No More Allergies

Well, here I am again with more interesting steps along my journey to "good health".

Yesterday I underwent a holistic allergy clearing known as "Bioenergetic Intolerance Elimination (BIE)".

As I am extremely allergic to dogs, cats, dust, mould and through my life have tried all the conventional methods ~ skin testing, allergy shots, antihistamines & decongestants, corticosteroid inhalers and rescue inhalers, etc, this method seemed like a good choice since nothing else has ever addressed the root of the problem ~ only masked the symptoms.

I cannot even visit my grandbabies without taking an antihistamine and then using my rescue inhaler at least 2-3 times.

So in my quest to get off chemicals and regain good health with a healthy immune system so I can fight viruses, colds, influenza and other nasties that might come my way, I decided to have my allergies cleared.

This was a very interesting process. First let me explain (to the best of my ability) what BIE is.

BIE is a safe, effective and non-invasive alternative therapy for assessing and eliminating allergies, sensitivities and intolerances.

BIE works by “clearing” the energetic pathways of the body. These bioenergetic pathways, or meridians, whose existence has been confirmed through electro-magnetic imaging technology, allow energetic signals to flow continuously throughout the body via the nervous system. Any number of factors can cause a disruption in the normal (healthy) flow of energy through the body’s meridians. These disruptions interfere with the communication between the brain and body, causing energetic abnormalities which can underlie a wide range of symptoms and conditions, including allergies, sensitivities and intolerances.

During the procedure, the client is exposed to the allergenic substance (which is held in a glass vial), while a hand-held device is used to transmit a low electronic frequency at various meridian sites on the body. As the electronic frequency clears blocked meridians, the body’s cells interpret the allergen’s energetic frequency as “non-threatening”, resulting in the elimination of adverse reactions to the cleared allergen.

BIE is quite different from conventional methods of treating allergies. The most widely used conventional allergy test is the scratch or pin prick test, whereby an area on the skin (usually the back) is scratched or pricked to allow for a small dilution of a suspected allergen (typically inhaled allergens such as pollen, mold, dust and animal dander) to be applied and absorbed into the body. The appearance of redness and inflammation within 20 minutes confirms an allergy. Since the scratch test measures only one specific type of allergic response (IgE-mediated), it does not reliably detect food, chemical or environmental allergies and sensitivities.

Another significant drawback to the conventional approach to allergy is its reliance on pharmaceuticals to control allergic reactions and their symptoms. Antihistamines, inhaled orticosteroids, bronchodilators, aminophylline, oxtriphylline and theophylline medications may be used to provide temporary relief from symptoms, however, these short-term solutions pose the risk of serious long-term side effects (melatonin depletion with antihistamines; calcium, vitamin D, potassium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin C and folic acid depletion with corticosteroids; depression, insomnia and cardiovascular disease with bronchodilators).

In contrast, because BIE addresses the issue of allergy energetically, it is painless and non-invasive and can be used to assess the body’s reaction to virtually any substance. Further, a distinct advantage of BIE is its ability to restore the body’s proper physiological functioning without the use of pharmaceuticals and without any lasting adverse side effects.

During my appointment with the holistic allergist, she used muscle testing to determine the severity of my allergies using the substances to which I exhibit allergic reactions. So I brought fur from each of the animals that I react to. I had a very strong allergic reaction to the dogs and cats, reaction slightly less to dust and mould.

Then I went through the clearing which took about 20 minutes. Afterward she, using muscle testing again to check my allergic reactions to the substances. No more allergies to dust, mould, and all the animals but two had cleared. She said they would likely clear within 3-4 days.

For my followup appointment in December she suggested that I bring dust samples from my home and my daughters (the two places I spend the most time) for a clearing.

All I can say at this point is Hallelujah - now I can visit my daughter and her family without suffering asthma attacks, itchy & runny eyes, scratchy throat, sneezing, coughing and just way too much liquid draining from my nose.

