Nutritional Protocols Work For Us!

[opus88]

OK, gang. As promised, here are some details on what I?ve done nutritionally to give me an almost normal life again.

I learned at age 18 that caffeine and I could not share the same body. I ended up in the emergency room in the middle of the night, trembling uncontrollably, heart racing, and very anxious. That was my first bout with ?you just need to relax? and I didn?t appreciate it. I had to learn for myself that caffeine was the culprit, but of course the doctors wouldn?t even think of suggesting or admitting that something I consumed could cause my trouble. Now I use caffeine rarely and only medicinally.

A number of years ago, I was lucky enough to see an Amish man who used kinesiology and iridology to guide him to a person?s individual needs. Through him, I began taking hefty doses of GTF Chromium and Vitamin B6. Within 4 days, the incredible heaviness of my limbs had lifted, and after a few months, I only needed to take the chromium in small doses as needed. Within a few months, the B6 got rid of the nearly constant palps, gurgles, skips, etc., that my heart was exhibiting. Both of those were Nature?s Sunshine products ? when I tried to change brands, the symptoms began to return. (Both of those methodologies really do work, but like so many things, the talent & skill of the practitioner can make all the difference.)

Someone suggested at one point that I was hypoglycemic, so I started strictly following a no-sugar/no-sweetener diet. After a while (and feeling somewhat better but not better enough), I also cut out fruit and high-carb foods. This helped even more, and I have followed this diet for the past 15 or so years. It?s not the full answer, but certainly a big part of it.

Just 3 or 4 years ago, I learned the incredible benefit of magnesium. No form or brand worked for me except the Standard Process brand of magnesium lactate. It was another 4-day turnaround - the panic and anxiety quickly began to disappear, I felt calm and grounded again, my energy level increased, my mental fatigue lifted, my attitude improved tremendously, etc. Magnesium is one of the first things your body depletes when it is stressed - and boy, don't those of us with chronic (and especially unacknowledged) illness know what stress is!

I?ve done numerous other things over the past years, but nothing as significant overall as getting involved with the Metabolic Typing Program. At the highest level of testing (something I feel is an absolute must for anyone like us, with far-reaching, numerous symptoms), you perform a battery of tests including blood sugar, blood pressure, temperature, urine and saliva measurements, and a hair sample. These have very specific instructions and timelines.

The information is sent to the company, which then analyzes it and comes up with a very large set of recommendations. They consider, for example, your magnesium level, but - more importantly - how it relates to your calcium and potassium and sodium levels, which all must be in balance. It seems incredibly overwhelming at first, but your counselor works with you to adopt the suggestions a little at a time, as you are ready to handle them. S/he also works with you to constantly fine tune your diet and add or stop various whole food supplements that support your system. And there is retesting often, since your body chemistry can change so drastically once you put the proper nutrition into it.

I?ve also gone to as much organic food as I can, particularly meat and many veggies. No antibiotics, no hormones, etc. ? just real food that your body knows how to handle. It?s more expensive, but I?d rather put my money there than with doctors and prescriptions!

I could go on and on (and certainly will if asked!), but I hope you get my gist on this subject. I?m not better because of doctors and pills, but because I?m giving my body the building blocks it needs to do its job. Whether I?ll ever be totally free of symptoms is somewhat doubtful, but living at my current level of health (after being nearly bedridden) would not have been possible without the nutritional protocols I have been fortunate enough to find and follow. I've been away from it since the hurricane sent our lives into a tailspin, but this weekend I am doing my retesting and should be up and running again by early Feb. I can't wait - I am feeling some very unwelcome effects from my lack of discipline on this.

On a previous post, Gena had posted a link to info about the Metabolic Typing book (http://www.metabolictypingdiet.com/index2.html). It?s a GREAT starting point and the book needs to be read and studied, but I don?t believe any of us here could receive enough benefit from the book alone. We are complicated in our needs, and their physical testing is, I feel, absolutely essential in order to make the kind of progress we?re all desperately searching for. You can also check out www.metaboliced.com for more info on the actual program.

[Ernie]

Hi Opus,

Thanks for sharing your positive experience.

