooner than later, but I need to get a bit stronger. Maybe in the spring.

I'm doing great! It's unbelievable the difference the photon treatment has made.

If you want to go in the spring, you might make your appt. soon. I know there are several who want to go over there.

[dlp252]

I think jello would kill me.

I LOVE it though.......especially with COOL WHIP. There are some things that are just too scary.....jello and cool whip would fall into that category for me. I'm just not that brave.

Yeah, I'm making my own jello with the recipe that Sherry posted. Although I HAVE eaten some of the store bought kind without problems, I don't want to eat too much of it...it's that bucket thing you were just talking about. I know it will eventually give me problems.

Pancreatitis is no fun at all! Did your physician perform ERCP? That procedure has a risk for pancreatitis as a complication. It is often used to diagnose Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction. I am glad you are improving.

I don't think he did that. It's not listed on the list of stuff he did. Isn't ERCP some sort of endoscopy, or do I have that confused with something else, lol.

Is that Floppy Intestine Disease or Syndrome? Or, do they not have an official name for the condition yet? Well, whatever the heck it is, at least they fixed it. Those alien babies really do tend to warp wherever they are at. Does this remind anyone else of those Mucinex ads?

Ug, those Mucinex ads, lol. I don't think it has a name, lol. He just called it "floppy" when I talked to him. I wasn't written on the sheet they gave me of what they did.

Let me put it this way, I look forward to days when Dad goes back to work. Him being home for four days is horrible! That is just more housework. Plus, you cannot cook when gluten-eating freaks are running around the kitchen. This is not a safe environment to prepare food. Mom and Dad were not home last night until after midnight, so I got a brief break.

Yeah, it's no wonder you can't get much progress!

I had an thought this morning. Do i react to soy because of my estrogen dominance problem? I really think that is why i get an tingling tounge when i digest soy. I have never had gut problems from soy just anxiety and the tounge. So would that mean once my estrogen levels are lowered, that i will be able to have a little soy. I find it so hard to find things without soy, so this would mean alot to me. Or am i just dreaming lol.

Gosh, the tingling tounge worries me. That sounds like an allergy to me.

congrats on the weight loss. Did you soil yourself with some new EM makeup lol.

Ha, no, no new EM makeup, but I did actually put some on, lol.

[mftnchn]

Sherry,

Do you take 10,000 of vitamin at one time? What were your numbers when u first tested ur vit. d and what are they now.

I don't have time to look up the exact figures just now, getting ready for a 2 week trip. But the first one was a 1, 25 and it was low. Started supplementing and rechecked 25 hydroxy in a couple of months and it was 50. Still below the bottom of normal range. My doc wants it at 80. Took 2,000 a day for 2-3 months, then upped to 6000 for a 3 weeks or so due to symptoms of die off in May. Tested end of June and it was at 54. So he upped it to 10,000. By the end of the summer I was at 84. He then backed it off from Sept to November to 8000, and now back up to 10,000. Can't get the levels tested here so I don't know where I am at.

My bets are on soy being a long term issue, since it seems common for celiacs.

Sherry

[mftnchn]

Carla, I continue to be jealous!

Maybe sometime my time will come...

Sherry

[Rachel--24]

I am having some "technical difficulties" with my body.

Because of my body's inabilty to clear/process stress hormones efficiently.....I definately have more issues when I'm under any stress. My bucket becomes full and as a result my sensitivities increase.

I'm pretty good at avoiding stressful situations and I dont allow myself to get upset over trivial things. For the most part things are stable and I can tolerate more foods when my bucket is not full.

Problem is...the "stress" doesnt have to be caused by terrible things. Since I'm a shy person by nature (until I get to know someone) I can get a little bit stressed by being around new people or if I'm a little bit nervous because I "like" someone.

So yeah...its not a problem if I *know* someone and I'm totally comfortable.....but just trying to get to know someone....with being shy, nervous, etc....it does increase the stress enough that I can sometimes feel it.

OMG....how the heck will I ever get to go out with someone if I react to own shyness??

This is a big issue for me right now....I'm not liking it at all.

Obviously, my genetics have always been the same....and so I probably at times have always had more of these chemicals circulating then say a person who can break them down more efficiently. Thinking back it does seem like I can associate extremely uncomfortable moments, times of feeling very shy, or stressful situations with feeling somewhat "off".

Its just that now it doesnt take much to start feeling "off". Damn....it sucks to be shy!

Carla....yeah....count me in as far as the jealousy goes!!

...and if you dont have to deal with symptoms from shyness then I'm even MORE jealous.

Do you think there is a treatment to help me with this??

[mftnchn]

Rachel,

I wonder if any of the relaxation type things would help? Anything that would be calming might be helpful. Also I wonder if any of the "tapping" that Dr. E uses might help, like the EFT stuff we talked about before too.