So, Just Exactly Where Have You Been?

It would appear that I have lost my interest in blogging.

Why ~ I am not sure.

So much support and love across the miles came my way when I blogged my feelings through my fathers illness and ultimate death. During my knee and gall bladder surgeries I was overwhelmed by your concerns and good wishes.

So why, I wonder has my interest died. I have always enjoyed expressing myself through writing, painting, taking pictures, crafting, but all of these things have fallen by the wayside.

Well, part of the issue is that I am presently under construction to improve my health.

A few months ago, I decided to incorporate a Naturopathic doctor into my health management.

She discovered a great many problems in my blood chemistry, not the least of which was glucose at pre-diabetic levels. As well, I have acidosis which is a highly acidic body chemistry, high sodium levels, high potassium levels, too many liver enzymes, high cholesterol and anemia from very low iron.

She really put the "fear-of-God" into me by telling me that she felt within 5-6 years I would be a very sick woman if I did not make some big changes.

So, what am I doing?

First I am moving towards a vegan lifestyle. I have removed all red meat from my diet and am eating mostly oily fish (ie., salmon) as well as chicken and turkey. For the time being no more alcohol and I am following a 1600 calorie per day diet consisting mostly of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, eggs, yogurts and again only white meats and fish. Dark chocolate, olive oil and olives are also in diet daily.

To date I have lost 12 pounds and dropped a size. YAHOOOOO!!! The weight loss has been slow (in my opinion), but my chances of keeping it off are greater according to statistics if I lose approximately 1 pound a week, rather than rush things along with a faster weight loss.

As well on my last follow up visit, my bloodwork showed considerable improvements in all the areas that she was very concerned with.

On the recommendation of my naturopath, I have also undertaken a series of colonics hydrotherapy.

What is colonics you might ask ~ here is a short overview.

Colon hydrotherapy, or colonics, is a centuries-old therapy using filtered water to flush accumulated fecal waste, harmful bacteria, intestinal parasites, gas and mucus from the colon. It is a safe and gentle yet powerful way to cleanse the body, and to make all body systems and organs more efficient.

When waste matter is not efficiently eliminated from the colon, it becomes impacted and eventually putrefies and turns toxic. These toxins are absorbed into the bloodstream through the colon wall, where they travel throughout the body and eventually settle in various tissues. The stress created by these toxic deposits weakens the body, and can cause or aggravate a multitude of symptoms. Colon hydrotherapy cleanses the colon, helping to prevent the absorption of toxins into the bloodstream, and provides a clearing for the body to release trapped toxins so that these can be properly eliminated. Facilitating the optimal efficiency of practically all body processes, and thereby preventing the onset or degeneration of illness, is what makes colonics a useful part of virtually any treatment for virtually any condition.

The practice of using water to flush waste from the colon as a form of therapy dates as far back as 1300 B.C. An ancient Greek medical text called the Eber Papyrus (named after George Eber, a German professor who had the text translated in 1873) extols the virtues of cleansing the colon via the rectum. Early fathers of medicine Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) and Galen (129-210) were strong proponents of colon cleansing as a medicinal tool. Ambrosio Paré (1517-1590), a French physician, was the first to describe colon hydrotherapy (also known as colon irrigation or colonics) in detail and to differentiate it from an enema.

Into the 20th century, pioneering physicians including Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (of Kellogg's cereal fame), Dr. Norman Walker and Dr. Bernard Jensen stressed the importance of receiving regular colonics as part of a healthy lifestyle. In fact, until the 1930's, colon hydrotherapy was commonly practiced in many hospitals and doctors' offices, attesting to its legitimacy. Regrettably, the advent of pharmacology and the ensuing ubiquity of pharmaceuticals relegated colonics to virtual obsolescence for several decades.
Since the 1970's, however, there has been a grassroots resurgence of interest in the health benefits and healing potential of colon hydrotherapy.