Before I crashed 4 years ago I had a similar regimen as yours and it was working well. Then one day my doctor gave me a medication (a vasodilator) that made me crash so hard that I have not been able to function without the chemical medication anymore. I just don't know what to do to back up and "undue" what that medication did to my body and be able to function without chemical medication.

Do you have any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks

Ernie

[opus88]

Wow - how frustrating that must be for you, Ernie! I'm so sorry your prescription caused that kind of reaction.

I would RUN back to that old regimen you had going. Even if it doesn't get you off of the vasodilator, you will still get wonderful benefit in so many other ways.

The great thing about the Met Typ work is that they aren't going to tell you to stop taking any meds. They might suggest that after following the program for a while, you reevaluate with your doctor to see if you can cut back or stop. Their aim is to get your body back in balance so it can do what it needs to do on its own.

I do still take a beta blocker, but only on a need basis. And that need is pretty rare, but I'm soooo glad I have it at those times when my adrenaline gets out of hand. I keep hoping that someday I won't need that BB any longer.

My opinion is that if your body is able to work properly on its own, you may eventually feel worse being on the meds than off. I've never been in your situation, so I don't really know how that works, but it just seems to make sense to me that way.

[Ernie]

Thanks Opus,

That encourages me to continue with holistic medication. I am presently taking Chinese herbs from my acupuncturist and I have made small progress. I feel that I can progress some more. I will keep looking for what works for me. I'll try the magnesium and chromium because I already have some at home.

Ernie

[MightyMouse]

I wanted to add a caution here: some of us do exceptionally well on caffeine...and I happen to be one of them.

Additionally, I've been placed on special diets by my doctors, including anti-yeast, gluten-free, etc. Only the gluten free helped and that's likely because I have some degree of gluten intolerance.

Bottom line with nutritional intervetions: the response is highly individual, just as with medications. Do your homework! Some nutritional supplements can be dangerous if you take them in doseages other than recomended by the manufacturer. Be especially careful with non-water soulble supplements--in the event that you overdo your dose, it's very hard for your body to clear and can actually cause poisoning. This includes vitamin A, E, and any other one that comes in the oil-based gel capsules. Metalic components can also cause poisoning, such as magnesium, iron, etc. Also, some supplements have side effects that you should know about. For example, check out this pharmacy site that lists some botanicals that have salicylates (asprin) and/or have anticoagulant properties.

http://www.uspharmacist.com/oldformat.asp?...&article_id=863

The reason I listed the site above is that when Teri used to work on the heart surgery team, patients were given an extensive list of botanicals and other supplements that were off limits prior to heart surgery, and could cause big-time bleeding problems in the event that you need surgery urgently. The list pretty much is exactly what's listed on the website I gave you.

While I still would encourage you all to continue sharing your over the counter and your rx successes, I want to remind everyone that many supplements DO have active ingredients that may make you feel better...or worse... or neither. Ingestion of anything should be done with care; try new things only when you know others will be around you for a while in case you have a adverse reaction.

Personally, I take several supplements, the most frequent being Enada. Enada has been shown to help with energy level and wakefullness, and it's primary use is to treat jetlag. Since I feel jetlagged daily, I figured it might be worth trying. It helps a bit--not a perfect solution, but on days when I'm really dragging, it does help me get moving.

Nina

Edited January 23, 2005 by MightyMouse

[Sophia3]

Opus

Glad the nutrition deal has helped you though, many of us have 'been there and done that' with all sorts of diet. I have been studying diet and nutrition since 1980 (prepots I had weight problems and NOW struggle to eat and maintain weight at the age of 48)

Nutrition stuff used to help me CONTROL things greatly until all **** broke loose in the late 80's and I became disabled in 1990. Now the stricter health diets made me worse, and the POTS diet HELPS some days (high sodium, moderate carbs, fluids, gatorade, coffee in the AM (half caffeine)

Though due to inner ear junk, I have to curtail sodium sometimes.

Like Nina said, we are all different and you need to watch "natural supplements". If it's in pill form it ain't natural!! LOL. If an individualized diet helped all, we would all follow it. Though we all share MANY MANY SYMPTOMS, the unknown etiology often means we DON'T share the genetic trigger for our POTS or NCS, etc.