I'm thinking especially of the EFT where you think about the situation that is stressful (i.e. shyness) and then do series of tapping. You say these various things to yourself as you tap. You can download that material, the whole manual.

Sherry

[Rachel--24]

Rachel,

I wonder if any of the relaxation type things would help? Anything that would be calming might be helpful. Also I wonder if any of the "tapping" that Dr. E uses might help, like the EFT stuff we talked about before too.

I'm thinking especially of the EFT where you think about the situation that is stressful (i.e. shyness) and then do series of tapping. You say these various things to yourself as you tap. You can download that material, the whole manual.

Sherry

I think any type of relaxation type thing would probably help. I'm not stressed out thinking about it though.....only when I'm confronted with something that provokes that shyness.

I'm kind of thinking that if I start doing the tapping technique in order to relieve the stress.....people will think I'm sort of "odd".

Well....not that people dont think I'm odd already ....but yeah...that would definately add to it!

I think it might relax me...but I think it would also scare everyone away.

Sheeeesh....whats a girl to do? Dang broken body!

I think if my body can start functioning properly without all of these imbalances.....it wont be as much of an issue. Hopefully, some of this will improve when I address them. I totally want to be able to go out and not worry about this type of thing.

No wonder I've never liked to date! I've never actually dated. I just end up in relationships without ever really going through the whole dating process. That stuff stresses me out!

[mftnchn]

Actually you don't have to do it right when it happens in front of anyone. Just later, think of the situation and follow the manual. Keep doing it daily until you notice that the problem stops.

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Carla,

That is so wonderful about your improvement! We are all so happy for you! So, what is it like to be among the living again? You and Kassandra are inspirations to us all. The progress you both have made during the past year is truly astounding.

I sure would not mind going to Germany for treatment if affordability was not an issue. Did you know Homeopathy began there? Germans did not just create good beer and kuchen. Speaking of kuchen, I miss eating that! I wish I could have been able to use my computer when Rachel went, because I could have helped with some basic vocabulary.

Dear Donna,

You are right. ERCP is a type of endoscopic procedure. It actually combines endoscopic and X-ray diagnostics. I found out there is a new non-invasive form called MRCP. I am going to do more research on it, since perhaps this may be helpful in the future to be certain nothing is amiss with my bile duct or sphincter.

Yes, those Mucinex commercials are just slightly disgusting. However, at least it is not nearly as horrid as that commercial showing the fat in a smoker's lungs! They should really place a graphic warning on that for those of us with sqeamish tendencies. Another important consideration is that children could be traumatized by seeing that. It appears the networks are editing out the less offensive items more, and exposing us to the wrong images.

There is not a single safe place in this house for gluten-free food preparation. I have no idea what to do. People are always fingering things and putting items from the crumb-filled floor on my table! How am I ever going to heal this way? I would think the health department or Adult Protective Services would have to help me since the diet is essential to recovery.

I do not blame you for being careful about the store-bought Jell-O. Chemicals are really loaded in it. Being allergic to dyes makes it a terrible idea for me. Making your own is probably not too difficult. You can even make it healthier by substituting agar-agar for the gelatin, and using fruit juice without added sugar!

Dear Sherry,

Sometimes you have to take a large amount of vitamins in order to absorb enough to help. Dr. D is having me start out slowly with everything and build up. I told him, I do not think my body likes the multi-vitamin for some reason. Chlorophyll can be used to pull out toxins, and that is what I am thinking may be why my colon does not like it. My upper tract was not fond of it, either. Taking more than one daily is asking for trouble.

EFT sounds interesting. Can it be used for anger? I need all of the help I can get in that department. Do you have a link? If so, it would be greatly appreciated.

Dear Rachel,

The shyness you describe is what I was like when I was younger. They say Celiacs are prone to it. All of the sudden, I went from being an outgoing child to the exact opposite. As a teenager, I became so insecure and rarely spoke to anyone in class. Suddenly, I became this person who clammed up.

Now people have a difficult time shutting me up. After I became ill and experienced so many bad things, I realized I do not have to let the world crap on me. What a revelation! I still tend to bottle my feelings up until they explode, though. I have never liked anyone seeing me cry or get upset. Anger is the only emotion I openly express.

People often see me as stand-offish. I am just not a huggy person. It is odd for me, unless it is someone I know well. Mom said she does not understand why my brother and I are like this. Saying I love you is weird for me, too. I suppose it is due to the experiences with family. Those words just do not mean much no matter how often they are said sometimes. Unless words are followed by actions, they typically are not that useful.

Sincerely,

Jin

[rinne]

Donna and Carla, so good to hear that you are both doing well. Just popped in for a moment, hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving.