Hectic schedules, high levels of stress, a growing dependence on nutrient-deficient processed and fast foods, artificial food additives and preservatives, sedentary lifestyles, alcohol consumption, smoking, recreational and prescription drug use, thousands of toxic chemicals in every day household and industrial products, environmental pollution, soil depletion - these are some of the common contributing factors to a general decline in people's health, producing conditions ranging from a vague feeling of malaise to more serious chronic and degenerative disease states. Ultimately, the body is burdened by toxic overload as it is not designed to cope with these hazards in the excessive quantity and frequency to which it has become exposed.

The consequences of these excesses have left many people searching for ways to regain their lost vitality. Drugs and surgery have become the interventions of choice in the field of medicine. However, although typically prescribed, drugs and surgery are limited in their effectiveness as a means of prevention. In fact, they are of little value until after the onset of illness. The use of drugs and surgery as a cure is also restricted. Because they tend to target a specific symptom rather than addressing the relationship between a symptom and the rest of the body, drugs and surgery generally do not address the underlying disturbances which caused illness to occur, leaving the door open for symptoms to recur or for new symptoms to develop. While modern medicine can be of invaluable service in certain critical circumstances, more and more people are seeking holistic health care alternatives to help alleviate illness before it reaches a critical stage.

As a holistic preventative and healing therapy, colon hydrotherapy is beyond comparison. It is widely practiced in the United Kingdom and in many European countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Switzerland. In North America, a growing number of people are experiencing the far-reaching benefits of colonics as word spreads about this unique therapy and as more holistic practitioners offer colonics as an integral part of health care.

I have also gone back to chiropractic adjustments which I firmly believe are important to prevention of illness. Unfortunately I have let it go over the past year, but have just started back again. Still going through the difficulties of flare up due to the adjustments, but this too shall pass.

Back in August of 2007, I wrote how much I love chiropractic care and why you should see a chiropractor. Here again are my reasons for seeing a chiropractor.

1. Relieve nerve irritation caused by narrowed openings of the spine due to degenerated discs.
2. Restore movement by stretching shortened ligaments resulting from chronic joint stiffness.
3. Restore joint movement by breaking down scar tissue from old injuries.
4. Help to "pump" in nourishment and lubricates the discs to avoid drying, cracking and rupturing of discs.
5. Calm muscle excitability to reduce tensions and spasm.
6. Can trigger specific pain-controlling nerve reflexes.
7. Can save you time and money in the long run by preventing chronic pain and future disability.
8. Correct underlying structural problem, rather than "cover up" your symptoms.
9. Pain relief without drugs or surgery.

Many, many people are nervous to see a chiropractor because of many horror stories of neck twisting, cracking, etc.... When you look for a chiro make sure that you and he/she understand your fears. Many do not employ twisting and cracking, but use a small tool called an activator.

It's most important to understand that chiropractic is not a treatment for disease. It's purpose is to reduce nerve system stress, a serious and often painless condition most adults and children have in their bodies. Nerve system stress interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system, can weaken internal organs and organ systems, lower resistance, reduce healing potential and set the stage for sickness and disorders of all kinds. When a chiropractor frees the nervous system from spinal stress, the healing power of the body is unleashed: the immune system works more efficiently, resistance to disease increases, and your body functions more efficiently. You can then respond to internal and external environmental stresses such as germs, changes in temperature, humidity, toxins, pollen and all the other stresses you may come in contact with more efficiently.

As well I have incorporated a small exercise program into my schedule. As I am sure you must all remember, exercise and me do not mix .... sort of like oil and water, but for the sake of my health it must be done.

So I went out and bought a good pair of walking shoes, a pedometer and started a walking program of 2-3 times per week. To date I have managed to walk 1 - 1 1/2 miles on each walk.

So, if you have wondered where I have been, now you know .... spending a great deal of time getting my health under control.

I want to continue to enjoy my grandchildren as they get older, not have to make excuses for why I cannot do .....