On another note, you mentioned an Amish pracitioner. My late father used to see one in the late 70's or early 80's in Indiana. His name was Solomon Wicke. He sold Nature's Sunshine products and in those days, worked for 'free' or accepted donations and worked out of a barn. Base on iridology, he helped my father with painful sciatic problems and my mom with a gall bladder problem.

Just wondered if you saw the same man.

Thanks

Sophia

[walstib9]

Hi all! I am new. I just posted a NOVEL on the 'cognitive' page. I am horirbly chemically sensitive. Just trying tolearn what I can. i usualy eat well and unlike most I can exercise all the time. I think it helps the rythm of my heart. caffine is yuk but I ocassionaly do 1/2 and 1/2 and that's ok. Lots of salt. But know what helps me the most?

MUSIC. LOTS of MUSIC. And LOTS of laughing. Music has always been a huge part of my life and again it is rythm. WE are rythm. the planet is all on a rythm.

[kristinp29]

Hi!

The only treatment that my body has been able to handle is a nutritional approach. My body is too sensitive for medications--they all cause too many difficult side effects. I've been on a nutritional program for over 2 years and I am almost completely healed. I've gone from being homebound and homeschooled to going to college (I still live at home, though. I was too afraid to leave after all this happened and because I am still only 17 ), volunteering once a week at my church, and getting involved in a club on campus. I don't have a job yet. I'm focusing solely on my studies until the summer, working back into a "regular life" slowly, to void off any setbacks.

I see a nutritionist, who just so happens to be my mom (how convenient!! ). She reevaluates me every 3 months to adjust my nutritional supplements accordingly. I take pharmaceutical-grade products, which are much better regulated than over-the-counter supplements and can only be obtained through a health care professional, such as a nutritionist, chiropractor, etc. Nutrition has truly given me my life back. My neurologist, who sees many other patients with POTS, has called me a "miracle". I suggest to anyone who hasn't attempted this avenue and is still having problems with dysautonomia to give this form of treatment a try. It could really change your life.

Please send me a message if you have any other questions, as I don't want to overwhelm all of you with a book!!! I'd be happy to answer further questions about nutrition, my health, symptoms, etc.

Love,

Kristin

[Radha]

hi kristin, could you tell us specifically what you took nutritionally that helped you so much and in what way you feel better? what symptoms improved? i'm desperate for any relief! thanks

radha

[kristinp29]

Hi Radha,

Sorry I didn't see your post until now. This was my first week of classes for the spring semester and it was a hectic week. But, I'm done--I have Fridays off this semester!!

I'd be happy to tell you what worked for me; however, my program changed about every 3 months as my body changed and needed different things. Plus, your body is most likely much different from mine in what it needs and what your symptoms are. And, honestly, my program has changed so much over the past 2 or 3 years that I can't remember every little thing I was on!! If you want, you can send me a personal message and I can answer more about this privately.

My symptoms...well, I used to have memory problems, comprehension difficulties, orthostatic intolerance, tachycardia, lightheadedness, migraines, numbness, tingling, severe pain, shooting pain, debilitating fatigue (it was like an intense heaviness centered in my body), episodic paralysis (arguably the most unsettling!), anxiousness, hot flashes, .....I could go on and on. I was homebound for 2.5 years with all of this stuff.

Now, the biggest thing I face is rebuilding my endurance. It's a slow process, but my body is healing steadily and I'm extremely hopeful. We redid the autonomic test (tilt table, etc) and it showed remarkable improvement compared to when I was so ill. I meet with my neuro every 6 months to check in--and this summer will probably our last meeting because he says I'm ready to be discharged!!! I also had problems in the early fall yet when it was very warm and humid. I live in Wisconsin, so it'll be a few months (hopefully) before I have to face that weather again. Last summer was the first summer I didn't get progressively worse, and actually got a little better, so it will be interesting to see what this summer brings.

I don't want to write a book here, so if there's anything more you want to know, please email or send me a personal message!! kpare29@mail.com

Hope this helps!

Love,

Kristin

[calypso]

Kristin,

Who is your neurologist? I am also in the southern Wisconsin area and was curious.

Amy

[kristinp29]

Hi Amy,

I see Dr. Safwan Jaradeh at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Milwaukee.

Gotta love Wisconsin!

Kristin