[nora-n]

I even ran across some EFT videos on youtube. i do it sometimes. Free tutorials on some websites, like emofree.com, and mercola.

I ordered the vivitex buff (biophoton fabric) and it said to start with one hour a day, and I picked it up from the post office on saturday, and used it more than an hour, and I became dizzy...good thing it was during the weekend, and that they warned me. I used it on my head, and on lower back as it was hurting.

nora

[Rachel--24]

Actually you don't have to do it right when it happens in front of anyone. Just later, think of the situation and follow the manual. Keep doing it daily until you notice that the problem stops.

Sherry, I'm gonna check out the YouTube instructional videos Nora mentioned and see if I can figure it out.

Oh yeah...this might sound weird and I'm not sure if its anything like EFT but I do notice that I sometimes tap on my temples. For some reason it makes me feel better and I find that I can focus better when I'm putting some type of pressure on my temples or between my eyes.

Usually I'm just applying pressure rather than tapping...but for whatever reason it helps. I was almost constantly doing this back when I was alot worse off. It drove my mom crazy.....she hated watching me do that because it obviously wasnt "normal" and it made her more aware that I wasnt feeling well.

I dont do it as often now....I only notice that I do it when the inflammation in my head is increased.

I also feel better with a baseball hat on because it apply's constant pressure at the temples.

Hmmm.....what does it all mean???

[aprilh]

Problem is...the "stress" doesnt have to be caused by terrible things. Since I'm a shy person by nature (until I get to know someone) I can get a little bit stressed by being around new people or if I'm a little bit nervous because I "like" someone.

So yeah...its not a problem if I *know* someone and I'm totally comfortable.....but just trying to get to know someone....with being shy, nervous, etc....it does increase the stress enough that I can sometimes feel it.

OMG....how the heck will I ever get to go out with someone if I react to own shyness??

This is a big issue for me right now....I'm not liking it at all.

Obviously, my genetics have always been the same....and so I probably at times have always had more of these chemicals circulating then say a person who can break them down more efficiently. Thinking back it does seem like I can associate extremely uncomfortable moments, times of feeling very shy, or stressful situations with feeling somewhat "off".

Its just that now it doesnt take much to start feeling "off". Damn....it sucks to be shy!

Carla....yeah....count me in as far as the jealousy goes!!

...and if you dont have to deal with symptoms from shyness then I'm even MORE jealous.

Do you think there is a treatment to help me with this??

Rachel,

I'm like this too! Not as bad as before...i guess my body is clearing stress hormones more efficiently nowadays. I used to not even be able to get the least amount of stress without having some type reaction.

That includes shy moments!!

Everyone,

I think I stressed my adrenals after moving. The next day I was sore all over and I noticed that when I would bend over and stand back up I would get very dizzy like I could pass out. I am pretty sure this is a sign of adrenal fatique. I don't understand why my adrenals are still messed up. It only really shows up like that if I work out hard or do a lot of strenuous activity.

[Rachel--24]

Dear Rachel,

The shyness you describe is what I was like when I was younger. They say Celiacs are prone to it. All of the sudden, I went from being an outgoing child to the exact opposite. As a teenager, I became so insecure and rarely spoke to anyone in class. Suddenly, I became this person who clammed up.

Fortunately, its only an initial shyness that I have but once I'm past that part and when I'm comfortable in my surrounding you just cant shut me up.

There have been times where I've felt comfortable with a person right from the start but its more common that I have to go through this annoying awkward shyness period first.

Hardly anyone ever says "Oh yeah....When I first met Rachel I thought she was the nicest person!" Its almost always the opposite.

Its more like "When I first met you I thought you were so stuck-up and rude....you never said hi....you were so unfriendly and you only talked to certain people." So thats the impression that most people get initially. If someone makes the effort to talk to me then I will usually start to open up and feel more comfortable. I'm just not usually the one to ever approach someone and start a coversation...I never do that on my own.

Fortunately, some people are persistant.....otherwise I dont think I would ever have any friends at all!

Once past the initial shyness I'm pretty outgoing, I'm opinionated (just as I am here ), I dont really hold anything back, I'm definately a "huggy" type, I dont mind saying "I love you" and I dont have alot of insecurities.

I'm not sure why I have such a huge issue with initial shyness though. I also would have a hard time adjusting to a new environment.....like if I switched jobs or something. Being in a new environment, with new people can be a huge stress for me.

If I could change one thing about myself it would probably be that. Well actually that would be the second thing I'd "fix"....first I would have to "fix" my body.

[confusedks]

Hello everyone!

Just a quick update...I got a job and was working full time, but only for 2 weeks. It was a lot for me to do, but I made it through and I'm feeling pretty good. I got a cold from the lady I was working for, so that knocked me down a little bit. That was really hard because I was told to be in bed and that triggers SO much old stuff from being so sick for so long!!!

I'd say I'm at 85-90% right now. I had quite the stressful Thanksgiving, so that took a little out of me!! I'm STILL dealing with a lot of emotional stuff which seems to be the biggest answer for me in terms of my health problems. I have gained a bit of weight which as much as I didn't want to, I really needed it. I lost a ton of weight after my GB surgery...about a pound a day for about a week to 2 weeks.

It has been the greatest gift to be able to do normal things and not be exhausted. I'm off IV Rocephin, and on only 3 "killing" meds. I hope to get off more of them soon, but I'm not going to push my luck quite yet. I'm off of everything for sleep...I don't even take anything homeopathic. I fall asleep and stay asleep for about 7-9 hours and I feel rested! That is the first time in my LIFE that has happened.

I got my GED and passed it...actually did very well on it. I'm going to start with just one class in February to see how I do. I'm also looking now for part time work, about 20 hours a week. I'm taking a cake decorating class once a week which I LOVE!!! It's so much fun!

It's with great pleasure I say all of this because this time last year I didn't think I'd ever make it to another Thanksgiving.

I hope everyone is doing well on their path to recovery!!!

[Rachel--24]

Rachel,

I'm like this too! Not as bad as before...i guess my body is clearing stress hormones more efficiently nowadays. I used to not even be able to get the least amount of stress without having some type reaction.

That includes shy moments!!

April,

OMG.....I can remember during the first couple years that I was sick I would seriously break out in a SWEAT if someone was trying to talk to me. It was shyness to the EXTREME!

Also, I would feel hot flashes all through my body. Its no wonder I kind of withdrew from everything! I couldnt even TALK to people without reacting.

I think the severity of these reactions are 100% related to my body's ability to detoxify as well as how full my bucket is at the time. If my bucket is already overflowing (or about to overfow)...then forget it...I'm going to have issues with the "shy moments" for sure.

Extreme shyness is actually a symptom of mercury toxicity. Its listed on almost every list as a common symptom among people with heavy mercury burdens.

I would avoid contact with new people simply because it made me feel physically uncomfortable.

I think I'm doing alot better now but every once in awhile I will still experience the hot flash if someone I dont know starts talking to me. A few months ago when someone that I'm attracted to (but never really talk to) got too close to me (as in invading my space ) I totally broke out in a BIG sweat. I thought I might pass out...I had to go outside for fresh air.

On that particular day I had ate some bad foods for lunch.

If I ever go on a date (and I hope I never have to ) I will have to make sure that I dont eat ANYTHING bad for like a week in advance....and I'll avoid ALL stress. Maybe then I'll be able to make it through the date without having major reactions to the situation itself.

[Rachel--24]

It's with great pleasure I say all of this because this time last year I didn't think I'd ever make it to another Thanksgiving.

I hope everyone is doing well on their path to recovery!!!

Kassandra, this is AWESOME!!! I'm so happy that you are doing so well!

I hope you continue to have the BEST holiday season. Gaining weight is not such a bad thing....its another sign that you are improving. YAY!

I think that undeniably you are living proof of how much the unresolved emotional issues can block us and hold us back. Its amazing how much ground you've gained since addressing those things.

I'm happy to hear that you are accomplishing things....no doubt you will continue to do great things. You still have so much life in front of you and all of this has only made you a stronger person.

Congrats on the GED, the job and YAY for doing fun things. Cake decorating does seem like fun. I go "visit" the bakery dept. at work. I tell them everything I want to eat when I'm all better. I'll watch the cake decorator and I always think its so cool that she makes all of these fancy decorations with ease. She'll be talking to me and during our converstation she's decorated a whole cake and it looks AWESOME! I think it would be a fun thing to learn.

Thanks for the update. I know that you are heading towards making all of your dreams come true. I'm so glad you got to this point already and are still able to enjoy being a teenager.

[Rachel--24]

Paula,

Going back to your soy/estrogen question. I definately think if the body is already having elevated levels of estrogen you may find that soy makes it worse.

Its just like anything else. Our bodies dont do well with too much of anything...including hormones....and especially if its unable to eliminate/detox them efficiently.

So far from what I can tell from my genetic results I have reduced ability to break down estrogen. I've never been tested to see if I'm estrogen dominant....but I would assume that I am. Of all of the top allergens/intolerances......soy is the worst for me.

Its the only one that I completely avoid. I do eat gluten, only small amounts of dairy, not much corn and NO soy at all.

I get major symptoms from soy......its high in certain chemicals that I cant handle but I think the added estrogen is what really pushes me over the edge. I have pretty much ZERO tolerance for soy....but I dont worry about soy lecithin.